Designing peer-review assignments

Peer review often takes place in multiple steps, with students reviewing other students’ work and then having follow-up discussions. Sometimes faculty wish to facilitate blind review. Often faculty assign multiple reviewers to review each student’s work. You have many choices when you design peer-review procedures or assignments.

Step-by-step implementation

These instructions assume that you're using the Assignments tool to collect and disseminate peer feedback.

1. In Canvas, navigate to the peer review assignment.
2. To edit the assignment, click Edit Assignment. Add the assignment rubric and guiding peer review questions to the assignment.
3. To enable peer reviews, click Require Peer Reviews.

   Note: Be clear about peer review due dates, as students will see the assignment due date as the peer review due date.

4. Decide whether you want to assign reviewers manually or automatically.
   • If you choose automatically, Canvas will allow you to edit the number of Reviews Per User. If you want groups of three for the assignment, the number of reviewers should be two (two reviewers + one submitter = group of three students).
5. Decide whether you want the peer review process to take place in class or asynchronously:
   • In class: You can conduct and guide the review process in class via Zoom or as a blend of face to face and Zoom.
   • Asynchronous: you can schedule the peer review as an assignment.

   Note: To maintain a level of objectivity and neutrality for students' responses, select Peer Reviews Appear Anonymously.