This guide helps you understand, interpret, and effectively use the AI-generated feedback you receive on your assignments. Learn how to navigate feedback reports, read the bullseye indicators, identify key improvements, and plan your revisions.
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Essay 1: Personal Narrative
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Essay 1: Personal Narrative
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After submitting, check back on the assignment page later that day or the next. AI analysis takes under an hour, but your instructor reviews everything before release, which can take 24-48 hours.
Navigate to feedback:
The top of your feedback shows:
Feedback Report
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Assignment: Essay 1: Personal Narrative
Draft: 2 of 3
Submitted: October 10, 2024, 2:47 PM
Reviewed: October 11, 2024, 10:15 AM
Overall: ◎ Closing in
Progress: Draft 1 ○ → Draft 2 ◎ (dart moving toward the centre)
Quick Summary:
Your personal narrative shows significant improvement
in organization and evidence use. The thesis is now
clearer, and your examples effectively support your
main points. Focus on strengthening your conclusion
and addressing minor grammatical issues for your
final draft.
Instructor Note:
"Great progress, Sarah! Your revisions really
strengthened the essay's impact. Let's discuss
your conclusion strategy during office hours."
Detailed feedback by category:
Rubric Evaluation
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Thesis Statement
◎ Closing in (was ○ On the board in Draft 1)
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Your thesis "Social media has fundamentally altered
how my generation forms and maintains friendships"
is clear and arguable. It effectively previews your
main points about online vs. offline relationships.
Strengths:
- Clear, specific claim
- Arguable position
- Sets up essay structure
To Improve:
- Consider adding why this matters to make the
thesis more compelling
Suggestion:
Add a "so what" element: "...friendships, creating
both new opportunities for connection and unexpected
challenges for authentic relationships."
Each rubric category includes:
Bullseye Indicator - Where your dart landed for this category - The level word (e.g. "Closing in") - How it compares to your previous draft
Specific Feedback - What you did well (Strengths) - What needs work (To Improve) - Concrete examples from your text
Improvement Suggestions - Actionable next steps - Examples of fixes - Resources to consult
Example continued:
Evidence & Support
◎ Closing in (was ◌ Finding the range in Draft 1)
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Your use of personal anecdotes and research has
improved significantly. The example about your
online gaming friendship (paragraph 3) effectively
illustrates your point about digital connections.
Strengths:
- Mix of personal and researched evidence
- Specific, detailed examples
- Evidence clearly supports claims
To Improve:
- Second body paragraph needs stronger example
- One source needs proper citation
Suggestions:
1. Add specific dialogue or scene to paragraph 2
2. Fix citation for Smith (2023) - missing page number
3. Consider adding one more scholarly source
Every category — and your work overall — is shown as a dartboard. The closer the dart lands to the centre, the stronger the work. Five levels describe where you are:
Bullseye Levels:
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◉ On the bullseye Exceptional — minor refinements only
◎ Closing in Strong — some areas to improve
○ On the board Satisfactory — meaningful revision needed
◌ Finding the range Below expectations — major revision required
· Take another aim Doesn't meet requirements yet — see instructor
If your instructor has enabled numeric scores for an assignment, you'll see numbers out of 100 alongside the bullseye. Most assignments use the bullseye view only.
Your overall indicator reflects all rubric categories together, with the categories your instructor weighted most heavily counting for more. A strong thesis can pull your overall dart toward the centre even while your conclusion still needs work — the category breakdown shows you exactly where to aim next.
Track your improvement as a row of dartboards — one per draft, dart moving toward the centre as your work improves:
Draft Comparison:
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Draft 1 Draft 2
Overall: ○ On the board → ◎ Closing in
Thesis: ○ On the board → ◎ Closing in
Evidence: ◌ Finding range → ◎ Closing in
Org: ○ On the board → ◎ Closing in
Style: ○ On the board → ○ On the board
Grammar: ○ On the board → ○ On the board
Biggest step forward: Evidence
Focus next: Style & Grammar
Feedback highlights what you're doing well:
Key Strengths Identified:
1. Organization
"Your essay follows a clear chronological structure
that effectively guides readers through your
experience with online friendships."
2. Voice and Style
"Your personal voice comes through authentically,
making the narrative engaging and relatable."
3. Introduction
"The opening anecdote immediately draws readers
in and sets up your thesis naturally."
Areas for improvement with specific guidance:
To Improve:
1. Conclusion (Moderate Priority)
Current: "Your conclusion restates the thesis but
doesn't synthesize your insights or look forward."
Suggestion: "Try ending with reflection on how
understanding these changes helps you navigate
both online and offline relationships. What have
you learned? How will you apply it?"
Example: "Understanding how social media has
changed friendship hasn't made me delete my
accounts—it's helped me use them more intentionally,
balancing digital connection with face-to-face
moments that technology can't replace."
Feedback references your actual text:
Specific Text References:
Paragraph 3, Lines 4-6:
Your text: "Me and my friend Jake met in a game
and we talk every day even though we never met
in real life."
Feedback: "This example effectively illustrates
your point about online friendships. Consider
revising for grammar: 'Jake and I met in a game.
We talk every day, even though we've never met
in person.'"
Why this change?
