GEOL 117 Writing Assignment:
The Calibrated Peer Review (CPR) System

The CPR web site address:  http://cpr.molsci.ucla.edu/

The Basic Idea:

We will use an on-line system that accepts papers, then assigns each student three papers from the class to review.  All reviewing is anonymous. Your paper will not have your name on it and you will not be given the authors' names for the papers you review.

To "calibrate" your reviewing, so it is not too harsh and not too generous, you will review three papers created by the instructor as examples covering a range of quality.  If your grading is too harsh or too generous, you will be told to try again.

Getting Started with the online CPR system:  

You need a browser and an Internet connection (Netscape Navigator v. 4/later; Internet Explorer v. 4/later; Safari has worked well for me, Firefox might be okay too).

Cookies must be enabled in your browser.

If you have already used CPR, you MUST log in with your old ID and password.

If you are a new user, Log in as a new user to get your CPR Username and your password.

All New Users MUST complete their account profile.

To log in and complete an account profile:
- Connect to the following URL - http://cpr.molsci.ucla.edu/cpr/cpr/login.asp

- Select “New Users: first time logging in?” 

- Select "University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign" (NOT University of Illinois, Urbana- Jones)" from the pull down menu and enter your Student ID number (I-card number). 

- Next you will select a password.

- You will also need to enter a challenge question and answer. This challenge question will be used if you forget your login information. You may enter your email address.

- Upon completion of your account profile, you will be given your unique CPR username.
- Make sure that you save your CPR username.

You must take the orientation tour before starting your first CPR assignment:   - When you log in for the first time, you will be directed to take a 10 minute “Tour.”  
- Click on the "CPR Guided Tour" link and then the "Taking an Assignment" link.  
- Take the short PreTest for new users.

All information for this test can be found in the CPR Tour: “Taking an Assignment.”
You must take the tour prior to taking the PreTest.

Assignment Structure – Both stages are required to complete the assignment.

Stage 1:   During this stage you write your paper, save it on your computer, and then upload it to the CPR server (see instructions below).

Stage 2: During this stage you will:
a) evaluate example papers. These evaluations are called "calibrations" and will help you figure out how to assign a score to the papers you evaluate.
b) review three papers written by your classmates. This part is called "reviews."
c) review your own paper. This part is called the "self-assessment."

Click Here for more information on reviewing and scoring essays.

Submitting Papers (Stage 1)

First, write your paper and add the paragraph break code at the end of each paragraph

Paragraph break code:  <br><br>

Then submit it....

1. Log in to the CPR server
2. Click on the link for the assignment for this class
      The next screen gives you deadlines and information about your progress

3. Click on the "Access Assignment" button
      You should then see the text entry screen (assuming the deadline has not passed).

4. Copy your text from your computer and paste it into the text entry screen
      Note: This assignment is text only- no title, figures, tables, or bibliography

5. Click on "Save text" and check your word count at the upper right
      Must be in the correct range to be accepted.  The CPR count is the official one

6. Click on the "Preview Text" button and check to make sure your text looks okay

If the spaces between your paragraphs don't show, this means you forgot to add a paragraph break (see above)

Technical support:

Unfortunately, there are no online help links within CPR.  But the system is fairly easy to navigate.  If you get really stuck, you can contact me via phone or e-mail (244-2002; tmjohnsn@uiuc.edu).

Details:  

Because the CPR server is at UCLA, CPR uses California time (2 hours later than Illinois).

CPR does NOT work with the AOL browser. Make your internet connection with AOL, then switch to the Internet Explorer (4.x or 5.x) or the Netscape (4.7x) browsers.

HTML formatting: 

The following codes can be added if you want your text to have special formatting.

<br>  Inserts a line break.

<B> text </B> Displays the enclosed text in boldface;     <B>bold</B> gives bold .
<I> text </I> Displays the enclosed text in italics;     <I>italic</I> gives italic.
<SUB> text </SUB> Displays the enclosed text subscripted;    
<SUP> text </SUP> Displays the enclosed text superscripted;