To grow, writers need critique. Once you’ve solicited reviewers to read your writing, it’s important to guide them toward the kind of feedback that will be most useful to you.

Your enlisted critics need to know your audience and timeline. They need to know how far along the document is: Are you looking for feedback about your ideas? Do you just want someone to triage for embarrassing grammar issues and typographical errors? Are you worried that your tone may not hit the sophistication level desired for your audience?

This cover sheet facilitates the process of soliciting reviewers for your project drafts. It covers the most important bases in the review process.

Here are four different approaches for completely customizing the Critique Me cover sheet (and you only need to choose one):

  • Fill out the form in a word processor (DOC file) to print or send electronically with your documents for review.
  • Print the PDF file, customize content by hand, and deliver along with your hard-copy documents for review.
  • Print the PDF file, customize content by hand, and scan the page to deliver along with your electronic documents for review.
  • Open the PDF file and annotate it with Macintosh’s Preview application or with Adobe Acrobat (not Adobe Acrobat Reader).

To restate:

Here’s the fillable DOC file, which can be opened in word processors such as Microsoft Word, Pages for the Macintosh, and Open Office.

Here’s the PDF file, which is prettier but must be printed and then filled out on the hard copy. Alternatively, you can annotate the form in Macintosh’s Preview application or with Adobe Acrobat (not Adobe Acrobat Reader).

This document is provided free by TWEED Editing LLC. Please download and share widely.

Are there other forms that would be helpful to you as a scholarly writer? Let me know!