Which of these strategies can help you receive feedback on a draft you wrote?

Question

Explain each of the choices you made when writing the draft.

Think of your draft as a part of you that you must protect and defend.

Remind yourself that your peers are responding to the draft, not to you.

Only listen to the comments that point to the strengths in your draft.

Answer 1

When seeking feedback on a draft you wrote, it’s important to adopt strategies that foster constructive criticism while also allowing you to improve your work. Here’s an explanation of each of the strategies you mentioned:

1. Explain each of the choices you made when writing the draft.

   • This strategy is helpful because it allows you to provide context for your writing. By explaining your choices, you can guide your reviewers to understand your intentions, which may help them give you more informed feedback. It also demonstrates your thought process and can lead to more meaningful discussions about your work.

2. Think of your draft as a part of you that you must protect and defend.

   • While it’s natural to feel a personal connection to your work, this mindset can hinder the feedback process. If you view your draft as something you must defend, you may become defensive about criticism. Instead, it is often more beneficial to separate yourself from your work and view feedback as an opportunity for growth rather than a personal attack.

3. Remind yourself that your peers are responding to the draft, not to you.

   • This is a constructive strategy. It helps you detach your self-worth from your work, allowing you to receive feedback more openly. Understanding that critiques are about the draft and not your personal abilities can reduce defensiveness and encourage you to approach feedback with an open mind, better facilitating the improvement of your writing.

4. Only listen to the comments that point to the strengths in your draft.

   • This approach can limit your growth as a writer. While it’s important to acknowledge strengths, focusing exclusively on positive feedback can lead to a lack of awareness about potential weaknesses or areas for improvement in your draft. A balanced perspective that considers both strengths and areas for development will lead to a more effective revision process.

In summary, the most effective strategies for receiving feedback involve providing context for your work, detaching your self-esteem from your writing, and being open to both strengths and weaknesses highlighted in the feedback.