LING 402 - ACADEMIC DISCOURSE PRACTICES: A critical approach Term 2 Week 3 Making use of feedback on writing.

LING 402 - ACADEMIC LING 402 - ACADEMIC DISCOURSE PRACTICES: DISCOURSE PRACTICES:

A critical approach A critical approach

Term 2 Week 3 Term 2 Week 3

Making use of feedback Making use of feedback on writingon writing

Task 1Task 1

• What is the function of What is the function of feedback?feedback?

Write down your ideas.Write down your ideas.

Task 2Task 2On the handout are some extracts from On the handout are some extracts from three reviews I received in response to three reviews I received in response to a report I had worked on. a report I had worked on.

1) look at the extracts and reflect on 1) look at the extracts and reflect on what you think my initial reaction to what you think my initial reaction to each review and each comment might each review and each comment might have been. What was my immediate have been. What was my immediate emotional response?emotional response?

2) 2) Then try to categorise the Then try to categorise the responses. You decide what the responses. You decide what the categories should be.categories should be.

Task 3 Task 3 Now divide the reviewers’ comments Now divide the reviewers’ comments into into

a) those that are specific to this piece of a) those that are specific to this piece of work. work.

andand

b) those that might be of more generic b) those that might be of more generic help to me i.e. things I should help to me i.e. things I should consider in my future work, those that consider in my future work, those that are not specific to this piece of workare not specific to this piece of work

Your responses to Tania’s Your responses to Tania’s feedbackfeedback• EmotionsEmotions

– You didn’t take account of the word limit!You didn’t take account of the word limit!– Annoyed that the reviewer didn’t understand Annoyed that the reviewer didn’t understand

what we were doing,what we were doing,– Appreciative of Reviewer 3’s consideration of Appreciative of Reviewer 3’s consideration of

our feelings,our feelings,– Frustrated and confused over the contradiction Frustrated and confused over the contradiction

between comments,between comments,– Good to have someone to tell us which Good to have someone to tell us which

comments to follow, and which not,comments to follow, and which not,– A bit dejected after all the hard work,A bit dejected after all the hard work,– Recognising it is ONLY ADVICE – and some of it Recognising it is ONLY ADVICE – and some of it

might not be useful!might not be useful!– The value of sharing – talking it through with The value of sharing – talking it through with

someone else,someone else,– Stung by realising, in all honesty, that some of Stung by realising, in all honesty, that some of

the criticisms are justified.the criticisms are justified.

Your responses to Tania’s Your responses to Tania’s feedbackfeedback• Categories for feedbackCategories for feedback

– Style-related: can be used in future Style-related: can be used in future writingwriting• Picking out disjointedness, Picking out disjointedness,

inconsistenciesinconsistencies• StructureStructure• Number of quotesNumber of quotes

– Content-related: specific to this reportContent-related: specific to this report• Things you should have put inThings you should have put in

– Positive / NegativePositive / Negative– Evaluating the writing / Evaluating Evaluating the writing / Evaluating

the writerthe writer

A Referee’s A Referee’s RecommendationRecommendation

• OVERALL RECOMMENDATION (please tick the OVERALL RECOMMENDATION (please tick the appropriate box, by using ‘insert’, ‘symbol’)appropriate box, by using ‘insert’, ‘symbol’)

• AcceptAccept

• Accept with minor revisions as specified Accept with minor revisions as specified belowbelow

• √√ Reject but return for major revisions as Reject but return for major revisions as specified belowspecified below

• RejectReject

… … and feedbackand feedbackThe paper is a fascinating and important discussion of a fundamental issue for educators - especially in the FE sector. …. However, the paper needs some substantial revision to give it a clearer purpose and direction. Suggestions for achieving this as follows:

1. …. the authors need to reference more closely some of their key claims at the front end (moral panic, fear of masses, hierarchies of taste) and may also find it helpful to make direct reference to the cultural studies arguments (Arnold? Bourdieu? Hall?)….

2. The paper is very good on explaining the difference between literacy practices within and those beyond FE. However, it is less convincing with regard to why this is the case, and why something needs to be done about it, or what assists or hampers tutors once they have decided to do something about it. …. How does it sit with current debates about the status and worth of various academic and vocational credentials? Did the cross section of 30 courses offer any comparative insight along these lines?

3. The material on generalisation around pp 7-8 is good, but given what is claimed at the end of the paper about the applicability of insights across many settings, there is room for a bolder, less apologetic assertion about the kind of findings one can get from case study. An excellent source is Flyvbjerg in Qualitative Inquiry, 2006.

