Seeking Insight from Your Instructors: A Query for Appraisal from Your Educators
Published in The Writing Process and the Junior Paper (JP) section, this article by Rafi Lehmann, the Social Sciences Correspondent, offers valuable strategies for students navigating a semester with a heavy writing load.
The article discusses the significance of professor feedback, stating that grades do not always reflect the full extent of a professor's comments. Professors, as expert readers, writers, and researchers, spend a considerable amount of time reviewing and grading students' work. However, very few share feedback on final papers beyond the letter grade.
Lehmann provides effective strategies for requesting and utilizing feedback from professors on final papers. These strategies can lead to valuable comments that may stay with the student for years.
- Request feedback respectfully and specifically. Contact your professor through email or during office hours and express your interest in understanding your paper better and improving your skills. Specify which aspects you want feedback on, such as argument structure, use of evidence, or clarity.
- Use open-ended, constructive questions. Phrases like "Could you help me understand how I might strengthen my thesis?" or "What areas of my paper could be more developed or clarified?" invite detailed responses.
- Approach feedback as a learning opportunity. Focus on understanding the professor’s suggestions and how they relate to the assignment criteria rather than focusing on the grade itself.
- Take notes and reflect on the feedback received. Summarize insights or patterns in comments, and consider how you can apply them in future writing assignments or revisions.
- Follow up if needed. If certain feedback points are unclear, politely ask for clarification to fully grasp the professor’s expectations.
- Utilize rubrics and assignment guidelines as a support tool. These often frame grading and feedback and give clues about what professors prioritize, allowing you to ask more informed questions.
- Maintain a positive and professional tone, emphasizing your willingness to improve. This encourages professors to engage with you constructively.
The approach is about building a dialogue where professors’ expertise is leveraged beyond the grade to enhance your academic writing and critical thinking. It is also important to be mindful that professors may have limited time, so precise, focused requests are more effective.
By using feedback to identify strengths and weaknesses and externalizing the process, you boost your ability to improve consistently. Though the search results focus more on giving feedback, principles such as clear communication, less formal and empathetic tone, and focusing on the assignment rather than the person apply well when you are requesting and using feedback as a student.
In addition to this article, The Writing Process also features other insightful pieces, such as "How to Complete Research Assignments during Quarantine" and "The Thrill of the Last Minute". These articles offer strategies for surviving under deadline pressure and completing assignments during challenging times.
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