Process Note Critique

Peer Critique : Process Note

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For this critique, I would like you to do something a bit different than we’ve done before: I want you to be a skeptic, question everything about your peer’s writing. Please do so kindly. Your questions should help prod the writer to think through her or his writing more carefully.

In addition to focusing on any concerns of the author and on any concerns that you notice while reading, please address the following items:

1.     Describe what portions of the process note are currently the clearest and most effective. Please be as specific as possible. In other words, writing that, “Your introduction is clear and interesting” does not provide specificity or detail that lets the author know what is working and why. Instead you should try writing comments that give the author some clear direction, “The word choice in your discussion of audience was particularly useful in that you clearly described that you thought your audience did not know the reasons for the DU smoking ban because most people you know are against it. What is not clear, however, is how you have used this preliminary instinct to construct a research question or hypothesis.

2.     Compare the process note with what the author has already drafted of the paper. Essentially, I am asking that you determine if the author’s qualitative paper lives up to the promise of the process note. Again, please be critical, but do so nicely, so the author will receive useful feedback from you. While you might find the writing to be “good,” most writing can usually be improved and clarified.