Peer Critique 1.1a and 1.

1b
Your Peer Critiques are due October 30 on Raider Writer by 11:59:59 p.m.
Objective: To demonstrate your ability to write a critique based on a primary source (a peer's
essay).
Purpose: Having others read your writing is a good way to find out if your document is
reaching its intended audience. In this assignment, you will read the drafts of two of your
peers and write a critique of each.
Description: To complete this assignment, use the guidelines from Chapter 4b of The St.
Martin's Handbook and compose a critique of your peers drafts. For each critique, you will
introduce the draft, summarize its main points, assess and respond to the author's
presentation, and offer conclusions about the effectiveness of the analysis. Remember to
speak as specifically as possible about the draft, quoting from it when necessary. Your
critique will be 400 - 500 words in length.
The elements of the draft you should address include:
Text for Analysis/Thesis: Identify the writer's thesis and then evaluate it for effectiveness.
Determine whether the writer has selected a particular text to analyze and whether or not the
thesis indicates that the writer will complete a rhetorical analysis of the text. Discuss whether
the thesis is specific enough and of appropriate scope for this analysis. For example, a thesis
that states that an author uses ethos, pathos, and logos in their text is NOT specific enough
for a rhetorical analysis. Explain why or why not, and provide suggestions for the writer to
help improve the thesis, if necessary.
Quality and Specificity of Analysis: Evaluate the writers analysis. Does the writer select
specific quotations from the text to discuss? What are these quotations, and what does the
writer have to say about them? Does the writer seem to effectively analyze, or does the draft
read more as a summary or paraphrasing of parts of the text being analyzed, or does the
writer end up arguing about the content, rather than the structure and presentation of the text?
Overall Essay Structure: Comment on the overall structure of the essay. For example,
explain in detail whether or not the paragraphs are presented in a logical and persuasive way.
Does the writer provide a clear introduction, body and conclusion? Does each paragraph
begin with a clear topic sentence and transition into the next paragraph? Provide examples
that are particularly effective or areas that need more improvement.

Instructions Simplified
1. State the article/author the student wrote a rhetorical analysis for.
2. State the rhetorical choices that the student analyzed and whether he/she believes the
author was effective/ineffective in achieving his purpose.
Please make sure to provide feedback/suggestions for the following:
1. Audience/purpose

2.
3.
4.
5.

Thesis Statement
Examples provided for rhetorical choices
Explanations of rhetorical choices effectiveness
Quote integration