Revise based on peer feedback

PEER FEEDBACK is one of the fastest ways to make a draft stronger. After hours staring at your own writing, you stop seeing it. A reader who comes in fresh notices the parts that drag, the sentences that confuse, and the ending that fizzles out — exactly the parts you cannot see anymore. Revision is not about doing what your friend says; it is about HEARING what they noticed, deciding what helps, and making your draft clearer and stronger while keeping YOUR voice.

The 3-step revision cycle: READ, DECIDE, REVISE

1. READ the feedback CAREFULLY. Read it twice. Do not argue in your head while you read — just listen for what the reader noticed.
2. DECIDE which suggestions improve clarity or strength. You are still the writer. Keep what helps; set aside what would change YOUR voice into someone else’s.
3. REVISE the draft. Use four revision moves: ADD (an example, a quote, a sentence), REMOVE (a slow part, a repeat), REPLACE (a vague word with a specific one), REORDER (move a paragraph to where it makes sense).

Feedback rules — for the GIVER and the RECEIVER

Peer feedback only works when both partners follow simple rules. The GIVER aims to be USEFUL, not to be the smartest person in the room. The RECEIVER aims to LEARN, not to defend every word. The first comment from the giver is always a STRENGTH — name something the writing already does well. Then name a SPECIFIC change (not "it’s confusing" but "the second paragraph jumps from camp lunches to playtime and I lost track"). Suggest ONE clear improvement, and end with kindness. The receiver listens, asks "why?" if a suggestion isn’t clear, takes notes, and says THANK YOU — even if they later decide not to use the suggestion.

• GIVER rule 1: Start with one STRENGTH the draft already does well.
• GIVER rule 2: Name a SPECIFIC change. Point to the line, not the whole essay.
• GIVER rule 3: Suggest ONE improvement, not a long list of demands.
• GIVER rule 4: Be KIND — feedback is about the writing, not the writer.
• RECEIVER rule 1: Listen all the way through before answering.
• RECEIVER rule 2: If a comment is unclear, ask "why?" — do not argue.
• RECEIVER rule 3: Take notes; you will not remember everything.
• RECEIVER rule 4: Say THANK YOU — the giver spent time helping you.

Feedback to revision action — what each comment means you should DO

A peer comment is only useful when it points to a REVISION MOVE. "I’m confused" is not a problem you can fix until you turn it into "clarify this sentence." Train yourself to translate every comment into a verb you can act on: ADD, CUT, REPLACE, REORDER, CLARIFY, UNIFY, MAKE SPECIFIC. The list below shows the most common comments G5 writers receive and the revision action each one calls for.

• "I’m confused here" -> CLARIFY the sentence (rewrite it; add a connecting word).
• "This part is slow / boring" -> CUT or TIGHTEN (remove repeats; shorten long sentences).
• "You don’t prove it" / "no evidence" -> ADD an example, a quote, or a number.
• "The ending is weak" -> REVISE the conclusion (echo the hook; end on a strong line).
• "The tone keeps changing" -> UNIFY the voice (pick formal OR casual; stick to it).
• "Your claim is vague" -> MAKE the claim SPECIFIC (name who, what, when, how much).