Improving Undergraduate Chemistry Student Scientific Writing Through Peer Review

Abstract

<p>Wright State University’s Chemical Literature and Composition course is team-taught by a Chemistry Professor and the Chemistry Librarian. Course requirements include writing a research paper. Many of our undergraduate students come to us with a very limited understanding of the process of writing scientific literature. To improve the students’ writing quality and their familiarity with scientific journal literature, we have invited a University Writing Instructor to collaborate with us in teaching the students to use peer review. Each student reviews two other students’ papers and receives reviews from two fellow students. Incorporating this peer review process into an already crowded syllabus has been challenging but we have done this for three terms and see value in continuing it. </p><p>Our Results:<ul><li>Students give the process positive reviews. </li><li>Assessment of the peer-review process remains a challenge.</li><li>Student awareness of characteristics of scientific journal literature is more obvious to us.</li><li>We instructors have learned more about teaching the writing process.</li><li>Grading student research papers is easier. </li></ul></p><p>Our tools: <ul><li>Peer Review Form </li><li>Technical Details Checklist</li><li>Student Response to Peer Review Form </li></ul></p><p>This poster was presented at the Special Libraries Association Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana on June 15, 2010.</p>