On the Use of a Personal or Neutral Tone in Written Feedback
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| Title: | On the Use of a Personal or Neutral Tone in Written Feedback |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Rachel Player |
| Source: | Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. 2025 (36). |
| Availability: | Association for Learning Development in Higher Education. 33 Lower Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 9NB, UK. e-mail: admin@aldinhe.ac.uk; Web site: https://jldhe.aldinhe.ac.uk/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 12 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Evaluative |
| Descriptors: | Written Language, Feedback (Response), Language Usage, Emotional Response, Language Styles, Instructional Effectiveness, Dialogs (Language) |
| ISSN: | 1759-667X |
| Abstract: | It is well-known that the emotional response upon receiving feedback can impact how learners incorporate the comments received into their future learning. It is therefore essential that assessors consider the emotional impact of the feedback they provide. One aspect that may influence how the feedback is received is the style and tone of the feedback. This opinion piece introduces the explicit consideration of two styles of written feedback: personal ('you show') and neutral ('the student shows'). Existing literature does not directly examine which (if either) of these styles can be considered as the most effective. I revisit the literature that investigates how the tone and style of feedback relates to the key features of effective feedback. Reflecting on each of the key features, I argue that adopting a personal tone is most natural. I also offer considerations for practice, highlighting that written feedback should be constructive, fair, and understandable, and delivered in a tone that is authentic to the personalities of both the educator and learner, to foster engagement and dialogue. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1480381 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 CustomLinks: – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ1480381 Name: ERIC Full Text Category: fullText Text: Full Text from ERIC |
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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: EJ1480381 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: On the Use of a Personal or Neutral Tone in Written Feedback – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rachel+Player%22">Rachel Player</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Learning+Development+in+Higher+Education%22"><i>Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 (36). – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Association for Learning Development in Higher Education. 33 Lower Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 9NB, UK. e-mail: admin@aldinhe.ac.uk; Web site: https://jldhe.aldinhe.ac.uk/ – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 12 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2025 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Evaluative – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Written+Language%22">Written Language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Feedback+%28Response%29%22">Feedback (Response)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Usage%22">Language Usage</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotional+Response%22">Emotional Response</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Styles%22">Language Styles</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+Effectiveness%22">Instructional Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dialogs+%28Language%29%22">Dialogs (Language)</searchLink> – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 1759-667X – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: It is well-known that the emotional response upon receiving feedback can impact how learners incorporate the comments received into their future learning. It is therefore essential that assessors consider the emotional impact of the feedback they provide. One aspect that may influence how the feedback is received is the style and tone of the feedback. This opinion piece introduces the explicit consideration of two styles of written feedback: personal ('you show') and neutral ('the student shows'). Existing literature does not directly examine which (if either) of these styles can be considered as the most effective. I revisit the literature that investigates how the tone and style of feedback relates to the key features of effective feedback. Reflecting on each of the key features, I argue that adopting a personal tone is most natural. I also offer considerations for practice, highlighting that written feedback should be constructive, fair, and understandable, and delivered in a tone that is authentic to the personalities of both the educator and learner, to foster engagement and dialogue. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2025 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1480381 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1480381 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 12 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Written Language Type: general – SubjectFull: Feedback (Response) Type: general – SubjectFull: Language Usage Type: general – SubjectFull: Emotional Response Type: general – SubjectFull: Language Styles Type: general – SubjectFull: Instructional Effectiveness Type: general – SubjectFull: Dialogs (Language) Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: On the Use of a Personal or Neutral Tone in Written Feedback Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Rachel Player IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-electronic Value: 1759-667X Numbering: – Type: issue Value: 36 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education Type: main |
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