Rhetorical Analysis Peer Review

Assignment created by Justin Greene (Department of English)

Peer Review, Part I:
AI-Assisted Rhetorical Analysis Revision

Class Duration: 50 minutes

Outcomes

Writing Processes and Reflective Practice

Activities

This individual activity maintains the focus on critical thinking, rhetorical analysis, and reflection on AI’s role in writing and analysis. It encourages students to engage deeply with AI tools while maintaining their own agency in the revision process.

Objective

To use generative AI as a tool to enhance your revision process and improve your rhetorical analysis essay.

Instructions

1. Preparation
   1. Ensure you have a 900-word draft of your Rhetorical Analysis Essay ready. PDF files work best.
   2. Open Microsoft Copilot.
2. AI Tutor Review
   1. Set Copilot to “More Precise.”
   2. Input your essay into Copilot.
   3. Ask your AI tutor to provide the following feedback in a supportive manner:
      • 5 global revision suggestions
      • 5 paragraph-level revision suggestions
      • 5 sentence-level revision suggestions
   4. Request that the AI tutor be critical, explain each suggestion clearly, and offer encouragement.
3. AI Prompt:
   Use the following prompt with the AI tool:

   Please analyze this 750-word draft for my Rhetorical Analysis of Generative AI project. The essay describes and analyzes a space where I engage in reading activities. Provide revision suggestions in the following order:

   • Give 5 global revision suggestions that address the overall structure, argument, and effectiveness of the essay.
   • Provide 5 paragraph-level revision suggestions to improve coherence and development within specific paragraphs.
   • Offer 5 sentence-level revision suggestions to enhance clarity, style, and grammar.

4. Review the AI-generated feedback carefully.
5. Prepare a revision report that includes:
   • AI-generated feedback
     • 5 global revision suggestions
     • 5 paragraph-level revision suggestions
     • 5 sentence-level revision suggestions
   • Your analysis of the AI feedback
     • Which suggestions do you agree with and why?
     • Which suggestions do you disagree with and why?
     • What important aspects of your essay did the AI miss or misunderstand?
   • Your revision plan
     • Which AI suggestions will you implement and how?
     • What additional revisions will you make that weren’t suggested by the AI?
     • How will these revisions strengthen your rhetorical analysis?
   • Reflect on the process
     • How did using AI in the revision process affect your approach to your essay?
     • What are the benefits and limitations of AI-assisted revision?
     • How might you use AI tools in future writing and revision processes?
     • How does this experience inform your understanding of AI’s capabilities in analyzing rhetoric?
6. Revise your essay
   Implement the revisions you’ve decided on from your revision plan. Keep track of the changes you make and your reasoning behind them.
7. Keep the following guidelines in mind as you revise:
   • The AI suggestions are a starting point. Your critical thinking and analysis are crucial.
   • Remember that the goal is to develop YOUR writing and thinking skills, not the AI’s.
   • Consider how this process relates to the assignment’s focus on analyzing AI-generated content.
8. Weekly Submission
   Turn in the following items:
   • Your prompt for generative AI.
   • The generative AI output.
   • Your revision plan.
   • Your reflection.

Peer Review, Part II:
Essay Revision with a Classmate

Instructions

1. Exchange your 900-word draft with a partner.
2. Read your partner’s draft thoroughly, considering the Peer Review questions below.
3. Provide specific, descriptive feedback for each area of concern.
4. Remember to be an empathetic reader, offering constructive criticism to help improve the essay.
5. When providing feedback, be specific and descriptive. Instead of simply pointing out problems, offer suggestions for improvement. For example:
   

   Instead of: “Your thesis is weak.”

   Try: “Your thesis could be strengthened by clearly stating your position on the effectiveness of the AI’s rhetorical strategies and previewing your main points of analysis.”

6. After completing the peer review, discuss your feedback with your partner, focusing on the most important areas for revision. Remember that the goal is to help each other improve your essays and develop stronger analytical and writing skills.
7. For your weekly submission, turn in the following items:
   • Your reflection.
   • Your revised revision plan.

Peer Review Questions

Global Concerns

• How clear and arguable is the thesis? Does it effectively preview the main points of the analysis?
• Does the essay maintain a consistent focus on analyzing the rhetorical strategies used by the generative AI tool (Microsoft Copilot)?
• How well does the essay address the intended audience of college-educated AI-skeptics?
• Is there a logical flow of ideas throughout the essay? Are transitions between major points smooth and effective?

Paragraph-Level Concerns

• Does each paragraph have a clear topic sentence that relates to the thesis?
• How well does the paragraph analyze specific rhetorical strategies (logos, pathos, ethos, Kairos) used in the AI-generated content?
• Are examples from both the academic article and the AI analysis effectively integrated to support the analysis?
• Does the paragraph end with a clear, analytical statement that ties back to the overall argument?

Sentence-Level Concerns

• Is the language sophisticated and appropriate for a college-level essay?
• Are there any sentences that are unclear or could be worded more effectively?
• How varied are the sentence structures? Is there a good mix of simple and complex sentences?
• Are rhetorical terms and concepts used accurately and explained clearly for the intended audience?

 

Last Updated on July 8, 2025