Activity 1
Peer Review Workshop for Critical Essays
Objective: Develop skills in critically reviewing own work and the work of others, identifying strengths and areas for improvement in the context of a critical essay.
Task:
Present, Comment and Discuss: a Peer evaluation session: For this task, you are required to present a 5 minutes update on the progress of your critical essay content. Your classmates will listen and and comment on the areas of further improvement. Likewise you will need to listen and comment. The objective of this process is to exercise on key words identification and to practice on presentation skills. Duration of Process 1 hour depending on the amount of students in class
Materials Needed:
- A rubric or checklist for critical essays
- Sample critical essays (can be excerpts)
Duration: Approximately 2 hours
Activity Steps:
1. Introduction
- Briefly discuss the importance of critical review in academic writing.
- Explain the goals of the workshop: improving the ability to identify strengths and weaknesses in essays, and learning how to give and receive constructive feedback.
2. Presentation of the Rubric
- Present a rubric or checklist that outlines the criteria for a good critical essay. Key criteria might include:
- Clear thesis statement
- Logical organization and structure
- Use of evidence and examples
- Critical analysis and interpretation
- Writing style and clarity
- Proper citation and referencing
- Explain each criterion with examples.
3. Individual Review
- Distribute a sample critical essay to each participant.
- Ask participants to read the essay carefully and use the rubric to evaluate it.
- Encourage them to highlight strengths in one color and areas for improvement in another color.
- Participants should write brief notes justifying their evaluations.
4. Reflection and Action Plan
- Reconvene the whole group and ask volunteers to share their experiences.
- Discuss common strengths and areas for improvement identified during the reviews.
- Encourage participants to reflect on the feedback received on their own essays.
- Ask each participant to write a brief action plan detailing how they will address the feedback and improve their essay.
5. Wrap-Up
- Summarize the key points learned during the workshop.
- Emphasize the value of critical review in improving writing skills.
- Encourage participants to continue practicing peer review and self-evaluation beyond the workshop.
By engaging in this structured peer review workshop, participants will enhance their ability to critically evaluate both their own work and that of others, ultimately leading to stronger critical essays.
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