Writing can be easier when you get help from others. Your course instructor may include a \u201cpeer review\u201d activity in your classes. To improve your writing (and to help others improve), you may wish to seek feedback on both your writing process and what you are ready to submit to your instructors.<\/p>\n
When we write, we may actually forget our reader. We write from inside our heads and know exactly what we mean. However, when others read our writing, they may find there are gaps in content. They may not be able to follow the logic or order of the ideas. They are not \u201cinside\u201d so may be missing the critical information that lends meaning to the text. Now what? Peer review to the rescue!<\/p>\n
When we receive feedback from course instructors, teaching assistants, writing centre staff or peers, we become aware of what we are missing in our writing and can respond.<\/p>\n
Please do watch this handy video about the peer review process and what it looks like to give effective feedback<\/a> (the video is called \u201cNo One Writes Alone\u201d and it provided the inspiration for the title of this section).[1]<\/sup><\/a> You\u2019ll note that Suzanne Lane, the Associate Director of Writing at MIT<\/a>, gives excellent advice we can all benefit from: be sure you review your peer\u2019s work from a reader\u2019s perspective<\/strong>. You are giving the writer your experience as a reader and that\u2019s invaluable.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n