reflective essay on feedback

Reflection and Reflective Writing - Skills Guide

• Reflective Assignments
• Reflecting on Your Experiences
• Reflecting on Your Skills

Reflecting on Feedback

• YouTube Playlist This link opens in a new window
• Audio Playlist
• Further Reading
• Downloadable Resources

Reflecting on feedback

What is reflectiong on feedback?

Feedback is designed to help you to identify your own strengths and weaknesses in a piece of work.  It can help you improve on your work by building on the positive comments and using the critical ones to inform changes in your future writing.  Therefore, feedback forms a critical role in your learning and helps you to improve each piece of work.   As with all reflection, reflecting on your feedback should follow the three stages of reflection outlined in earlier in this guide.

What should I do with feedback?

Try to identify the main points of the feedback.  What does it say?  Can you break it down into main points or areas of improvement?  Writing these down can be good to refer to later. You may find keeping all of your feedback in one place helps, as it makes it easier to look back and identify common mistakes.  Identifying the main points of the feedback is the descriptive stage of reflection.

Once you have done this, move on to the critical thinking stage.  How do you feel about the feedback?  What are you particularly proud of?  Is there anything you are disappointed by?  Are there any points where you need further clarification from your lecturer?

Finally, there is the future focused stage of reflection.  How will this feedback influence how you complete your next assignment?  What will you do the same?  What will you do differently?  You may find it helpful to put together an action plan ready for when you begin your next module.

VP Education's Feedback Guidance

Feedback guidance.

Reflecting on Feedback Video - 2 mins

Naomi discusses top tips for reflecting on feedback from your assignments.

Methods of Reflecting on Your Assignment

• << Previous: Reflecting on Your Skills
• Next: PebblePad >>
• Last Updated: Aug 23, 2023 3:51 PM
• URL: https://libguides.derby.ac.uk/reflectivewriting

How to Write a Reflective Essay: Easy Guide with Pro Tips

Defining What is a Reflective Essay: Purpose + Importance

Being present is a cornerstone of mindfulness and meditation. You must have often heard that staying in the moment helps you appreciate your surroundings, connects you with people and nature, and allows you to feel whatever emotions you must feel without anxiety. While this is helpful advice as you become more focused and avoid getting lost in thought, how can you truly appreciate the present without reflecting on your past experiences that have led you to the current moment?

We don't say that you should dwell on the past and get carried away with a constant thought process, but hey, hear us out - practice reflective thinking! Think back on your previous life events, paint a true picture of history, and make connections to your present self. This requires you to get a bit analytical and creative. So you might as well document your critical reflection on a piece of paper and give direction to your personal observations. That's when the need for reflective essays steps in!

In a reflective essay, you open up about your thoughts and emotions to uncover your mindset, personality, traits of character, and background. Your reflective essay should include a description of the experience/literature piece as well as explanations of your thoughts, feelings, and reactions. In this article, our essay writer service will share our ultimate guide on how to write a reflective essay with a clear format and reflective essay examples that will inspire you.

How to Write a Reflective Essay with a Proper Reflective Essay Outline

To give you a clear idea of structuring a reflective essay template, we broke down the essential steps below. Primarily, the organization of a reflective essay is very similar to other types of papers. However, our custom writers got more specific with the reflective essay outline to ease your writing process.

Reflective Essay Introduction

When wondering how to start a reflective essay, it is no surprise that you should begin writing your paper with an introductory paragraph. So, what's new and different with the reflection essay introduction? Let's dissect:

• Open your intro with an attention-seizing hook that engages your audience into reflective thinking with you. It can be something like: 'As I was sitting on my bed with my notebook placed on my shaky lap waiting for the letter of acceptance, I could not help but reflect, was enrolling in college the path I wanted to take in the future?'
• Provide context with a quick overview of the reflective essay topic. Don't reveal too much information at the start to prevent your audience from becoming discouraged to continue reading.
• Make a claim with a strong reflective essay thesis statement. It should be a simple explanation of the essay's main point, in this example, a specific event that had a big impact on you.

Reflective Essay Body Paragraphs

The next step is to develop the body of your essay. This section of the paper may be the most challenging because it's simple to ramble and replicate yourself both in the outline and the actual writing. Planning the body properly requires a lot of time and work, and the following advice can assist you in doing this effectively:

• Consider using a sequential strategy. This entails reviewing everything you wish to discuss in the order it occurred. This method ensures that your work is structured and cohesive.
• Make sure the body paragraph is well-rounded and employs the right amount of analysis. The body should go into the effects of the event on your life and the insights you've gained as a consequence.
• Prioritize reflecting rather than summarizing your points. In addition to giving readers insight into your personal experience, a reflective stance will also show off your personality and demonstrate your ability to handle certain challenges.

Reflective Essay Conclusion

The goal of your reflective essay conclusion should be to tie everything together by summarizing the key ideas raised throughout, as well as the lessons you were able to take away from experience.

• Don't forget to include the reasons for and the methods used to improve your beliefs and actions. Think about how your personality and skills have changed as well.
• What conclusions can you draw about your behavior in particular circumstances? What could you do differently if the conditions were the same in the future?

Remember that your instructor will be searching for clear signs of reflection.

Understanding a Reflection Paper Format

The format of reflective essay greatly differs from an argumentative or research paper. A reflective essay is more of a well-structured story or a diary entry rife with insight and reflection. You might be required to arrange your essay using the APA style or the MLA format.

And the typical reflection paper length varies between 300 and 700 words, but ask your instructor about the word length if it was assigned to you. Even though this essay is about you, try to avoid too much informal language.

If your instructor asks you to use an APA or MLA style format for reflective essay, here are a few shortcuts:

Reflective Essay in MLA Format

• Times New Roman 12pt font double spaced;
• 1" margins;
• The top right includes the last name and page number on every page;
• Titles are centered;
• The header should include your name, your professor's name, course number, and the date (dd/mm/yy);
• The last page includes a Works Cited.

Reflective Essay in APA Style

• Include a page header on the top of every page;
• Insert page number on the right;
• Your reflective essay should be divided into four parts: Title Page, Abstract, Main Body, and References.

Reflective Essay Writing Tips

You may think we've armed you with enough tips and pointers for reflective writing, but it doesn't stop here. Below we gathered some expert-approved tips for constructing uncontested reflection papers.

• Be as detailed as possible while writing. To make your reflective essay writing come to life, you should employ several tactics such as symbolism, sentence patterns, etc.
• Keep your audience in mind. The reader will become frustrated if you continue writing in the first person without taking a moment to convey something more important, even though you will likely speak about something from your own perspective.
• Put forth the effort to allow the reader to feel the situation or emotion you are attempting to explain.
• Don't preach; demonstrate. Instead of just reporting what happened, use description appropriately to paint a clear picture of the event or sensation.
• Plan the wording and structure of your reflective essay around a central emotion or subject, such as joy, pleasure, fear, or grief.
• Avoid adding dull elements that can lessen the effect of your work. Why include it if it won't enhance the emotion or understanding you wish to convey?
• There must be a constant sense of progression. Consider whether the event has transformed you or others around you.
• Remember to double-check your grammar, syntax, and spelling.

Ready to Shine a Light on Your Innermost Thoughts?

