How should I word my feedback?

Obviously there is not one correct way to put feedback as perhaps the word formula may suggest. Nor does it mean that feedback is contrived. The following principles contained in the feedback formula however are widely accepted as being helpful in communicating what needs to be said in an effective and objective manner.

• Address the work not the person.
• Include terms such as 'evidence' and 'observed'.
• Begin positively.
• Use an encouraging expression, refer to a desirable outcome or use a passive voice e.g. it is generally considered
• Offer explicit suggestions for improvement
• Refer to consequences

Please refer to the feedback formula table which expands each principle with specific work place examples. Incorporating these principles into your feedback will help you to provide clear, encouraging and instructive information. They can also be particularly helpful in situations where your student may want to challenge what you are presenting.

Sometimes there can be a mismatch between how much feedback practice educators feel they have given, and how much information their students have recognised as feedback. It can be helpful, during discussions to overtly flag your comments as 'feedback' e.g. You have identified …. My key feedback is, I noticed….

While some examples have been added to the feedback table to clarify each principle it can be beneficial to think of and record examples that fit your particular workplace. This may help the process become quicker and feel more natural for you. You are able to download the feedback formula table in Word which allows you to add your own examples.

View a vignette of a practice educator using a combination of educator, peer and student self evaluation.

Notice the variety of strategies used to actively engage the students in the learning and feedback process.
The vignette runs approx 2 minutes.

Use the activity sheet to help you get the most from the vignette

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