Peer Review and Revised Thesis Statement

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      Today, I was able to get my QRG peer-reviewed by my classmates and to check two other QRGs that my classmates wrote themselves. It is quite fascinating to see how many mistakes that one may never have noticed unless someone else looks at the composition. Ironically, sometimes you find a mistake on another person's paper, and later you realize that you made precisely the same error that the person that you just corrected made! However, even though the action of giving your composition to analyze and study is almost a humbling one, it yields valuable insight to you and to others.

     By peer editing others' papers, I saw the different ways that my classmates structured their arguments. Some kept their arguments short and straightforward, avoiding the occasionally extravagant grandiloquence in exchange for simple, clear facts and evidences. They found interesting methods of catching the attention of the readers through their introduction, whether it was through a jarring, thought-provoking question or through a story. Admittedly, the two QRGs I read were on the short side--about a page or a page-and-a-half--and both did not use all of their sources. I found a few grammar issues, but those were not of extreme importance--it is a rough draft, after all! By letting my classmates peer-edit my paper, I found that there were some areas that I could elaborate on better and some areas that I could keep as is. They found a mistake that I would never have seen unless I was told, and they informed me about which places were very effective. Peer editing is definitely a fantastic tool for assessment and self-assessment, to help not only others, but also yourself.


     Before, my thesis statement for my QRG was this: "The question, therefore, is no longer a question of the possibility of ignoring the effects of BPA consumption, but rather a question of whether or not BPA is harmful enough for people to attempt to avoid it altogether or to continue using the substance in related products, including dental sealants." But thanks to peer editing, I have written a revised thesis for my QRG on BPA and dental sealants: "Because of the prominence of plastics in the everyday lives of humankind in not only commercial products but also medical products like dental sealants, ignoring BPA is no longer an option; instead, it must be determined whether or not BPA is harmful enough to be eradicated from society or safe enough to continue to be used in related products." Let me know in the comments section which thesis statement you think sounds better! I am always happy to receive more reviews from my peers!