Feedback Guidelines for Staff

Suggested procedure

The principles outlined in this resource were used to derive the following procedure for a final feedback summary. These quick and simple steps are designed to efficiently deliver the highest impact:

Write a (minimum) 4-sentence final summary in the following format:

Start with the student's name and positively affirm the best aspect(s) of the assignment.
Phrase a specific criticism in positive tones (e.g. as a question)
Provide a concrete suggestion and/or an example
(If necessary repeat steps 2-3 but limit to a maximum of 4 issues)
Final words of encouragement and/or high-level advice

See below some examples for different grades and students.

Filipo

Filipo is a mature-aged student returning to university for his second degree. He is worldly-wise and more focused on his studies now than in his youth. Although he has a full time job and studies part-time he is able to compartmentalise his commitments and focus on achieving good results despite time constraints.

Grade: Credit

LESS EFFECTIVE VERSION

MORE EFFECTIVE VERSION

A reasonable effort. Part of your argument is unconvincing and needs further work.

A highly original argument, Filipo. Your use of Vygotsky's work in this area is unique. Do you think 2000 words gave you enough room to support all your claims? A tightly focused well-supported paper is often more compelling than a wide-ranging essay. Try to locate the central problem you have with the position and the arguments used to support it and focus your energies on demonstrating their failings.

Mariko

Mariko came to university straight out of high school. She achieved higher-than-average grades at school and has adjusted well to the university environment. She is enjoying the freedom and autonomy and is keen to do well. She pays close attention to the feedback she receives and, as her approach to study matures, Mariko will fulfil her true potential.

Grade: Distinction

LESS EFFECTIVE VERSION	MORE EFFECTIVE VERSION
A very good essay.	A well-structured paper, Mariko. Clear introduction, cogent argument and concisely stated conclusion. Can you see any way that an opponent of rigid developmental stages could respond to Piaget's arguments? Don't rely too heavily on one source (no matter how well respected). Evaluate both sides of a debate, look at their arguments critically and then give your assessment of the stronger position.

Wolfgang

Wolfgang is an international student struggling with English as his second language. He is capable of good grades but has not yet found his feet. He is only vaguely aware of the availability of student support services.

Grade: Fail

LESS EFFECTIVE VERSION	MORE EFFECTIVE VERSION
I'm surprised you bothered to submit this essay, it falls far short of the standards expected for undergraduate level. Your sentences are virtually incomprehensible and the whole essay fails to follow any standard conventions. Your sources are meagre and you haven't even properly cited them.	A determined effort, Wolfgang, though it has not reached the required standard. I suggest you try our various study support facilities (e.g. StudyWise; Learning Skills; etc) to get help on essay writing. Focus on (1) essay construction (including citations and referencing); and (2) clarity of argument. Your tutors can also help prepare you for essays in future.

Principles

The following principles were developed based on recent research including at Macquarie University. Adhering to these simple principles will maximise the effectiveness of written feedback.

Personalised

Students are more likely to take notice of feedback when they know it is specific to their needs and not generic. Using the student's name builds that trust.

PRINCIPLE	RECOMMENDATIONS	PROCEDURES	EXAMPLES
Personalised Informal, personalised feedback enhances effectiveness.	Build the student's trust that the feedback is intended to help them improve and not a judgment. Make it clear that you have engaged with their assignment.	Begin with the student's name	Less effective: Your introduction was poorly constructed but the conclusion was better. More effective: Caroline, the conclusion is a good example of a well-constructed passage and was a great improvement over the introduction.

PRINCIPLE

RECOMMENDATIONS

PROCEDURES

EXAMPLES

Personalised
Informal, personalised feedback enhances effectiveness.

Build the student's trust that the feedback is intended to help them improve and not a judgment. Make it clear that you have engaged with their assignment.

Begin with the student's name

Less effective:
Your introduction was poorly constructed but the conclusion was better.

More effective:
Caroline, the conclusion is a good example of a well-constructed passage and was a great improvement over the introduction.

Constructive

Pointing out failures can only be useful in a formative context if accompanied by suggestions for future improvement.

PRINCIPLE	RECOMMENDATIONS	PROCEDURES	EXAMPLES
Constructive Students respond better to positive tones and constructive suggestions.	Always provide positive as well as negative feedback. Never use sarcasm!	Start with the positive and make a substantive (i.e. not token or formulaic) point. For negative points phrase the comment as a question if possible and/or provide concrete suggestions.	Less effective: You need to make a stronger case in the main body. More effective: Good intro, Alexandra - clearly stated your intention. Do you think more examples might have strengthened your case? Less effective: You included a lot of irrelevant information - stick to the main topic. More effective: Thorough coverage, Quentin. Suggest you save some words by eliminating material extraneous to the main topic.

PRINCIPLE

RECOMMENDATIONS

PROCEDURES

EXAMPLES

Constructive
Students respond better to positive tones and constructive suggestions.

Always provide positive as well as negative feedback.

Never use sarcasm!