Order your reflection essays now and let a wider audience hear your unique story

Reflective Essay Topic Ideas

As a reflective essay should be about your own views and experiences, you generally can't use someone else's ideas. But to help you get started, here are some suggestions for writing topics:

• An experience you will never forget.
• The moment you overcame a fear.
• The most difficult choice you had to make.
• A time your beliefs were challenged.
• A time something changed your life.
• The happiest or most frightening moment of your life so far.
• Ways you think you or people can make the world a better place.
• A time you felt lost.
• An introspective look at your choices or a time you made the wrong choice.
• A moment in your life you would like to relive.

You may find it convenient to create a chart or table to keep track of your ideas. Split your chart into three parts:

• In the first column, write key experiences or your main points. You can arrange them from most important to least important.
• In the second column, list your response to the points you stated in the first column.
• In the third column, write what, from your response, you would like to share in the essay.

Meanwhile, if you're about to enroll in your dream university and your mind is constantly occupied with - 'how to write my college admissions essay?', order an academic essay on our platform to free you of unnecessary anxiety.

Reflective Essay Sample

Referring to reflective essay examples can help you a lot. A reflective essay sample can provide you with useful insight into how your essay should look like. You can also buy an essay online if you need one customized to your specific requirements.

How to Conclude a Reflective Essay

As we come to an end, it's only logical to reflect on the main points discussed above in the article. By now, you should clearly understand what is a reflective essay and that the key to writing a reflective essay is demonstrating what lessons you have taken away from your experiences and why and how these lessons have shaped you. It should also have a clear reflective essay format, with an opening, development of ideas, and resolution.

Now that you have the tools to create a thorough and accurate reflective paper, you might want to hand over other tasks like writing definition essay examples to our experienced writers. In this case, feel free to buy an essay online on our platform and reflect on your past events without worrying about future assignments!

Want to Easily Impress Your Professors?

Count on the support of our professional writers for a top-notch academic paper

Related Articles

• Cambridge Libraries

Study Skills

Reflective practice toolkit, introduction.

• What is reflective practice?
• Everyday reflection
• Models of reflection
• Barriers to reflection
• Free writing
• Reflective writing exercise
• Bibliography

Many people worry that they will be unable to write reflectively but chances are that you do it more than you think!  It's a common task during both work and study from appraisal and planning documents to recording observations at the end of a module. The following pages will guide you through some simple techniques for reflective writing as well as how to avoid some of the most common pitfalls.

What is reflective writing?

Writing reflectively involves critically analysing an experience, recording how it has impacted you and what you plan to do with your new knowledge. It can help you to reflect on a deeper level as the act of getting something down on paper often helps people to think an experience through.

The key to reflective writing is to be analytical rather than descriptive. Always ask why rather than just describing what happened during an experience. 

Remember...

Reflective writing is...

• Written in the first person
• Free flowing
• A tool to challenge assumptions
• A time investment

Reflective writing isn't...

• Written in the third person
• Descriptive
• What you think you should write
• A tool to ignore assumptions
• A waste of time

Adapted from The Reflective Practice Guide: an Interdisciplinary Approach / Barbara Bassot.

You can learn more about reflective writing in this handy video from Hull University:

Created by SkillsTeamHullUni

• Hull reflective writing video transcript (Word)
• Hull reflective writing video transcript (PDF)

Where might you use reflective writing?

You can use reflective writing in many aspects of your work, study and even everyday life. The activities below all contain some aspect of reflective writing and are common to many people:

1. Job applications

Both preparing for and writing job applications contain elements of reflective writing. You need to think about the experience that makes you suitable for a role and this means reflection on the skills you have developed and how they might relate to the specification. When writing your application you need to expand on what you have done and explain what you have learnt and why this matters - key elements of reflective writing.

2. Appraisals

In a similar way, undertaking an appraisal is a good time to reflect back on a certain period of time in post. You might be asked to record what went well and why as well as identifying areas for improvement.

3. Written feedback

If you have made a purchase recently you are likely to have received a request for feedback. When you leave a review of a product or service online then you need to think about the pros and cons. You may also have gone into detail about why the product was so good or the service was so bad so other people know how to judge it in the future.

4. Blogging

Blogs are a place to offer your own opinion and can be a really good place to do some reflective writing. Blogger often take a view on something and use their site as a way to share it with the world. They will often talk about the reasons why they like/dislike something - classic reflective writing.

5. During the research process

When researchers are working on a project they will often think about they way they are working and how it could be improved as well as considering different approaches to achieve their research goal. They will often record this in some way such as in a lab book and this questioning approach is a form of reflective writing.

6. In academic writing

Many students will be asked to include some form of reflection in an academic assignment, for example when relating a topic to their real life circumstances. They are also often asked to think about their opinion on or reactions to texts and other research and write about this in their own work.

Think about ... When you reflect

Think about all of the activities you do on a daily basis. Do any of these contain elements of reflective writing? Make a list of all the times you have written something reflective over the last month - it will be longer than you think!

Reflective terminology

A common mistake people make when writing reflectively is to focus too much on describing their experience. Think about some of the phrases below and try to use them when writing reflectively to help you avoid this problem:

• The most important thing was...
• At the time I felt...
• This was likely due to...
• After thinking about it...
• I learned that...
• I need to know more about...
• Later I realised...
• This was because...
• This was like...
• I wonder what would happen if...
• I'm still unsure about...
• My next steps are...

Always try and write in the first person when writing reflectively. This will help you to focus on your thoughts/feelings/experiences rather than just a description of the experience.

Using reflective writing in your academic work

Many courses will also expect you to reflect on your own learning as you progress through a particular programme. You may be asked to keep some type of reflective journal or diary. Depending on the needs of your course this may or may not be assessed but if you are using one it's important to write reflectively. This can help you to look back and see how your thinking has evolved over time - something useful for job applications in the future. Students at all levels may also be asked to reflect on the work of others, either as part of a group project or through peer review of their work. This requires a slightly different approach to reflection as you are not focused on your own work but again this is a useful skill to develop for the workplace.

You can see some useful examples of reflective writing in academia from Monash University ,  UNSW (the University of New South Wales) and Sage . Several of these examples also include feedback from tutors which you can use to inform your own work.

Laptop/computer/broswer/research by StockSnap via Pixabay licenced under CC0.

Now that you have a better idea of what reflective writing is and how it can be used it's time to practice some techniques.

This page has given you an understanding of what reflective writing is and where it can be used in both work and study. Now that you have a better idea of how reflective writing works the next two pages will guide you through some activities you can use to get started.

• << Previous: Barriers to reflection
• Next: Free writing >>
• Last Updated: Jun 21, 2023 3:24 PM
• URL: https://libguides.cam.ac.uk/reflectivepracticetoolkit

© Cambridge University Libraries | Accessibility | Privacy policy | Log into LibApps

How to Reflect on Feedback

Feedback is a big part of our daily lives. It can be oral, written, informal, formal, descriptive, evaluative, peer, and self-assessed. When we talk about feedback at LearningBridge, we often refer to its use in a formal setting as part of a “Generative Feedback Process”. Having gone through the process of gathering feedback, how do we use it? There are usually some positive and some negative points included in the feedback, and we might naturally want to defend ourselves from the negative feedback. In the article, “How to Accept Difficult Feedback” , Glade mentions 6 steps to accomplish this. One of them is to step back and reflect. We need to reflect on the feedback given to so that we can learn. After that we can put together a plan to act. How do we effectively reflect on feedback that is given?

What Model Should I follow?

