The Art of Peer Review: Praise, Question, Polish

As you begin to peer review your classmates’ papers, you will want to pursue the “PRAISE, QUESTION, POLISH” technique of editing.

PRAISE: Find at least one thing (and preferably more) praiseworthy about the paper. Was it well-written? Was it logical and on subject? Were there parts of the paper that resonated with you? Was there something memorable? Did it help put things in a different perspective for you? Did it cause an epiphany for you?

QUESTION: Point out at least one thing in the paper about which you may have a question. Was there a point in need of clarification? Was there a thought not taken to a logical conclusion? Was there a tangent leading nowhere? Was there room to better explain an idea or give examples?

POLISH: Point out at least one thing that could make the paper better. NOTE: Be professional, courteous and constructive in your criticism. Be sure to give some guidance or examples of how you think the paper could be improved.

Please read your papers carefully and be thoughtful in your comments (remember, other people will read your comments—including the course instructor and/or lab leaders). GRAMMAR, SYNTAX AND SPELLING COUNT, SO LOOK FOR THESE FACTORS AS YOU READ.

When you have finished, send your PQP to the person who wrote the paper, and send a copy to your lab leader.