Lesson 5 Academic PaperPeer ReviewKansai University Spring 2011

Review Body of Academic

Paper Introduction

Introductory Paragraph Literature Review Concluding Paragraph or Study Overview

Methods Introductory Paragraph Participants Step-by-step Description of Procedure Explanation of How Data was Analyzed

Results

Discussion

Conclusion

Peer Review The purpose of a Peer Review is for

colleagues or peers to help each other with academic papers.

Peer means someone of equal status or colleagues.

Peer review of academic papers is the process where your peers review your paper before it is published.

During a peer review, your peers or colleagues suggest ways to improve your paper and give their opinion about what you have written.

Peer Review Activity Everyone will share a copy of their paper

with their group members

Everyone will read and write comments about the paper in the margin of the paper. (10 - 15 minutes)

During the peer review, students will discuss the paper and share comments about how to improve the paper with the author.

The author will clarify or explain areas that others don’t understand and make corrections when needed.

Rules for the Peer Review

Everyone is at a different level of writing English papers. Be kind and considerate when you make comments or ask questions.

Remember it’s OK to make mistakes. Don’t make fun or laugh at mistakes that others make.

Your role is like a teacher. Your goal is to help the writer by giving suggestions and asking questions.

Guide the writer to organize ideas better or express thoughts so that is easier to understand.

Point out strengths of the paper or areas that are well written.

Areas to Examine Check the paper for grammar, spelling and

punctuation.

Check that paragraphs have a topic sentence, supporting sentences and a concluding sentence.

Ask for clarification or explanations when ideas are not clear. Help make the ideas clearer if possible. “I don’t understand what you mean by paragraph

2. Can you explain it to me?” “This sentence is not clear to me. Do you mean to

say, …?”

Conclusion Doing a peer review

Helps the writer organize and explain ideas Gives suggestions about how to improve a

paper

You can improve your paper by looking at how and what others write.

Peer review is a good way to prepare for a presentation or to have someone review your paper before publication.