There are many models with varying numbers of stages that explain how to reflect on feedback. Kolb’s Reflective Cycle was first published in 1984 and has 4 stages. The Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle was presented in 1988 and has 6 stages. You can read about the differences between these two, “What is the Difference Between Kolb and Gibbs Reflective Cycle” . For this article, I am going to focus on the 3 stages that I think are the most useful.

3 Stages of Reflection

Most important, you need these 3 stages for the simplest reflection model: Descriptive, Critical Thinking, and Future Focus.

Stage 1 – Descriptive

Describe in your own words what the feedback is saying. This can help you clarify your understanding. People retain information in different ways. For some, it helps to write it down in their own words. For others, it might be saying it out loud to someone else. Therefore, use the method that works best for you.

Stage 2 – Critical Thinking

Once you have put ideas into your own words you can then dive into more critical thinking about what it means. You can ask yourself who, what, where, when, how, and why.

Who was involved? Were they people you normally interact with or part of a special project?

What was good and what was bad? Is there anything you could have done that you didn’t? What did you do that you wished you hadn’t?

Where did this happen? Was it in your workspace, a neutral area, or the workspace of someone else?

When did this occur? Was it in the morning, afternoon, or evening?

How did you react to the situation? Did things change or not go as expected and you were required to adapt?

Why did you do what you did or why was the result good or bad?

Stage 3 – Future Focus

Determine areas in your life that you need to change or areas in your life that you can change or actions you can continue to do or improve on.

Critical Thinking and How We Reflect

Reflection is defined as thinking quietly and calmly. Therefore, we need to step back to think. Everyone is different so there is not one method that works for everyone. Use whichever method allows your mind to be calm while you think about the feedback. I have 6 kids. At my house, it can be very difficult to reach this state of mind where I can quietly and calmly think. Even when the kids are getting along and playing, it is still noisy! One of my hobbies is cycling. I recently have been riding with a friend who is training for a Half Ironman race. I have noticed a difference in my rides. While I strain to keep pace with him all my focus goes into my riding. This includes my pedaling, breathing, shifting, and many other things. There is no room left for me to think about anything else. This contrasts with how my rides normally are. On my usual, slower-paced rides, ideas—both professional and personal—come to mind that I have been thinking about. These rides are time that I get to ponder ideas, and my mental state allows me to reflect.

In conclusion, There are many models out there to help you reflect on feedback you have received. Focus on finding the meaning behind what was said and what you can do to improve. A key part to the process is stepping back from the feedback to allow yourself to reflect on it quietly and calmly. This allows you to come up with ideas on how you can improve.

Related articles: How to Accept Difficult Feedback Six Guiding Principles for Receiving Feedback

• Schools & departments

Reflective essays

Guidance and information on using reflective essays.

The reflective essay is one of the most common reflective assignments and is very frequently used for both formative and especially summative assessments. Reflective essays are about presenting reflections to an audience in a systematic and formal way.

Generally, all good academic practice for assignments applies when posing reflective essays.

Typical reflective essay questions

Reflective essays tend to deal with a reflective prompt that the essay needs to address. This also often means that the essay will have to draw on a range of experiences and theories to fully and satisfactorily answer the question.

The questions/prompts should not be too vague, for example ‘reflect on your learning’, but should define an area or an aspect relevant to your learning outcomes. This is most easily ensured with thorough guidelines, highlighting elements expected in the essay.

Questions could be something like (not exhaustive):

• reflect on learning in the course with regards to [choose an aspect]
• reflect on personal development across an experience with regards to certain skills
• reflect on development towards subject benchmarks statements and the extent to which these are achieved
• reflect on the progression towards the course’s defined learning outcomes or the school’s or the University’s Graduate Attributes
• reflect on some theory relevant to the course. (Remember that for this to be a reflective essay and not an academic/critical essay, the student must use that theory to explain/inform their own experiences, and use their own experiences to criticise and put the theory into context – that is, how theory and experience inform one another.)

Typical structure and language

Reflective essays will often require theoretical literature, but this is not always essential.  Reflective essays can be built around a single individual experience, but will often draw on a series of individual experiences – or one long experience, for example an internship, that is broken into individual experiences.

The typical language and structure is formal – for thorough descriptions on this, see ‘Academic reflections: tips, language and structure’ in the Reflectors’ Toolkit, which can be valuable to highlight to students.

Academic reflections: tips, language and structure (within the Reflectors’ Toolkit)

Length and assignment weight if assessed

There is no one length that a reflective essay must take. As with all written assignments, the main consideration is that the length is appropriate for evidencing learning, answering the question and meeting the criteria.

Similarly, there is no clear answer for what percentage of the overall mark is attached to the assignment. However, the choice should mirror the required workload for the reflector to complete it, how that fits into your initiative, and the amount of preparation the reflector has had.

For instance, if the student has received formative feedback on multiple pieces of work, a larger proportion of the course mark may be appropriate, compared to if the student had not had a chance to practice. It is important to keep in mind that many students will not have had many chances to practice reflective essays before university.

Back to ‘Components of reflective tasks’

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

12 Reflection and Feedback

Chapter 12 Check-in:

• What, So What, Now What
• Give and Receive

We’ve covered a lot of material around communicating with others.  Communicating with yourself is equally important and reflection and feedback are essential to the process of personal learning and development.

Professions where reflection is encouraged and incorporated into practice are largely academic and health care fields.  However, anyone interested in how to progress in their lives – personally or professionally – can benefit from reflection.

Traditionally a private experience and activity, this kind of self-analysis is part of any performance review in an employment situation.  This is more than a journal or diary of what happened; it is an opportunity to celebrate your growth and chart a path forward.

Types and Methods of Reflection

We conduct superficial reflection when we recount the events or describe an experience and stick to the details.  This is strictly a narrative of the incident with little or no opinion or evaluation of the events prior, during, or after. These are useful records for accident reports, but don’t qualify as reflective practice.

When you step back from an experience and contemplate your actions, your thinking process, and knowledge level, you are reflecting a little more deeply.  This level finds you thinking about the process, and how you felt about the experience.

To dive deeply into reflection, you build on a recount of the event by including an exploration of how the incident shaped how you think about yourself or what you do, and the impact it has on your relationship with others.

Two methods of reflection can assist you in this process.  Adapt the DEAL method ( Fundamentals of Reflective Practice , n.d.), designed for critical thinking in an academic environment, and apply four steps: Describe, Examine, Apply to Learn.  Identify and describe what happened then move on to examine the factors that contributed to the event both actual and attitudes.  Use those elements to determine how you can apply the results of your reflection to learn from the experience.

Driscoll (2007) developed the “What, So What, Now What” approach for reflective practice ( Fundamentals of Reflective Practice, n.d.) to streamline the process.  Determine and describe the event, explore who was involved, how things unfolded and why, what that means to you, how you think and feel about the incident, and how you will approach similar situations and work.  The “Now What” is an essential part of the strategy as it includes your plan for implementing an action for you to follow as a result of the experience.

That’s reflective practice in action.

Like reflection, feedback is a useful element to change course in your development.  Unlike reflection, another person such as a colleague or supervisor provides feedback.  Whether you are giving or receiving, particular skills are necessary to give and receive feedback effectively.  First, you need to understand that type of feedback you are to provide: informal, formal, formative, summative.

Informal is usually verbal, light on detail or specifics, and is very brief.  When a teacher tells you after class, “You did well on that presentation”, that is an example of informal feedback.  For it to be effective there must be a generous with time, private, motivating, moving forward, type of approach.

Like the name, Formal feedback is traditionally in writing so there is a record and it is usually part of a review process.  It provides more detail and specific examples and an action plan or corrective measures with deadlines.

Shifting to a focus on the learning or development of a skill, we find Formative feedback.  This kind of feedback is instructive and aims to provide direction for improvement.  There may be no or minimal grade associated with this kind of feedback as it is meant to help in the development of your understanding and skill.

Summative feedback is that final review which is traditionally done with reference to a rubric or formal assessment.

Feedback usually follows one of three methods.  There is the Sandwich approach where you start with something good, something that needs improvement, and something the reviewer appreciated.  Another way of providing feedback is to review the action step-by-step in Chronological format.  This can be very effective when it is necessary to find where something went wrong in either action or assumption.

The Pendleton method, developed in 1984, takes a four-step approach.  After you verify the receiver wants the feedback, you use open-ended questions and reflection to reach conclusions.  Ask first what went well.  Move on to what could have been done differently.  Ask the receiver to identify what could be improved.  End the feedback with asking how – what actions – could be done to accomplish the improvements (Hardavella et al., 2017).

As with every communication situation, there are potential barriers to giving and receiving feedback.

Know your audience, context, and potential response to minimize those barriers.  Feedback should be timely; soon after an incident or at regular intervals like an annual review or part of a training process.  Feedback must be specific and clear.  Feedback needs to be respectful of each participant personally and professionally.  Private delivery of feedback demonstrates that respect, especially if corrective measures are necessary.

Make sure your feedback is well received by taking the time to plan.  Plan the meeting in advance, so the recipient is ready to talk and has time to prepare as well.  Ask open-ended questions to make the meeting participatory and listen to the answers.  Keep your comments specific, clear and goal oriented.  Limit the number of concerns or comments.  Minimize blame language and focus on future actions.  Listen to what the individuals says and what their body language says: do not continue if they are uncomfortable or distressed or have otherwise shut down.

When receiving feedback the most important thing is to listen.  It can be overwhelming to receive any kind of negative information about your performance.  Ask open-ended questions to clarify comments.  Ask for examples or specifics. Take time to reflect on the discussion: you don’t have to respond immediately.  It is also a good practice to be pro-active and request feedback.

Examples of how to give and receive feedback can be found in reality competition shows such as The Great British Baking Show, The Great Canadian Baking Show, and the glass-blowing competition Blown Away.  The participants demonstrate how self-reflection and feedback help them improve their abilities for the next episode.

Chapter 12 Check-out:

When did you last reflect on your career path?  What adjustments did you make to your plan?

What feedback have you received that inspired you to change something you do?

References and Resources

Essential Guide for Giving and Receiving Feedback. (n.d.) Virtual Speech .  https://virtualspeech.com/blog/advice-for-giving-and-receiving-feedback

Fundamentals of reflective practice (reflective writing). (n.d.) The Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre . https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/asc/sites/files/asc/public/shared/Fundamentals%20of%20Reflective%20Practice%20%28Reflective%20Writing%29.pdf

Hardavella, G., Aamli-Gaagnat, A., Saad, N., Rousalova, I., and Sreter, K.B. (December 2017). How to give and receive feedback effectively.  Breathe (Sheff) .  13(4): 327-333. DOI; 10.1183/20734735.009917

Reflective Practice . (2022). Southern Cross University.  https://libguides.scu.edu.au/reflectivepractice/types

Reflective Practices . (2022). Skills You Need: Helping You Develop Life Skills.  https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/reflective-practice.html

Copyright © by Wendy Ward is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

The Right Way to Process Feedback

• Cameron Conaway

Use these six steps to guide your thinking.

We all receive feedback from time to time. But are we able to process it and make the most of it? Not always. Processing feedback goes far beyond listening to it in the moment and implementing it; it involves continuous reflection, conversation, and practice. While much of this happens because of the way we receive feedback, there is much we can do, too, to make sure we’re processing feedback the right way.

• Poise: Step into your feedback session with neutrality, neither enthusiastically agreeing with the feedback nor forcefully rejecting it. This will allow you to be a better listener instead of simply trying to hear the other person with an intent to respond.
• Process: Take time to metabolize the feedback and let the feedback run through both your body and your mind. That means feeling your feelings and investigating why you may be feeling them.
• Positionality: Consider the feedback provider’s motives, position, and intent. Do you believe they genuinely want to help you? Do you trust them?
• Percolate: Run the feedback you received through a simple decision tree. Take your time as you work through your thinking as you should feel confident in how you will move forward with the feedback you received.
• Proceed: Rolling out the feedback all at once usually isn’t the best way. Using a “drip” method to consistently practice the change over a long period rather than make it all at once.
• Perspective: Ask those who you respect and who have seen your new performance what they think of it to ensure there isn’t a mismatch between how we perceive our performance and how it’s landing for others.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

As an English major, writing was a big part of my curriculum. Whether I was writing literary criticism or a reflection on one of Shakespeare’s sonnets, my papers rarely came back to me with clean white margins. But there was never any formal feedback. The edits just meant the professor had wrestled with my writing and that I had plenty of opportunities to learn. I eventually grew accustomed to seeing my work covered in red pen. As I entered my senior year, however, self-doubt kicked in. Was I good enough to be a writer? Did I have what it took to pursue a master’s degree in writing?

• Cameron Conaway  is a digital marketing and communications leader at Cisco and an adjunct professor in the M.A. Professional Communication program at the University of San Francisco. Conaway holds an Executive MBA from the University of San Francisco and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. A former journalist, he is a recipient of The Daniel Pearl Investigative Journalism Initiative Fellowship and a grantee of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Connect with him on Linkedin .

Partner Center

Jessica McIntosh's ePortfolio

Ma1 learning journey, my reflection on feedback.

Personally, I feel that feedback is very beneficial. Feedback is given to improve you as a person and ensure that you can do the job to the best of your ability. I am a dancer and a horse rider and both these sports involve a lot of feedback. You should not feel embarrassed by negative feedback as it is only being given to make you better. Both in horse riding and dancing, I have had private lessons during which I was given a lot of feedback and criticism to take on board. I have learnt not to be offended by it as my teacher only wants me to be the best that I can. Also in group lessons and classes, we learnt to give feedback to each other to ensure that we were all kept safe and that our group could come out on top and win competitions.

The benefits of feedback is that it helps you grow as a group. It makes you feel that you can rely on others and that they will help you when needed. It also helps you to improve your skills and allows you to identify where more work is needed. Also sometimes, having another person’s perspective changes your view on something and allows you to develop a deeper understanding of the topic. However, a disadvantage of peer feedback is that it could be used incorrectly. Sometimes, people respond harshly when they originally didn’t intend to which can led to disagreements and frustration.

I have found that receiving postive feedback makes me feel more confident in my work. Any negative feedback I receive makes me even more determined to work harder to ensure that I do not make the same mistake again. I feel that when you are given feedback, it encourages you to work harder due to the confidence boost and also because you want to prove to the person that you have taken their views on board and have improved.

When given feedback, I find it easy to give positive feedback but I find it more difficult to express the negative feedback. I have learnt that if you word it in a certain way it comes across better. For example – maybe next time, you should think more about…

Feedback is something which is used throughout life and as a teacher it is important to give feedback to pupils and fellow teachers. As a student teacher, I will be receiving a lot of feedback from lectures and teachers on my placement and I understand that not all of it is going to be positive but I know that it will make me even more determined to succeed and try harder.

