Writing workshops (or peer review) are a key element of English 100. They are a component of the revision learning outcome and a standard practice throughout the multiple sections of the course. Writing workshops can be done a variety of ways. This is a non-comprehensive list of options, but feel free to try different practices to see what works for your particular class. The important thing is to allow students to read, evaluate, and support each others’ work, learning from and with each other.

Setting Up and Supporting Groups

• Assign students to a permanent group based on criteria of your choice, for instance majors, interests, learning or communication style. Some instructors prefer diverse groups; others create groups based on common interests.
• Assign students to random groups each time you do a writing workshop.
• Allow time for students to talk about their experiences in group with each other.
• Ask for anonymous feedback on how the groups are working and discuss positive and negative feedback in class.
• During conferences, ask students for feedback on how their groups are working.
• During Writing Workshops, observe groups informally or take a turn sitting in with each group.

Group Routines

You might want to create routines that groups follow each time they do a Writing Workshop or each time they do a certain kind of workshop (brainstorming, revision, editing).

Group routines might include:

• The writer always reads their draft aloud (or part of their draft).
• Students always bring copies for each other.
• Students read each others’ work before class.
• Students read each others’ work before class and write 2 questions for each writer.
• Students read each others’ work before class and write detailed comments for one writer.
• The writer does not speak while his or her writing is being discussed.
• The writer always has time at the end to ask questions or respond to them.

Other Practices

• Written guidelines for workshop are distributed at the beginning of each semester. The guidelines focus on particular skills that will be evaluated and reflected in grades.
• Students are required to respond in writing (a one-page reader response) to the essay being discussed. In class, the writer asks questions and elicits comments from the audience. Instructor does not look at papers commented on in peer review.
• Lead a discussion focusing on students’ past experiences with writing workshops. Also, lead a sample peer review (either of your own writing or of a student paper from a previous class – used with permission, of course).
• Distribute a handout recommending helpful language to use during Writing Workshops.
• Use GoogleDocs or Canvas to hold the Writing Workshop digitally.

TWO WAYS TO WORKSHOP AND PEER RESPONSE IN CANVAS

1. Using Groups & Discussion

This aims to encourage some of the give and take of a classroom conversation. Students work in groups of 3-4, sharing their drafts and comments in a group Discussion area. Students upload their drafts each to their own discussion thread in their group workspace. Then they download other group members’ drafts and write comments according to guidelines you provide. Short comments and questions can be posted to the Discussion area for interactive asynchronous discussion. For deeper feedback, you can ask students to write marginal comments and/or longer comments specifically for the writer.

Process Description: 

You will work in groups of 4, sharing your drafts and comments in a group Discussion area. I’m hoping these instructions are easy to follow, but since this method is new to us,  I’ll be available through chat [at this time] if you have questions. Or post your question to the “Course Logistics” Discussion area.

You have been assigned to a group. You’ll upload your draft to the discussion thread in your group workspace. Other group members will download your draft and write comments (1) on your draft using the Word or Google Doc commenting feature and (2) in a Discussion post. The Discussion Posts will allow you to interact with each other as a group. Details follow.

Find the full description of this approach in a shared Google doc here. (Access through your UW Google app.) 

Learning Goals and Assessment

What I want you to experience through this activity is some of the give and take that has been so rewarding in our in-person workshops. Writing is a social activity, and paying attention to how that works for you will build self-knowledge as well as rhetorical skills. Your participation in this workshop aims toward the course learning outcomes detailed in the syllabus.

Example guidelines for students: 

In this workshop for the early drafts of your essay, I expect you to

(1) Offer a response that helps each writer understand how you hear their project, purpose, and audience. What is this writer trying to do with this piece of writing and who is it for? Use what you’ve learned in class and through reading Harris to let the writer know whether and how you feel included as part of the audience. Use Harris’s “coming to terms.” Point to specific places in the writer’s draft that matter to your understanding of their project, purpose, and audience. (highlight or quote)

(2) Let the writer know what is most interesting to you and what you are curious about.

(3) Point out inconsistencies, areas of confusion, and anything that doesn’t make sense to you.

2. The Peer Review Tool

The Peer Review tool allows students to write comments for each other but does not provide the kind of conversational structure of a discussion.

Before the peer review, you may assign a short video to your students to orient them to the Peer Review tool. I suggest you watch this video to become familiar with the tool.

You’ll need to choose how many peer reviews each student will do and set this up within the assignment. You should also provide some guidelines — or a rubric — to help students practice giving useful comments.