Research Paper | Peer Review

Writer’s name: __________________            Reviewer’s Name: _________________

1. What is the  thesis of the essay:

2. Discuss background information (knowledge needed to understand the context of the thesis) provided for the topic:  Is there too much?  Not enough?  What other information would you provide?  Why?  

Note: background information may be interspersed through out the paper, but should  be explained BEFORE or immediately after a relevant idea is mentioned.

3. Provide an outline tree of the body of the essay (do not include the introduction or conclusion). The thesis is the trunk of the tree. Ideally, there should be several statements (reasons for the thesis position) that form the branches of the tree.

Each statement should be supported by methods of development: examples, anecdotes, comparisons, process, categorization, research, etc. which are the twigs.

4. For each point in the outline above, state why this section of the paper is important to the thesis of the essay.  If the point is unimportant, state why. Can you provide a stronger point?

  5. Discuss support of claims (statements) made in the paper. Remember, any statement that IS NOT A KNOWN FACT needs evidence (ex: Suburbs close to the city are usually old and dangerous neighborhoods.) Is the author using outside sources to support statements?  What sources?  How convincing are they?  What other information or sources might the author use?

 6. Has the author remembered to acknowledge the opposition? That is, what are the major reasons some might disagree with the author?