Peer Review: Research Essay, The Piano Lesson English 102 Western World Literature and Composition Consider the following elements of the essay you are reviewing: Title: Does the essay have an engaging title, or is it vaguely labeled? Can you suggest a more effective title? Introduction and Thesis: Does the introduction draw the reader into the essay? Does the thesis statement accurately and specifically forecast the points to be discussed in the body of the essay? How could the introduction and thesis be improved? Body Paragraphs: Does each body paragraph begin with a topic sentence that reflects a thesis point? Does each paragraph include relevant and sufficient details to support the topic sentences/thesis points? How could the body paragraphs be improved? Have secondary sources been added to support the writer’s points? Are the sources fully introduced with a signal phrase or attributive tag, rather than just dropped into the essay? Does each source include an in-text citation? Do these sources appear in the writer’s Works Cited page? Conclusion: Is there a meaningful conclusion that leaves the reader with a sense of closure? Check that no new information is presented in the conclusion. Works Cited: Is the Works Cited formatted correctly? Are primary sources separated from secondary sources? · Are citations alphabetized? · Are citations formatted in MLA style? · Check the use of capitalization, italics, an quotation marks. Grammar and Mechanics: Are there any issues that should be addressed? You cannot edit the essay, but you might make some general comments. List at least three specific suggestions for revision. Name: Ada Rivas Date: July 31, 2015 Instructor’s Name: Assignment: SCIE211 Phase 2 Lab Report Title: Speciation Instructions: You will need to write a 1-page lab report using the scientific method to answer the following question: · What would happen if a species of lizard were suddenly split into 2 groups by a hurricane resulting in the isolation of a small group of individuals on an island far from the mainland? When your lab report is complete, post it in Submitted Assignment files. Part I: Use the animated time progression of speciation to help you write up your lab report. Part II: Write a 1-page lab report using the following scientific method sections: · Purpose · State the purpose of the lab. · Introduction · This is an investigation of what is currently known about the question being asked. Use background information from credible references to write a short summary about concepts in the lab. List and cite references in APA style. · Hypothesis/Predicted Outcome · A hypothesis is an educated guess. Based on what you have learned and written about in the Introduction, state what you expect to be the results of the lab procedures. · Methods · Summarize the procedures that you used in the lab. The Methods section should also state clearly how data (numbers) we.

1. Peer Review: Research Essay, The Piano Lesson
English 102 Western World Literature and Composition
Consider the following elements of the essay you are reviewing:
Title:
Does the essay have an engaging title, or is it vaguely labeled?
Can you suggest a more effective title?
Introduction and Thesis:
Does the introduction draw the reader into the essay?
Does the thesis statement accurately and specifically forecast
the points to be discussed in the body of the essay?
How could the introduction and thesis be improved?
Body Paragraphs:
Does each body paragraph begin with a topic sentence that
reflects a thesis point?
Does each paragraph include relevant and sufficient details to
support the topic sentences/thesis points?
How could the body paragraphs be improved?
Have secondary sources been added to support the writer’s
points?
Are the sources fully introduced with a signal phrase or
attributive tag, rather than just dropped into the essay?
Does each source include an in-text citation?
Do these sources appear in the writer’s Works Cited page?
Conclusion:

2. Is there a meaningful conclusion that leaves the reader with a
sense of closure?
Check that no new information is presented in the conclusion.
Works Cited:
Is the Works Cited formatted correctly?
Are primary sources separated from secondary sources?
· Are citations alphabetized?
· Are citations formatted in MLA style?
· Check the use of capitalization, italics, an quotation marks.
Grammar and Mechanics: Are there any issues that should be
addressed? You cannot edit the essay, but you might make
some general comments.
List at least three specific suggestions for revision.
Name: Ada Rivas
Date: July 31, 2015
Instructor’s Name:
Assignment: SCIE211 Phase 2 Lab Report
Title: Speciation
Instructions: You will need to write a 1-page lab report using
the scientific method to answer the following question:
· What would happen if a species of lizard were suddenly split
into 2 groups by a hurricane resulting in the isolation of a small
group of individuals on an island far from the mainland?
When your lab report is complete, post it in Submitted
Assignment files.
Part I: Use the animated time progression of speciation to help

3. you write up your lab report.
Part II: Write a 1-page lab report using the following scientific
method sections:
· Purpose
· State the purpose of the lab.
· Introduction
· This is an investigation of what is currently known about the
question being asked. Use background information from
credible references to write a short summary about concepts in
the lab. List and cite references in APA style.
· Hypothesis/Predicted Outcome
· A hypothesis is an educated guess. Based on what you have
learned and written about in the Introduction, state what you
expect to be the results of the lab procedures.
· Methods
· Summarize the procedures that you used in the lab. The
Methods section should also state clearly how data (numbers)
were collected during the lab; this will be reported in the
Results/Outcome section.
· Results/Outcome
· Provide here any results or data that were generated while
doing the lab procedure.
· Discussion/Analysis
· In this section, state clearly whether you obtained the expected
results, and if the outcome was as expected.
· Note: You can use the lab data to help you discuss the results
and what you learned.

