Feedback eats grades for breakfast

Anyone’s journey is slightly different. Some catch a ride here or there, others walk every step on their own. Some take a long time and great care to develop something that they can stand behind, and some simply follow others’ advice. Whoever is going to critique your travel report in the end will only have that much insight into what you experienced and how much you grew. They will factor in their professional and sometimes even deeply personal opinions—if their schedules even allow them to involve themselves that deeply. Even though it seems a bit egotistical, the only person who can evaluate how well you have done will be yourself.

Consequently, take the evaluation of your thesis as one opinion on your work, but not as the only meaningful opinion. You will very likely develop more use out of reviewing any evaluative text that you might get or can request alongside your grade. This will contain why your examiner evaluated as she or he did, and it should explain how—in their eyes—your performance could have been better or worse. If you are interested in experiencing your evaluation not only as a pat on the back (or a knock to the head) but as an opportunity to become better, reviewing the expertise on your performance will become key.

Research, to a degree, means enduring evaluation by others. Grades are just the most condensed form of feedback, and they are rarely particularly informative. Look beyond the grade, for actual feedback that helps you to identify what you could have done better.

(This is a preview section. The full chapter on this topic continues with the sections “Rough coordinates”, “Train of thought”, “In essence”, “To reflect”, “Two travellers’ tales”, “Devil’s advocate”, and “How to tackle”.)