How to respond to criticism in British universities

In British universities, receiving critical feedback isn’t a sign of failure, it’s a key part of learning. Understanding how to respond can boost both your grades and confidence. Let’s take a look at how to do that.

1)   Advice Exists on A Spectrum

The first thing to say is, of course, that different markers have diverse marking styles. UK academia is a very multicultural space, so you may have markers from across the world who – while adapting to British standards – will still hold onto certain cultural forms of expression and judgement. Some markers will focus on praising you, while others might be more critical.

2)   Take Wisdom in Harsh Feedback

Some markers will be quite harsh, maybe even actually unfair if they misunderstand a point you are trying to make. The most important thing, however, is to try to read it more than once so that you can get over any personal hurt experienced by harsh feedback. If a marker has some harsh feedback, try to take what they say that is right for your next assignment. And if they were unfair to you, try to think how you can improve your communication style or argumentation so they can’t misunderstand you again!

3)   Reflect before Next Assignment

You might find it useful to make a list or make revisions to your previous essay when thinking about how to incorporate valuable feedback. Find your own way to systematise previous feedback so you can easily build on it for your new course assignment.