Give effective feedback that promotes learning and growth. Covers written feedback on student work, rubric design, peer review facilitation, and constructive critique techniques. Triggers on grading, feedback, rubrics, peer review, or critique requests.
Transform feedback from judgment to learning opportunity.
| Evaluation | Feedback |
|---|---|
| Judges quality | Improves quality |
| Backward-looking | Forward-looking |
| "This is wrong" | "Here's how to improve" |
| Grade | Growth |
Strength → Growth Area → Encouragement
Better: Targeted feedback that addresses what matters most.
3 things done well (specific examples)
2 areas for development (with suggestions)
1 question to consider (promotes reflection)
| Type | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Praise | Reinforce effective choices | "Your thesis clearly states your argument and previews your main points" |
| Explanation | Clarify why something matters | "Topic sentences help readers follow your logic" |
| Suggestion | Offer concrete improvement | "Try adding a transition here to connect these ideas" |
| Question | Prompt deeper thinking | "What evidence would strengthen this claim?" |
| Reader response | Share authentic reaction | "I got lost here—what's the main point?" |
Don't mark everything. Focus on:
Higher-order concerns first
Then lower-order concerns
| Location | Use For |
|---|---|
| Marginal | Specific, local issues |
| End note | Big-picture patterns, priorities |
| Rubric | Systematic criteria assessment |
| Type | Description | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Holistic | Single score, overall quality | Quick assessment, writing portfolios |
| Analytic | Separate scores per criterion | Detailed feedback, skill isolation |
| Single-point | Criteria list, no levels | Flexibility, avoiding "teaching to rubric" |
## [Assignment Name] Rubric
| Criterion | Excellent (4) | Good (3) | Developing (2) | Beginning (1) |
|-----------|---------------|----------|----------------|---------------|
| Thesis | Clear, arguable, specific thesis that addresses prompt | Thesis present and mostly clear | Thesis unclear or too broad | No identifiable thesis |
| Evidence | Multiple relevant, well-integrated sources | Adequate evidence with some integration issues | Limited or poorly integrated evidence | Little to no evidence |
| Analysis | Sophisticated analysis connecting evidence to argument | Analysis present but could be deeper | Summary more than analysis | Minimal analysis |
| Organization | Clear structure with effective transitions | Mostly organized with some rough transitions | Disorganized or hard to follow | No discernible structure |
| Mechanics | Nearly error-free | Few errors that don't impede meaning | Errors sometimes impede meaning | Errors significantly impede meaning |
**Total: ___/20**
## [Assignment Name] Single-Point Rubric
| Areas for Growth | Criterion (Proficient) | Areas of Strength |
|------------------|------------------------|-------------------|
| [Space for feedback] | Clear thesis that takes a position | [Space for feedback] |
| [Space for feedback] | Evidence supports all major claims | [Space for feedback] |
| [Space for feedback] | Analysis explains how evidence proves thesis | [Space for feedback] |
| [Space for feedback] | Logical organization with transitions | [Space for feedback] |
| [Space for feedback] | Appropriate academic style | [Space for feedback] |
## Peer Review Guide
**Reader**: [Name]
**Writer**: [Name]
### First Read (Big Picture)
Read the whole piece without stopping. Note your overall impression.
- What is the main argument?
- What worked well?
- What confused you?
### Second Read (Detailed)
Answer these questions with specific examples:
1. **Thesis**: Can you identify the thesis? Is it arguable?
2. **Structure**: Does the organization make sense? Where did you get lost?
3. **Evidence**: Which evidence is most convincing? Where do you need more?
4. **Analysis**: Where could the writer dig deeper?
### Feedback Summary
- One thing that's working well:
- One thing to prioritize in revision:
- One question for the writer:
Readers should:
Writers should:
1. Open: "What do you want me to focus on?"
2. Listen: Let student identify concerns
3. Prioritize: "Let's focus on X because..."
4. Demonstrate: Model revision strategy
5. Apply: Have student try it
6. Close: "What's your next step?"
| Instead of... | Try... |
|---|---|
| "This is unclear" | "What do you mean here?" |
| "Add more detail" | "What else could you tell me about this?" |
| "This doesn't make sense" | "Walk me through your thinking here" |
| "You need a thesis" | "What's the main point you want readers to take away?" |
THESIS ISSUES:
- "Your thesis tells me what the paper is about but doesn't take a position.
Try: 'Although X, Y because Z.'"
- "This thesis is too broad. Can you narrow to a specific aspect?"
EVIDENCE ISSUES:
- "Good evidence, but I need your analysis. What does this quote prove?"
- "This claim needs support. What source could back this up?"
ORGANIZATION:
- "Nice paragraph, but it might fit better after [section]. See what you think."
- "I need a transition here to understand how we got from A to B."
Benefits:
Tips:
| Fixed Mindset | Growth Mindset |
|---|---|
| "You're not good at this" | "This skill takes practice" |
| "This is wrong" | "This doesn't quite work yet" |
| "You don't understand" | "Let's work on understanding" |
| "Smart students get this" | "This is challenging for everyone" |
references/rubric-templates.md - Ready-to-use rubricsreferences/comment-bank.md - Reusable feedback commentsreferences/peer-review-protocols.md - Peer review activities