Peer Revision

One of the most frustrating parts about writing class is peer revision. Not that I don't appreciate criticism. In fact, I love having people tell me what I need to fix in my papers, especially when I think that there is something that I need to fix. No, what I dislike about peer revision is that there is so rarely any real "revising" occurring.

So often during peer revisions - both in high school and in college - I finish looking over my partner's paper with a long list of suggestions to give to them, where some things don't seem to fit, where something could be added, grammar mistakes, etc. But then they turn to me and say "Oh, your paper looks good." That's it. No suggestions, no comments on how or why it was good or where I could possibly make it better. It's just... "good."

Now, first off, this doesn't help me at all. For all I know, they didn't even read my paper. They could have simply been staring at the sheets for ten minutes thinking about their next class, the television show that's coming on tonight, or their date that night. Without some sort of feedback, I don't know how my paper actually holds up. Second, they tell me that my paper is good, and now I have to rattle off this long list of why their paper isn't? I never actually phrase it that way, and I rarely think it, but that is how it sounds coming right after they complement mine. In fact, in situations like this, it is actually worse if they tell me why my paper is good.

Anyways, I don't really care if you thought my paper was absolutely amazing, it is far more helpful to me (and it makes me much less concerned) if peer reviewers actually tell me something that wasn't "good" about my paper. Tell me something that I need to fix, even if the rest of the paper is perfect. Even if it is minor, I would rather hear about it than about how my paper has absolutely no issues whatsoever. That actually makes me freak out a little (unless the teacher says it) thinking that there is something major that we are both missing.

It really is a lot more comforting and satisfying when peer reviewers really try to find something that needs to be fixed in a paper. That is what I always try to do when I am reviewing others, even if it makes me feel a little harsh sometimes.