Why do writers need feedback?
- To gain an outside perspective that can enrich their existing ideas
- To deepen awareness of what they’re doing well and what could be improved
- To feel heard and responded to—community enhances learning and decreases isolation
- To better understand and meet the expectations of instructors and assignments
- To more effectively adopt the style and standards of the course and discipline
When should you ask for feedback?
- At multiple stages of the writing process
- You are ready / willing to confront it
- You feel stuck
- Far enough in advance of a deadline—you’re most likely to get the best feedback when your instructor has plenty of time to respond
The Nuts and Bolts of a Feedback Request
To get the most helpful feedback depending on where you are in your writing, compose a feedback request email to shape your reader’s attention and responses.
In a feedback request email, it’s often helpful to cover:
- What stage of the writing process you’re in—do you have an outline, a rough draft, a polished but not-quite-final draft? Have you already discussed the paper with your instructor or a friend?
- Any questions you have, as well as the type of feedback that might be most helpful to you—think about what your main concerns about the paper are. For example:
- “I’d love feedback on how to make my thesis stronger, and how I should go about structuring my paper overall.”
- “I’m not sure what I should include in my introduction and conclusion—I’m wondering if you might be able to help me with that?”
- “I feel like my second body paragraph isn’t working well, but I’m not sure why. I’d love to hear your feedback on how I might make it stronger.”
- “I’ve read through the assignment prompt carefully but am wondering if I’m doing okay at advancing my own argument, and what it takes to do that.”
Additional Tips:
- If possible, start by requesting a meeting, rather than requesting additional written feedback outright—usually, meetings are less time-intensive for instructors and more open-ended, which makes a request for a meeting a smaller ask than a direct request for written feedback. A meeting may also catalyze the feedback process, since you can ask for immediate clarification rather than having to write emails back and forth.
- Requests for feedback on assignments that have already been graded may need to use more mitigated, less direct language—try to put emphasis on your progress as a writer and your desire to do a good job/ succeed in the class, more than on the grade itself.
Sample Feedback Request Emails
For an in-progress paper:
“Dear Professor X,
I’ve been working on my [assignment/ paper name], and just wanted to make sure that I’m on the right track. I’ve talked through the paper with [a friend/ a Writers Workshop consultant] but would love your feedback on how I can make my thesis stronger, as well as how I might structure my paper overall. Is there any chance we could set up a meeting for sometime soon?
Best,
X”
For an assignment that’s already been graded:
“Dear Professor X,
I hope this email finds you well. I’m writing to ask whether we might set up a meeting to discuss my [assignment name]. I’ve read through your feedback and just want to make sure that I understand what I might work on for future assignments. Would you be available to meet sometime in the next week?
Thanks so much,
X”