Peer-Editing and Giving Feedback
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What you will learn
- 1Peer-edit a friend or family member's writing using a two-pass review
- 2Revise for ideas, structure, and clarity before editing
- 3Edit for grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling using the CUPS checklist
- 4Name one specific strength and one clear, kind suggestion when giving feedback
- 5Receive feedback graciously — listen fully, say thank you, and decide what to keep
Mini Lesson
Every professional writer has an editor — someone who reads their work and helps them make it better. When you read a friend's writing and share helpful ideas, you become their editor. That's called peer editing, and it is one of the most powerful skills a writer can learn. Today you will practice the two-pass system: revise first, edit second.
Revising vs. editing — two different jobs
- Revising means improving the ideas, structure, and clarity of a piece of writing. Ask: Is the main idea clear? Are the details specific? Does the writing flow well? Revising happens before editing.
- Editing means fixing errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization — the surface conventions of writing. Editing happens after revising.
- Memory trick: Revise = the IDEAS. Edit = the ERRORS.
The CUPS editing checklist
- C — Capitals: Does every sentence start with a capital? Are proper nouns (names, places) capitalized?
- U — Usage: Are the right words used? Do subjects and verbs agree? Are verb tenses consistent?
- P — Punctuation: Does every sentence end with the correct mark (. ? !)? Are commas used correctly?
- S — Spelling: Are common words spelled correctly? Are tricky words checked?
How to give kind, specific feedback
- Start with a strength — name something specific the writer did well. Not "good job" but: "Your opening sentence grabbed my attention because it asked a surprising question."
- Then give one suggestion — a clear, specific idea for improvement. Not "make it better" but: "In your second sentence, the reason felt a little vague — could you add a specific example?"
- Use the star and wish structure: one strength + one wish. Feedback is about the writing, not the person.
How to receive feedback graciously
- Listen fully before responding. Do not defend your writing before you hear the feedback.
- Say thank you — even if you disagree. The editor took time to help you.
- You decide what to keep and what to change. Feedback is a gift, not an order.
Words to know
Revise
To improve the ideas, structure, and clarity of a piece of writing
e.g. She revised her paragraph to make the main idea clearer.
Edit
To correct errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization
e.g. He edited the draft using the CUPS checklist.
CUPS
An editing checklist — Capitals, Usage, Punctuation, Spelling
e.g. Run CUPS on your draft after you finish revising.
Peer editing
Reading a partner's draft and giving helpful feedback on ideas and errors
e.g. We swapped drafts for peer editing during writing time.
Feedback
A response to a piece of writing that names one strength and offers one clear suggestion
e.g. Her feedback pointed out the strong opening and suggested adding one example.
Ask yourself: Did I revise for ideas first, then edit for errors? Did I name one strength and one specific suggestion? Did I check every item in CUPS — Capitals, Usage, Punctuation, and Spelling?
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