Running head: PEER-EDITING IMPROVES ACADEMIC WRITING

Action Research Proposal

Peer-Editing Improves Academic Writing for Tenth Graders
Rena D. Toutounji
EDFN 508 M4-Introduction to Research
The College of New Jersey Global Education Program
Mallorca Summer 2015

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Abstract
This action research study will be about how peer editing improves the quality of
expository/persuasive writing for my tenth grade students. I hope to find out more about how
students can utilize peer editing to improve their rough drafts. I plan to use a mixed methods
approach in my study. The target population will be my tenth grade students whom I will be
teaching beginning in August. The timeline of the research study will be throughout the first
semester, which is from August 2015 to December 2015. Every second week of the month,
students will submit a non peer-edited writing sample. Then, every fourth week of the month,
students will submit a peer-edited writing sample, similar to the type submitted during week two.

Peer Editing Improves Academic Writing for Tenth Graders

Introduction and background about the setting and problem(s):
I have been teaching at Lincoln Community School (LCS) for five years. LCS is an
International Baccalaureate (IB) school that consists of a Primary Years Program, Middle Years
Program, and Diploma Program. The students who attend Lincoln come from a middle and upper
socioeconomic background. Parents either work for embassies, multi-national corporations, or
privately owned companies, so they are mostly highly educated. About 60% of students speak
English as a second language. The language of instruction at LCS is English. Beginner and
intermediate English Language Learners (ELLs) are not usually accepted in 9th grade because
they are expected to demonstrate adequate language proficiency. There are also students who
transition from the French school, Lycee Francais dAccra, to LCS in 9th or 10th grade. They
generally have a high level of oral fluency, but they struggle with academic writing in English.
By tenth grade, students are expected to achieve a high level of academic language proficiency;

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otherwise, they will struggle in the Diploma (DP) program.

I have been an EAL/English teacher at LCS for five years. I have taught Diploma
English A2, high school English, and middle school English and humanities. Next year, Ill be
teaching two middle school EAL classes, ninth grade and tenth grade English.
When I assign summative written tasks to my students, I assign peer editing for them to
look at each others rough drafts. Students are paired randomly, and they are given a checklist to
assess each others written work. Then they generally have a week to finalize their papers and
turn in their final draft. They are given an 85-minute block period to work on peer editing. I
dont see their peer-edited responses because I only mark their rough drafts and final drafts.
Students either peer-edited a hard copy of the rough draft or electronically using track changes.
For seventh graders this year, I also had them color code the point, evidence, and explanation in
different colors in order to establish coherence in their essays.
The problem that I have identified is that students use peer-editing checklists to quickly
edit spelling and punctuation errors but neglect to offer critical feedback on content, structure,
and sentence structure. For example, when I assigned my seventh graders a peer-editing task
period for 85 minutes to peer edit their persuasive essays about the community, students wrote
insufficient comments on each others papers and used a few editing symbols to proofread and
edit each others work. They kept referring to me for help, which defeats the purpose of peer
editing. They would take about twenty minutes to peer edit and then begin to self-edit their own
papers. I want this to become a meaningful exercise for students and encourage them to become
critical thinkers.

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Literature Review
Prior research has shown that peer editing is an effective method in student learning. In
Using self-assessment and peer-assessment to enhance students future-learning in higher
education, the authors argue that peer editing enhances future learning. Brew (1999), cited in
this article, wrote, Assessment and learning must increasingly be viewed as one and the same
activity When teachers share with their students the process of assessment - giving up control,
sharing power and leading students to take on the authority to assess themselves the
professional judgment of both is enhanced. Students need to learn to become independent
thinkers in order to make a smooth transition into higher education and the workplace. These
authors argue that peer editing is a technique that promotes independent and higher order
thinking.
According to Falchikov (2007, p. 3) in Thomas et. als article, peer-assessment should
allow learners to practice making reasonable judgements about the extent to which their peers
have achieved expected outcomes. Three strategies that Falchikov recommends to use in peerassessment are modeling, scaffolding, and fading. Teachers must model good exemplars of
how they would use assessment tools. Then the next step is scaffolding where teachers show
initially start with structured grading schemes (for example, rubrics), before moving to less
structured systems where students negotiate the assessment criteria, before students eventually
developing their own criteria (Falchikov, 2007, p. 3). He also stressed the importance of clear
instruction on how to use the criteria and rubrics in order for students to eventually attain higher
grades, better academic work, increased motivation, mindfulness, learning, and reduced anxiety
(p. 3). The last stage is fading whereby the teacher releases onus on the students, and they
effectively begin to do a peer-review with minimal support.

