Peer Editing Model

Nancy Matte, PC
Using the Peer Editing Model (PEM), developed by Marybeth Mason at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, has dramatically helped students improve learning and writing in my English 101 and 102 classes. The Peer Editing Model requires students to complete the pre-writing steps we've always told them to do -- brainstorming, writing a working thesis, outlining, writing a rough draft, and revising.

The Peer Editing Model requires students to complete the pre-writing steps we've always told them to do -- brainstorming, writing a working thesis, outlining, writing a rough draft, and revising.

In the PEM, students must complete these pre-writing steps and have them checked by the instructor. As an editing model, a student volunteer's rough draft is edited by the whole class. Then, students edit each others' papers in peer groups of 3-4 students before turning in a final paper to be graded.

Peer editing groups are a key component for successful peer editing. After two weeks of rotating group members, permanent peer editing groups are formed based on individual writing samples, ASSET scores, student preferences, and observation of how students interact with each other. Once groups are formed, team building activities and monitoring of what's happening in each group and between group members results in more positively functioning groups and greater individual learning.

While many students are hesitant at first to have their work seen and edited by others, with communication and behavioral ground rules in place, most students respond very well to peer editing. They realize that they're not the only ones who don't write perfect papers on the first try. With a safe, risk-taking environment, students overcome their hesitations and use peer editing to become better writers.

Maricopa Center for Learning & Instruction (MCLI)
The Internet Connection at MCLI is Alan Levine --}
Comments to alan.levine@domail.maricopa.edu