- Correct pronoun case (Jake and I)
- Fix run-on sentence
- More formal tone ('in person' vs 'in real life')
Addresses your ideas and arguments:
Arguability and significance
Evidence Quality
Integration effectiveness
Analysis Depth
Focuses on organization:
Transitions between ideas
Paragraph Development
Concluding sentences
Introduction/Conclusion
Addresses writing style:
Engaging for readers
Sentence Variety
Rhythm and flow
Word Choice
Technical writing issues:
Agreement issues
Punctuation
Other punctuation
Citations
Turn feedback into concrete steps:
Revision Action Plan
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Priority 1: High-Impact Changes (Do First)
□ Rewrite conclusion with synthesis
□ Add page number to Smith citation
□ Fix comma splices in paragraphs 3 & 5
Priority 2: Medium-Impact Changes
□ Strengthen example in paragraph 2
□ Add transition before paragraph 4
□ Vary sentence beginnings
Priority 3: Polish (If Time)
□ Replace repeated words
□ Check all punctuation
□ Read aloud for flow
Time Estimate: 3-4 hours total
Systematic approach to revision:
Global Revisions First - Structure changes - Argument strengthening - Evidence additions
Paragraph-Level Next - Topic sentences - Transitions - Support details
Sentence-Level Last - Grammar fixes - Word choice - Punctuation
Document your revisions:
Revision Log
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✓ Conclusion rewritten - added synthesis
✓ Smith citation - added page 45
✓ Paragraph 3 comma splice - fixed
✓ Paragraph 5 comma splice - fixed
✓ New example in paragraph 2 - personal story
⚡ Transition added before paragraph 4
⚡ Working on sentence variety
○ Final proofreading pending
Your feedback may come from multiple AI models:
AI Analysis Sources:
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This feedback synthesizes insights from:
• GPT-4 (3 evaluations)
• Claude-3 (3 evaluations)
• Combined into a single agreed assessment
Why multiple models?
- Diverse perspectives
- Increased accuracy
- Balanced evaluation
- Reduced bias
Remember that AI feedback:
Your instructor reviews all AI feedback before release, adding personal insights and ensuring appropriateness.
Helpful materials provided:
Recommended Resources:
For Conclusion Writing:
- [Writing Center: Effective Conclusions]
- [Video: Synthesis Strategies]
- Sample conclusions handout
For Grammar:
- [Comma Splice Exercise]
- [Grammar checking tool]
- Office hours Tuesday 2-4 PM
For Citations:
- [MLA Citation Guide]
- [Citation generator]
- Library research help
Visual improvement tracking — a dartboard per draft, dart moving toward the centre:
Your Progress Across Drafts:
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Draft 1 Draft 2 Draft 3
○ ◎ (next)
On the board Closing in
Overall trend: improving
Keep this up and Draft 3 could land on the bullseye.
Common feedback on initial submissions:
Thesis Too Broad - "Narrow your focus" - "Be more specific" - "Make it arguable"
Insufficient Evidence - "Add more examples" - "Include research" - "Develop details"
Organizational Issues - "Clarify structure" - "Add transitions" - "Reorder paragraphs"
Typical draft-to-draft progressions:
Common Patterns:
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Big Jump (◌ Finding the range → ◎ Closing in):
- Major structural changes
- Significant new content
- Addressed core issues
Steady Climb (○ On the board → ◎ Closing in → ◉ On the bullseye):
- Consistent improvements
- Building on strengths
- Incremental refinement
Plateau Pattern (○ On the board → ○ On the board):
- Minor changes only
- Missing key feedback
- Need bigger revisions
Right after reading feedback:
Process Emotionally - Take a breath - Focus on growth - Remember it's about improvement
Read Thoroughly - Don't skim - Note patterns - Identify priorities
Ask Questions - Unclear feedback? - Need clarification? - Want strategies?
Strategic revision planning:
Next Draft Checklist:
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□ Schedule revision time (3-4 hours)
□ Gather resources mentioned
□ List specific changes to make
□ Set milestone checkpoints
□ Plan to submit 24+ hours early
□ Book writing center appointment
□ Prepare questions for instructor
When you need support:
Instructor Office Hours - Bring specific questions - Show your action plan - Discuss strategies
Writing Center - Work through revisions - Practice skills - Get second opinion
Peer Review - Exchange with classmates - Fresh perspectives - Practice giving feedback
Q: Why did my dart land further out than on Draft 1? A: Sometimes addressing major issues reveals smaller problems. This is normal and shows deeper engagement.
Q: Can I discuss feedback with my instructor? A: Absolutely! Instructors encourage questions about feedback during office hours.
Q: What if I disagree with the feedback? A: Discuss with your instructor. AI isn't perfect, and your creative choices matter.
Q: Should I address every single comment? A: Focus on high-impact changes first. Perfect isn't the goal—improvement is.
Q: Will I ever see numbers instead of the dartboard? A: Only if your instructor has enabled numeric scores for that assignment — then you'll see numbers out of 100 alongside the bullseye view.
✅ Read all feedback before starting revision ✅ Prioritize high-impact changes ✅ Use provided resources ✅ Track what you change ✅ Submit next draft promptly ✅ Ask for clarification if needed
❌ Take feedback personally ❌ Make only surface changes ❌ Ignore positive comments ❌ Rush through revisions ❌ Skip instructor notes ❌ Give up when a draft lands wide of the mark
Print your feedback report and annotate it with your revision plans. This helps you stay organized and track completion.
Remember: Feedback is meant to help you grow as a writer. Every professional writer receives and uses feedback—it's a normal part of the writing process!