Drafting and Peer Review

Overview

In this final lesson of the "Mastering Research Skills" unit, students draft a structured research essay — introduction, body, and conclusion — and participate in a peer editing workshop to give and receive constructive written feedback. The lesson draws on IB MYP English Language and Literature principles of communication, creativity, and critical thinking.

Learning Intentions

• Students will draft a research essay with a clear introduction, developed body paragraphs, and a cohesive conclusion.
• Students will integrate sources accurately and ethically using in-text citations.
• Students will apply structured peer feedback techniques to evaluate a classmate's draft.
• Students will reflect on their own writing using feedback received.

Success Criteria

• I can draft a research essay and provide constructive feedback to peers.
• I can integrate at least two sources smoothly into my body paragraphs using signal phrases and citations.
• I can use a peer review checklist to identify specific strengths and areas for improvement in a classmate's essay.
• I can revise at least one section of my draft based on peer feedback.

Curriculum Links

• MYP English Language and Literature — organizing ideas with a clear structure and developing an argument
• MYP approaches to learning — communication skills and critical thinking applied to academic writing
• MYP academic honesty — ethical integration and acknowledgment of sources
• IB learner profile attributes — being reflective and open-minded through peer feedback processes

Lesson Structure (60 minutes)

0–5 min — Warm-Up and Unit Recap Open with a brief verbal check-in: ask each of the five students to share one key fact or argument from their research. This activates prior knowledge and transitions students into writing mode.

5–20 min — Guided Drafting Workshop Students write independently, beginning with their introduction (hook, background context, thesis statement) and moving into at least one body paragraph. Provide a graphic organizer on the board and as a printed handout showing the structure: hook → context → thesis → topic sentence → evidence → analysis → transition. Circulate and give quick one-on-one prompts. For students with dyslexia, distribute printed essay outlines with sentence starters such as "This research will argue that…" and "One significant piece of evidence is…"

20–35 min — Source Integration Practice Pause drafting briefly and model one example on the board: show a direct quote and a paraphrase, each with a proper in-text citation. Discuss the difference between "quote dropping" and embedding a source with a signal phrase (e.g., "According to…," "Scholar X argues that…"). Students then continue drafting their body paragraphs, focusing on integrating at least two sources. Graphic organizers include a dedicated row for recording each source and how it connects to the argument.

35–50 min — Peer Review Workshop Students exchange drafts with a partner (with the group of five, one trio can rotate). Each reviewer uses the peer review checklist to evaluate: clarity of thesis, strength of evidence, source integration, and paragraph organization. Reviewers write two specific strengths and two targeted suggestions directly on the checklist, not just on the paper. Prompt students to use academic language: "Your thesis would be stronger if…" or "This evidence would be clearer with…" Encourage a respectful, constructive tone aligned with the IB learner profile's emphasis on being principled and open-minded.

50–58 min — Reflection and Revision Students get their drafts back and spend five to seven minutes reading feedback and making at least one revision — rewording a thesis, adding analysis, or improving a citation. Ask two students to share one change they made and why. This builds metacognitive awareness and reinforces the reflective learner profile attribute.

58–60 min — Wrap-Up and Next Steps Briefly summarize the unit's arc: selecting a topic, gathering and evaluating sources, and now drafting and refining. Remind students that polished drafts are due at the next class. Collect graphic organizers as an informal formative check.

Resources

• Printed graphic organizers with essay structure scaffolding
• Printed essay outlines with sentence starters (dyslexia-friendly version)
• Peer review checklist (with categories: thesis, evidence, source integration, structure, conventions)
• Teacher-modeled example paragraph displayed on board or projected
• Students' own research notes and source lists from Lessons 1 and 2
• Lined paper or laptops for drafting
• A style guide reference card (MLA or Chicago format, as appropriate to school)

Assessment

• Formative: Graphic organizers collected at the end of class to check drafting progress and source integration.
• Formative: Completed peer review checklists reviewed by the teacher to assess quality of feedback given.
• Ongoing: Teacher observation during drafting and peer review to note participation, use of academic language, and engagement with the revision process.

Differentiation

• Support: Provide the graphic organizer and printed essay outline with sentence starters to scaffold structure for students who struggle to organize ideas independently, and for students with dyslexia offer a larger-font, high-contrast version of all handouts.
• Support: Allow students to dictate ideas verbally to a partner before writing if they need help getting started.
• Extension: Advanced learners focus on refining their thesis statement to reflect a more nuanced or debatable claim, and during peer review they analyze a classmate's argument for logical coherence and depth of analysis rather than surface-level features only.
• EAL/SEN: Pre-teach key academic vocabulary (thesis, paraphrase, citation, transition) using a brief visual glossary card; pair with a supportive peer during the workshop.