In reviewing someone else’s essay, ask yourself, “What can I do to help make the writing stronger?” To provide meaningful and helpful feedback, you can be attentive to a number of things. There are two main steps: Is the meaning clear and unambiguous? Does everything make sense? Do the ideas connect, and are they coherent? Are the ideas sufficiently explained and developed? Do the data require evidence? Are the arguments well supported? Is there enough insight? Indicate the precise difficulties you see. Suggest ideas for revision, stating your suggestions in a courteous, helpful manner. It may be useful for you to divide your feedback into two sections: style and content. Offer thoughtful, helpful remarks and questions, not banal, flippant, or heedless ones. Carefully listen to what others have to say, seek to understand them, and ask questions for definition, clarification, and elaboration. Ask also for evidence and justification. Ask questions about implications. Your remarks should not be empty pleasantries; they should add to the discussion by making distinctions and connections and offering analogies, examples, counter-examples, reasons, hypotheses, and interpretations. Be courteous. An impeccably courteous manner is essential in a discourse community wherein deep-probing and heated debate are the main diet. The more rigorous and vigorous our mutual investigations and debates, the more courteous we must have be if we’re to keep cool and go forward in our investigations. There’s no place for rude or hurtful remarks and gestures. Cultivate sincerity and respectfulness. A little humour goes a long way. Write about 500 words. Remember that your job is not proofreading and editing.