Giving, Receiving and Using Feedback

30 October 2015

M. Christian Wymann

Dr Christian Wymann

During the writing process, researchers rely on feedback to improve their texts. Feedback from their fellow researchers plays a crucial role: in order to get what they need from their peers, doctoral candidates need to learn the rules of productive feedback. In so doing, they also learn how to provide constructive criticism to others. As a result, the writers return to their work with renewed motivation and clear ideas for how to continue with their writing.

In this workshop the doctoral candidates will reflect on feedback in its different forms. They will practice how to ask for, give, receive, and use feedback among their peers, in order to strengthen one of their crucial competences.
The participants will discuss their experiences with feedback in different contexts and learn about different feedback strategies. In the main part of the workshop, participants will practice peer feedback on their own texts.

Learning outcomes

• The participants will be able to reflect on feedback in different contexts.
• They will know how to ask for, give, receive and use peer feedback.
• They will know about the rules of motivating feedback and possible problems.

Method and Preparation

The workshop is based on discussions and feedback exercises. Participants may bring their laptops.
All participants must bring sample texts from their dissertations, articles or other academic texts (1 page per text sample).

Intended Audience

The workshop is suitable for doctoral candidates of all levels and disciplines. An interdisciplinary group of participants has the advantage that it focuses more on the feedback process than on research topics, theories, or methods.

Université de Fribourg

Date: Friday, 30 October 2015

Schedule: 9:00 to 17:00

Location: University of Fribourg (Miséricorde)

Trainer: Dr Christian Wymann is an independent writing consultant (www.myw.schreibcoach.ch). He studied Social Anthropology at the University of Bern and did his PhD in Sociology at Copenhagen Business School (Denmark). He completed a Certificate of Advanced Studies course on writing coaching at the ZHAW, and published a book on time management for academic writers ("Der Schreibzeitplan: Zeitmanagement für Schreibende" Barbara Budrich Publishers/UTB, 2015). Dr Wymann also writes a blog on academic writing (http://mindyourwriting.wordpress.com/).

Participants are eligible for reimbursement of incurred travel expenses by train between the town of their university and the location of the workshop (half-fare card, 2nd class). For full-day workshops, lunch costs will be reimbursed upon presentation of original receipts (no photocopies or scans). A reimbursement form will be supplied to all registered participants for this workshop.

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