2 thoughts on “ My reflection on Feedback ”

I really enjoyed reading your post. I agree with what you say about positive feedback building confidence, and how negative feedback can make you all the more determined! It’s sometimes difficult to not take comments personally, but as you say, feedback is something used throughout life, and as teachers we need to embrace the use of it to our advantage and to encourage our pupils in the future.

I love how you associate critical feedback with determination to improve. We could all take a leaf out of your book here! It’s true that no-one can become an expert at what they do without constructive feedback from others, and so I feel that you have a really healthy way of viewing it.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• About this site
• Curricular Affairs Contact
• FID Philosophy
• Faculty Mentoring
• Educational Program Objectives
• ARiM Initiatives
• Faculty Support
• Active Learning Theory
• Curriculum Development
• Developmental Learning Theory
• Peer Review of Teaching
• Resources & Strategies
• Flipped Learning
• Teaching Guides
• Educational Strategies
• Large Group Sessions
• Team Learning
• Constructive Feedback
• Ed Tech & Training
• Med Ed Distinction Track
• Affiliate Clinical Faculty
• Faculty Instructional Development Series
• Microskills 1-Min Preceptor
• BDA for Teaching
• Med Ed Resources
• RIME Framework
• WBA in Clerkship
• About Instructional Tech
• Software Worth Using
• Apps for Learning
• Apps for Teaching
• Apps for Research
• Copyright Resources
• Application Online
• Program Goals
• Program Competence Areas
• Program Timeline
• Program Activities
• Projects & Presentations
• Participants
• SOS Series Calendar
• Presentation Tools
• Communication Tools
• Data Collection & Analysis
• Document Preparation
• Project Management Tools

You are here

The process of reflective feedback conversations.

The goal of feedback is to assist the learner in improving their knowledge, skills, attitudes or behaviors relevant to educational program objectives and goals.

To be effective, feedback should be constructive (helpful).

To be constructive, feedback must contain information upon which the learner can act to improve performance.

The feedback process, then, should offer the learner an opportunity to reflect on performance and the learning process. Reflection is critical to professional learning Schön's, 1983 ).

"Reflective feedback conversations" (Cantillon & Sargeant, 2008 ) offer a strategic approach for promoting the learner's critical reflection, self-assessment and a fact-based process to improvement.

The graphic (right) highlights the key components of this model, paraphrased below:

• Invite self-assessment
• Provide actionable guidance
• Describe relevant, observable behaviors to include constructive compliments and constructive correction.

Framing feedback as a conversation communicates to the learner that they are responsible for self-assessing and participating in a plan for improvement. Feedback, rather than being a one-way transmission, is a dialogue.  

This model recommends that both constructive compliments and corrective comments are included in feedback. What makes complimentary and corrective comments constructive? A description of specific relevant, observable behaviors.

You will find more resources, teaching guides and presentations on reflective feedback conversations on this site.

Related Resources

References   Feedback Guide   Formative Feedback   Narrative Feedback

• Bipolar Disorder
• Therapy Center
• When To See a Therapist
• Types of Therapy
• Best Online Therapy
• Best Couples Therapy
• Best Family Therapy
• Managing Stress
• Sleep and Dreaming
• Understanding Emotions
• Self-Improvement
• Healthy Relationships
• Student Resources
• Personality Types
• Verywell Mind Insights
• 2023 Verywell Mind 25
• Mental Health in the Classroom
• Editorial Process
• Meet Our Review Board
• Crisis Support

How to Give Feedback Effectively and Respectfully

5 rules that will help you crush your next round of performance reviews

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change.

Morsa Images/DigitalVision/Getty Images

Types of Feedback

The five rules of effective feedback, examples of positive and negative feedback, how to give and recieve feedback, recognizing why feedback matters.

Sometimes giving feedback can be even more stressful than receiving it. After all, we want our words to be helpful and constructive, but we also don’t want to make anyone feel bad.

It's normal to be nervous about how the other person will respond to your comments. After all, a negative reaction might hurt your relationship and make it harder for you to communicate in the future.

That's why learning how to give helpful feedback is so important.

According to Jamie Levin , a strategic communications consultant, feedback can help foster growth, contribute to effective communication, resolve conflicts, and improve motivation. "Of course, these benefits are often only noticed if the parties involved are open to giving and receiving feedback," she explains.

The good news is that you can give your honest opinions in a way that doesn't make people feel bitter, angry, or downright unappreciated.

At a Glance

Feedback is crucial not only for the group's success but also for personal growth. Great feedback can help people become even better at what they do. It can also foster greater trust and communication when it is delivered correctly.

• Choose the right time
• Be clear and specific
• Focus on actions, not traits
• Take a balanced approach
• Encourage self-reflection

Feedback is crucial not only for the group's success but also for personal growth. Great feedback can help people become even better at what they do. It can also foster greater trust and communication when these rules are followed. You can also think about these rules when you are on the receiving end of feedback.

So, what exactly do we mean when we talk about feedback? It can involve any situation where we make comments based on our direct observations. What separates feedback from criticism is that it is intended to help us learn and improve our performance.

The type of feedback that we give often depends on our goals and the situation. Giving the wrong type of feedback at the wrong time can lead to misunderstandings, hurt feelings, or conflict.

Whether you are giving quick, informal feedback to a friend or partner, formative feedback to a coworker, or formal feedback to an employee, you can follow these five rules for making your advice as effective as possible.

Some common types of feedback that you might give include:

Informal Feedback

Informal feedback is the type of feedback you probably give the most—sometimes without even thinking about it. It tends to happen naturally. It's often something people initiate or ask for on their own (like asking your co-worker, "How does this look?" or "Does this sound right to you?").

While informal feedback can be helpful, it can also be hurtful or harmful if it comes across as unsolicited advice . Telling a colleague what you really thought about their presentation (when they didn't ask for your opinion) is a good example.

Formative Feedback

Formative feedback, often referred to as constructive feedback, is designed to help us gain skills and improve our work. It involves pointing out areas where we can improve, which is super important when we are learning a new skill.

It's not necessarily about saying that there is anything wrong with what we've done. Instead, it is about pointing out some ways we might make it even better.

Constructive feedback is sometimes misunderstood as being purely negative. Such comments can point out problems, but the entire point is to help us learn and do even better.

Constructive comments can be positive feedback—it really all depends on delivery as well as acceptance.

Formal (or Performance) Feedback

Formal feedback is structured and used to assess how we perform in a specific role. Performance reviews and educational assessments are a few examples. Formal feedback often points out areas that could be improved, but it also highlights our strengths.

Performance feedback can help measure our progress and recognize how much we've have grown in our roles. It can also be helpful when it comes to achieving specific performance goals.

It's important to remember that each kind of feedback serves a different purpose. Before choosing which type to use, you need to consider why you offer feedback, the goals you are trying to achieve, and the recipient's needs. 

Consider the situation and the needs of the individual before choosing which type of feedback is the most appropriate. You can make your comments more effective when you deliver it with consideration and empathy .

Generally speaking, there’s no universally agreed-upon set of rules for how and when to give feedback (although your workplace or organization might provide some specific guidelines to follow).

Levin says that how people perceive your feedback depends on several factors, including how you speak, the communication channel you use, whether there is an audience, and the context. Whether or not the other person is open to hearing what you have to say is also a critical factor.

Some basic recommendations that can help make sure your feedback is helpful and not hurtful.

Choose the Right Time

It's essential to give feedback in a timely manner. Don't wait until too long after a project is finished or a performance has been given to provide your comments. 

