Q&R 3: Explain the structure of P.Q.P. and why you think it is an effective method of revision.

The structure of P.Q.P. is a very simple one, yet because of its simplicity it is very effective and easy to understand. First of all I shall explain what the abbreviation P.Q.P. stands for. The first “P” is for Praise. This means that the student doing the revision of his peers’ paper will give praise to it, or in other words, find something in the essay that he liked very much. The second letter “Q” stands for question. This means that the peer doing the revision must ask a question that he has concerning the paper. This question may be of something within the story that did not make sense to him, or he may ask why the writer wrote a certain thing asking him to explain further his reason. The third letter “P” stands for polish. Within this segment the peer is asked to make a suggestion to the story that would be able to clarify a certain point in the story, or maybe the suggestion may be to remove a certain part, or maybe to add a certain element.

These three steps sound simple enough, and they are, but what makes them so effective is the fact that they are specific. Each time a student is asked to complete any of these three steps, he is asked to give his reply in the most specific and useful details he or she can give. Because of this the student receiving the critique is given something useful and detailed to work with when he receives his paper back, giving him something to think about the next time he writes a paper. Another reason that this method is so effective is because of its’ simplicity. Because it is so simple it is easy to remember, therefore allowing the user of this method to better focus on the actual steps rather than thinking about what is being asked of him.

By: Denise