"Research" essays are best thought of as "supplemented arguments."  That is, you must first generate your own discussion and then, and only then, supplement it with the other voices who have thought about your topic.   This peer review will ask you to think about both your own argument, then, as well as the research you use to extend your own thinking.

READ THE WHOLE, FIRST.  Now...

INTRODUCTION & THESIS

Tell the author what it was in her introduction that still needs more explanation, which issues she's skirting over that, because you're not an expert on the topic, you still don't "get."  Be explicit.

Note below the thesis of the essay.  (Copy it.)  A thesis must be an "arguable assertion," not a fact or statement.  Is this one?  If not, revise it (in light of the rest of the introduction) so that is arguable; remember, one way to do this is to work in a "because" clause.

BODY OF THE ESSAY

Does each of the author's paragraphs focus on one specific aspect of the topic to be discussed?  If not, note below the particular paragraphs which seemed unfocused to you, so that he can go back and check them later to see what he meant to achieve in them.  (If a paragraph is "unfocused" it includes more than one topic in it, by the way.)

Is each paragraph explicit and absolutely clear what information or passage is being addressed and does it analyze that material so that it reveals something that ties to the author's thesis?   Note below three or four instances where this does not happen.  Then suggest to the author a way to fix one of those problems.  Be explicit.

Does one part of the analysis connect to the part before it and the part after it?  Note one place where the author makes a wild leap between ideas rather than building a bridge for her reader.




A fundamental guide to whether or not an essay is successful is to consider two questions:  Do I understand the argument? and Do I believe the argument?  The first is about clarity of discussion and pinpointing evidence.  The second is about how convincing the author was in connecting text to conclusions.  Spend the rest of this feedback moment answering those two questions below.

Do I understand the argument?

Do I believe the argument?