How do you use feedback and peer review to improve your persuasive or argumentative essay?

1 What is feedback and peer review?

Feedback and peer review are processes of giving and receiving constructive criticism on a piece of writing, usually from someone who is not the author. Feedback can be formal or informal, written or oral, and can come from various sources, such as your instructor, your classmates, your friends, or online services. Peer review is a specific type of feedback that involves exchanging your essay with another writer who has a similar assignment, and evaluating each other's work according to specific criteria.

2 Why are feedback and peer review important?

Feedback and peer review are important because they can help you improve your essay in several ways. First, they can help you identify and correct errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting that may affect your credibility and readability. Second, they can help you clarify and refine your thesis statement, your main arguments, your supporting evidence, and your conclusion, and make sure they are consistent and coherent. Third, they can help you address any potential objections, questions, or gaps in your reasoning that your audience may have. Fourth, they can help you enhance your style, tone, and voice, and make your essay more engaging and persuasive.

3 How to get feedback and peer review?

There are different ways to get feedback and peer review on your essay, depending on your situation and preferences. One way is to ask your instructor for feedback, either before or after submitting your essay. Your instructor can provide you with valuable guidance, suggestions, and resources to improve your essay. Another way is to participate in a peer review session, either in class or online. Your instructor may assign you a partner or a group of peers to exchange and review your essays, or you may find a peer review partner or group on your own. A third way is to seek feedback from other sources, such as your friends, family, tutors, or online services. However, make sure that the feedback you get is relevant, reliable, and respectful.

4 How to give feedback and peer review?

Giving feedback and peer review is not only a way to help others improve their essays, but also a way to improve your own writing skills and critical thinking. To give effective feedback and peer review, you should follow some basic principles. First, read the essay carefully and thoroughly, and try to understand the author's purpose, audience, and argument. Second, use specific criteria or rubrics to evaluate the essay, such as the ones provided by your instructor or the ones you agree on with your peer review partner or group. Third, provide constructive criticism, which means pointing out both the strengths and the weaknesses of the essay, and offering specific suggestions for improvement. Fourth, be respectful, polite, and supportive, and avoid personal attacks, harsh judgments, or vague comments.

5 How to receive feedback and peer review?

Receiving feedback and peer review can be challenging, especially if you are not used to it or if you are sensitive about your writing. However, you should remember that feedback and peer review are meant to help you improve your essay, not to hurt your feelings or undermine your confidence. To receive feedback and peer review effectively, you should follow some basic tips. First, be open-minded and receptive, and listen to or read the feedback carefully and attentively. Second, be critical and selective, and evaluate the feedback according to its relevance, reliability, and respectfulness. Third, be grateful and responsive, and thank the feedback giver for their time and effort, and ask for clarification or examples if needed. Fourth, be proactive and reflective, and use the feedback to revise and edit your essay accordingly.