Peer Response 3

As with the first two responses, the key is that you be as tactfully critical as you can so that you help your classmate improve his or her paper.

Your comments and suggestions are not limited to the items below, and while you should mark on your classmate's draft, the majority of your response should of course be on separate paper.  Read the paper through once completely, then concentrate on these important areas:

1. Overall focus of the essay—look for places where the paper might be straying from the stated central topic (or question).

2. Effectiveness of the introduction—point out weaknesses and make specific suggestions for improving them.  Especially if the paragraph isn't well developed, make very specific suggestions for adding more flesh to the intro paragraph.

3. Effectiveness of the thesis or statement of purpose in establishing the paper's central focus.

4. Effectiveness of body paragraphs—point out any weaknesses and make very specific suggestions regarding strong topic sentences, ¶ unity (one main point per paragraph), and ¶ development

5. Identify the weakest point in the body of the paper and make concrete, specific suggestions for improvement.

6. Identify the second weakest point in the body of the paper and here, too, make concrete, specific suggestions for improvement.

7. Make specific suggestions for improving underdeveloped paragraphs: don't just say "expand" or "elaborate"—make precise suggestions. 

8. Evaluate the effectiveness of the conclusion. If the conclusion is less than roughly half a page in length, suggest specific ways of expanding the paragraph: use the expression "for example," and then give actual suggestions.

9. Suggest improvements in the author's use of quotations: there should be at least six quotes from the play(s) and at least one apiece from two secondary sources of scholarly commentary or literary criticism. Do all quotes offer significant support to the author's claims? Do any seem "chunked in" just to meet assignment requirements? Suggest specific passages from the play(s) that the author might quote additionally to strengthen particular points. Suggest improvements in the introduction of quotes (Nugget 3).

10. Does the author rely too heavily on any quotations from secondary sources to make the essay's primary points instead of using the quotes to back up or support the author's own original points? Any quotations requiring more thorough explanation before or after they are given?

11. Point out successions of short, choppy sentences (approximately one typed line in length or less); suggest ways of combining short sentences to improve the flow of the essay.

12. Grammar and mechanics—especially "simple stuff," golden rules and nuggets, and quotes and documentation. 

13. Indicate any words that strike you as awkward; indicate any words you think the author may be using incorrectly.