When giving written comments to student papers, it’s super helpful to follow a safe, effective, encouraging, and respectful workflow.

Critique is something we rarely received, so we have to be careful to frame it with care so that it doesn’t sting. They will remember these words forever, whether you like it or not.

The best way to do this is to ensure a tone of constructive criticism and making it a roadmap for growth.

Salutation. Use just the student’s first name (e.g. Alex, or Hello Alex,). Avoid the overly intimate or archaic ring of “Dear.” Sure this is minimalist, but it’s strikes a balance between distance and professional approachability.

Positive First Paragraph. Open immediately with a specific compliment about what worked well in their writing. This lowers their defensive guard and grounds the critique in their actual strengths. Revising and grading is not always negative; we need to make sure to look at and praise strengths. Without that, it’s toxic.

Constructive Criticism. For the remaining paragraphs, deliver your feedback clearly and objectively. Always tie things back to the rubric. Focus on the writing choices and revision steps, never on their character or intelligence. When assigning a grade, don’t say “I am giving you a (Letter Grade).” Say, “Based on Rubric, this essay earns a (Letter Grade).” You don’t *give* grades, students *earn* them, true, but it might be the least stinging to third-person and objectify the paper and the rubric: this paper earns this grade based on the Rubric. 

Sign-off. Conclude with an infallible Best regards or Best wishes, followed by your name (Prof. Kazan). No need to put your full name; just Professor Last Name.