peer review – Technical Writing

Peer Review for Project 6

traci — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 04:00:33 +0000

This is the post for the August 14, 2014 class meeting.

Today is the last class day for the course. Tomorrow you will turn in your final exam (your job application materials). Please pay attention to the details below to make sure you have everything completed and turned in properly.

Class Work for August 14

These are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

Overview remaining work in the course.
Complete the course evaluation.
Set permissions for LinkedIn (if relevant).
Refresh yourself on the documentation for the comment system in Google Drive.
Post drafts for Project 6 in the forums.
Respond to two students on Google Drive and in the forums.
Review the comments on your own work.

What’s Left in the Course

We have almost finished the work of the course. To help you keep track of what’s left, I created a to-do list/schedule (below). There will be a blog post each day with details on what you need to do. Here’s an overview:

August 14 (today): Post a draft of your job application materials for peer review. Provide feedback to two students in the forums (for your daily forum post grade). Write more if you want to reach a higher number of forum posts. This is the last day to add forum posts that will count toward the overall number for your participation grade. Complete your SPOT feedback by midnight Eastern time.
August 15 (Friday): Submit your job application materials (your final exam) with reflection memo by midnight in your timezone. There are no extensions on the final exam.
August 18 (Monday): Course grades will be submitted by midnight. You can check what has been graded in the Gradebook in Scholar prior to Monday.

Course Evaluation

Please fill out the Student Perceptions of Teaching (SPOT) survey for this course. Additionally, I have added a short topic in the forums: Feedback: Grade Levels for Projects. Please respond to the one-question, anonymous poll there. If you choose to leave a written comment, that information will NOT be anonymous. I promise, however, that I will not read any comments in that forum until after grades have been submitted.

Set Permissions for LinkedIn Projects

For me to see and grade your work on LinkedIn, I either need you to connect with me on LinkedIn or for you to make sure your privacy setting will let the public see your profile. Check the What permissions do I need on LinkedIn? FAQ for more details.

Refresher on the Google Drive Comment System

If you need a reminder on the comment and sharing systems in Google Drive, use the step-by-step instructions for how to use Google Drive for peer review on the FAQ site, which includes details on how to share your document, how to comment, and how to respond to comments. If you need a more detailed explanation, be sure to check out the Lynda video on “Commenting on a file.”

Posting Your Drafts for Project 6

You will post the share link to your draft in the forums:

Go to the Project 6 Drafts section of the forums, and create a topic for your draft with your name or your username (e.g., “Traci’s Job App”). [Note I created a subforum to make it a bit easier for you to find one another’s drafts.]
Post a reply in your topic, doing the following:
- If you do not want to share your last name in the forums, change it in your draft to a pseudonym. You can use a generic last name like Doe or Smith, or you can change it to Lastname.
- Share the link(s) to your Project 6 drafts in Google Docs, using the FAQ linked in the Refresher section above. If you have links to other documents, like you LinkedIn profile, provide those instead (or as well).
Let your classmates know about any specific concerns that you want them to consider as they comment on your draft.
Be sure to Preview your draft to make sure everything shows up the way you want it to, and then submit your post.

Responding to Your Classmates’ Drafts

Follow these instructions to respond to your classmates’s drafts:

Read and comment on the drafts of at least two of your classmates:
- Find one post that no other student has replied to (so that we can be sure everyone gets a reply).
- Find a second post that has only one other student reply.
Either use the Share link to go to your classmate’s draft on Google Drive or visit the page(s) they have submitted.

If you are working on Google Drive, use the Comment system to add details on the following issues. If you are reviewing a LinkedIn profile or another document outside Google Drive, add a reply in the forums and include answers to the following in your reply:
- Consider your immediate impression of the document(s), and add a comment to tell your partner your first thoughts. Job application materials can be rejected at a glance, so your first impression matters.
- If you notice any spelling errors, punctuation errors, or typos, mark them as you read, but please focus more on the content rather than editing.
- Add comments on the content of the draft. Comment on at least three things your classmate does well and at least three things that your classmate could improve on. It’s fine (excellent, even) to include more than the minimum number of comments.
Once you finish commenting on the document, add an overall comment in the forums that sums up what you thought of the job application materials and gives your partner some encouragement.

Reviewing the Comments You Received

Once you have finished adding comments to your classmates’ projects, return to your own draft, read the comments that your classmates have given you, and add replies as appropriate. For instance, you might thank your partner for catching an error, ask your partner for more detail on feedback you don’t understand, or share a revision and ask your partner if it is an improvement. Your goal is to reply today so that your classmate can respond if you need more information.

Peer Review for Project 5

traci — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 08:39:42 +0000

This is the post for the August 11, 2014 class meeting.

