“Students’ Perceptions of Written Instructor Feedback on Student Writing”

by Eric Wisz | Xchanges 13.2, Fall 2018

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that the form of feedback ought to be dependent on the context in which it is given—what the feedback is discussing, the revision the feedback is implying, the skills and knowledge of the particular writer to whom the feedback is geared, where the writer is in their writing process, etc. Participants saw the merits and benefits of a variety of feedback forms, which suggests that rather than advocating for one feedback approach over another, instructors might think about what kind of feedback is most appropriate for what kinds of writing situations.

This study suggests that instructors might consider framing some of their feedback from a reader’s perspective, as participants were generally more receptive to this type of feedback. Participants also found open-ended questions beneficial for a more holistic revision process, while suggestions and examples were seen as helpful guides for specific revision tasks. Explanation of grammar rules was particularly valued as something that provides transferable knowledge students can use in future writing.

Future research might look more broadly at the range of student perspectives on feedback by using a larger and more diverse participant pool. Additionally, future research might study how students actually go about revising in light of instructor feedback, rather than relying on students’ speculations about how they would revise, as in this study.