Waiting too long might make your feedback less meaningful. If someone has already moved on to a completely different project, it’s understandable that your words might carry less weight.

Delivering it too soon can also create problems, particularly if comments are more critical in nature. For example, someone enjoying a sense of accomplishment after giving a presentation might not be receptive to feedback that describes things they did wrong or ways they could have done better.

Most importantly, make sure that the feedback recipient knows they are going to be getting feedback. Don't blindside people with surprise performance reviews.

Be Clear and Specific

Avoid making vague comments or general statements about how a person did. Instead of saying, "You did good," give specific details and explanations.

For example, you might say something like, "I think you really handled [this situation] well by [taking this action]."

Be sure to utilize non-verbal communication that reinforces what you are saying. Frowning when you're complimenting the other person might cause mixed signals.

Focus on Actions, Not Personality Traits

Feedback should focus on a person's specific behaviors and actions, not on their traits and characteristics. Attributing performance to a person's character can lead to feelings of anger or defensiveness, particularly when feedback centers on addressing problems in performance.

For example, instead of saying someone is "unmotivated" or that they "lack commitment," you might say something like, "I noticed that you seem to be struggling to feel excited about this project" or "It appears that you missed your last three deadlines."

Focusing on behavior, rather than attributing it to a person’s innate characteristics, can also help foster more of a growth mindset vs. a fixed one .

When people think outcomes are caused by personal characteristics that can’t be changed, feedback is less likely to result in change. However, shifting this perspective to focus on how people can take action to improve can help them feel more motivated and capable.

Take a Balanced Approach

Great feedback should include both positive and constructive comments. If you go a little too heavy on the constructive feedback, the other person is much more likely to walk away feeling pretty terrible about themselves. In other words, focusing too much on what they're doing wrong can be upsetting, hurtful, and demotivating.

Instead, try providing some comments on ways people can improve and grow, but balance it by delivering recognition and acknowledgment of what they've done well.

Positive comments can build confidence and motivation –and take some of the sting out of constructive feedback.

Look for Ways to Encourage Self-Reflection

Feedback shouldn't just be a list of pluses and minuses. Deliver it in a way that encourages people to reflect on how they are doing , what they've done well, and ways that they might be able to improve.

How do you do this? Getting the other person involved is a great way to start. When noting things that might need improvement or areas that didn't meet expectations, you might ask, "What are some things you might do differently next time?" or "Do you have any ideas for how to change this?"

How you phrase your feedback can also make a big difference in how other people feel about it.

Positive Feedback Sounds Like...

Positive feedback is often easier to deliver. After all, most people welcome some kind words and compliments on a job well done.

For example, you might want to deliver positive feedback to an employee has shown consistently great performance. You might say something like, "I really appreciate that you took the initiative to finish the project in a timely manner. You're hard work and commitment definitely paid off!"

In other cases, you might want to deliver feedback meant to positively reinforce a team member's progress. You might say, "I'm really impressed by how much improvement you've made over the past few months. Keep it up, and you're really going to continue to shine!"

Negative Feedback Sounds Like...

Negative feedback can be a bit more challenging. This is where skills like balancing constructive comments with encouragement can be useful. 

When you need to call out shortcomings, you might say, "It's clear you put a lot of effort into the project, but a few areas need to be corrected. Let's talk about what we can do to help you make these improvements."

Using " I feel" statements when delivering negative feedback can also be helpful. Instead of phrasing feedback like, "You're always late," you might try phrasing it differently, such as, "I've noticed that you've been late several times this month. This has created some disruptions for other people in the office, so it's really important to be on time and respect other people's schedules."

Delivering negative feedback isn't easy, but sometimes there's just no getting around it. Just remember that you can get your message across without making someone feel bad. A little tact and empathy can ensure that people get the message without feeling defensive or upset.

Fortunately, giving (and receiving) feedback is a skill you can learn. "We learn a lot by being open to feedback and constructive comments,” Levin says, "It fosters healthy conversation, acceptance and shows that people have respect for one another."

When You’re Giving Feedback

Know Your Audience

Levin suggests thinking about the person who will be receiving your feedback. For example, if they prefer one-on-one communication, they might feel embarrassed or defensive if you give your feedback during a team meeting.

"Not only have you unintentionally made them feel this way, they may also be completely closed off to whatever feedback you provide as they may be so focused on how they feel rather than what you are saying," Levin says.

Give Feedback Privately

Try to give your feedback in a private setting. Even if your comments are balanced between constructive and positive statements, keeping this feedback private (or at least as private as possible) can help prevent feelings of embarrassment or defensiveness.

Suggest Solutions

Feedback should be more than a laundry list of problems. When there are shortcomings, try to be supportive and suggest solutions that can help the individual succeed in the future.

Ask Questions That Encourage Reflection

This approach can reinforce the positives while allowing the other person to think about improving things. You might ask the other person what they think went well and what they might do differently in the future.

When You’re Receiving Feedback

Try to Be Open-Minded

It isn't always easy to hear what other people say about your work. Stay open-minded and look at it as an opportunity to hone your skills.

Clarify Any Misunderstandings

Don't be afraid to ask questions if the feedback is unclear or confusing. Focus on being specific to ensure you understand what the reviewer or commenter is trying to convey.

Show Appreciation

Even if the feedback isn't exactly what you want to hear, thank the other person for their time and thoughts. It might not be easy, but it's a great way to show that you are willing to listen.

Give Yourself Time to Reflect

Avoid reacting immediately (like firing off an angry email to a co-worker or manager). Instead, give yourself time to sit with the feedback and decide what it means and how you might want to respond. You'll feel less emotional and defensive if you stop and take some time to reflect.

Try to Stay Positive

The fact is that getting negative feedback isn't any fun. Try to remember that feedback isn't meant to be a personal attack. Even though you might feel bad, remember that it's something that can help you learn and grow.

Feedback can be an important tool for both personal and professional development. It isn't always easy to evaluate your own work, so getting others to offer their comments, experiences, and expertise can help you gain new insights.

It can also help you better understand how others perceive and relate to your work.

Good feedback can also be motivating. Positive comments from colleagues, supervisors, or clients can help you feel good about your work. Experts suggest that feedback is more meaningful when it comes from someone they see as a role model.

Sometimes, it's the constructive comments that give information about what might be missing that can be your greatest source of inspiration. This type of feedback challenges you to keep learning and growing. It gives you something to work toward so that you can see your progress and be proud of how far you've come.

Continuous improvement is important to many of us, and the perspective of others is extremely valuable, even in instances when someone may not agree with it. Feedback provides perspective.

Giving and receiving feedback can sometimes be challenging, especially since you don’t want to make anyone feel bad. It’s a skill worth working on, so be willing to accept some feedback on how you give it!

Honest, well-delivered feedback can be an essential communication tool that helps people learn, grow, and learn more about themselves. Practicing feedback skills—such as being specific, action-focused, and balanced—can help ensure that people welcome what you have to say.

