The effect of assessment of peer feedback on the quantity and quality of feedback given

Abstract

There has been a great deal of debate about the value of peer feedback in L2 writing classes. Different aspects of the way peer feedback is implemented have been found to contribute to its effectiveness. The purpose of the current study is to ascertain whether the assessment of feedback given by peers increases the quantity or quality of feedback given. The study investigated two intact classes at a Japanese university. Both groups used peer feedback on every preliminary draft for an entire year. One was assessed only on the final draft of each essay and the other on the feedback they gave to their peers in addition to the final drafts. The feedback given by students was analysed and compared between the two groups. It was found that the feedback-assessed group covered more points, wrote more comments, longer comments, more words overall, made more marks on partners’ drafts, and made more specific comments than the product-assessed group. However, no significant difference was found between the accuracy of feedback in the two groups. The results suggest that if instructors want peer readers to give more feedback and to give more specific feedback, the feedback given by students should be assessed.