INFN2001 Peer Essay Draft Review session

WELL DONE! INFN2001 Peer Essay Draft Review session

V1.69 Nov 2009 V2.020 Nov 2009 V3.625 Jan 2010 V3.711 Feb 2010 V March 2010 V4.77 April 2010 Submitted to NEJM Rejected V5.18 June 2010 V61 July 2010 V6.75 August 2010 Submitted to Lancet Modified 15 Nov 2010 Resubmitted 19 Nov 1010 Modified again 14 Jan 2011 Accepted28 Jan 2011

Why bother with this process: show me the data! 1. The process gets students to start essays earlier: consequent reduction in late submissions 2. Overall improvement in the results: No reviewReview Mean mark 2(i) First 18%26% 39%27% 57%61% Laurillard (2012)

Why bother with this process: show me the data! 1. The process gets students to start essays earlier: consequent reduction in late submissions 2. Overall improvement in the results: No reviewReview Mean mark 2(i) First 18%26% 39%27% 57%61% Laurillard (2012) Mean % (SD) Final submission Second draft First draft 76.9% (15.3) 72.2% (18.1) 66.2% (21.1) p=0.002 p=0.02

A poor essay would simply list a selection of agents and describe their characteristics. i.e. it would not address the question. It may refer only to one or two types of pathogen (virus bacteria etc) and it would have some clear misunderstandings and errors. A good essay would define the perfect pathogen and consider the characteristics that it might possess. It would cover all of the classes of agent, would draw on a range of examples from each, not just limited to those in the lectures. It would draw some coherent conclusions. An excellent essay would focus on the notion of a perfect pathogen, investigate the concept, and discuss the various parameters, using a range of examples from all the types of agent. It would have clear evidence that the student had really thought about the problem and addressed it in an original way. Marking guidelines

Essay Draft review Session Sit next to your “pair” Discuss the essay topic in general Discuss your ideas for what should be covered in the essay Discuss your comments on each others essays… Together, think about what broader issues the essay topic raises Take this seriously: engage with your pair and make a real effort to discuss the issues Complete the questionnaire You can learn a lot by trying to explain your ideas out loud. Consider whether the essay really does address the question

I didn’t understand this… This is wrong Grammar! How about some more examples? Comment Why not? How can it be made clearer? Why? What is the right thing here? What is wrong? Why? How should it be written Suggest some Discussion point Don’t quote extensively Don’t plagiarise Try not to use lectures as references Back up statements of fact with a reference Don’t use figures as decoration Remember the essay title: it is NOT: “Write an essay about pathogens.”

Essay Draft review Session Sit next to your “pair” Discuss the essay topic in general Discuss your ideas for what should be covered in the essay Discuss your comments on each others essays… Together, think about what broader issues the essay topic raises Take this seriously: engage with your pair and make a real effort to discuss the issues Complete the questionnaire You can learn a lot by trying to explain your ideas out loud. Consider whether the essay really does address the question