This page will help you navigate through common feedback comments to enhance your skills in constructing robust arguments, conducting in-depth analysis, and applying critical thinking.
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“Your arguments are too general; provide specific examples and detailed evidence to support your points.”
“This essay lacks depth in certain key areas.”
“Your discussion skims the surface of the topic; explore the underlying issues in greater detail.”
Feedback comments like this indicates that while you understand the subject matter,your work lacks the necessary detail and depth expected at the university level.
In your university assignments, you need to go beyond a surface-level discussion to delve into the complexities and subtleties of the subject often discussed in the literature (previous writings by other authors). This means showing you are aware of what has been written about the subject by including detailed evidence for your points and including critical analysis of specific examples.
“You need to demonstrate a better understanding of the core concepts.”
“Clarify your understanding of [concept] at the beginning.”
These comments suggest that you have not accurately understood or correctly defined key concepts and terms for your reader at the beginning of your writing.
You must revisit and accurately understand your discussion's fundamental concepts and terminology.
“You keep going off-topic.”
“Focus more closely on the question.”
“Several sections are irrelevant to the main thesis or question.”
You need to maintain a clearer focus on the primary subject or question of the work, ensuring all content is relevant and contributes directly to the main argument or discussion.
This feedback may be because you include irrelevant information, or far too much information ie. storytelling, or need a tighter structure.
“You are not being critical enough.”
“This needs more analysis.”
“The style is often somewhat descriptive, and you could have added a more critical discussion of the findings.”
“Push this point further.”
Comments like this suggest that your writing focuses on the more descriptive processes - remembering, understanding, and applying. To access higher marks, you must also demonstrate more critical skills - analysis, evaluation, and making judgements. This is considering what the information means in terms of your argument.
“You keep going off-topic.”
“Several sections are irrelevant to the main thesis or question.”
“Focus more closely on the question.”
You need to maintain a clearer focus on the primary subject or question of the work, ensuring all content is relevant and contributes directly to the main argument or discussion.
This feedback may be because you include irrelevant information, or far too much information ie. storytelling, or need a tighter structure.
“Your essay does not address the specific question asked.”
“There is a lack of direct engagement with the key issue or question.”
“This work fails to answer the central question outlined in the assignment.”
Whether you have written your own question, or been assigned an essay question or title, you must answer it! You must ensure that your writing is relevant and focused on the question.