How Can I Conduct an Effective Peer Review?

As you engage in peer review, either as a writer or as a reviewer, consider what stage the project is in. Early in a writing project, a writer is likely to be most interested in feedback about the overall direction of the project. Big-picture concerns such as the overall purpose of the document, the general soundness of an argument, and how readers are likely to react to that argument will probably be more important than issues such as style and tone. Later, questions about the integration of evidence from sources, style and tone, and design will grow in importance, particularly in terms of how they help the writer pursue his or her purpose and goals. Consider, too, the contexts in which a peer review takes place and the technologies that might be used to carry out the review.