Peer Exchange (Experience Essay)

Directions:

1. You have been assigned into groups of 4-5 people. You will have to post a copy of the 1st draft of your experience essay in the discussion forum to allow other students to read it. Once you do this, please begin reading your other classmates’ essays and do the following:

• Edit the paper for any mistakes/errors you see.
• Read deeply and carefully for content, while “correcting,” and create a written response (post it as a reply in the discussion forum) for the author that addresses at least two of the following questions/suggestions:

o Where is the writer telling you what happened instead of showing you the details and making you part of the experience?

o Can you suggest places where the writer needs to become more specific in terms of information, language, or detail?

o Are there places where the writer could be more explicit rather than implicit, and/or vice versa?

o Do you see a more effective way to begin this paper, something, perhaps embedded into the body of the paper now?

o Do you find that “chopping it up” might be a more effective/interesting way for the writer to convey his/her story? Offer suggestions on how you see the new structure taking shape.

o Does the paper convey a sense of the writer exploring the significance of an experience? What is the point you believe the author is trying to make?

2. Once you have completed your response/post, repeat this process with another classmate’s essay. Do this process until you’ve read and responded to all of your classmates’ essays (those in your group) that are not your own.