Jug R, Jiang XS, Bean SM. Giving and receiving effective feedback: A review article and how-to guide . Arch Pathol Lab Med . 2019;143(2):244-250. doi:10.5858/arpa.2018-0058-RA

Hardavella G, Aamli-Gaagnat A, Saad N, Rousalova I, Sreter KB. How to give and receive feedback effectively . Breathe (Sheff) . 2017;13(4):327-333. doi:10.1183/20734735.009917

Burgess A, van Diggele C, Roberts C, Mellis C. Feedback in the clinical setting . BMC Med Educ . 2020;20(Suppl 2):460. doi:10.1186/s12909-020-02280-5

Ramani S, Krackov SK. Twelve tips for giving feedback effectively in the clinical environment . Med Teach . 2012;34(10):787-791. doi:10.3109/0142159X.2012.684916

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Feedback seeking and student reflective feedback literacy: a sociocultural discourse analysis

• Published: 25 November 2023

Cite this article

• David Carless   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1449-5174 1 &
• Stephanie Young 1  

696 Accesses

18 Altmetric

Explore all metrics

A significant and somewhat under-exploited aspect of feedback literacy research lies in students’ feedback-seeking behaviors. This research charts progress in oral feedback seeking by means of a three-year longitudinal inquiry focused on the feedback literacy development of an undergraduate co-author. The study is framed through sociocultural learning theories and the notion of feedback encounters to illustrate how social and relational feedback interactions encourage meaning-making and feedback uptake. Data comprise the student’s reflective journal of feedback experiences; regular documented interactions between the two co-researchers; digitally recorded and transcribed feedback encounters over four consecutive semesters; and teacher feedback on completed assignments. Sociocultural discourse analysis is deployed to uncover how the student and her teachers used talk to co-construct shared thinking about assignment work-in-progress. Features of the selected feedback encounters include interthinking and the interweaving of cumulative and exploratory talk. Reflecting on feedback-seeking experiences over time stimulated student feedback literacy development through progress in preparing for, participating in, following up, and working with emotions in feedback encounters. Originality and significance lie in drawing conceptual linkages between feedback seeking, reflection, and the development of student feedback literacy and in exemplifying innovative ways of conducting feedback research on the student experience of feedback. We introduce the concept of student reflective feedback literacy to represent considered analysis of feedback evidence and experiences informing ongoing efforts to seek, make sense of, and use feedback. Incorporating within the curriculum sustained opportunities for student reflections about feedback carries the potential to develop student feedback literacy and merits further investigation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price includes VAT (Russian Federation)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Rent this article via DeepDyve

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Teacher-Student Interactions: Theory, Measurement, and Evidence for Universal Properties That Support Students’ Learning Across Countries and Cultures

What are the key elements of a positive learning environment? Perspectives from students and faculty

Shayna A. Rusticus, Tina Pashootan & Andrea Mah

Mapping research in student engagement and educational technology in higher education: a systematic evidence map

Melissa Bond, Katja Buntins, … Michael Kerres

Adams, G. (2018). A narrative study of the experience of feedback on a professional doctorate: ‘A kind of flowing conversation.’ Studies in Continuing Education, 41 (2), 191–206.

Article   Google Scholar  

Ajjawi, R., & Boud, D. (2017). Researching feedback dialogue: An interactional analysis approach. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 42 (2), 252–265. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2015.1102863

Anseel, F., Beatty, A., Shen, W., Lievens, F., & Sackett, P. (2015). How are we doing after 30 years? A meta-analytic review of the antecedents and outcomes of feedback-seeking behavior. Journal of Management, 41 (1), 318–348. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206313484521

Bing-You, R., Palka, P., Ford, M., & Trowbridge, R. (2018). The art (and artifice) of seeking feedback: Clerkship students’ approaches to asking for feedback. Academic Medicine, 93 (8), 1218–1226. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000002256

Boud, D., & Molloy, E. (2013). Rethinking models of feedback for learning: The challenge of design. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 38 (6), 698–712. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2012.691462

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis? Qualitative Research in Psychology, 18 (3), 328–352.

Carless, D. (2020). A longitudinal inquiry into students’ experiences of feedback: A need for teacher-student partnerships. Higher Education Research & Development, 39 (3), 425–438.

Carless, D., & Boud, D. (2018). The development of student feedback literacy: Enabling uptake of feedback. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 43 (8), 1315–1325. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2018.1463354

Coppens, K., van den Broeck, L., Winstone, N., & Langie, G. (2023). Capturing student feedback literacy using reflective logs. European Journal of Engineering Education, 48 (4), 653–666. https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2023.2185501

De Kleijn, R. (2023). Supporting student and teacher feedback literacy: An instructional model for student feedback processes. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 48 (2), 186–200. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2021.1967283

Esterhazy, R. (2018). What matters for productive feedback? Disciplinary practices and their relational dynamics. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 43 (8), 1302–1314. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2018.1463353

Esterhazy, R., & Damşa, C. (2019). Unpacking the feedback process: An analysis of undergraduate students’ interactional meaning-making of feedback comments. Studies in Higher Education, 44 (2), 260–274.

Gaunt, A., Patel, A., Fallis, S., et al. (2017). Surgical trainee feedback-seeking behavior in the context of workplace-based assessment in clinical settings. Academic Medicine, 92 (6), 827–834. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000001523

Gravett, K., & Winstone, N. (2019). ‘Feedback interpreters’: The role of learning development professionals in facilitating university students’ engagement with feedback. Teaching in Higher Education, 24 (6), 723–738. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2018.1498076

Henderson, M., Ajjawi, R., Boud, D., & Molloy, E. (2019). Identifying feedback that has impact. In M. Henderson, R. Ajjawi, D. Boud, & E. Molloy (Eds.), The Impact of Feedback in Higher Education (pp. 15–34). Palgrave.

Chapter   Google Scholar  

Heron, M., Medland, E., Winstone, N., & Pitt, E. (2023). Developing the relational in teacher feedback literacy: Exploring feedback talk. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 48 (2), 172–185. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2021.1932735

Jensen, L., Bearman, M., & Boud, D. (2023). Feedback encounters: Towards a framework for analyzing and understanding feedback processes. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 48 (1), 121–134. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2022.2059446

Johnson, M., & Mercer, N. (2019). Using sociocultural discourse analysis to analyse professional discourse. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, 21 , 267–277.

Johnson, C., Keating, J., & Molloy, E. (2020). Psychological safety in feedback: What does it look like and how can educators work with learners to foster it? Medical Education, 54 , 559–570.

Joughin, G., Boud, D., Dawson, P., & Tai, J. (2021). What can higher education learn from feedback seeking behaviour in organisations? Implications for feedback literacy. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 46 (1), 80–91.

Kim, K. M. (2018). Academic socialization of doctoral students through feedback networks: A qualitative understanding of the graduate feedback landscape. Teaching in Higher Education, 23 (8), 963–980.

Knight, S., & Mercer, N. (2015). The role of exploratory talk in classroom search engine tasks. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 24 (3), 303–319.

Leenknecht, M., & Carless, D. (2023). Students’ feedback seeking behaviour in undergraduate education: A scoping review. Educational Research Review . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2023.100549

Li, S., & Seale, C. (2007). Managing criticism in PhD supervision: A qualitative case study. Studies in Higher Education, 32 (4), 511–526.

Littleton, K., & Mercer, N. (2013). Interthinking: Putting Talk to Work . Routledge.

Book   Google Scholar  

McArthur, J. (2023). Rethinking authentic assessment: Work, well-being, and society. Higher Education., 85 , 85–101. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-022-00822-y

McCune, V. (2004). Development of first-year students’ conceptions of essay writing. Higher Education, 47 , 257–282.

Mercer, N. (2004). Sociocultural discourse analysis: Analysing classroom talk as a social mode of thinking. Journal of Applied Linguistics, 1 (2), 137–168.

