Www.kent.ac.uk Using essay feedback to improve performance Unit for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching

www.kent.ac.uk

Using essay feedback to improve performance

Unit for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching

22

The essay writing cycle

• Six stages -• Understanding & defining the question • Reading and research• Planning• Writing• Editing-----------------------------------------• Analysing feedback

33

Obtaining feedback

• Practicalities:• Always make sure you collect your

essays!

• Feedback is not just reading your mark on your VLE

• READ the comments

• Look carefully at the assessment grid

44

Obtaining feedback

• Consult your marker/ module convenor to discuss your mark

• Use this engagement to explore ways of improving your work in the future

• Use office hours to contact staff

• Set up this meeting with a polite e-mail

55

Responding to the marking criteria

• See Table 1 (Handout)• Make sure you have read, discussed and

understood core documents and websites• your School Guide• Module outlines• Faculty handbooks/guides• On-line referencing guidelines eg:http://www.kent.ac.uk/uelt/ai/styleguides.html

66


• Analyse comments and evaluations in the context of the marking criteria

• Where comments and evaluations are positive, reflection will be helpful - but not crucial• E.g. “A strong introduction that sets up the main

argument of your essay, and briefly introduces the important theoretical observations” + 1 ticked on assessment grid

• For this piece of work, it’s difficult to see how the introduction could be ‘improved’!

77


• Nonetheless, it’s important to learn from good practice

• Progress in assignments may be uneven• If a future essay raised negative issues about

the introduction, recollecting where you had been successful allows you to adjust and develop your writing skills

88

Learning from feedback

• However, it’s most helpful to focus on areas for improvement

• Take a positive stance• Try not to let disappointment cloud your

judgement• Let constructive self-criticism lead to an ‘action-

plan’ for future assignments

99


• Comments and evaluations will relate to 3 generic processes in writing essays -• Preparation• Planning• Production

• These form a useful ‘taxonomy’ for classifying your feedback

• Taking them one by one, it’s possible to see the type of problem(s) that feedback identifies – and the possible solution(s) to the problem(s)

• These are all fairly typical problem areas at Stage 1!

1010

Learning from feedback: Preparation

• Comments and evaluations relate to problems with e.g.:• The way the answer addresses the question• Relevance and application of reading• Range of reading material• Missing/inaccurate in-text citations and

references

1111


• Solutions• Deconstructing/understanding the

essay title successfully• Before you start reading and research,

always define the title carefully

1212


• At the start of the whole essay writing cycle, spend c 1 hour in concentrated thinking about the title

• Key words• Key instruction words• Key concepts• Background and context• Defining the question• Producing an initial plan

1313


• Reading defined against this• Draw up a research plan based on your

interpretation of the question

• Appropriate range of reading material• Make sure you have a good mix of core texts,

journal articles and www sources• Be discriminating in your use of www sources, &

evaluate www sources carefully - see

http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/detective/

1414


• Active reading• Survey your texts first• With journal articles, use abstracts

effectively• Skim – scan – read for detail• Read, think and evaluate before you start

note taking

1515


• Plagiarism-proof research trail• Effective notes that retain bibliographical

information + always identify/separate text from source material

• Make sure you record all reference information before you start reading

• Always separate your own paraphrases & summaries from source material

• How much should you actually quote?

1616

Learning from feedback:Planning

• Comments and evaluations relate to problems with e.g.:• Focus on the question• Interpretation of the question• Integration of reading/research• Uneven and unfocused direction and

structure of the main argument

1717

Learning from feedback:Planning

• Solutions• Relevance to question set

• Re-visit your initial plan• Keep the essay question in front of you when you plan• Think how your planning relates to the question• Plan at two levels:

• Generic plans (mind map, brainstorm) + detailed plans (sections/paragraphs in sequence)

• Integration of reading/research• In your detailed planning, embed citations from the start!

1818

Learning from feedback:Production

• Comments and evaluations relate to problems with e.g.:• Structure and organisation• Transitions between paragraphs• Poor syntax and grammar• ‘Clumsy’ and over-colloquial language• Difficulty in following the direction of the main

argument• Embedding evidence

1919


• Solutions:• Structure• Introduction + development (with signpost

statements) + conclusion• Have a clear sense of the overall structure of an academic

essay• Re-visit and carefully edit the introduction• Make sure introductions and conclusions are not just

‘tacked on’ but integral to your argument• Sentences

• Use clear sentences with a subject + predicate• Beware of run-on sentences & sentence fragments• Avoid overusing ‘and’ as a conjunction• Understand the distinction between a comma and a full

stop (period)

2020


• Development paragraphs• Make sure your development paragraphs

are clearly structured• Topic sentence• Supporting sentences• Evidence• Evaluation of evidence• Link to next paragraph

2121


• Clarity of expression

• Formal academic register• Leave time for proof-reading

• Avoid the First Person! (“I”)

• Learn from your reading

• Develop a specialised subject-specific vocabulary

2222


• Embedding evidence/reading in a plagiarism-proof manner• In-text citations + reference list• Learn Harvard!• Meticulous records in preparing and

planning• Clear preparatory notes• Training in EndNote and RefWorks?

2323


• Referencing that really supports your argument• Don’t just ‘throw information at the topic’• Think about your in-text citations

• How do they support your argument?• Plan your use of evidence

2424


• Think about keeping a simple learning journal• You can keep a simple diary record that records your

observations on each assignment• You can attach your own comments to each assignment cover

sheet• You can review these comments before you start writing

further assignments• You can attach ‘action points’• You can use a simple template for your learning journal • Example: on WebCT

• Think about using PDP to reflect on your learning - seehttp://www.kent.ac.uk/uelt/ced/themes/personal

development/index.html

2525


• Working with others• You can exchange marked scripts to compare

feedback and learn with others• Make sure you work with someone you trust• Extend this to an informal study group if possible?• Learning from feedback becomes a collective

experience• It allows for comparison of trends and patterns in

students’ writing

2626


• Seminars following this lecture will allow you to look at • Understanding essay titles• Essay structure• Paragraphs and sentences

• For further advice on all the study skill areas above, please contact your study support team eg

www.kent.ac.uk/uelt/learning

Documents

Www.kent.ac.uk Using essay feedback to improve performance Unit for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching