Working with Friends
The 'Working with Friends' section gave students the resources to successfully review each other's work in a productive way. It gives advice on asking for and giving feedback. There is a 'self-assessment sheet' which helps students ask for feedback and a 'reviewer's sheet' which helps students structure the feedback they give to each other.
Sample Pages - asking for feedback
- Find someone who would like to swap assignments with you, so you can comment on each others’ work.
- Agree a date you will swap drafts of your assignments.
- Before you swap work fill in the self-assessment sheet and print out your assignment (it is easier to read on paper).
To make the most of feedback you will have to ask the right questions. Your questions should be specific so that you can make use of the answer.
| Not likely to get a useful response | Why not? | Alternatives |
|---|
| "I don't know how to organise it" |
How you organise something will depend on what you want to say. If you don't know what you want to say no-one can help you. |
I want to make it clear that X is better than Y. I could do it this way... or I could do it this way. Which do you think is clearer? |
| "I don't know what to write about" |
This will depend on what you want to say and what the question is asking. |
I don't know what to write about. The question asks about 'X', do you think I need to talk about 'Y' too? |
| "I don't know how to do references properly" |
You need to be more specific. Do you want to quote specific words, paraphrase what another writer has said or use the author's name to paraphrase their ideas? |
I don't know how to cite an author without saying "Chomsky claims..." I've done this (show example) do you think that is right? |
| "I don't know what the right answer is!" |
There is unlikely to be a 'right' answer. There will probably be a number of different opinions. You will have to explain why you have come to value one viewpoint above another by carefully referring to the reading. You can't really just ask someone else their opinion. Look at the evidence for each option and make a decision about which seems best to you. |
I don't know which to believe. 'X' looks good because the evidence is very strong, but 'Y' also looks good. I suppose I'll just have to look them both over again and make a decision. |