GIVING CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK

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GIVING CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK

• Keeping the authors on board
• Michelle Proctor

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Constructive Feedback

• Tips on feedback
• Tools for commenting/giving feedback
• Checklists

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Before giving feedback ask

• What stage is the work at? (1st draft,
  pre-submission)
• What am I expected to review? (grammar / style /
  content / methods)
• Who else is reviewing / has reviewed it?

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Constructive feedback

• Is specific
• Criticizes the work NOT the person
• Avoids mixed messages
• Is expressed in the positive (where possible)
• Suggests actions / remedies

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Is specific

• Too wordy
• Hard to read
• Confusing!

• Use shorter sentences
• Use less technical language
• Use shorter words
• Avoid wordy phrases (eg prior to, with respect to)

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Criticises the work not the person

• Your ordering is illogical.
• Your English is terrible!

• The Cochrane Handbook suggests that you put the
  methods section before the results.
• The language could benefit from checking by a
  native English speaker, the editorial base may be
  able to help with this.

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Avoids mixed messages

• Avoid yes, but messages.
• Includes however and although
• You have worked hard on this review, but. . . .
  

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Expressed in the positive

• Your sentences are far too long.
• Your thinking is muddled.

• Shorter sentences may make it easier to read.
• The paragraphs in this section are very detailed
  and informative. They may be easier for readers
  to understand if you separated them into the
  benefits and problems with the treatment.

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Suggest actions

• I would have liked to have read about.in your
  discussion.notThe discussion missed important
  details
• "I don't understand the organization of this
  section. Are you trying to do . here? If so it
  may be useful to ."not "This section is really
  poorly organized."

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Dealing with disagreements

• Turf wars
• Internal
• Reviewer/reviewer
• Reviewers/editors
• Reviewers/editors/referees
• Role of publications ombudsperson

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Tools of editing

• Red pen, fax and post?
• Electronic methods free form, checklists, track
  changes in Word edit
• Latter can be useful if multiple edits are
  required
• Example Renal Group simple checklist for
  referees, technical editor fills out checklist
  plus provides a Word version of the review with
  Track changes

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Checklists