The document provides guidance to students on their week 4 assignments, which include peer reviewing a classmate's paper and completing a self-review of their own rough draft. It outlines tips for effective peer reviewing, such as focusing on the quality of writing rather than the topic, and using a checklist to critically analyze strengths and areas for improvement. Students are also given proofreading strategies for revising their own papers, such as reading aloud, using a colored pen method, and having a partner read their paper. The document concludes by listing the week's assignments and their due dates.

1. OVERVIEW OF
ASSIGNMENTS
ELABORATIONWEEKFOUR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
REFERENCES
Before moving forward, it is important to
understand that I will be grading the rough draft a
little differently than other assignments. You will
receive a holistic grade on your draft paper due in
Week 3. The grade you receive on that draft will
be an overall grade based on meeting the minimum
length requirement, the minimum number of
resources required (if applicable), and other
guidelines I have mentioned in class.
In addition to the rubric scores, you will find the usual link to your marked-up-paper. This is
where I will give you more precise feedback and suggestions for revision. Make sure you
follow that link and review all of the comments throughout your essay. Please take these
notes into consideration as you revise your work. Mistakes in the rough draft should not be
repeated in the final paper.
Remember, the holistic grade on your rough draft is not a predictor of your final paper grade
in Week 5. It is merely a reflection on whether or not you have made enough of an effort in
the first draft so that I can provide you with thorough feedback for improvement.
Welcome to week four!

2. OVERVIEW OF
ASSIGNMENTS
ELABORATIONWEEKFOUR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
REFERENCES
Questions to Ponder
Please think about these
questions as you review this
week’s course materials. Thinking
critically about the content will
help prepare you for our
discussions and assist you with
the assignments for this week.
What feedback have I received thus
far? Are there patterns or themes to
the feedback that I have received
from classmates and my instructor?
Why is it important to proofread
and revise my work?
Am I proud of my research paper?

3. OVERVIEW OF
ASSIGNMENTS
ELABORATIONWEEKFOUR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
REFERENCES
This week, you have the opportunity to reflect on all of your hard
work, follow up on the feedback you have received, and take a close
look at your draft. You will also have a chance to review the work of
others. As you compose your peer review critique, think about the
feedback you’ve received and how you might share similar feedback
with your classmates.
We are often asked to review the work of others in class and in the
workplace. It is important to practice the art of collaboration, both as
a reviewer and as someone being reviewed. Take time this week to
think about your communication style and focus on delivering a well-
rounded and supportive critique that will be helpful for your
classmates. Should you be brief or detailed? Should you be vague or
specific? Should you only point out problems or should you also point
out the “good stuff” you see?
Be sure to use our course materials to build a well-constructed and
thoughtful review of your own work and the work of your classmates.
Please speak up if you have any questions!
Reflection and Peer Review

4. OVERVIEW OF
ASSIGNMENTS
ELABORATIONWEEKFOUR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
REFERENCES
I encourage you to complete a thoughtful and thorough self-review of
your rough draft. The self-review process is a great opportunity to dig
deeper and scrutinize the effectiveness of your argument from
the perspective of your readers. Ask the following questions as you
revise:
Are the connections between my thesis statement, topic
sentences and quotations clear?
Does my topic sentence support my thesis statement?
Is the claim in my topic sentence fully developed in my body
paragraph?
How will I add credibility to my writing?
Have I included sufficient commentary on and explanation of my
main ideas and examples?
Does the essay contain a well-focused argument?
These questions will help you decide what to cut, what to add, and
how to reorganize your essay. How will you use this new knowledge in
this week’s discussions and assignments? Don’t forget to review your
APA formatting of the title page, paragraphs and references. Enjoy
the review process!
Review: Checking Your Own Work

