The qualitative portion of the grade is determined by the analytical discussion in each letter. The instructor grades all the letters, then computes the qualitative grade by averaging the grades on each student's five best letters. The peer letters are a terrific disciplinary device. The student is encouraged to read, analyze, and synthesize the material. Since I am a creative writer, the letters afford me the opportunity to write for an audience.
Students engage in conversations about the study of poetry with their peers and the instructor.
When students write for audiences other than the instructor only, they exert more effort in the crafting of the writing so that careful editing and proofreading are natural steps in the process. The letter format also frees students to be more imaginative, more willing to risk ideas, even more eager to read the interpretations of others in the classroom. The one-page limit not only forces students to be focused and succinct, but also makes the reading of a number of letters manageable. Letter writing helped me the most in learning the content of the course. We needed to know about the different authors and their works and be able to analyze them.