Formative assessments are crucial for success at LSE, regardless of how irksome they may be. This is so you can better comprehend the grading criteria for your summative assessment and have an opportunity to address the feedback you have received. Even so, sometimes, getting criticism can make you feel disheartened, but you should instead view this as a learning opportunity. To help you a little, I’ve provided some helpful hints on how to get the most out of your LSE formative coursework so you can get the grade you want.

1. Do not rush

Don’t simply complete your formative assessments out of obligation. If you feel like everything is a little too much and you need an extension, get in touch with your programme support office. Nevertheless, make an effort to finish the formative assessment when you have the chance because it does teach about time management and juggling numerous tasks – which is so beneficial in the real world.

2. Set time aside to review

Don’t just skim through your email to read the comments and then delete them. Instead, spend some time understanding everything the marker has said in your feedback and annotate your formative so that everything is there when it comes time to revise for the summative. Additionally, you can expect a similar grade in your summative if you don’t consider the feedback because your summative questions are typically very similar to your formative. Want advice on how to ace both your formative and summative assessments? Read Sara’s blog for her top tips.

3. Book office hours

You can schedule a time on the School’s app, Student Hub, to speak with any academic staff member to talk about anything academic, general reading you’ve done, or even just to chat. I must emphasise how beneficial these feedback sessions will be for your formative coursework. Even if you received an excellent grade, you should still seek additional feedback since there is always the potential for improvement. Additionally, if your teacher has written something in the feedback you didn’t quite understand, now is your chance to clarify it!

4. Voice-record your feedback sessions

I only started doing this in my second year with the permission of my professors, but I really wish I had done it from the beginning. Voice recording allows you to replay the conversation and contrast it with the previous session when receiving feedback from formatives during office hours. And if the same issues continue to arise, you’ll know exactly what to do in your final exam to perform even better!

5. Peer review your feedback

Peer reviewing your essays can be constructive, even though some of your peers may not feel comfortable sharing their comments or grades. In fact, in most cases, when it comes to marking, our peers are even harsher than our professors! This can also assist you in identifying any elements that were lacking during your own formative.

 6. Pros and cons list

After reading the feedback and completing the above steps, make a pros and cons list that includes all the aspects of your formative assessment that went well. Then, list all the areas where you could improve on the opposite side. Afterwards, you can use these guidelines to assist you when the subsequent formative or summative assessment is due—they always come by quickly!

However, the only way to improve is to be receptive to criticism. These pointers, I hope, will guide you the next time you receive feedback from a formative assessment and will help you get the highest results you can on your exams. For even more tips on making the most of formative feedback, read student Hanseul’s blog.