Peer Review Position Paper

15 points will be awarded if thoughtful, thorough, complete sentence

answers are provided. If you don’t intend to offer substantial feedback, don’t
participate.

1. How does the author introduce you to the paper? Is there an

interesting hook? What makes you want to keep reading?

2. Can you identify a clear, strong thesis statement? Type what you
identify as the thesis here.

3. If the thesis statement is weak or unclear, offer some suggestions for

improvement.

4. Are you convinced by this author’s argument? What sells you on the
argument or what are your lingering objections?

5. Who seems to be intended as the main reader? What does the

audience want that reader to do/think? How else might the writer
tailor this argument to this particular audience? Are there ideas or
appeals or research that this audience would find especially
persuasive?

6. What do you identify as the shared values that the writer and the
audience hold? How does the paper build common ground with its
intended audience? If it doesn’t, what would be a good strategy to
build some common ground?

7. What context/background might the reader need to follow the paper?

What additional information would be helpful?

8. Is the paper persuasive in convincing the reader that this

issue/problem is a relevant and important one? Is this an issue worth
talking about?
9. What argumentative style is the writer relying on (Rogerian, Toulmin,
Classical)? How is this effective? If not, what might be a better strategy
for this particular argument?

10. Where would you like to hear a bit more evidence

or explanation? Mark the draft.

11. Is the writer’s opinion clear or is the paper more a

collection of other people’s ideas? How might the writer include more
of his/her perspective? What is original/interesting about this writer’s
perspective?

12. What evidence does the writer use to support

his/her position? First-hand observation, examples from personal
experience, statistics, facts and quotations from reading, and results
from surveys and interviews? Identify the types of evidence you see
and briefly describe the evidence offered.

13. What does the author identify as the opposing

viewpoints on this topic? Are these opposing viewpoints represented
fairly? How could the author improve this representation?

14. What are the counterarguments the author

addresses? Identify them. Are there other counterarguments that you
feel are more important?

15. Is everything documented using APA style?

Examine each in-text citation and compare it to those in our APA
Guide.

16. Suggest anything that would improve the overall

development of the paper.

17. Is the References page formatted correctly? Does it include at

least three sources? Is one of those sources CQ Researcher? Examine
each citation on the references page and compare it to those in our
APA Guide.