4. Provide references in APA format. This includes a reference list
and in-text citations for references used in the Introduction
section.
Give your paper a title and number, and identify each section as
specified above. Although the hypothesis will be a 1-sentence
answer, the other sections will need to be paragraphs to
adequately explain your experiment.
When your lab report is complete, post it in Submitted
Assignment files.
NB: The writing in red is the tutor’s comments. Please consider
the comments and try to write the essay appropriately.
Family issues in “The Piano Lesson”: An Annotated
Bibliography
August Wilson’s play “The Piano” revolves around a family that
from the play has a lot of history. From the great grandfather to
the feuding siblings, this family seems to attract a lot of trouble
and every person finds themselves in at least one sticky
situation.
These family issues are quite evident in the play and it is my
intention to explore them and educate the reader on causes and
also possible lessons to be taken from these. This topic is of
interest to me because in some way, it relates to many families
in today’s world that are plagued by problems – rivalry,
deception, and more. Therefore, analyzing the families in the
play will help understand issues that we all face in real life.
I intend to write a research paper that will analyze and explore
extensively the family issues that exist in the play. These
include sibling rivalry, deception, defiance and misfortune.
Dramatica,. 'The Piano Lesson - Analysis'. Web. 2 Aug. 2015.1
What does this source say about sibling rivalry in the play? You
should use accessed through the KML databases--see the Week

5. 5 announcement for instructions. Dramatica is not considered an
academic sourc
This article by Dramatica gives an in-depth analysis of the story
form of The Piano Lesson. It expounds on every structural item
and theme in the play and gives the user an in-depth
understanding of the goings on in the play.
Because of the in-depth study it provides, this article will be a
great source for studying the sibling rivalry that is brought out
in the play, which is also the biggest aspect of the play. Every
other information we get from the play is a result of this rivalry.
Hampton, Wilborn. '"The Piano Lesson" Review: August
Wilson's Ghost Story Haunts Anew'. The Huffington Post 2012.
Web. 2 Aug. 2015.
This is a newspaper article review of “The Piano Lesson.” It
outlines the cause for conflict between the siblings and even
points out a number of scenes where they conflict. It also gives
insight to the origin of the carvings on the piano and the reason
they are there. In addition to that, it points out how The Piano
Lesson deals with the issue of slavery and the effect it has on
families.2 .This review summarizes the play but offers little real
insight into the play's family issues.
This is an important source to the essay because I intend to
discuss family misfortune and the review brings important
aspects about this topic to mind.
Krasner, David. A Companion To Twentieth-Century American
Drama. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2005. Print.
This book offers an authoritative examination of twentieth
century literature works written by the best playwrights in the
field. It also offers discussions that are based on cultures and
ideas of American citizens.
It is an important source in the essay because it mentions issues
of family drama and inheritance and also goes into detail to
explain Bernice’s symbolic attachment to the piano and why she
is adamant to sell it. This is what eventually gives rise to the

6. conflict between her and Boy Willie. It also shows Bernice’s
defiance in denying her past and not wanting to be associated
with it. Page 328 will also be useful in formulating the
conclusion of the essay.
Page, Yolanda Williams. Icons Of African American Literature.
Santa Barbara, Calif.: Greenwood, 2011. Print.
In this book, Yolanda Williams studies the most popular and
significant cultural topics in the history on African American
literature. It includes essays that discuss the continuing
importance of these topics in the American culture.
The book establishes how the piano is a link to the past and how
it plays a central role in explaining the family’s history and
struggle for freedom, and thus the misfortunes that have been
part of the family for generations. It also explains how the
carvings on the piano explain the events in the family history.
Rouleau, Andrew. 'Contemporary Literature: Gender Roles In
The Piano
Lesson'.Andrewrouleaucontemporaryliterature.blogspot.co.ke.
N.p., 2013. Web. 2 Aug. 2015.
This blog posting explains the gender roles as brought about
in The Piano Lesson. It enlightens the reader about the hidden
perceptions that exist in the play – where females are given
more respect than their male counterparts.3Blog postings are
not considered academic sources.
This is a good source for the essay because it brings out an
aspect of the play that is quite unexpected and not immediately
perceived. Additionally, it mentions how Bernice called out to
her female ancestors (with the exception of Papa Boy Charles)
when she finally plays the piano in the last scene.4 We know
this from reading the play--what other insight is offered here,
other than sumary?
Van Cleave, Rachel A. 'Property Lessons In August Wilson's
The Piano Lesson And The Wake Of Hurricane
Katrina'. California Western Law Review 43.1 (2006): 102-104.
Print.
This journal article uses property lessons from The Piano

