Peer review has a mixed reputation. Students often say "looks good" and hand the paper back, and teachers wonder if it was worth the class time. A structured protocol changes that.

For essays on Tuesdays with Morrie, peer review works best when students have a clear job. Rather than reading for general impressions, each reviewer looks for one thing: the thesis, the use of evidence, or the explanation. Focusing attention produces more useful comments.

Prepare students by modeling the process with a sample essay. Show how to read, what to highlight, and how to phrase a suggestion. Ten minutes of modeling improves the quality of the whole session.

Also set the tone. Feedback should be specific and kind, and reviewers should point to the text. Students take suggestions better when they see the reasoning behind them.

A workshop protocol that works

The following protocol takes about 40 minutes and fits most class periods. Adapt the timing to your class. The key is that each step has a specific purpose.

• Writers share a draft and one question they want the reviewer to answer.
• Reviewers read silently and highlight the thesis and the strongest piece of evidence.
• Reviewers write two comments: one thing that works and one specific suggestion.
• Partners discuss the comments for five minutes, with the writer taking notes.
• Writers finish by listing the two revisions they plan to make.

Adding AI feedback to the process

One way to use AI in peer review is to give students a first-pass report before the workshop. The student sees rubric-based feedback and can decide which points to raise with a peer. This shifts peer time toward discussion of ideas rather than basic errors.

A teacher using GraideMind, for example, can run drafts against the class rubric and share the feedback with students before the workshop. The teacher stays in control of what students see. Students then treat the AI comments as one input alongside their partner's.

Making sure students still think for themselves

The risk with any feedback tool is that students accept it without thought. Ask them to explain which comments they agree with and why. Disagreeing with feedback and defending the choice is a useful skill.

Require a short revision note that lists what changed and what did not. It shows you how students used the input. It also shows where they may need more coaching.

Assessing the review itself

If you want students to take peer review seriously, give it a small grade. Score the quality of the comments rather than the quality of the draft being reviewed. Students quickly learn that specific comments earn credit and vague ones do not.

Read a few review sheets each round. They reveal how well students understand the rubric. They also show you what to reteach before the final drafts are due.