FEEDBACKFEEDBACK

FEEDBACK:FEEDBACK:

Seeing how the Seeing how the reader reactedreader reacted

FEEDBACK:FEEDBACK:

Seeing how the Seeing how the reader reactedreader reacted

FEEDBACK:FEEDBACK:

Seeing how the Seeing how the reader reactedreader reacted

Considering Considering the readerthe reader

Feedback: Feedback: Seeing how the reader Seeing how the reader

reactedreacted• The feedback shows how your reader reacted to The feedback shows how your reader reacted to

your assignment: your assignment: whether s/he understood what you were saying, whether s/he understood what you were saying, and whether s/he thought well of it;and whether s/he thought well of it;

• You can use the feedback to assess where you You can use the feedback to assess where you succeeded insucceeded in

making the reader’s task of understanding as easy making the reader’s task of understanding as easy as possible; as possible;

andandpleasing the reader; pleasing the reader;

and where you and where you didn’tdidn’t succeed in this. succeed in this.

• You can use the feedback to help you to get better You can use the feedback to help you to get better at ‘considering the reader’ in the future: at ‘considering the reader’ in the future:

what will you need to do in your NEXT assignment what will you need to do in your NEXT assignment to make sure the to make sure the reader’s response is the way you want reader’s response is the way you want it to be.it to be.

Getting feedback ‘during’, Getting feedback ‘during’, not ‘after’not ‘after’

by asking a friend to read your writing and let you know how they react to it.

[ The alternative isto wait for tutor feedback …. ]

Functions of FeedbackFunctions of Feedback

• Explain the grade in terms of strengths Explain the grade in terms of strengths and weaknesses;and weaknesses;

• Correct any faults in the assignment;Correct any faults in the assignment;• Evaluate the match between the paper Evaluate the match between the paper

and ‘ideal’ assignment;and ‘ideal’ assignment;• Engage in a dialogue with the author;Engage in a dialogue with the author;• Give advice on improving this assignment;Give advice on improving this assignment;• Give advice which will be useful for Give advice which will be useful for

writing a future assignment.writing a future assignment.• Others? ……..Others? ……..

Functions of FeedbackFunctions of Feedback

• Any others? ……Any others? ……

Using feedbackUsing feedback

• Talk the feedback over with your tutors Talk the feedback over with your tutors and/or a fellow student in order to and/or a fellow student in order to – Make sure you know what the tutor meansMake sure you know what the tutor means– Develop and build on what you have doneDevelop and build on what you have done

• If the feedback includes questions, go and see If the feedback includes questions, go and see the tutor in her/his office hour to discuss themthe tutor in her/his office hour to discuss them

• For each bit of feedback, make a note of what For each bit of feedback, make a note of what to do the same or differently in future to do the same or differently in future assignmentsassignments

Task 4Task 4

• Look at your own feedback. Look Look at your own feedback. Look for examples of specific and for examples of specific and generic points – as we did in the generic points – as we did in the previous task.previous task.

• Be prepared to share with the Be prepared to share with the class one thing you learnt from class one thing you learnt from your feedback which you will your feedback which you will bear in mind in your future bear in mind in your future writing.writing.

Advice for the futureAdvice for the future• Need to support points; not overgeneralise;Need to support points; not overgeneralise;• Don’t assume anything is common knowledge;Don’t assume anything is common knowledge;• Avoid informal usage, e.g. ‘totally’;Avoid informal usage, e.g. ‘totally’;• Don’t just list features, but explain each more Don’t just list features, but explain each more

deeply than you thought;deeply than you thought;• When you cite, discuss it and take up a When you cite, discuss it and take up a

positive or negative stance towards it;positive or negative stance towards it;• Use summaries of sevel sources;Use summaries of sevel sources;• Remember it is ONLY ADVICE;Remember it is ONLY ADVICE;• Include more signposting, even with sub-Include more signposting, even with sub-

headings;headings;• Don’t over-simplify, or over-complicate: go for Don’t over-simplify, or over-complicate: go for

the heart of the point the heart of the point

Advice for the futureAdvice for the future• Give tables and figures a number and title / Give tables and figures a number and title /

caption;caption;• Clarify how you interpret the dataClarify how you interpret the data• Do use examples from own context – with analysis;Do use examples from own context – with analysis;• Re-read before handing in to check structure of Re-read before handing in to check structure of

paragraphs;paragraphs;• Explain things more deeply;Explain things more deeply;• Don’t just quote, but show that you understand it, Don’t just quote, but show that you understand it,

and have a view on it;and have a view on it;• Show where ideas come from – maybe beyond the Show where ideas come from – maybe beyond the

actual quote or reference;actual quote or reference;• Use examples to show understanding, and to Use examples to show understanding, and to

provide depth;provide depth;• Don’t use any words you don’t needDon’t use any words you don’t need

Discussion

• Any changes in perspective? • Any insights?

ACTION PLANSACTION PLANS

Next week:Next week:

• What help do you want with What help do you want with writing your dissertation writing your dissertation proposals?proposals?

• Bring what you have done so farBring what you have done so far