Providing feedback on student writing (Supervisors)

Summary

This video provides strategies for supervisors on how to give constructive, developmental feedback to graduate students, especially those working on theses or dissertations. It emphasizes focusing on the writing, not the writer, and encourages a collaborative feedback process. Supervisors are advised to approach feedback with sensitivity, ensuring students are not demotivated. The video highlights the importance of planning, drafting, and revising, and gives specific advice for providing feedback on content, structure, and language. Special attention is given to multilingual students, who may face unique challenges in adapting to academic writing in English.

Takeaways

• 😀 Focus feedback on the writing, not the writer, to prevent damaging the student's self-esteem and emotional investment.
• 😀 Provide feedback from a developmental perspective, recognizing that writing is a process that evolves over time.
• 😀 Encourage students to view writing as a skill they can continually improve through feedback, revision, and learning.
• 😀 Use negotiated feedback to engage students in the process, promoting their ownership of revisions and their growth as independent writers.
• 😀 Start with feedback on content and structure before moving on to finer points like grammar and language.
• 😀 Help students develop metacognitive awareness by naming specific areas for improvement, such as critical engagement with content or organization.
• 😀 Provide feedback through both written and oral formats to allow students time to process and ask questions.
• 😀 Be sensitive to multilingual writers' unique challenges, especially in early drafts where content and structure should be prioritized over language.
• 😀 Avoid overwhelming students with too much feedback at once. Focus on key areas of improvement and provide clear, actionable guidance.
• 😀 Create a revision schedule that emphasizes planning, drafting, and revising as essential components of the writing process.
• 😀 Recognize that writing is a process that requires continuous learning. Encourage students to take workshops and seek out resources to improve their writing.

Q & A

Why is it important for supervisors to give feedback on graduate student writing?

Feedback is crucial for the development of writing skills. It helps students refine their work, improve critical thinking, and progress in their academic and professional writing tasks, especially for dissertations, theses, or papers for publication.

How can negative feedback affect graduate students emotionally?

Many students have a strong emotional investment in their writing, and when feedback is overly negative, it can make them feel demotivated or discouraged. This emotional response can result in avoidance of writing and a lack of progress.

What is the main strategy for giving rigorous feedback without overwhelming the student?

The key is to focus on the writing, not the student. Supervisors should use language like 'in the writing, I see this' rather than 'you wrote this,' to separate the critique of the writing from the student's personal identity.

How can supervisors help students avoid feeling demotivated by feedback?

Supervisors should approach feedback from a developmental perspective, acknowledging that writing is a process that evolves. They should encourage revision and improvement rather than expecting perfection in the early drafts.

What does taking an 'artisanal approach' to writing mean?

An artisanal approach to writing emphasizes continuous learning and improvement. It encourages students to engage in activities like writing workshops and reading books on writing to enhance their skills over time.

Why is it important to normalize revision in academic writing?

Revision is a natural part of the writing process. Normalizing revision helps students understand that good writing often requires multiple drafts and that feedback plays a crucial role in refining their ideas and presentation.

What should supervisors focus on when providing feedback on a student's writing?

Supervisors should focus on specific aspects like content, critical engagement, structure, and organization before moving to language and grammar. This allows students to develop their writing holistically and ensures that the foundational elements are strong.

What role do both written and oral feedback play in the revision process?

Written feedback gives students time to process the suggestions and make revisions at their own pace. Oral feedback, on the other hand, allows for a dialogic discussion where students can ask questions and clarify points, fostering a more collaborative learning environment.

How should supervisors approach feedback for multilingual writers?

Supervisors should be culturally sensitive and recognize that multilingual writers may have different writing styles influenced by their linguistic backgrounds. Rather than criticizing these differences, supervisors should help students understand the specific expectations for writing in the academic context.

What is the significance of giving feedback on early drafts of writing?

In early drafts, the focus should be on the content and the message rather than perfect language. This helps students refine their ideas and structure before delving into the more detailed aspects of language and grammar in later revisions.