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The qualitative research article consists of case studies that present ways of using peerediting effectively. First, it is important to have discussions with students and administer online
surveys to students about their anxiety and concerns. Next, the study recommends using
technological tools, such as a wiki, that allow people to collaborate without the need to be
physically present in the same room. Finally, teachers are advised to show students exemplars of
good, average, and poor quality papers to help calibrate their judgments prior to conducting
their assessments (Thomas, et. al, 2011, p. 12).
Sharon Pianko and Abraham Radzik conducted another qualitative study that involved
group worksheets which would guide the discussion for each students paper (Pianko &
Radzik, 2001) and student feedback. This article focuses on the role of peer editing in teaching
instruction. The Student Editing Method is a study about how peer editing is effective but
should be used in moderation and not replace teacher editing as suggested by other researchers.
One advantage of peer editing, as pointed out by the authors in this study, is that it trains students
to write for a larger audience instead of just the teacher. Since students learn over time what
their teachers expectations are, their writing becomes stilted and not genuine. Moreover,
the students can relate to their peers better than they can relate to their teachers. As a result,
students consider peers comments for further clarification on ambiguous ideas. They would also
attempt to produce better work in order to impress their friends.
On the other hand, the findings of the study indicate that peer-editing cannot be used for
developing editorial techniques if students lack or have very little knowledge of writing skills
poor sentence skills, grammar, and usage skills, punctuation skills, etc. (Pianko & Radzik, 2001,
p. 223). Students demonstrated weak editing skills and couldnt detect errors or correct the
errors that they had identified. The authors concluded that peer-editing should be an addition to

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(certainly not to the exclusion of) feedback from the instructor in individual conferences with
students (p. 224).
On the other hand, The Effects of Peer Editing on the Writing Proficiency of LowAchieving Tenth Grade Students argues that peer editing increases writing proficiency. This
quantitative quasi-experimental design (evaluative study) was conducted to evaluate the positive
outcome of a highly structured peer editing on writing for low proficiency tenth graders. The first
four weeks were spent on revision of composition writing and instruction on how to read and use
the editing, rating sheets. Then during the last six weeks, the focus shifted to organization and
writing about a topic of interest for both the pretest and posttest. Students were assigned in
different pairs every week and exchanged papers to provide critical feedback using the same
editing/rating sheets as did the teachers. This indicates that further research can be done to show
that teachers could spend less time grading papers by employing peer editing as a teaching
technique in writing instruction as opposed to former research that has not validated the benefits
of peer editing over teacher editing.
Even the lowest achieving students could actually benefit from peer editing equally, or
even more so than teacher editing. In the long run, this research is beneficial because it shows
that teachers no longer have to stress themselves with giving too much feedback. It went so far
as to suggest that they might not have to mark every written assignment. Instead, they could
focus on teaching composition and have the students peer edit each others work. This facilitates
the writing instruction since peer editing has proven to be a useful teaching and learning
technique.

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Methods and Data Collection

In my study, my plan is to use a mixed-method approach. In August 2015, it will be my
first time teaching tenth grade, so this is the main reason why I have chosen tenth graders as the
subjects of my study. I am concerned about their academic writing and whether I can prepare
them for the rigorous Diploma Program (DP), which they will encounter in eleventh and twelfth
grade. Since this is the fifth year in the middle years program (MYP), they also have to write up
a personal project that culminates the MYP study. My time frame for the proposed study is the
first term from August to December 2015. Every month, I plan to assign a written assignment
without peer editing every second week of the month and then another similar one with peer
editing in the fourth week in order to compare the results.
As I already mentioned in the abstract, I propose to use a mixed-methods approach. The
instrumentations of the qualitative study include a KWL chart, rubrics and checklists, samples of
student work, observations of students while peer editing, and questionnaire responses from
student feedback. The instrumentation for the quantitative method is the table that compares the
numerical grades of a written task to a non peer-edited written task of the similar type. Students
will use a rubric borrowed from Common Core Standards and a peer-editing checklist that
focuses on content, organization, sentence fluency, and conventions.
First, I am interested in finding out about what students know about peer editing and how
they use it. This will be addressed in a graphic organizer, the KWL chart (see Appendix C). The
questions will be what students know, what they want to know, and what do they have learned
after each peer-edited assessment.
For the first two weeks, I plan to review the steps in writing an expository essay to
remind students how to address a topic and consider the purpose, audience, and style. Then, my

