What are the elements of written feedback?

Answer 1

Feedback is effective if students act on it to improve their future work and learning. Gibbs and Simpson (2004) suggest that this is most likely if feedback:

Is frequent, timely, sufficient and detailed enough;
Can be linked to the purpose of the assessment task and criteria;
Is understandable, given the students’ level of sophistication; and
Focuses on learning rather than marks by relating explicitly to future work and tasks.

Answer 2

Say something positive about the piece.
Critique the writing, not the writer.
Speak from your own perspective
Talk about the way you responded as you were reading.
Be specific.
Imagine yourself on the receiving end of the comment.
Prioritize and sort your comments.
Tailor your comments to the writer and his/her needs.
Write out key points.