Peer Revision - Effect on the Reviewer

Philippakos and MacArthur (2016) studied how giving feedback (reviewing peers’ work) affects the quality of the reviewers’ own writing. The researchers focused on the effects of giving rather than receiving feedback. A thorough literature review supported the prediction that students who reviewed peer work would show increased skill revising their own work and produce higher quality future work, in comparison with peers who only received feedback or did not engage in any feedback strategies. (Philippakos & MacArthur, 2016)

The researchers were motivated to explore this topic because of the assumption that while professional authors spend extensive time revising their writing, elementary students spend little time or effort revision their work (beyond basic editing). The researchers hoped that this study would highlight one strategy to increase revision skills for 4th and 5th grade students. Study results revealed that the experience of evaluating peers’ work and explaining feedback to peers correlated with the peer reviewers writing higher quality essays even though they did not receive any feedback on their own writing. (Philippakos & MacArthur, 2016)

Philippakos and MacArthur (2016) highlighted the importance of direct instruction in evaluation criteria. Learning evaluation criteria has a positive effect on both the accuracy of self-assessment and overall performance on future work (Philippakos & MacArthur, 2016). This finding has direct implications for the use of self-assessment rubrics in my research this spring. Study participants will benefit from learning evaluation criteria through direct instruction of how mathematical skills are represented on the rubric. Participants will also benefit from learning self-evaluation skills by practicing how to self-score. In my study, I may want to consider how participants who are not working with a teacher during feedback could benefit benefit from peer feedback. If I incorporate this feedback component into my study, I will ensure that students are engaged in valuable peer review by giving specific directions how how students are expected to explain their feedback to their peers.

Reference

Philippakos, Z. A., & MacArthur, C. A. (2016). The Effects of Giving Feedback on the Persuasive Writing of Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Students.Reading Research Quarterly,51(4), 419-433. doi:10.1002/rrq.149