Molloy, E., Boud, D., & Henderson, M. (2020). Developing a learning-centred framework for feedback literacy. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 45 (4), 527–540. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2019.1667955

Mulliner, E., & Tucker, M. (2017). Feedback on feedback practice: Perceptions of students and academics. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 42 (2), 266–288. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2015.1103365

Nguyen, N. T. B., & Mushin, I. (2022). Understanding equivocal feedback in PhD supervision meetings: A conversation analysis. Teaching in Higher Education . https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2022.2068348

Nieminen, J. H., & Carless, D. (2023). Feedback literacy: A critical review of an emerging concept. Higher Education, 85 , 1381–1400. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-022-00895-9

O’Donovan, B. (2017). How student beliefs about knowledge and knowing influence their satisfaction with assessment and feedback. Higher Education, 74 (4), 617–633.

O’Donovan, B., Rust, C., & Price, M. (2016). A scholarly approach to solving the feedback dilStephanie in practice. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 41 (6), 938–949. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2015.1052774

Papi, M., Rios, A., Pelt, H., & Esra, O. (2019). Feedback-seeking behavior in language learning: Basic components and motivational antecedents. The Modern Language Journal, 103 (1), 205–226. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12538

Steen-Utheim, A., & Hopfenbeck, T. (2019). To do or not to do with feedback: A study of undergraduate students’ engagement within a portfolio assessment design. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 44 (1), 80–96. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2018.1476669

Wanberg, C., & Kammeyer-Mueller, J. (2000). Predictors and outcomes of proactivity in the socialization process. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85 (3), 373–385. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.85.3.373

Warwick, P., Vrikki, M., Vermunt, J., Mercer, N., & van Halem, N. (2016). Connecting observations of student and teacher learning: An examination of dialogic processes in lesson study discussions in Mathematics. ZDM, 48 (4), 555–569.

Wood, J. (2023). Enabling feedback seeking, agency and uptake through dialogic screencast feedback. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 48 (4), 464–484. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2022.2089973

Download references

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Marion Heron, Jiahui Luo, Emma Medland, Neil Mercer, Juuso Nieminen, Steve Walsh, and the anonymous reviewers for their advice.

The first author’s work was supported by a Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Scheme Award from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, HKU 37000421.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

David Carless & Stephanie Young

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to David Carless .

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest.

The authors declare no competing interest.

Additional information

Publisher's note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Appendix 1. Transcript conventions (adapted from Nguyen & Mushin, 2022)

Appendix 1. transcript conventions (adapted from nguyen & mushin, 2022 ), rights and permissions.

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Carless, D., Young, S. Feedback seeking and student reflective feedback literacy: a sociocultural discourse analysis. High Educ (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-023-01146-1

Download citation

Accepted : 17 November 2023

Published : 25 November 2023

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-023-01146-1

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Feedback seeking
• Feedback encounters
• Feedback literacy
• Find a journal
• Publish with us
• Track your research

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Take Me Out to the Gift Shop

For a lot of fans at the new Mets team store, game day is all about the shopping.

By Alyson Krueger

On Friday morning, at 11:40 on the dot, hundreds of Mets fans flooded into the new team store at Citi Field in Queens. It was the opening day of baseball season, and they were the first ones into the new space, located in the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, the grand entryway to the ballpark.

Susan Wiedeman, 65, from Riverdale, N.J., who has attended Mets opening day with her husband for the last 40 years, was giddy with the experience. “We were just about the first ones in,” she said. “That was really cool.”

At 10,000 square feet, the store is twice the size of its previous iteration and filled with new technology, art and merchandise. There are vastly higher ceilings — “Last year I could adjust a lightbulb myself if I needed,” said James Benesh, the executive director of consumer products for the Mets — and a hanging sculpture by Michael Murphy, an artist in Brooklyn. The orange sculpture has the Mets logo intertwined in different cityscapes.

Part of the new store’s appeal is the sheer size of its inventory. “There is a lot of stuff in here,” said Janet Conlon, 75, who lives in Hillsborough, N.J., and is a school bus driver. She already has a closet full of Mets apparel at home, including more than 40 baseball hats. On opening day she wore three layers of Mets clothes — “I don’t like to be cold,” she said — and carried a branded bag and blanket. Still, the store offered bountiful new options.

“I’ve never seen a lot of this stuff before,” she said, laughing. “It’s amazing.”

In the space where 12 T-shirts used to be on display, there are now 52, according to Mr. Benesh. There are also more than 3,000 baseballs on the shelves at any given time. And the store has 40 staff members, double the size that was previously needed.

But the Mets organization has also raised its game in terms of what it is selling, especially to female fans.

“We’ve been getting feedback for a few years now that female fans don’t necessarily want a man’s shirt turned into pink,” Mr. Benesh said.

The team is restricted to selling items from approved M.L.B. vendors, and it has tapped some of the licensed newcomers to make capsule collections sold exclusively at Citi Field. For instance, rather than ceding the market for vintage sportswear to Etsy or vintage stores, the Mets are offering those items in-house. Refried Apparel, a company that makes new clothes from salvageable old items, has a line of jean jackets with vintage Mets logos and numbers that are sold at the team store.

“There is a lot of waste within our industry,” said Joanna Mingo, who is the consumer products coordinator for the Mets. “We have players who get traded, and then we can’t sell their jersey. Now we can send them to this cool company, and they make something that looks like you would find it on Etsy made by a girl in her college dorm.”

Other smaller brands offer bedazzled bomber jackets, corduroy hats, sequined crop tops and satin windbreakers. Personalized jerseys and limited-edition merchandise are also sold, but exclusively to V.I.P. ticket holders.

“This is stuff I can wear out on a walk or to brunch, not just to games,” said Hannah O’Neill, 26, a nurse from Rockville Centre, N.Y., who was shopping the collection on opening day. “Two years ago, you wouldn’t be able to get any of this stuff.” She had her eye on a hat covered in flowers.

Others were frankly mesmerized by the new RFID self-checkout system. Shoppers dump their purchases into a bucket, and a computer reads a RFID price tag attached to the item. The items pop up on a screen, and the buyers tap their cards to pay. “There is no scanning,” Mr. Benesh said. “It goes much faster.”

Still, there were a few growing pains. Some shoppers called over store associates to help them navigate the system.

“I’ve heard a lot of people in line complaining about it, but I’m young and love self-checkout,” said Dani Wasserman, 27, who is studying for a graduate degree in film in Boulder, Colo., and whose dad grew up on Long Island. They bought a Francisco Alvarez jersey.

It was only the first day of a long shopping season for Mets fans, as Mr. Benesh reminded the store staff in a meeting just before the gates opened. “If you hear any feedback, bring it to us,” he said. “We have 79 more games to go after today.”

Inside the World of Sports

Dive deeper into the people, issues and trends shaping professional, collegiate and amateur athletics..

The Kim Mulkey Show: The L.S.U. women’s basketball coach has made her fashion choices a talking point , a reflection of her own larger-than-life personality and a tool to draw attention to the sport.

Pushing Back on Betting: People can now legally wager on the individual performances of student athletes. The N.C.A.A. isn’t happy .

Back to the Big Time: For those wanting to trace the evolution of money and college sports over the past half-century, Southern Methodist University offers a perfect example .

Hope in Little Tokyo: For a Los Angeles community contending with gentrification and an aging population, the Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani’s accession with the Dodgers has been galvanizing .

Ice Skating and the Brain: How do champion skaters accomplish their extraordinary jumps and spins? Brain science is uncovering clues .