There are two types of feedback that you should be providing your students with regularly. The first is called Formative Feedback (also called formative assessment). This type of feedback assists with student learning and is provided without a grade. For example, you might provide feedback on the first (ungraded) draft of a student’s paper and let them know what would need to be changed before the student submits for a grade. Or, you might respond to a student’s comment on the discussion board and provide didactic information or pose a thought-provoking question to take their thinking to a deeper level.

Formative feedback is in service of the student’s improvement and learning. Students benefit from receiving ample formative feedback throughout the course, so that they understand how they can improve their performance.

The other type of feedback is called Summative Feedback (also called summative assessment). This type of feedback usually accompanies a final grade. For example, when you grade a paper, you will provide a final numerical or letter grade. Along with that grade, it is helpful to provide written feedback that explains to the student how you arrived at that grade. You can use the “sandwich approach” to provide both positive and constructive feedback. This would look something like, “You did X and Y very well (elaborate on X and Y). Your paper would have been stronger if you had done Z (elaborate on Z). Overall, this was a thoughtful and well organized paper on ABC.”

Even if you are using a grading rubric (visible to students) for grading, it is still important to provide written summative feedback. Not only will you have fewer grading challenges from students but, most importantly, students can use your feedback to both learn from their mistakes and to reinforce what they are doing well.