How Do I Give Feedback that Improves Student Writing?
Trying to teach students to improve their writing can be like trying to teach cats to fetch:
- Demonstrate all you want
- Encourage all you want
- Implore all you want;
- You’re apt to be met with nothing but blinks.
- You’ll never change cats … but you can change students.
In this Magna 20 Minute Mentor presentation, Maryellen Weimer, Ph.D., consultant, editor of The Teaching Professor and professor emerita at Penn State-Berks, shares with you her seven novel feedback techniques that will motivate your students and drive real improvement in their writing.
Professional Development Outcomes:
- Learn how you gain student “buy-in” to the feedback process
- How you can separate feedback from grading for better results
- How to use benchmarking and “gateway” techniques to streamline the feedback process
- How you can make feedback more “actionable” for students
In just a few short minutes, you’ll gain valuable insights into strengthening and improving your pedagogy.

Meet Your Mentor:
![]() | Maryellen Weimer, Ph.D. |
- PDF Transcript
- Supplemental Materials
- PowerPoint Handouts
Make this program available for ongoing training
Order the Campus Access License and load the CD content onto your institution’s internal web site for unlimited, convenient, on-demand access for all members of your campus community.





