Relations among Peer Feedback, Writing Performance and Writing Improvement: Evidence from a Writing Class in China

Abstract

The present study attempted to investigate peer feedback types and its relations to student writing performance and writing improvement in a tertiary writing class in China. By carefully designed three-step writing tasks and employing a mixed research method, the study first categorized peer feedback into four types regarding its helpfulness; next, a strong correlation was obtained by a regression model which showed student writing performance had been a significant predictor of peer feedback helpfulness. However, there was no significant correlation between student writing improvement and the feedback they received. Student attitudes towards peer feedback were then examined to formulate ideas on what contributed most to writing improvement. It seemed a more critical view towards peer feedback worked better than a whole-accept or non-accept view.