How to: Seek Feedback

Feedback is a key aspect of student learning and development; it both reflects and informs learning, if done right. It helps to clarify expectations, assess learning and encourage reflection. Normally, students receive feedback on essays, assignments, projects, quizzes, presentations and so on, depending on the course. Through feedback, students and teachers can build a culture of open communication, which contributes to the effectiveness of the pedagogical atmosphere. Students can also establish a productive relationship with peers based on the exchange of feedback. Here’s how you can seek feedback in a way that maximises productivity during your time at university:

Identify the right people to ask

Lecturers whose classes you take can provide insightful feedback on assignments, essays, projects and contributions in class. They are well-acquainted with your academic work in their subject and have a strong understanding of your learning, which their feedback aims to help you improve. If you have tutorials or seminars, your tutors will have a closer interaction with you, meaning they can provide feedback on specific topics you want help with and have a deeper understanding of your work ethic.

Supervisors for research projects can also offer substantial insight into your academic performance, given how closely with you they work on your research. Their guidance could be crucial to conceptualising and developing your research to a high academic standard.

University support centres can offer a detailed review of your academic writing skills as well as guide you to improve the different aspects of academic prose, including structure, clarity, grammar and argument development.

Peers can offer significant feedback within the context of group projects or peer-assessed work. Consider reaching out to a peer with whom you have experience working in a group and whose opinion of your learning would be meaningful. Try to encourage them to give you objective feedback by extending them the same treatment, fostering an atmosphere of honest communication and open-mindedness.

Mentors, whether within the university or without, can offer valuable feedback on your academic strengths and weaknesses as well as personal development. They can guide you towards aligning your academic work with your broader goals. My Academic Family connects students with mentors who can help them navigate university life.

Ask for constructive feedback

Feedback can often be limited to a description of strengths and weaknesses, which leaves a lot of students unsure about how to apply it. Good feedback goes beyond identifying what was not up to the mark; it tells you what you should do going forward. This feedback is directive, prescriptive – it emphasises action. If your feedback lacks practical value, you should ask for clear suggestions that could help you incorporate any relevant changes in your work. Instead of asking general questions like “How did I do?” focus on particular aspects of your performance and ask “How can I enhance the cohesion of my argument?” for example. If the feedback you receive is strictly descriptive and tells you “the sentences are not very clear”, as an example, request suggestions concerning how you could make the sentences clearer, to which the tutor might respond with “there are too many clauses you are using; use fewer commas and conjunctions; use shorter sentences”. This is actionable feedback as it specifically tells you how you can improve your academic work going forward.

Ask for specific examples

Sometimes, feedback represents a general overview of your learning. If, for example, your tutor or peer tells you “your research proposal could be more focused, it is too broad in its current version and does not seem viable”, you should ask them for concrete examples from the proposal. You might say, “Are there any particular research questions I should narrow down?” This allows you to have a clearer idea of what prompted the specific feedback you received and to avoid repeating similar weaknesses in future.

Reflect

Take time to integrate feedback you receive from different sources into a clear, consistent message that will help you to implement desired changes going forward. Keep in mind not all feedback will resonate with you or align with the other feedback you are receiving. In this case, it is important to use your judgement in determining the degree to which you prioritise this feedback. Reflect on whether any critique you receive is based on the specific work you present rather than your overall academic performance. If they are able to offer specific examples to substantiate their critique, that shows they are aware of what constitutes good practice in giving feedback. Balance relying on feedback with continuous self-assessment. As a student capable of critical thinking, cultivate confidence in your autonomy when determining which pieces of feedback you want to implement.

Follow Up

Once you consistently start integrating feedback into your work, it is important to follow up with the person who offered the feedback. This shows them you are committed to applying new useful information to your academic work and gives you the chance to check with them whether you are doing this competently. If you are responding to feedback from a professor telling you your research proposal seems too broad in its scope, you could incorporate their feedback and send them the revised version, requesting their thoughts on whether the scope now feels more manageable. In doing this, you not only improve your chances of academic success but are also paving the way to foster a positive relationship that helps you grow.

Feedback can be an invaluable tool in enhancing the learning process and achieving desired outcomes. If you engage with feedback consistently and critically, you can learn significant things about your academic performance and potential. Being proactive in your academic journey lays the foundation for a mindset of lifelong learning.  

This post written by My Academic Family volunteer Fatima A.