Today, we have peer review for Project 5 scheduled. We’ll follow the same process as we have on the other assignments, so this should be routine for you this time. I hope to have feedback on the work you have submitted to you soon.

Class Work for August 11

Today we focus on peer review for Project 5, using Google Drive. The process will be just like the peer review you did last week. Here are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

Refresh yourself on the documentation for the comment system in Google Drive.
Post drafts for Project 5 in the forums.
Respond to two students on Google Drive and in the forums.
Review the comments on your own work.

Refresher on the Google Drive Comment System

Posting Your Drafts for Project 5

You will post the share link to your draft in the forums:

Go to the Project 5: Completion Report forum, and create a topic for your draft with your name or your username (e.g., “Traci’s report”).
Post a reply in your topic, doing the following:
- If you do not want to share your last name in the forums, change it in your draft to a pseudonym. You can use a generic last name like Doe or Smith, or you can change it to Lastname.
- Share the link(s) to your Project 5 drafts in Google Docs, using the FAQ linked in the Refresher section above.
Let your classmates know about any specific concerns that you want them to consider as they comment on your draft.
Be sure to Preview your draft to make sure everything shows up the way you want it to, and then submit your post.

Responding to Your Classmates’ Drafts

Follow these instructions to respond to your classmates’s drafts:

Read and comment on the drafts of at least two of your classmates:
- Find one post that no other student has replied to (so that we can be sure everyone gets a reply).
- Find a second post that has only one other student reply.
- (Optional)You may offer feedback and comments for more than two students if you like. If you are trying to raise your participation grade, commenting on an additional student’s paper can raise your number of posts.
Use the Share link to go to your classmate’s draft on Google Drive and do the following:
- Check the title of the document(s), and add a comment to tell your partner if it is clear and effective.
- If you notice any spelling errors, punctuation errors, or typos, mark them as you read, but please focus more on the content rather than editing.
- Add comments on the content of the draft. Comment on at least three things your classmate does well and at least three things that your classmate could improve on. It’s fine (excellent, even) to include more than the minimum number of comments.
- As you check the documents, check that the report addresses all four areas that fall under the participation portion of your grade: participation, daily work, number of posts, and quality of posts. Leave a comment if you notice anything missing or can offer advice on design and layout.
Once you finish commenting on the document, go back to your classmate’s post in the forums and add an overall comment that sums up what you thought of the paper and gives your partner some encouragement.

Reviewing the Comments You Received

Peer Review for Project 4

traci — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 07:40:35 +0000

This is the post for the August 4, 2014 class meeting.

Today, we have peer review for Project 4 scheduled. We’ll follow the same process as we have on the other assignments, so this should be routine for you this time. I hope to have feedback on the work you have submitted to you soon.

Class Work for August 4

Today we focus on peer review for Project 4, using Google Drive. The process will be just like the peer review you did last week. Here are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

Refresh yourself on the documentation for the comment system in Google Drive.
Post drafts for Project 4 in the forums.
Respond to two students on Google Drive and in the forums.
Review the comments on your own work.

Refresher on the Google Drive Comment System

Posting Your Drafts for Project 4

You will post the share link to your draft in the forums:

Go to the Project 4: Proposal for Job Application Materials forum, and create a topic for your draft with your name or your username (e.g., “Traci’s proposal”).
Post a reply in your topic, doing the following:
- If you do not want to share your last name in the forums, change it in your draft to a pseudonym. You can use a generic last name like Doe or Smith, or you can change it to Lastname.
- Share the link(s) to your Project 4 drafts in Google Docs, using the FAQ linked in the Refresher section above.
Let your classmates know about any specific concerns that you want them to consider as they comment on your draft.
Be sure to Preview your draft to make sure everything shows up the way you want it to, and then submit your post.

Responding to Your Classmates’ Drafts

Follow these instructions to respond to your classmates’s drafts:

Read and comment on the drafts of at least two of your classmates:
- Find one post that no other student has replied to (so that we can be sure everyone gets a reply).
- Find a second post that has only one other student reply.
Use the Share link to go to your classmate’s draft on Google Drive and do the following:
- Check the title of the document(s), and add a comment to tell your partner if it is clear and effective.
- If you notice any spelling errors, punctuation errors, or typos, mark them as you read, but please focus more on the content rather than editing.
- Add comments on the content of the draft. Comment on at least three things your classmate does well and at least three things that your classmate could improve on. It’s fine (excellent, even) to include more than the minimum number of comments.
- As you check the documents, check that the proposal includes the following required sections and add a comment if anything is missing:
  - summary (p. 282–283)
  - introduction, which explains the findings of the writer’s research and the writer’s needs (p. 283)
  - proposed tasks, that is what the writer proposes to create for Project 6 (p. 283–286)
  - task schedule (p. 287–289)
  - evaluation techniques (p. 289), which outlines three levels of work:
    - Average Work ( a C project)
    - Above-Average Work (a B project)
    - Excellent Work (an A project)
Once you finish commenting on the document, go back to your classmate’s post in the forums and add an overall comment that sums up what you thought of the paper and gives your partner some encouragement.