5. OVERVIEW OF
ASSIGNMENTS
ELABORATIONWEEKFOUR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
REFERENCES
Proofreading Strategies and Checklist
In her article “Proofreading Prowess,” business professional Kristen
Eschweiler cites four top proofreading strategies she claims “can help
proofreaders catch 60% of their errors right off the top” (Eschweiler,
2012, para. 19.)
Tip #1: Read your paper out loud
• This technique is effective because your brain receives the
information in a new way. When you read your draft out loud, you
can “hear” the mistakes. This is very effective for red-flagging
grammar mistakes and incomplete sentences.
Tip #2: Use the colored pen method
• Sometimes, distractions can draw your attention away from the
proofreading process. Perhaps you need to answer a phone or a
family member or friend interrupts your proofreading session.
When you look away from your paper, you will lose your place and
either start the process all over again from the beginning or try to
guess where you left off.

6. OVERVIEW OF
ASSIGNMENTS
ELABORATIONWEEKFOUR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
REFERENCES
Proofreading Strategies and Checklist
Tip #2: Use the colored pen method (continued)
If you are reading from a paper, you can mark it with your colored
pen the moment you are interrupted. Then, when you return to
your paper, you can easily see where you left off.
If you are reading from your computer screen, you can use your
highlight tool to mark your document. You can even use a post-it
note and stick it on your screen under the line where you left off.
This method is effective as it
ensures you do not skip over
any sentences, improving your
chances of catching any mistakes
or errors. Using this method
also causes you to slow down
rather than rushing through your
proofreading.

7. OVERVIEW OF
ASSIGNMENTS
ELABORATIONWEEKFOUR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
REFERENCES
Proofreading Strategies and Checklist
Tip #3: Read the text backward
• This technique will only work with catching spelling errors.
While it may sound strange, it is very effective. The reason
it works is because when you read a sentence backwards,
it no longer makes sense. This forces you to focus and
concentrate on each word individually. Look at the
sentence below:
“Such strategies can only inhance your writing skills.”
Now, let’s read this same sentence backwards.
“skills writing your inhance only can strategies such”
Now, the spelling error stands out like a sore thumb. It
should be “enhance” rather than “inhance.” If you have
difficulties catching spelling errors as you proofread, this
trick is for you! Remember, spell-check on your computer
is not always reliable.

8. OVERVIEW OF
ASSIGNMENTS
ELABORATIONWEEKFOUR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
REFERENCES
Proofreading Strategies and Checklist
Tip #4: Have a partner read the paper out loud to you
• Have you ever submitted a paper you proofread over and over
again, only to realize later that you left a word out? According to
Eschweiler, this happens to everyone.
The reason this happens is because we wrote the document; it’s in
our head. As we proofread, our mind will automatically interject a
missing word that should be there, but was never written on the
page. It’s as though a missing link occurs. Our mind already
knows the word should be there. We think it, but don’t actually
get the word written on the page.
This is where proofreading partners can help. Because they have
never seen the paper, they will only read exactly what they see on
the page. “Errors become major neon signs when read out loud by
a person other than the original writer” (Eschweiler, 2012, para.
40). This is a very effective method for catching grammar errors
and incomplete or run-on sentences.

9. OVERVIEW OF
ASSIGNMENTS
ELABORATIONWEEKFOUR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
REFERENCES
Remember the “Golden Rule” from elementary school? It is an
important part of a writers’ workshop, too. “Review the work of others
as you would like your own work to be reviewed.” If you
mistakenly formatted your in-text citations incorrectly, wouldn’t you
like someone to tell you? If your thesis statement needs work, wouldn’t
you appreciate some suggestions? What sort of help will assist you in
your revision process?
As you consider the review you’d like to receive, review another
student’s work. This week you’ll have a chance to share the review in
the discussion forum. Comments like “that was really good and your
topic is interesting,” will not help the class and will not meet
discussion requirements. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by the
topic of the paper; focus on the quality of the writing itself.
Please use the checklist worksheet to guide you through the review
process. It will help you think critically about your classmate’s paper
and provide a framework for your feedback. You’ll use the same
checklist worksheet to analyze your own paper. The more attention you
give to the feedback and revision process, the better!
Peer Review: Critiquing and
Analyzing the Work of Others

