Page 290 - Foundations of Learning, 4th Edition (Revised)

The students in Abby’s class have been assigned the task of assessing each other’s essays. They all understand
that it is not helpful to give each other feedback along the lines of “I really liked your essay” or “I disagreed
with your conclusion” and their instructor has cautioned them against feeling that peer review or assessment
of someone’s writing is intended to be mean or hurtful; the entire point of an assessment is to help someone
improve quality. He reminds them that even the best and most famous writers relentlessly assess what they
have written and have editors and proofreaders who also work to help them improve the quality of their writing.

If the students’ assessments are to help improve the quality of the essays by improving the quality of
the writing, they need to provide analytical and specific feedback. In order to assist them with this, their
instructor has shared a table listing the attributes of high quality writing:

Table 11.1 Attributes of High Quality Writing

Attribute Explanation
Thesis statement
Relevance The argument or purpose of the paper is clearly stated.

Depth of knowledge The writing contributes something unique to the world; the intended audience
is likely to find it valuable, important, and interesting because it resonates with
Accuracy of evidence their needs.

Clarity of content The breadth and depth of knowledge demonstrated by the writing gives the
reader confidence that what is being said is substantial and comprehensive.
Logical development
The credibility of the writer is established because each item of key supporting
Analysis of competing evidence is properly cited and referenced.
ideas/perspectives
Synthesis The concepts are articulated clearly and each idea is substantiated in a way that
satisfies the conventions of the discipline or field.
Mechanics of writing
The flow of the argument or thesis builds on evidence to a meaningful conclusion;
Effective use of there are no fallacies or unsubstantiated inferences based on faulty premises.
language
The author shares a set of opposing and conflicting perspectives and shows how
these relate to the thesis.

Concepts are supported with evidence, analyzed, and integrated; solutions are
woven together in a powerful summary.

The format, presentation, and style of writing match the expectations of the
intended audience; it is accurate, appropriately structured, and grammatically
correct.

Words are used appropriately and defined when necessary to effectively convey
meaning; the writer is careful to minimize unnecessary jargon.

The class has agreed that the best way to assess each other’s essays is by using the criteria in Table 11.1.
Their instructor has provided them with prompts, in the form of questions, to help them identify strengths
in the writing and specific places and ways that the writing could be improved. The class agreed to split
into groups of three or four students and that each group would assess three or four essays. Someone in the
group has taken notes on the assessment of Abby’s essay; the group’s responses are included below each
prompt. What follows on the next three pages is the peer assessment of Abby’s essay.

284 Foundations of Learning