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focus will be on the development of ideas and structure of a well-developed, organized fiveparagraph essay following the PEE model, Point, Evidence, and Explanation. Students will
review the writing steps in three stages: prewriting, drafting, and final draft. Finally, they will
practice editing and proofreading their work by doing biweekly editing tasks (Everyday Edits)
using an editing symbols sheet (see Appendix F) during the first term. The rubric is based on the
Common Core Standards (see Appendix D). I will print hard copies of the rubric and go over it
with the students.
In the second week of August and every month until December, the first written task will
be assigned with a rubric but no peer-edited checklist. Using the rubric, they will have two 85minute periods to prewrite and compose their first draft. Their final drafts are due at the
beginning of the third week. Then in the fourth week, I will assign the second written task with
the rubric plus the peer-editing checklist. Again, the students will have two 85-minute periods to
work on their pre-writing and first drafts. This time, however, the third period will be allocated
for peer editing. Students should already be already familiar with the rubric, but I will introduce
the peer-edited checklist and explain it to them for about 15 minutes. In random pairing,
students will create a Google Docs and share it with me so that I can monitor their feedback and
responses. I will walk them through it the first time as well as provide them with good and bad
exemplars. The final draft will collected in the first week of September. By assigning the essay
writing and peer editing in class, students will complete the work with greater consistency and
thoroughness. While the students peer review their papers, I will record qualitative (descriptive)
observations in a table (see Appendix B). I expect to support them in the first two months, but
Im hoping to gradually release responsibility and onus to the students as they learn to become
more critical, independent thinkers.

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Every month, I will collect samples of student work with and without peer editing. I will
use the same rubric to assess their writing and provide critical feedback. During the first week of
every month beginning in September, students will reflect on their work by noting what they
have learned in the third column of the KWL chart. Next, I will distribute a qualitative
questionnaire (see Appendix G) to gain student feedback about the peer review process every
fourth week of the month. I will also tabulate the text-based responses from the questionnaire
into a table (see Appendix B). The requirement will be to attach the peer-edited essay and
completed checklist to the final draft and send it to me all in one document. Then I plan to record
the data of the grades for the non peer-edited essays every second week in addition to the grades
for the peer-edited essays every fourth week (see Appendix A). I will analyze the data in this
quantitative study by comparing the numerical data of both variables.
The way I plan to analyze my results is to keep a folder for the KWL charts, an electronic
folder containing samples of student essays, a record of student grades in a table, and
questionnaire responses from student feedback every month. I am hoping to find a pattern that
will indicate an improvement and growth in their writing. Ultimately, this will show me whether
or not peer editing improves the academic writing for expository/persuasive essays of my tenth
grade students.
My action plan is to share my research and findings with my colleagues in the English
department on how to implement peer-editing as an effective teaching tool to improve students
academic writing as well as how to save time on marking papers. As students become better
critical peer reviewers, they will learn to write to a wider audience, and improve their academic
writing. Consequently, teachers can spend less time on providing too much feedback,
encouraging students to become more responsible for their own learning. I propose a replication

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of my action research in the second term from January to June 2016 to confirm and validate the
data. I am hoping to see an improvement in my tenth graders writing as they gain more
confidence and higher order thinking in peer editing with minimum guidance.

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References
Karegianes, M. L., & And, O. (1980). The Effects of Peer Editing on the Writing Proficiency of
Low-Achieving Tenth Grade Students. Journal Of Educational Research, 73(4), 203-07.
Pianko, S., & Radzik, A. (1980). The Student Editing Method. Theory Into Practice, 19(3), 22024.
Thomas, G., Martin, D., & Pleasants, K. (2011). Using Self- and Peer-Assessment to Enhance
Students' Future-Learning in Higher Education. Journal Of University Teaching And
Learning Practice, 8(1).

