Hello everyone:

If your college instructor offers you the opportunity to get free feedback before you have to turn in an assignment, take it! Every semester, I offer my students the chance to show me assignments one week before their due date and I will give them information on how to improve the document for a better grade.

Do you know how many take me up on that offer? Usually, I get 1 out of 5 students or fewer. Why do you think that happens? I am not asking for the entire assignment in perfect readiness for grading, just a rough draft. It’s nice to make sure that students are on the right track for a document, and this gives me the chance to assure them that they are or to wave them off if they aren’t.

Do you know what the average grade is that a student who asks for feedback usually gets on a document that I have previewed? It doesn’t happen 100% of the time, but the students normally end up with an A on the assignment. With the odds in your favor, why wouldn’t you use the chance to do better?

I am curious about your “take” on this idea of free feedback. Would you use it, if you were offered this chance? What would you have to do in order to be prepared enough to take advantage of this type of opportunity? I look forward to reading your thoughts.

Best,

Dr. Sheri