Giving Students Effective Feedback Checklist

Introduction

This worksheet accompanies the February 2024 Giving Students Effective Feedback Teaching Toolkit Workshop. Please use this worksheet to follow along with the synchronous activities. After the workshop, the checklist section of this worksheet can be revisited when evaluating feedback.

Characteristics of Effective Feedback Checklist

Characteristic	Description	Yes	No
Specificity – 1	Is the feedback as specific as possible?
Specificity – 2	Does the feedback provide the student with information on what exactly they did well?
Specificity – 3	Does the feedback provide students with information on what exactly they can do to improve?
Specificity – 4	If applicable, does the feedback address how the student’s academic performance has changed over time?
Specificity – 5	Does the feedback include suggested next steps for your student to take in their academic progress toward a specific goal?
Timeliness – 1	Was the feedback shared with students as soon as possible?
Timeliness – 2	If applicable, was the feedback shared with students with enough time for reflection and revision before the next draft or section was due?
Focus – 1	Does the feedback address the student’s advancement toward a specific goal or milestone?
Intentionality – 1	Was the purpose of the feedback fully explained to the student?
Intentionality – 2	Is the feedback focused on the task, performance, or behavior (impersonal)?
Intentionality – 3	Is the feedback prioritized in order of significance?
Intentionality – 4	Does the distribution of feedback align with the overall purpose?

Adapted from (Pinkerton, n.d.) and (Quick Checks, n.d.).

Communicating Effective Feedback Examples

Rewrite the feedback for each example using the Characteristics of Effective Feedback.

Example 1

Student A received full marks for their presentation.

The objective was to demonstrate a synthesis of ideas, conduct an in-depth analysis, and provide evidence for the topic.

Example 1 Original	Example 1 Rewrite
Good work on the presentation!

Example 2

Student B received partial credit for their recorded draft.

The objective was to communicate a well-researched argument by demonstrating a strong understanding of issues and synthesis of ideas using supporting evidence.

Example 2 Original	Example 2 Rewrite
Overall, you supported your stance with some supporting evidence and seem to understand topic XXX. Some parts were unclear and could be stronger.

Example 3

Student C only submitted a few sentences on the assignment topic and has been asked to redo their work.

The objective was to correctly identify variables relevant to primary stakeholders and how these may create tensions or conflicts of interest among different stakeholders.

Example 3 Original	Example 3 Rewrite
You did not complete the assignment prompt. Please redo the assignment by [DATE].

References

Pinkerton, A. (n.d.). Providing Feedback [online course resource page]. In Essentials of Course Design, Development, and Teaching at BSPH. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Teaching and Learning. https://courseplus.jhu.edu/core/index.cfm/go/pb:page.view/coID/19855/pageID/130435/-

Quick Checks: Feedback Checklist. (n.d.). The University of Manchester: Technology Enhanced Learning and Design. https://elearning.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/quickchecks/feedback/