Providing Feedback to Writers
You don’t have to be an expert in writing to give helpful feedback. Good feedback lets the writer know what works for you, and what doesn’t work for you, as a reader.
Providing feedback to a writer on their draft isn’t identical to editing it. Instead, your feedback lets writers know how you experience their writing, so they can revise the draft to make it more effective for their readers.
What to Focus on When You Give Feedback to a Writer
Focus on the “big picture” elements of the writing, such as content, organization, logical connections, and audience appropriateness.
- If you’re doing peer review for a class assignment, look at your professor’s prompt and rubric to see which big-picture issues they prioritize, and try to give feedback on those issues.
- Give feedback on the elements of the paper’s structure and argument. For example, ask yourself: Do I see a clear thesis or purpose? Can I identify the main points and how they’re developed? Has the writer offered sufficient evidence for their claims? Am I left with any questions the writer can answer when they revise?
Ask the writer to clarify meanings you don’t understand. One of the most helpful contributions you can make is to tell the writer when you don’t fully comprehend what they’re trying to say. Tell them what you think they might mean and ask them if that’s what they intended.
Notice and comment on what’s working well in the draft. If a writer knows what’s working well, they know which elements to keep when they revise. Additionally, when you comment on strengths, the writer knows you’ve considered their draft thoughtfully and holistically rather than just looking for problems to fix.
Tips For Responding to Someone Else’s Writing
Read for meaning. Because surface-level issues such as grammar or punctuation choices can distract you from important big-picture elements, read the draft once while ignoring these surface-level issues entirely.
If you’re reading a draft that has already been revised and polished, you can consider commenting on surface-level issues. If the writer is going to revise their paper, however, it doesn’t make much sense to edit prose that they are going to rewrite.
Explain the reason behind any suggestions you make. If writers understand why you’ve recommended a change, they can consider it more thoughtfully. For instance, instead of simply saying, “Revise your thesis,” explain why you think the thesis needs some revision. Instead of simply telling the writer to move a paragraph, explain why you think it should be moved.
If you are providing written feedback on a draft, leave both marginal comments and a summary note that previews your feedback. Your comments in the margins (where Word puts your comments) help the writer connect your feedback to specific words, sentences, or paragraphs in their draft. Once you have read the draft and made all your marginal comments, give yourself about five minutes to write a summary note that introduces yourself to the writer, addresses them by name, and previews the feedback they’ll find in your marginal comments.
Place this note at the top of the document so that it’s the first thing the writer sees. It helps establish rapport with the writer and gives them a handle on your feedback.
Use a professional, friendly, encouraging tone. Your tone can affect a writer’s willingness to accept and act on your feedback. A professional, friendly tone also increases your credibility as a communicator.
You can also view our video on this topic, which includes examples of marginal comments and front notes.