10. OVERVIEW OF
ASSIGNMENTS
ELABORATIONWEEKFOUR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
REFERENCES
Final Exam
The Final Exam consists of 75 questions and will cover all of the
material presented throughout the course. Please review all
assigned readings and videos to prepare for the exam. You may
only attempt the Final Exam one time. The exam will not be
reopened or reset and must be completed in one sitting.
This exam will cover the following topics, which have been
addressed in readings and course activities throughout the course:
• Ashford Writing Center
• Avoiding fallacies in
argument
• Bias versus position
• Citation, style, and
grammar
• Classic and Rogerian
arguments
• Logic and Syllogism
• Online research plagiarism
• Thesis statements
• Topic sentences

11. OVERVIEW OF
ASSIGNMENTS
ELABORATIONWEEKFOUR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
REFERENCES
Revision is important to every written assignment. Whether you read
your paper out loud to the dog, read it backwards, or ask a family
member to review your work, revision should start with proofreading,
move on to style revision, include content checking, and should end
with another round of proofreading.
Typos, unclear statements, fallacies, uncited information, and other
gaffs will undermine all of the work you've done. Don't let your efforts
go unnoticed. Remember, there are plenty of resources to support you
in your writing endeavors.
I am looking forward to reading your research papers!
Writing: Revising Your Paper

12. OVERVIEW OF
ASSIGNMENTS
ELABORATIONWEEKFOUR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
REFERENCES
Additional Resources
Take your revision seriously! Here are some additional
resources that will assist you with proofreading and writing
your final draft.
Ashford Writing Center Resources
• APA Checklist
• Persuasive Writing and Sample Persuasive Paper
• Proofreading
• Grammar
• Writing in Third Person
• Developing Great Paragraphs
Other Resources
• Proofreading Checklist for the Basic Essay
• Writing and Education: What is Peer Review?
• Peer Editing

13. OVERVIEW OF
ASSIGNMENTS
ELABORATIONWEEKFOUR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
REFERENCES
Week Four Assignment Schedule
ACTIVITY DUE DATE FORMAT
Plagiarism and Logic Self-Check Day 3 Discussion
Respond to a minimum of two
classmates’ postings
Day 7
Draft Peer Review Day 3 Discussion
Respond to a minimum of two
classmates’ postings
Day 7
Final Exam Day 7 Quiz

14. OVERVIEW OF
ASSIGNMENTS
ELABORATIONWEEKFOUR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
REFERENCES
Final Thoughts
Be sure to follow the guidelines and expectations for your Week 4
assignments as outlined in the Student Course Guide and in the
Week 4 section in the left navigation panel of the course.
Remember, you have three tutoring services available: Paper
Review, Live Chat, and Tutor e-mail. Click on the Writing Center
(AWC) tab in the left-navigation menu to learn more about these
tutoring options and how to get help with your writing.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
You can post a question in the “Ask Your Instructor” discussion
forum or send me an e-mail. I’m looking forward to our discussions
this week and reading your final draft!
Special thanks to Aimée Garten
and Caroline Morrell
of Ashford University for their
support and contributions to this guidance

15. OVERVIEW OF
ASSIGNMENTS
ELABORATIONWEEKFOUR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
REFERENCES
References
Amorella, M. C. (2014, January 28). Peer editing [Video file]. Retrieved
from https://youtu.be/0FqkkW2t1SY
eHow. (2009, May 27). Writing and education: What is peer review? [Video file]. Retrieved
from https://youtu.be/lXcmY7WmH-Y
Eschweiler, K. A. (1998). Proofreading prowess. Women in Business, 50(4), 36.
Wasko, B. (2013, April 18). Proofreading checklist for the basic essay. The write at home blog. Retrieved
from http://blog.writeathome.com/index.php/2013/04/proofreading-checklist-for-the-basic-essay/