Calibrated Peer Review (CPR) is an online tool being used to integrate a writing component in classrooms. In an introductory zoology lecture class, the authors found that CPR-assigned scores were significantly higher than instructor-assigned scores on two of three essay assignments. They also found that neither students' technical-writing skills nor their abilities to convey scientific understanding of articles through summary essays improved during the semester. However, the CPR system offered fairly simple setup and submission for students and decreased grading time for instructors. (Contains 3 tables and 3 figures.)