Reviewing the Comments You Received

Peer Review for Project 3

traci — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 04:00:59 +0000

This is the post for the July 28, 2014 class meeting.

We’re about half-way through this course at this point. This week, we will finish up Project 3 and begin work on Project 4, which focuses on short proposals.

Class Work for July 28

Today we focus on peer review for Project 3, using Google Drive. The process will be just like the peer review you did last week. Here are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

Refresh yourself on the documentation for the comment system in Google Drive.
Post drafts for Project 3 in the forums.
Respond to two students on Google Drive and in the forums.
Review the comments on your own work.

Refresher on the Google Drive Comment System

Posting Your Drafts for Project 3

You will post the share link to your draft in the forums:

Go to the Project 3: Definition and Instructions forum, and create a topic for your draft with your name or your username and career or field (e.g., “Traci, college writing instructor”).
Post a reply in your topic, doing the following:
- If you do not want to share your last name in the forums, change it in your draft to a pseudonym. You can use a generic last name like Doe or Smith, or you can change it to Lastname.
- Share the link(s) to your Project 3 drafts in Google Docs, using the FAQ linked in the Refresher section above.
Let your classmates know about any specific concerns that you want them to consider as they comment on your draft.
Be sure to Preview your draft to make sure everything shows up the way you want it to, and then submit your post.

Responding to Your Classmates’ Drafts

Follow these instructions to respond to your classmates’s drafts:

Read and comment on the drafts of at least two of your classmates:
- Find one post that no other student has replied to (so that we can be sure everyone gets a reply).
- Find a second post that has only one other student reply.
Use the Share link to go to your classmate’s draft on Google Drive and do the following:
- Check the title of the document(s), and add a comment to tell your partner if it is clear and effective.
- If you notice any spelling errors, punctuation errors, or typos, mark them as you read, but please focus more on the content rather than editing.
- Add comments on the content of the draft. Comment on at least three things your classmate does well and at least three things that your classmate could improve on. It’s fine (excellent, even) to include more than the minimum number of comments.
- As you check the documents, check them for the following:
  - Extended definition: Does the document use layout and design to make the information easy to read?
  - Instructions: Are the steps numbered? Does the document use imperative verbs? Is the layout open and airy?
  - Glossary: Does the document use layout and design to make the terms and definitions clear? Are the entries in alphabetical order? Do the glossary entries use broken sentences?
Once you finish commenting on the document, go back to your classmate’s post in the forums and add an overall comment that sums up what you thought of the paper and gives your partner some encouragement.

Reviewing the Comments You Received

Peer Review for Project 2

traci — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 04:28:13 +0000

This is the post for the July 21, 2014 class meeting.

Hope you all had a nice weekend are are ready to go with another week of classes. This week, we will finish up the analysis assignment for Project 2 and begin work on technical instructions, definitions, and descriptions for Project 3. By the end of the week, I will post additional information on how your work in the forums and general participation are graded as well.

Class Work for July 21

Today we focus on peer review. The process will be a little different from last week, since your work is on your Google Drive, but the idea is basically the same. Here are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

Go over documentation on using the comment system in Google Drive.
Post drafts for Project 1 in the forums.
Respond to two students on Google Drive and in the forums.
Review the comments on your own work.

Using the Comment System in Google Drive

The Comment system in Google Drive allows you to highlight the text in the draft you are writing and link your comments to the passage. It is one of two tools typically used in the workplace to collaborate on documents (the other is the Comment tools in Microsoft Office). We are using Google Drive because it is free and works on nearly all operating systems in the same way. It’s usually a bit easier to use as well.

If you are unfamiliar with the comment and sharing systems in Google Drive, use the step-by-step instructions for how to use Google Drive for peer review on the FAQ site. The FAQ includes details on how to share your document, how to comment, and how to respond to comments. If you need a more detailed explanation, be sure to check out the Lynda video on “Commenting on a file.”

