If a student’s submission is unclear, what kind of feedback could you provide?

If a student’s submission is unclear, what kind of feedback could you provide?

• A. Can you explain what the other arguments are?
• B. I think you need an example to explain this.
• C. I got lost here; the structure of your sentence is confusing.
• D. Can you support this with a reference to a scholarly source?

Answer: (B)

Providing feedback that suggests including an example to clarify a point is effective because examples help to illustrate complex or abstract ideas, making them more understandable for the reader. By prompting the student to add an example, you encourage them to elaborate and provide context, which can enhance the clarity and depth of their argument or exposition. In academic writing, examples not only support the assertions made but also serve to reinforce the main ideas presented, guiding the reader toward a better grasp of the intended message. This type of feedback is constructive as it encourages the student to think critically about how their arguments can be made clearer through illustrative support. The other options may not be as effective in addressing clarity issues. Asking for explanations or additional arguments may leave the student uncertain about what specific part needs more detail. Indicating that you got lost due to confusing structure suggests a need for revision in the writing style itself rather than encouraging the development of ideas. Requesting a scholarly reference, while important for academic rigor, does not directly address the immediate clarity issue and could distract from refining the argument's articulation.

Providing feedback that suggests including an example to clarify a point is effective because examples help to illustrate complex or abstract ideas, making them more understandable for the reader. By prompting the student to add an example, you encourage them to elaborate and provide context, which can enhance the clarity and depth of their argument or exposition.

In academic writing, examples not only support the assertions made but also serve to reinforce the main ideas presented, guiding the reader toward a better grasp of the intended message. This type of feedback is constructive as it encourages the student to think critically about how their arguments can be made clearer through illustrative support.

The other options may not be as effective in addressing clarity issues. Asking for explanations or additional arguments may leave the student uncertain about what specific part needs more detail. Indicating that you got lost due to confusing structure suggests a need for revision in the writing style itself rather than encouraging the development of ideas. Requesting a scholarly reference, while important for academic rigor, does not directly address the immediate clarity issue and could distract from refining the argument's articulation.