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Understanding
your feedback

intro

Congratulations on completing your assignment. Your course team has provided you with personalised feedback so you can understand your strengths and which areas you need to improve and develop further.

The next step is to understand and interpret the feedback you've received. This page is designed to help you break down your feedback, clarify some frequently asked questions and offer resources and ideas to advance your work for future submissions.

If you have any queries about your feedback or are unclear about your grade, please make an appointment with your lecturer to discuss this in more detail.

Meeting the assignment brief

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Your assignment brief highlights the expectations for your assignment. While completing your assignment, it is important to make sure you are referring to your brief. This will prevent you from going off-topic and help you to meet the assignment criteria.

  • 1. You haven’t met the word count/you have gone over the word count

    Each written assignment has a specific word count to follow. If you fail to meet the word count, you may have not discussed the topic in enough detail. If you go significantly over the word count, you may have touched on topics that were unnecessary for the assignment.

    Pay attention to the word count set in your assignment brief. Some modules will ask you to stay within 10% of the word count eg a 2,000-word assignment may be between 1,800 – 2,200 words. Other modules will give you a word limit eg write no more than 2,000 words. The same will apply to timings of, for example, video submissions. Make sure you stick to the timing set out in the brief.

    Additionally, be sure to regularly monitor your word count as you are writing. Microsoft Word counts the number of words for you - find out more via the Microsoft support website. Highlight from the first word you have written to the last word. Do not include the title of your assignment or the reference list in the word count. All content in the main body of your assignment is part of the word count, including in-text citations and quotations.

  • 2. Refer back to the guidelines

    Your work may not reflect what has been asked of you within your assignment brief. This may be due to you not fully understanding the assessment criteria and learning outcomes. Take some time to break down the assignment brief before you start writing and continuously refer to it to check that you are on the right track.

  • 3. You are not writing at the right standard

    As you progress through your studies, you will need to develop your academic writing.

    If you receive this feedback, this suggests that you are not meeting the standards expected of you at your current academic level. This may pertain to the complexity of your argument, the language and vocabulary used, your use of evidence to support your argument and much more.

    Refer back to your assignment guidelines and grading rubric to better understand what is expected of you at your current academic level.

  • 4. You haven’t met your learning outcomes

    You will be assessed on your assignments in line with your learning outcomes. Before you begin writing, review your module study guide and make sure you have a good understanding of your learning outcomes and how to address them within your assignments.

  • 5. You have taken the wrong approach for the assignment

    When you do not understand the task, it is easy to go off-topic and write about something that is not relevant. Make a note of the instruction words (EAP Foundation website) within your assignment brief and ensure you are responding in line with them. For example, if you are asked to critique a theory, you should highlight the strengths and limitations of said theory. If you were to just describe what the theory was, then you have taken the wrong approach.

  • 6. You were trying to cover too much within the word count.

    The assignment brief should explain the areas that you are required to discuss for the assignment. Although it may be tempting to go beyond this, anything you include that is not necessary takes away from your ability to further develop the points that are. Pay attention to the instructions and make sure they are reflected in your work. For example, where you are asked to ‘briefly explain…’, this implies that not too much detail is required.

For further guidance on understanding the assignment brief, book an appointment with the Study Support Team.

Use of sources

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The way that you read and incorporate sources can provide depth and context to your assignments, as well as demonstrate that you are aware of and can critically analyse the work of others in your field.

  • 1. Your sources are not academic

    It’s important to read a range of sources when researching an assignment. This feedback suggests that your work could be improved by using sources aimed at an academic audience. This often means books (check the publisher and the author’s credentials) or journal articles. You can find lots of sources, including academic sources, using LibSearch. An example of a non-academic source is one aimed at a general audience eg news articles.

  • 2. You have repeated the same source multiple times

    This feedback means that you’ve over-relied on information from one source. Using a variety of sources demonstrates that you read widely and considered a range of perspectives in your argument.

  • 3. You haven’t used enough sources

    Typically, there is no minimum or maximum number of sources to use. If you receive this feedback, it may mean that your argument isn’t evidenced by enough other viewpoints or sources. Additional reading will help to identify the key areas of the topic you have been researching.

  • 4. Your similarity score is high

    Turnitin checks for similarity in your work against a lot of other content. If your similarity score is high, it could be for a positive reason such as correctly formatted entries in your reference list.

    A high similarity score can also indicate poor paraphrasing and summarising or failure to acknowledge whether information has been taken from another source. Before you submit, give yourself time to review your similarity report.

    Check what has been highlighted and flagged as a concern and make the appropriate changes before submission.

  • 5. You haven’t used relevant sources

    Finding relevant sources can be difficult and you will usually need to combine many sources to fulfil the assignment criteria. Gaining a good understanding of the subject area and key theorists, writers or organisations in this area can help to refine your search.

  • 6. Your sources are outdated

    Some sources are considered seminal to a subject area because of their influence on the field; an older source can be an excellent choice.

    If you’ve received this feedback, however, then the marker would like to see evidence of more up-to-date research. There could have been significant legal, cultural, technological or political changes that have impacted the field since the sources you used were published.

    Depending on your subject area, research published in the last 10 years may be considered recent and research published within the last five years may be considered very recent. If you use organisational reports, legal statutes or government papers, you will usually discuss the most recent version available.

  • 7. You have too many quotations

    Your lecturers want to read your perspective however if you over-rely on quotes, your voice and argument are less present in your work. Instead of quoting, you could try paraphrasing or summarising. This will allow you to show that you have read and understood other sources without detracting from your style. When paraphrasing, make sure to include an in-text citation and a corresponding entry in your reference list.