Start with the positive and make a substantive (i.e. not token or formulaic) point.

For negative points phrase the comment as a question if possible and/or provide concrete suggestions.

Less effective:
You need to make a stronger case in the main body.

More effective:
Good intro, Alexandra - clearly stated your intention. Do you think more examples might have strengthened your case?

Less effective:
You included a lot of irrelevant information - stick to the main topic.

More effective:
Thorough coverage, Quentin. Suggest you save some words by eliminating material extraneous to the main topic.

Aligned

Feedback, like the assessments they are based on, should be aligned with specific learning outcomes to focus the students' attention on what matters most.

PRINCIPLE	RECOMMENDATIONS	PROCEDURES	EXAMPLES
Aligned Feedback should align with learning outcomes	Associate the feedback with specific assessment criteria from the marking rubric.	Highlight examples of specific issues. Provide examples of good practice.	Less effective: Lots of technical terminology made it a bit difficult to read but overall good work. More effective: Sven, you covered the issues well. Remember the requirement to explain uncommon terms (e.g. in para 2 where you mention 'conation'). One simple way is to give a brief definition in brackets following the first usage. Less effective: The assignment didn't include enough exploration of different viewpoints and missed some obvious fallacies. More effective: Good exposition, Mikhail. Going forward please concentrate on providing deeper analysis (e.g., try the 'opposing view' technique).

PRINCIPLE

RECOMMENDATIONS

PROCEDURES

EXAMPLES

Aligned
Feedback should align with learning outcomes

Associate the feedback with specific assessment criteria from the marking rubric.

Highlight examples of specific issues.

Provide examples of good practice.

Less effective:
Lots of technical terminology made it a bit difficult to read but overall good work.

More effective:
Sven, you covered the issues well. Remember the requirement to explain uncommon terms (e.g. in para 2 where you mention 'conation'). One simple way is to give a brief definition in brackets following the first usage.

Less effective:
The assignment didn't include enough exploration of different viewpoints and missed some obvious fallacies.

More effective:
Good exposition, Mikhail. Going forward please concentrate on providing deeper analysis (e.g., try the 'opposing view' technique).

Future-focused

As formative feedback is aimed at improving student performance, it should target areas useful for future studies or even the workplace.

PRINCIPLE	RECOMMENDATIONS	PROCEDURES	EXAMPLES
Future-focused Formative feedback is only useful if applicable to future studies or work.	Tailor feedback for future improvement and avoid comments that serve only to justify marks. Focus on the task, not the student.	Choose practical suggestions emphasising how the student could improve future assignments.	Less effective: You lost marks because you did not structure the essay according to the required standards (clearly stated in the rubric). More effective: Consuela, for the final essay please use the approved structure (check the rubric and also see the example in iLearn). Less effective: You sometimes employ weak arguments without backing them up. More effective: Anh, the second para was a reasonable argument but going forward please provide more supporting evidence.

PRINCIPLE

RECOMMENDATIONS

PROCEDURES

EXAMPLES

Future-focused
Formative feedback is only useful if applicable to future studies or work.

Tailor feedback for future improvement and avoid comments that serve only to justify marks.

Focus on the task, not the student.

Choose practical suggestions emphasising how the student could improve future assignments.

Less effective:
You lost marks because you did not structure the essay according to the required standards (clearly stated in the rubric).

More effective:
Consuela, for the final essay please use the approved structure (check the rubric and also see the example in iLearn).

Less effective:
You sometimes employ weak arguments without backing them up.

More effective:
Anh, the second para was a reasonable argument but going forward please provide more supporting evidence.

References

Formative Feedback at Macquarie University: What Students Say They Want.
Price, M; Handley, K: Jill Millar, J & O'Donovan, B (2010). Feedback : all that effort, but what is the effect? Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education Vol. 35, No. 3, 277-289
Shute, V (2007). Focus on Formative Feedback. Educational Testing Service (ETS)
Hattie, J & Timperley, H (2007). The Power of Feedback. Review of Educational Research , Vol. 77, No. 1, 81-112
Jessop, T; El Hakim, Y & Gibbs, G (2014). The whole is greater than the sum of its parts: a large-scale study of students' learning in response to different programme assessment patterns. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 39:1, 73-88,
Agius, N & Wilkinson, A (2014). Students' and teachers' views of written feedback at undergraduate level: A literature review. Nurse Education Today, vol. 34, 552-559
Li, J & De Luca, R (2014). Review of assessment feedback. Studies in Higher Education, Vol.39:2, 378-393
Weaver, M (2006) Do students value feedback? Student perceptions of tutors' written responses, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 31:3, 379-394
Lizzio, A & Wilson, K (2008) Feedback on assessment: students' perceptions of quality and effectiveness, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 33:3, 263-275
Hyland, F & Hyland, K (2001). Sugaring the pill: praise and criticism in written feedback. Journal of Second Language Writing 10: 185-212.
David Nicol (2010) From monologue to dialogue: improving written feedback processes in mass higher education, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 35:5, 501-517