THE ROLE OF PEER FEEDBACK IN DEVELOPING UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ WRITING SKILLS

Abstract

University students’ writing development involves more than grammatical accuracy: it requires the ability to organize ideas, construct arguments, integrate evidence, use sources responsibly, revise drafts, and communicate for an academic audience. This article examines the role of peer feedback as a formative learning process that connects these dimensions of writing. Evidence is drawn from major research syntheses, including a meta-analysis of 24 quantitative higher-education studies, a meta-analysis of 26 empirical studies on second-language writing, and a 2024 systematic review of 60 studies on peer feedback in academic writing. The discussion focuses on mechanisms through which peer feedback may support writing, including comparative reading, external perspective, revision, reflection, and academic dialogue. A practical implementation model is proposed in which students move through the sequence of task preparation, criterion clarification, peer review, revision, and reflection. The article also provides implementation tables, a process diagram, an evidence graph, and a sample rubric. The article distinguishes published research findings from illustrative methodological models; illustrative figures are not presented as results of a new institutional experiment.