Unit 8: Academic Writing Resources
51 Peer Response Training
Introduction to Peer Response
Peer response (or peer review) is when students read each other’s drafts and give helpful comments to improve ideas, organization, and use of evidence before the final version is submitted.
To be effective, peer response helps writers improve their drafts before they reach the final submission. Good peer response involves
- identifying important elements to comment on
- knowing what to focus on and what to ignore at the draft stage
- framing comments so the writer understands the problem and knows how to revise
The following information will help you better understand what to focus on and how to respond.
What should I comment on?
What you comment on for draft one will be different for draft two. In this class, you will conduct peer review for the first drafts of your essays. Below are some guidelines for things to focus on and things to ignore in the first drafts:
| What to comment on | What to ignore |
|---|---|
| thesis statement
too many quotes insufficient introduction of evidence lack of connecting explanation after evidence order of main ideas relevance of evidence (title) |
spelling
verb tense punctuation grammar (UNLESS it makes the meaning hard to understand) |
What makes comments effective?
Effective peer review comments are specific, clear, and tactful.
| Quality | Less effective example | Improved example |
|---|---|---|
| Specific | What??
Irrelevant |
The topic and focus in your thesis statement are not very clear to me. / It’s difficult to identify your position here. Could you try to make it clearer?
This is a separate idea, but it might be related to another main point. Does it fit in the second paragraph? |
| Clear | Change your thesis.
Not enough evidence. |
You could express the topic more clearly and clarify supporting point number two more fully.
Supporting point #2 seems unclear to me. Can you explain it with an example?” After this evidence, please add a sentence to explain how it proves your point. Paragraph 3 needs a source. You could use the X article to support this point. |
| Tactful (polite) | Your thesis is bad.
This is wrong. |
Your thesis could be clearer. What do you mean by __? / I’m not quite sure what your focus is.
I’m not sure what you mean by __. Could you rephrase it? This part seems like a new idea. Should it go in paragraph __?” This point seems unrelated to your main idea. Can you connect it or remove it? You make a strong point here. Maybe move it earlier to make the argument stronger. |
AI and Peer Response: An Important Note
During peer review in this class, you should not use AI tools to comment on your classmates’ drafts.
AI is not allowed for peer review in this class because:
- It shares your classmate’s writing without their permission
- You need to practice critical thinking and reading skills
- Your peer deserves feedback from a real human reader
- AI feedback does not show your own understanding
During peer review you are expected to:
- ✅ Read your peer’s draft yourself
- ✅ Give feedback in your own words
- ✅ Comment as a reader (“I’m confused here…”)
- ✅ Ask questions and suggest ways to improve based on your understanding
During peer review you should avoid:
- ❌ Copying your peer’s writing into an AI tool
- ❌ Ask ingAI to review or improve your peer’s draft
- ❌ Copy-pasting AI‑written comments into peer review
Peer response is not about being “right” or “perfect.” It is about being thoughtful, honest, and helpful as a reader.
Key Takeaways
- Peer response helps writers revise and improve their drafts.
- Focus on ideas, organization, and evidence, not grammar.
- What you comment on depends on the draft stage.
- Effective comments are specific, clear, and polite.
- Good feedback explains what is unclear and suggests how to revise.