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Appendix A
Table
Outcome: Peer Editing Improves the Quality of Academic Writing
Variables
Written Task

August
Week 2

September
Week 2

October
Week 2

November
Week 2

December
Week 2

Grades
Peer-Edited
Written Task

Week 4

Week 4

Week 4

Week 4

Week 4

Grades

Appendix B
Outcome: Peer Editing Improves the Quality of Academic Writing

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Variables

August
Week 4

September
Week 4

October
Week 4

Observations
about how
students
peer-edit in
the classroom
Text-Based
Responses
based on
student
feedback
from
questionnaire
(in Appendix
F)

Appendix C

K-W-L Chart

November
Week 4

December
Week 4

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Topic:
What I Know

What I Want to Know

Appendix D

What I Learned

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Appendix E

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Peer Editing Checklist

Before you begin, make a copy of this document and save it on Google Docs.
You will share your comments on the document with the writer of the essay
and with me.
Name of Editor:
Writer of essay:
Ideas (highlight weak areas or write questions/comments in the body of the essay
in GREEN)
1. Is there a strong, clear, focused thesis?
2. Is the writing focused on the thesis throughout the piece?
3. Is the topic sentence (point) written in a clear, effective complete
sentence?
4. Is the evidence provided relevant to the point made? Is there a clear
connection between the reason and the evidence used to support it? If not,
identify the paragraph number so the writer can provide more relevant
evidence?
5. Does the writer clearly explain how the evidence supports the point being
made in the paragraph? If not, what is unclear?
Write comments, lingering questions, and your name in GREEN at the bottom of the
piece.
Organization (highlight weak areas in RED)
1. Does my beginning/hook grab the readers attention? If no, how might the
writer hook the reader using a personal experience or situation or a fact?
2. Is there a logical sequence and order to the essay, i.e. does the writer follow
the points laid out in the thesis?
3. Does each paragraph have a topic sentence, and a closing sentence?
4. Are the connections between the ideas clear and link back to the thesis?
5. Does the conclusion paragraph restate the thesis statement? Does it
challenge the reader to think about the topic and possible take action? If

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not, what could the writer do to improve the conclusion paragraph?

6. Is MLA format adhered to for margins, spacing page numbers and header?
7. Is MLA format used correctly for in-text citations? If not, what is
incorrect?

Write comments/suggestions and your name in RED at the bottom of the

paragraph.

Sentence Fluency
1. Do sentences begin in different ways?
a. start with an -ing word;
b. start with an -ed word;
c. start with a prepositional phrase (to, for, by, on, etc);
d. start with subordinating conjunctions: since, till, unless, when,
where)
2. Do sentences vary in length and structure (simple, compound, complex
sentences)?
3. Are there transition words to move the reader from one sentence to the
next with ease?
4. Does the writing have a natural flow when read aloud?
Write comments/suggestions and your name in BROWN at the bottom of the
paragraph.

Conventions: Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar

(highlight error in blue)

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1.
2.
3.
4.

Is each paragraph indented?

Are there run-ons, fragments, or comma splices (R0, FRAG or CS)?
Are all of the words spelled correctly?
Do all sentences begin with a capital letter and end with a period or question
mark? Are other words capitalized appropriately?
5. Is the grammar correct and consistent?
Write comments/suggestions and your name in BLUE at the bottom of the
paragraph.

Appendix F

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Appendix G

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Questionnaire
Please fill out this questionnaire as best as possible. Circle Yes or No.
Did you find peer editing useful for this writing task?

Yes

No

Explain your reasons why or why not in as much detail as possible.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Reflection

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This final project has helped me gain more knowledge about how to conduct an action
research project. Although I have read articles about research and attended class lectures, it was
a challenging task to create an action research proposal. First, I found it difficult to select a topic
that I would be interested in exploring, let alone carry out a research study. I brainstormed a list
of situations and problems I could address in my school or classroom, and I initially thought of
investigating the significance of formative assessments. I even thought about EAL workshops
for mainstream teachers, which would have been a complicated study since my target population
would have been the teachers instead of the students. Finally with the help of my professor,
Karen Gordon, I was able to identify a problem and formulate a research question.
This action research helped me understand the new terminology and apply it into a realworld context. I have always believed that students do not really value peer editing and only do it
because they are assigned the task. However, I was interested in learning how to implement peer
editing effectively in order to make it meaningful to the students and me.
I learned how to collect the instruments for my data collection and how to implement the
mixed-methods approach. I kept it simple and realistic so that I could take this action research
study seriously when I return to school in August. The scholarly articles gave me insight on
different types of research and methodologies. Moreover, I learned about how to gather the
instrumentations for my data collection and analyze qualitative descriptive data. As for statistics,
I have trouble reading them.
I also realized that although we are not research professors, we could still conduct an
action research study that can enhance our teaching in the classroom. We can even replicate a
research study and see how it applies in our classroom.

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Finally, on the day of the research presentations, I gained a lot of knowledge from my
peers. They were well prepared and explained their research proposals in an organized,
systematic way, which also made me consider some of their research questions in the future.
Overall, this has been a valuable learning experience.