Online Supported Peer Feedback Tool for Argumentative Essay Writing: Does Course Domain Knowledge Matter?

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that peer feedback is an effective instructional strategy to improve students’ argumentative essay writing. However, it is not known to what extent a peer feedback strategy for argumentative essay writing can be generally used in different course domains. This study aims to apply an online supported peer feedback tool in different course domains to see whether the peer feedback tool can be used in different domains or not. For this reason, 330 students from five different courses were asked to write an argumentative essay on different topics, then they were requested to give feedback on two peers’ essays by using our online supported peer feedback tool, and finally submit their revised essay in the platform. The analysis of data showed that regardless of students’ course domains, the online supported peer feedback tool was effective in improving students’ argumentative essay performance pre-test (original essay) to post-test (revised essay).