PROMPT: Reflect on the peer-review process with you as the reviewer. How did it feel to read and critique someone else’s writing? What did you learn that you can apply to your own writing as you revise your final essay?
The peer review process was an interesting one to say the least. I was constantly trying to make sure that I was reviewing the work properly. It felt odd to critique someone else’s work because if how unsure I am of my own. I tried to put myself in the author’s shoes, to see the work from their perspective, but it was rather difficult given we aren’t the same person. It is basically impossible to align your own thoughts as if they were someone else’s entirely. Because of this, I didn’t do much “critiquing at all.” Instead, I made a couple of suggestions but really just tried to ensure the author that the paper was good, because I believe it was intended to be good, and it was from a perspective other than my own. This process helped me learn that when I am writing, that I must make a great attempt to write from a more general perspective. I should leave things up for debate and question, instead of writing things with concrete ink. I believe that this process can help us all become better writers.
