Peer Critique: Film Analysis
This is not a test to see if you have done things “correctly”; rather, this is an opportunity for you and your partner to give and receive responses and feedback about your drafts from a reader who is familiar with the goals of this assignment. As you've likely head me say before, good writing is a process and takes place over a period of time. This critique assignment is part of that process.
There are two parts to the peer critique process. You are responsible for both of them.
You should have exchanged papers with someone else in class for this critique (exchanged MS Word documents).
Part 1: On the first read through your partner's paper, inside of the Microsoft Word document, using the review function, record questions that pop into your mind as you read (anything at all). Do not make statements. Do not mark through someone else's words, and do not mark grammar/mechanical issues. Simply highlight the section that prompts a question in your mind for whatever reason and record it on the document.
Part 2: Read your partner's essay for a second time. After you've read it a second time, go to the top of the next blank page inside of the Word document with their draft, and there, after reading the draft a second time, you will answer each of the following questions using complete sentences only. Do not simply answer yes or no. If you feel inclined to answer yes or no to any question, you must explain why.
Your response to each question should be detailed.
After you have finished with both parts of your critique, save the MS Word file with your questions on your partner's draft, as well as your answers to the peer critique questions, as one MS Word document and upload this to ulearn by the specified date on the course schedule.Later in the classroom, you will have an opportunity to have a verbal conversation with your critique partner about your response to their essay (and their response to yours). After that in-class conversation, you should email your partner the critique you completed of their paper, and they should email you the one that they completed for you.
Peer Critique Questions:
1.Does the essay begin with an interesting title and a catchy lead-in? How might the author improve these?
Does the essay begin with an interesting title and a catchy lead-in? How might the author improve these?2.Does the title reflect the entire content of the essay and mention the title of the film and the director as well as the theme/central idea that is examined? How might these be improved?
Does the title reflect the entire content of the essay and mention the title of the film and the director as well as the theme/central idea that is examined? How might these be improved?3.Does the essay focus on a single, clearly defined interpretation of the film (a theme)? Identify the essay’s primary claim (thesis). Clearly highlight and mark it on your partner's draft.
Does the essay focus on a single, clearly defined interpretation of the film (a theme)? Identify the essay’s primary claim (thesis). Clearly highlight and mark it on your partner's draft.4. Does the intro clearly preview the entire content of the paper? Why or Why not? How might this be improved?
5.Because most readers will probably have different interpretations of a film, does the writer show which film elements (set design, camera shots, costuming, lighting, themes, etc.) prompted their response to the film? Do they identify the specific scenes from the film that prompted their response early on in the essay and provide a brief summary and explanation of the significance of the film's overall theme to this scenes?
Because most readers will probably have different interpretations of a film, does the writer show which film elements (set design, camera shots, costuming, lighting, themes, etc.) prompted their response to the film? Do they identify the specific scenes from the film that prompted their response early on in the essay and provide a brief summary and explanation of the significance of the film's overall theme to this scenes? 6. Identify at least one paragraph in which the supporting evidence is strong. Then identify at least one paragraph in which the writer makes assertions without sufficient supporting evidence (Remember supporting evidence will be quotes from the text to support general statements). Explain to your partner why you found these strong or weak.
7.Does the author use the present tense throughout the essay to relate the events of the film's plot? Identify any verbs that are in the past tense.
Does the author use the present tense throughout the essay to relate the events of the film's plot? Identify any verbs that are in the past tense. 8.Are there any areas in the draft where the author merely gives a plot summary rather than offering analysis of why the director made specific choices and why those are important (recounts the event of the film without offering their own interpretation of its meaning? Identify these).
Are there any areas in the draft where the author merely gives a plot summary rather than offering analysis of why the director made specific choices and why those are important (recounts the event of the film without offering their own interpretation of its meaning? Identify these).9. Is the content of each paragraph clearly connected to the theme/central idea of the film that is identified in the introduction? How might the author improve this?
10.Is the essay well organized? How might the author improve the organization of the paper? What transitions might be added to aid the flow of the paper and make it clear? Explain.
Is the essay well organized? How might the author improve the organization of the paper? What transitions might be added to aid the flow of the paper and make it clear? Explain. 12.How does the conclusion bring the audience to the acceptable ending? Does the conclusion summarize the main points made in the body of the paper and restate the claim made in the intro?
How does the conclusion bring the audience to the acceptable ending? Does the conclusion summarize the main points made in the body of the paper and restate the claim made in the intro?13. When read together, do the intro and conclusion form one idea? Do the essay's title, intro and conclusion form one idea when considered together?
14.Does the paper convince you? Why or why not? What does the paper still need?
Does the paper convince you? Why or why not? What does the paper still need?15.Note: the language in this essay must be formal and academic. Does the author use appropriate language? Cite examples of inappropriate language, such as slang or informal expressions (“I,” personal pronouns, or contractions).
Note: the language in this essay must be formal and academic. Does the author use appropriate language? Cite examples of inappropriate language, such as slang or informal expressions (“I,” personal pronouns, or contractions). 16.Revision plan. List three key changes that the writer should make during the revision.
Revision plan. List three key changes that the writer should make during the revision.17.Add any editing suggestions you might notice while you’re reading.
Add any editing suggestions you might notice while you’re reading.