You just took a test that marks the end of your semester, and you are eager to learn more. You want to get feedback on your work, but it is not going as smoothly as you would like. With these few simple steps, you can ensure that this doesn't happen again:
1. Set expectations clearly with the professor in private or over email before the deadline. They should provide what they need and how long it should take for each assignment. If they don’t answer your emails or messages, try roundabout methods such as calling their office number or leaving a voicemail. If they still do not respond after multiple attempts then move on to step 3!
2. If the professor does not have clear expectations and you put in a lot of effort for their feedback, only to realize that you are getting nowhere. The first thing to try is to remind the professor that you are still waiting for feedback. Otherwise, it can be assumed that they either don’t care about your success or forgot about your homework. If this fails, then it would be wise to drop the course if there is no hope left.
3. If you are unable to contact the professor, then search for another professor. This is especially important if you get a late draft of your assignment in the mail. If you don’t have time to give feedback, then the professor can use that to blame the course's administration for not providing enough time or resources.
4. Finish your work and give it back to the professor before their deadline. This is important because giving it back early will show them they have time to provide feedback and thus encourage them to give feedback earlier than expected.
5. If you still fail to receive feedback, then be understanding by giving the professor extra time. Asking for updates on your paper is crucial, because most professors will wait until the last minute to get something done and then blame it on the last-minute work. Actually giving it back before the deadline is usually enough incentive to encourage the professor to give feedback earlier than expected.
6. If they still don’t respond, then provide a final review of your work by yourself and learn from it for next time.