Two Sylvias' Weekly Muse: August 11, 2024

Issue 120

Hello, Muse Readers!

We have written several intros on various aspects of giving and receiving feedback in a writing critique group. Questions about writing groups often make their way to our inbox as many of you seek not only to offer better feedback to your writing peers, but you also want to become more skilled at recognizing what feedback you should implement in revising your own poems, flash fiction pieces, essays, and short stories.

We recently found a research study conducted jointly by several universities in Texas, which looked at the key elements of constructive feedback and how they can be leveraged for improvement and motivation. The study focused on undergraduate students in a variety of majors, who discussed their experiences receiving constructive feedback and how it affected their academic performance and how they perceived themselves.

The study found five key elements of constructive feedback that promote insight, growth, and positive outcomes. We have adapted these ele…