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Online Guide to Writing and Research

Collaborative Writing and Peer Reviewing

General Introduction

As a college student, you will be working in a group for some assignments in certain courses. Collaborative writing and peer reviewing are not the same tasks, although both are often treated as collaborative writing. But how exactly are they different?

Collaborative, or team, writing is the process of producing a written work as a group, where all team members contribute to the content and the decisions about how the group will function. 

Peer reviewing is the process of giving specific feedback to someone, usually a classmate, about a written assignment. We will provide some tips for developing an effective strategy for peer reviewing.

Group assignments can be difficult for many adult students with busy schedules because they require planning, coordination, and frequent communication with other students. However, group work has benefits:

  • It is good preparation for the types of complex assignments you are likely to receive on the job. Also, collaborative assignments can help you to develop the kinds of reliability and accountability that will be expected of you as a professional.

  • It offers students the benefits and experience of building on existing knowledge through the dynamic interplay with and among other students, the subject matter, and the instructor. 

With careful coordination and communication, group writing assignments can yield excellent results and valuable experiences. 

This appendix presents some strategies that can help you make collaborative writing and peer reviewing assignments successful.


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Table of Contents: Online Guide to Writing