Contact your Subject Librarian for support with finding and using sources - find out more by visiting the subject guide page.

Expression of ideas

Group of students studying around a table with books and a laptop

Once you submit your work, you can no longer explain to the reader what you meant to say – you are at the mercy of the words that you have written. Therefore, it is important to communicate your ideas clearly and concisely, aiding the reader in understanding your work.

  • 1. The structure isn’t clear

    Your structure plays an important role in communicating your ideas to the reader. If you are jumping back and forth between different points, or discussing too many ideas at once, this can disrupt your structure and make it difficult for the reader to understand the point you are trying to make. Going into your writing with a clear outline of the topics you will address will help you to organise your ideas coherently.

  • 2. You have repeated your ideas

    When you are restricted to a word count, you want to ensure that you are making the most of every word available.

    Presenting the same or similar points multiple times within your writing may give the reader the impression that your argument lacks depth or that you are attempting to pad out your work to meet the word count.

    Instead, focus on developing each point fully by delving deeper into your ideas instead of repeating them and review your assignment structure, ensuring each paragraph introduces a new idea or perspective to your work.

  • 3. You need to clarify your ideas

    A lack of clarity in your work could suggest that your ideas have not been presented in a clear, precise and understandable manner. This makes it difficult for the reader to grasp your arguments, understand the significance of your points and follow your reasoning.

    Ensure that you are regularly reviewing your work as writing, checking that each point is specific and supported with concrete examples and evidence.

  • 4. Your argument needs further explanation

    This feedback may suggest that you are lacking in detail, missing critical evidence or being too brief. While your points may be valid, without sufficient explanation and development, you limit how far your work can go.

    Expand on key points by applying evidence, providing examples and addressing counterarguments. Utilise the writing critical paragraphs page to help you move beyond just making statements and into establishing a critical argument.

  • 5. You need to be more critical

    Although descriptive writing is necessary for context, for most written assignments simply stating information will not be enough to answer a question. Writing critically means that you are moving past the descriptive, fact-presenting writing and into the analytical and evaluative writing. It will require you to address not just the “what” but also the “how”, “why” and “so what”.

  • 6. Lack of proof reading

    Mistakes with grammar, spelling and punctuation can distract from what you are trying to say, or even cause a reader to misunderstand the argument that you are attempting to make. Set time aside once you have completed your work to go over your ideas and make sure there are no mistakes. Reading your work aloud can help you to correct your punctuation as you will be able to hear where natural pauses and stops should fall within your sentences. Understanding the rules of grammar (log in using your student details) will help you to develop your writing and minimise grammatical errors. 

    You can also:

For further guidance on expressing your ideas, book an appointment with the Study Support Team.

Writing style

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Academic writing calls for a specific style and as you progress within your studies, there is an expectation that your writing style will improve. Understanding the language and conventions of academic writing will help you to develop your writing.

  • 1. Your writing is too conversational, informal or colloquial

    Different from other styles of writing, academic writing tends to be more formal in tone. If your work is conversational, you are writing too casually for the requirements of the assessment. You can elevate the formality of your writing by avoiding the use of slang and contractions within your work, writing in third person and using more sophisticated and precise vocabulary.

  • 2. Work on your academic tone

    Academic tone refers to the style of writing used within your work. If you are missing an academic tone within your work, this may suggest that you need to write more formally, take a more objective standpoint and be more precise in your writing.

  • 3. Your punctuation is bad

    A very long sentence can be hard for the reader to follow and the meaning can be lost. Within academic writing, aim to focus on only one idea per sentence and consider splitting a sentence into two when it begins to run long. 

  • 4. Poor use of grammar

    Grammar errors within your writing can impact the readability of your writing. Understanding the rules of grammar (log in using your student details) will help you to develop your writing and minimise grammatical errors.

  • 5. One sentence does not constitute a paragraph

    A well-constructed paragraph will typically contain multiple sentences, working together to explore a single idea. If your paragraph is only one sentence, you have not fully developed the argument and a series of one sentence paragraphs can lead to a disjointed piece of work. Use the structure of:

    1. Point
    2. Evidence
    3. Explanation

    This will help formulate a paragraph.

  • 6. Your sentence is too long

    A very long sentence can be hard to follow and the meaning can be lost. To help the reader follow your work, try and find a place to break the sentence and divide it into two.

For further guidance on writing style, book an appointment with the Study Support Team.

Referencing

A student wearing a yellow jumper sitting at a table by a window using a laptop

To ensure academic integrity, your assignments must be referenced consistently using the correct style. Accurate referencing is important; it provides evidence for your arguments, demonstrates that you have read widely and can help to avoid plagiarism.

  • 1. Your referencing isn’t consistent/in the correct style

    For each assignment, you need to follow the referencing style you have been asked to use. This will either be Harvard Cite Them Right, OSCOLA or APA, depending on the course you are studying. When you receive this feedback, it usually means that you haven’t been consistent in your in-text citations/footnotes or in your reference list at the end. Think of referencing like a formula/recipe that you need to follow consistently.

    • For guidance on OSCOLA, have a look at the guidance on the Law subject guide
    • For guidance on Harvard Cite Them Right and APA, use the tutorials on Cite Them Right

  • 2. You haven’t used in-text citations

    In-text citations are used in the Harvard and APA styles. Every entry in your reference list should have a corresponding in-text citation. This helps to avoid plagiarism by making it clear whose ideas you’ve paraphrased and/or quoted from throughout your work.

    In-text citations vary depending on the referencing style you use. The examples below show a sample of a correctly referenced piece of writing.

Contact your Subject Librarian to make an appointment to discuss your referencing.

Find out more