Critical Reflection
The role of peer and tutor and
feedback
In ES1102E, we were told to write a reader
response essay on an article that we have read on. We posted our drafts on our
blog so that our peers and tutor can give us feedback on our essays. Apart from
that, we had to provide a peer review for one of our peers. I had my reservations
when giving my feedback. Also, I was very conscious with the words that I used
and the comments that I have given. I made sure that I gave equal amounts of positive
and negative reviews.
Receiving and providing feedback
on an academic essay is an experience which I have not experienced in a while.
I do not like to re-read my essay. Therefore, I felt uncomfortable at the
thought of my peers reading my "unfinished" essay. I did not like the idea of
being reviewed because I am not strong in essay writing. After
reading the feedback, some mistakes that I have made is the
overusing of first person pronouns in my academic essays. Apart from that, I have
a habit of having long sentences. At times, these sentences tend to confuse
readers about the about the idea that I am trying to convey to them. There were other minor grammatical and
sentence structures problems.
I gave
some thoughts on the mistakes that I have made in essay. I came to a realisation how these were mistakes that I have been making all along in my essays. It brought
about a sense of urgency for me to get rid of these mistakes because being an
Arts student in NUS, I will be required to write many essays. If the mistakes
that I have made were to stay, it will greatly affect my academic performances.
This experience of receiving feedback was a reality check for me. Feedback
allows people to improve because it highlights the mistakes that writers cannot
identify themselves.
From this experience, I have
learnt that everyone makes mistakes in their essay and these mistakes can be
avoided by re-reading your essay. After receiving both formal and informal feedback,
I have learnt that I am one who is able to provide content, but often, my
ideas are not phrased properly and this affects readers’ understanding on my
essay. In order to help others improve, we have to be frank and critical in our
review. When writing my essays now, I am more conscious with my language use. I will constantly
re- read what I have written and make a conscious effort to avoid using first
person pronouns. I put in more effort in delivering short and concise
sentences such that I will not confuse my readers about the ideas that I am
trying to bring across. Most importantly, I have learnt about the importance of
being confident in what you write and always be ready for feedback.
Thank you, Shaun, for this detailed reflection. You have mentioned some aspects of the feedback process. What I find a little disconcerting in this essay is that it seems to ramble without a focus beyond the idea that feedback is connected to mistakes, which can be corrected by rereading an essay.
ReplyDeleteIn the first paragraph you also mention how peer feedback was required of students in Es1102 but you only reference the reader response essay. You also state that you weren't comfortable doing such a review, but you don't explain why. That might have been worth mentioning.
In the second paragraph you again mention how this process was "uncomfortable" for you, but this time you explain in more detail with regard to your own insecurity of having people read your "unfinished" work. What is positive here is that you discuss a few of the types of errors you typically make. This is fine, but then the third paragraph seems to focus on the fact that making mistakes is not good for a student in FASS. In paragraph four you develop this idea of 'making mistakes' along the theme that these can sometimes be avoided by re-reading a paper. What might have been useful is for you to explain how the feedback from me and your peers acted as that "reality check." What part of the process really helped you, exactly?
Finally, I would have like to know how any of this might impact your future writing.
Unfortunately, this is not the best reflection. Is it possible that you were distracted while writing this?
In any case, best of luck in your future studies, Shaun.
Hi Brad!
DeleteSome add-on to my reflection to address some of your questions.
At the start, i did not feel uncomfortable doing such review because i did not want to offend my peers through my review. I am afraid that he or she might be offended when i wrongly review their work. However, after going through one or two such feedback sessions, i have realised that this is just an unnecessary worry of mine.
I feel that the part when we get to read our peer's essay really helped me because it helps to remind to not make the same mistake as them. I will check my essay to see if have made the same mistakes as my peers. This really forced me to read my essay because it would have been contradicting if I made the mistake which i have identified in other's essays. I have also realised how it is very easy for us to make mistakes in our essays. Therefore, it reminds me to be more conscious when i write my essays. I will be paying more attention to my use of language as well as to make sure that i do not make the common mistakes that i have been making.
Shaun