Peer review: Constructively reviewing packages¶
Peer review¶
rubric={reasoning:60,writing:10,mechanics:10}
Unlike other weekly assignments in this course, you will be mostly working individually in this assignment. Each of you will be reviewing either an R or a Python package based on this reviewer assignment. You will be writing your review in an issue in this repository for the package you were assigned to review.
Readings (individual)¶
Read chapters 4 and 5 of Software Peer Review of Packages.
If you are assigned to review an R package, read chapter 7 of Software Peer Review of Packages.
If you are assigned to review a Python package, read this section of the dev guide.
Reviewing (individual)¶
Once an issue is assigned to you, you can start your review. If nothing is assigned to you by the end of the lab, please contact the team whose package you are assigned to review.
Using the package-specific templates below, review the package assigned to you and write your comprehensive review.
Other than checking the boxes in the template, we ask you to give at least 5-point constructive feedback in the
Review Commentssection. It is OK to have some overlap with the other person reviewing the package, but there should be at least 3 points of constructive feedback unique to each review.We encourage discussion and conversation between the authors and reviewers in the issue.
Each team will get a chance to address your comments next week!
Resources and guidelines to help you on your way¶
Here are some example reviews for your reference. Look for Package Review in the conversation.
R package reviews
Python package reviews
Some more guidance when you write your reviews.
Be concrete and specific: support your claims with evidence: provide an example or point to specific things when you write comments.
Be empathetic: when you write feedback, try to put yourself at the receiving end and think about what feedback would have been useful for you.
Be Constructive: Do not use evaluative or judgmental language; instead be constructive and help them build on their strengths.
Tone: Don’t be mean. A good test to determine whether you are being mean or not is putting yourself or a close friend at the receiving end or imagining whether you can say it to them in a face-to-face conversation.
Submission guidelines¶
rubric={mechanics:10}
To submit this assignment, submit the link to the issue containing your pacakge review so that the TAs can find your review easily.