READER-BASED AND CRITERON-BASED PEER EVALUATION IN THE WRITING PERFORMANCE AND REVISING PRACTICES OF TWELFTH GRADERS

DOLORES RILES BIELECKI, Fordham University

Abstract

The effects of two types of peer evaluation, reader-based and criterion-based, on the writing performance and revising practices of twelfth graders were investigated in two average English classes (20 and 26 students). A third group (15 subjects) was evaluated in the traditional manner by participating teacher. The experiment covered ten weeks with five compositions. Changes, measured by holistic reading of first and final papers, were analyzed threefold: overall, in specific areas, and according to classification as high, middle, low writers. The findings were: (1) All groups improved significantly (ANOVAS and t -tests). However, there was no statistical difference in change among groups. (2) Change was measured (ANOVA and Scheffe tests) on the Diederich Scale (1974) in eight areas with overall significant findings in ideas over handwriting; in ideas with peer editors over peer readers and usage with peer readers over peer editors. (3) Subjects were rated as high, middle, low writers according to previous grades, CAT scores, and teacher ranking. No significant difference (ANOVA) was found according to ability and evaluation variable. Indications were that high writers did best with reader and worst with editor evaluation. Middle writers did best with editors, and low writers with teacher evaluation. (4) Comments followed in revision were compared (ANOVA, Scheffe tests) with significance found in ideas with teacher-evaluated subjects over editors and in mechanics with teacher-evaluated subjects over readers and editors. (5) Focus of comments, whether on ideas or mechanics, was analyzed qualitatively with no significance found according to type of evaluation. Comparisons were made of comments between ideas and mechanics within groups (t -tests) with no significance found. Surveys administered produced positive attitudes toward all three evaluation types. Results of experiment indicated that peer evaluation is an important step in the writing process. Although changes were not significant, peer editors made the most writing improvement followed by the teacher-evaluated subjects and the peer readers. Peer evaluation was at least as successful as teacher evaluation.

Subject Area

Language arts

Recommended Citation

BIELECKI, DOLORES RILES, "READER-BASED AND CRITERON-BASED PEER EVALUATION IN THE WRITING PERFORMANCE AND REVISING PRACTICES OF TWELFTH GRADERS" (1987). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI8725668.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI8725668

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