101
Dr. Communications Dow
Fall 2010
Essay # 2, Photo Focus
Peer Review Workshop
Writer:___________________
Reviewer # 1:______________
Reviewer # 2:______________
Heres a quick reminder of the assignment:
In the end, you will need to submit a revised, polished essay that is three-four pages long (typed,
double-spaced, normal margins and font size) focused on the dominant impression of the photo
you have chosen. Your support should come from your life experience and the photo itself.
Todays Peer Review Workshop: While I am meeting with you each individually to review
your drafts as well as your specific questions, please read your classmates draft and respond to
the following questions. You may write on this worksheet as well as jot notes on your peers
draft.
1- Does the essay begin with an engaging story, song lyric, or other keep readingthis is
going to be good opener? If so, make some notes about what you found so engaging? If
not, can you offer some suggestions or ask your classmate some questions to help him or
her see what a reader is looking for here? First impressions are so important, and its not
too late.
2- What is your peers thesis (main point, dominant impression)? Is the essays thesis (or
focus) statement located fairly early in the essay so that it anchors the main idea? Please
underline the thesis. If you are not sure what it is, please note that.
3- Does each supporting paragraph begin with a focused topic sentence that both expresses
the main point of that paragraph and creates a connection between that paragraph and the
thesis or main point? If not, please make notes for your classmate so that he or she
knows that readers are looking for more connections throughout the essay. Keep in mind
that focused topic sentences frame the supporting details and examples in that paragraph
as parts important of the essay as a whole.
4- Does your classmate use vivid, concrete, and specific details and examples to make his or
her dominant impression come to life for you, the reader? If you find yourself looking
for more details and/or examples, please note that in the margins.
5- Does the essay you are reading conclude with something worth knowing and thinking
about beyond the experience of reading the essay? Has your classmate gone beyond
conclusion as summary and answered your so what? questions?
6- Do you find your classmates essay interesting and engaging? If so, why does it appeal to
you? If not, how might your classmate infuse his or her work with more energy between
now and next Tuesday?
7- Do all of your classmates sentences include one complete thought? If a single sentence
includes more than one complete thought, has the writer joined the complete thoughts in
ways that are both readable and understandable for you, the audience?
8- Has your classmate proofread his or her work to make sure that spelling mistakes,
random commas, and typos do not create distractions for you, the reader, and draw your
attention away from the writers great ideas?
A few final reminders for the writer
Please be sure to include your name, COM 101-044, my name, and the date in the upper
left-hand corner of your first page.
Be sure to hand in this completed worksheet as well as todays marked up draft with
your final draft on Tuesday.
You are already a writer, so you can do this.
Your final polished draft is due at the beginning of class on Thursday, September 30.
For Tuesday (9/28), please read the following section from Why White Rice?
o Chapter Four, pages 95-99
Also, for Thursday, (9/30), please read the following section from Why White Rice?
o Chapter Three, pages 61-75