Posting Your Drafts for Project 2

You will post the share link to your draft in the forums:

Go to the Project 2: Analysis of Writing in Your Field forum, and find the topic you created with your name or your username and career or field (e.g., “Traci, college writing instructor”).
Post a reply in your topic, doing the following:
- If you do not want to share your last name in the forums, change it in your draft to a pseudonym. You can use a generic last name like Doe or Smith, or you can change it to Lastname.
- Share the link(s) to your Project 2 drafts in Google Docs, using the FAQ linked in the section above.
Let your classmates know about any specific concerns that you want them to consider as they comment on your draft.
Be sure to Preview your draft to make sure everything shows up the way you want it to, and then submit your post.

Responding to Your Classmates’ Drafts

Follow these instructions to respond to your classmates’s drafts:

Read and comment on the drafts of at least two of your classmates:
- Find one post that no other student has replied to (so that we can be sure everyone gets a reply).
- Find a second post that has only one other student reply.
Use the Share link to go to your classmate’s draft on Google Drive and do the following:
- Check the title of the document, and add a comment to tell your partner if it is clear and effective.
- If you notice any spelling errors, punctuation errors, or typos, mark them as you read, but please focus more on the content rather than editing.
- Add comments on the content of the draft. Comment on at least three things your classmate does well and at least three things that your classmate could improve on. It’s fine (excellent, even) to include more than the minimum number of comments.
- If your classmate has included the optional analytical memo, check whether the draft addresses all six characteristics of technical communication. If anything is missing, add a comment that lets your partner know.
Once you finish commenting on the document, go back to your classmate’s post in the forums and add an overall comment that sums up what you thought of the paper and gives your partner some encouragement.

Reviewing the Comments You Received

Once you have finished adding comments to your classmates’ projects, return to your own draft, read the comments that your partner gave you, and add replies as appropriate. For instance, you might thank your partner for catching an error, ask your partner for more detail on feedback you don’t understand, or share a revision and ask your partner if it is an improvement. Your goal is to reply today so that your classmate can respond if you need more information.

Peer Review for Project 1

traci — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 16:03:30 +0000

This is the post for the July 14, 2014 class meeting.

Today is peer review day for the first project. By sharing the draft of your first project, you will have the opportunity to get some feedback on your work before it is due. In addition, you will have the chance to get to know your classmates better by reading through the bios everyone else has posted.

I will be in the online chatroom this evening (from about 9 to 11 PM Eastern) if you need to ask any questions about your project.

Class Work for July 14

These are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

Review Editing and Proofreading tips (Markel, Appendix, Part B).
Post drafts for Project 1 in the forums.
Respond to two students in the forums.
Read everyone’s posts to get to know your classmates.

Editing and Proofreading Tips

Part B of the Appendix in your text goes over various rules for grammar, punctuation, and mechanics. You can review these rules as needed. There’s also a list of 20 Most Common Errors available under the Resources menu at the top of the page.

Posting Your Drafts for Project 1

You will post your draft in the forums, just as you posted your topics last week:

Go to the Project 1: Professional Biography Statement
board in the forums, and find the topic you created with your name or your username (e.g., “Traci’s Bios.”).
Post a reply in your topic, doing the following:
- If you do not want to share your last name in the forums, change it in your draft to a pseudonym. You can use a generic last name like Doe or Smith, or you can change it to Lastname.
- Share your draft in one of two ways:
  - Link to your bios in Google Docs, if you have shared your draft with “Anyone with the link” or “People at Virginia Tech with the link.”
  - Copy and paste your document into the forums; however, you will need to restore the formatting (such as adding any bold or italics back to the draft)
- If you have written more than one bio, please label them so that your readers will know what they are reading (for instance, you might note one is a formal bio for the company website, and the other is an informal bio for the internal company newsletter).
If you have any specific concerns that you want your readers to consider, add a note on that as well.
Be sure to Preview your draft to make sure everything shows up the way you want it to, and then Submit your draft.

Replying to Project 1 Drafts

You will post your draft in the forums, just as you posted your topics last week:

Read the drafts of at least two of your classmates and add a reply with advice and encouragement (more below).
- Find one post that no other student has replied to (so that we can be sure everyone gets a reply).
- Find a second post that has only one other student reply.
In your reply, be sure that you answer the following three questions for the draft:
- What is good about the draft? What should not be changed? Why is it good?
- What suggestions do you have to improve the draft?
- Add an overall comment that sums up what you thought of the bio(s) and gives your classmate some encouragement.

Reading the Remaining Project 1 Drafts

To get to know your classmates a bit better, read through the remaining bio statements that are posted. If you notice anything you want to comment on, feel free to post additional replies.

Finishing Project 1

Read the peer review comments in the topic for your project, and use the advice to improve your work. You will post your projects tomorrow, along with your reflection memo. Tomorrow’s post will include details on writing the memo and how to submit your project in Scholar.