Fairly useful feedback: characteristics of feedback comments perceived as fair by students

Abstract

Research has shown that teachers and students are mismatched in their perceptions of feedback fairness. The characteristics of feedback comments that students perceive as fair have received relatively little attention in the literature. We present two experiments which consider whether characteristics that have been shown to relate to “effective” feedback also relate to fairness. Participants were presented with excerpts from fictional assignment submissions accompanied by written feedback that varied in how usable (e.g. constructive) and how nice (e.g. supportive) it was. They were asked to rate the fairness of the feedback provided. Mean fairness ratings were significantly higher for comments that were high versus low in usability; effects of niceness were smaller or non-significant. In addition, we examined the relationship between perceptions of fairness and numerical grade. Experiment 1 compared fairness ratings of feedback that was, or was not, accompanied by a grade; Experiment 2 manipulated the generosity of the grade accompanying the feedback. Neither grade manipulation had a significant effect on fairness. Participants, however, expected work accompanied by “nice” feedback to receive higher grades. We argue that the priority should therefore be to make feedback usable, and that niceness should be added where appropriate.