7. Lesson to educate its readers on the scale of loss people who
suffered hurricane Katrina suffered. Apart from loss of property
and life, these people also lost their communities, histories and
possibly family legacies, things that threatened their very
identities.
This journal explains the events surrounding the piano. From
the selling of the first Bernice and her son, to the death of Boy
Charles. It is a good source for explaining and enlightening the
reader of how the situation culminated to what it currently is. It
also carefully brings out the theme of slavery in the family,
which in the essay, will be 5studied under family misfortune.
NB: The writing in red is the tutor’s comments. Please consider
the comments and try to write the essay appropriately.
Introduction: Explain the general idea and happenings in the
families mentioned in the play. 1Do not summarize the play--
remember, all of your readers have read and studied the play.
Give examples of what first comes to mind when someone reads
the play for the first time.
Thesis: State the thesis statement. “I intend to write a research
paper that will analyze and explore extensively the family
issues that exist in the play. These include sibling rivalry,
deception, defiance and misfortune.”2good
Body paragraph 1
What is the cause of rivalry between the two siblings?
Dramatica,. 'The Piano Lesson - Analysis'. Web. 2 Aug.
2015.
Krasner, David. A Companion To Twentieth-Century American
Drama. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2005. Print.
Body paragraph 2
The rivalry between Bernice and Boy Willie led to a situation
where Sutter’s ghost also appeared to stake claim in the
ownership of the piano.

8. Hampton, Wilborn. '"The Piano Lesson" Review:
August Wilson's Ghost Story Haunts Anew'.The Huffington
Post 2012. Web. 2 Aug. 2015.
Body paragraph 3
As a result of the rivalry between the siblings, we learn the
family’s history.3How does this relate to your thesis?
Page, Yolanda Williams. Icons Of African American Literature.
Santa Barbara, Calif.: Greenwood, 2011. Print.
Van Cleave, Rachel A. 'Property Lessons In August Wilson's
The Piano Lesson And The Wake Of Hurricane
Katrina'. California Western Law Review 43.1 (2006): 102-104.
Print.
Body paragraph 4
After Sutter’s death, his brother approaches Boy Willie with the
intention of selling him the land. He tells him he is more
willing to sell it to him because of “family ties.” This is
however a lie because he hopes to get a better deal than the
previous he had gotten.
August Wilson. The Piano Lesson. New York: Penguin Group,
1990. Print.
Body paragraph 5
Bernice shows defiance when she denies the past and refuses to
acknowledge it.
Krasner, David. A Companion To Twentieth-Century American
Drama. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2005. Print.
Body paragraph 6
The Charles’ family is plagued by misfortune. It begins with
their great grandmother being sold, to death of Bernice and Boy
Willie’s father and now even the rivalry between the siblings.
Additionally, the fact that the family has ancestors who were
slaves add to their misfortune at the time.
Hampton, Wilborn. '"The Piano Lesson" Review: August
Wilson's Ghost Story Haunts Anew'. The Huffington Post 2012.
Web. 2 Aug. 2015.
Page, Yolanda Williams. Icons Of African American Literature.

9. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Greenwood, 2011. Print.
Van Cleave, Rachel A. 'Property Lessons In August Wilson's
The Piano Lesson And The Wake Of Hurricane
Katrina'. California Western Law Review 43.1 (2006): 102-104.
Print.
Conclusion: How the whole story culminates when Bernice
eventually gives in and plays the piano.
I see considerable summary and "filler" here, Fuad. Your essay
must focus only on the issue of sibling rivalry, which is your
thesis. Each body paragraph must link directly to the thesis. Do
not rely too heavily on your sources--I am interested in your
own ideas and analysis.