Getting started

Feedback from your lecturers and tutors is a valuable source of information that can help develop and enhance your academic performance. Reviewing and reflecting on feedback can provide you with insights into your strengths as well as areas for improvement.

You may receive feedback formally through your individual assignment submissions, or informally during lectures, tutorials and group discussions, or via discussion boards and announcements on Blackboard. These interactions can provide opportunities to clarify concepts, refine ideas, gain new perspectives and get immediate feedback on your progress. This also allows you to address issues and make the necessary adjustments before submitting your assessments.

In brief, you can use feedback effectively by:

Using feedback to improve assignments

To use feedback effectively, create an action plan that outlines how you will address the comments and suggestions provided. You can start gathering feedback as soon as you begin working on your assignment, not just after submission. By seeking feedback early and often, you can make incremental improvements throughout the assignment process.

Feedback Action Plan Template [DOCX, 36kB]

Here are some tips to help you use feedback effectively:

  1. Read and understand the feedback

    Refer to the assignment brief and marking rubric as you go. Re-read the key points to ensure you have understood and interpreted the feedback correctly.

  2. Seek clarification

    Note down any points that you don’t understand so you can ask your tutor for clarification.

  3. Identify and prioritise key areas for improvement

    Prioritise and set goals to address the feedback and add to your action plan. Remember, you don’t have to tackle every piece of feedback at once; focus on aspects that were most frequently mentioned. For instance, if referencing was flagged as a concern or the structure and flow of your assignment need attention, include them in your plan and work through them systematically.

    Tip: Keeping a record of the feedback from all your assignments will help you identify and address persistent issues. Look for recurring issues in your work, such as referencing errors, unclear arguments, or grammatical mistakes. Think about how you can use this information to help improve on your next assignment.

  4. Find resources to help you improve

    Refer to writing guides, workshops or academic support centres for assistance. Curtin Library provides a range of tools and services to help you develop your academic skills, some of which include:

Managing feelings about critical feedback

Receiving critical feedback can initially be discouraging or disheartening but always try to view it as a learning opportunity. You should:

  • Take some time to reflect on, and process the feedback. This helps settle the emotions you experience after your initial read through.
  • Try not to focus on the mark. Instead, carefully read the marker’s comments as this will help you identify what you did well and areas you need to work on.
  • Focus on the learning objective. Recognise that feedback is about learning, not a personal criticism. Your lecturers and tutors want you to succeed in your studies and their goal in providing feedback is to help you achieve that.
  • Pay attention to positive feedback and avoid focusing solely on critical feedback. This highlights what you are doing well and allows you to build on your strengths in future assignments.
  • Consider discussing the feedback with your peers to identify common trends and see how your experience compares with others.

Remember! Academic study requires you to engage in scholarly conversations. When you actively communicate, ask questions and are open to different perspectives, you gain control of your own learning experience.