Which of the following would be the most effective feedback to give in a peer review?
“I didn’t understand what you were trying to say.”
“The beginning of your paper is boring, so I didn’t finish reading it because I thought it was stupid.”
“The topic of your paper is clear and interesting in the beginning, but you might need to add more details to give your topic more clarity.”
“I liked your paper. It was fun to read.”
The most effective feedback to give in a peer review would be: "The topic of your paper is clear and interesting in the beginning, but you might need to add more details to give your topic more clarity." This feedback is specific, constructive, and offers a suggestion for improvement.
The most effective feedback to give in a peer review is the third option: "The topic of your paper is clear and interesting in the beginning, but you might need to add more details to give your topic more clarity."
This feedback is specific, constructive, and focuses on a particular aspect of the paper. It acknowledges the strength of the paper's topic while also offering possible improvements that can enhance the clarity.
When providing feedback in a peer review, it's important to focus on constructive criticism that can help the author improve their work. Among the options you provided, the most effective feedback would be: "The topic of your paper is clear and interesting in the beginning, but you might need to add more details to give your topic more clarity." Here's why:
1. “I didn’t understand what you were trying to say.” This feedback is not particularly helpful because it does not provide specific reasons or suggestions for improvement. It only highlights the reviewer's lack of understanding, which does little to guide the author towards improvement.
2. “The beginning of your paper is boring, so I didn’t finish reading it because I thought it was stupid.” This feedback is not constructive and can be discouraging to the author. It is important to provide specific feedback on areas that could be improved instead of dismissing the paper altogether.
3. “The topic of your paper is clear and interesting in the beginning, but you might need to add more details to give your topic more clarity.” This feedback is the most effective choice. It acknowledges a positive aspect of the paper (the clear and interesting topic) while also providing a specific area for improvement (adding more details). It guides the author towards making their topic more understandable without being overly negative.
4. “I liked your paper. It was fun to read.” While positive feedback can be encouraging, it is important to provide more substance in a peer review. This feedback does not offer any specific details or areas of improvement, which can limit the author's understanding of how to enhance their work.
Remember, effective feedback should be specific, constructive, and provide suggestions for improvement.