In conclusion, feedback has various definitions in the view of scholars. They give its concepts in different ways. From a wider standpoint, since the process writing theory has been introduced into English writing teaching in the 1960s and 1970s, feedback has become a significant component in the field. Feedback can give information to both teachers and students in the process of learning. For teachers, feedback can provide them with the information about inpidual students. Thus, teachers can observe students’ different responses and adjust their methods to meeting students’ needs. In terms of students, feedback can better provide language input for them, and it can give students meaningful and particular language input.

2.2 Feedback Classifications

It is the most common approach to research feedback sources in English writing. From the perspective of feedback sources, it can be classified into peer feedback and teacher feedback. It is one of the most important methods to explore the sources of feedback for examining the role of feedback 源Z自+吹冰=文-论(文+网[www.chuibin.com in English writing classes. We can deeply discuss the application of feedback on writing through its source.

2.2.1 Peer Feedback

    For peer feedback, there are lots of studies home and abroad. Some foreign scholars make the definition of peer feedback ---a cooperative learning activity which students can read, evaluate and give feedback opinions. A research proves that students can learn a lot from others’ strong points and make up for their own weak points through participating in the process of feedback. They can improve their language expression ability and writing skills. Peer feedback is the process of having students work in pairs and small groups to provide feedback on another writing. Peer feedback can cultivate student’s enthusiasm towards English writing. Peer feedback is a kind of interaction and communication of information among students. Peer feedback is an activity in the process of writing revision. It is also called peer response, peer evaluation, peer review and group work. Peer feedback is that students replace the role of teachers to revise classmates’ compositions both in written and oral ways. Students are the source of information exchange with each other.

    Peer feedback has lots of advantages. Firstly, Students can join the writing revision with different identifications, such as learners, readers, judges, which can arouse reader’s consciousness to make students energetically throw themselves into evaluation , change their learning attitude and inspire their motivation. Secondly, peer feedback takes students as the center rather than teachers, which can reduce student’s dependence on teachers. It can also foster and develop student’s learning ability on cooperation and independence. Thirdly, comparing with teacher’s formal and strict language, students tend to use informal words to make it easier to accept. Then the pressure and anxiety of students can be reduced so that students can write peacefully and comfortably. So students prefer to accept this form of feedback. In addition, peer feedback also has some disadvantages. Firstly, peer feedback, whatever written feedback or oral feedback, it is a time-consuming and labor-intensive activity. Limited teaching time and class hour arrangement could influence the progress of the class. Secondly, in order to keep better relationship with classmates, students are not willing to give their direct opinions or rather prefer an ambiguous, empty, and subjective evaluation. All of these could affect the development of peer feedback on the teaching of English writing. Finally, for the reasons of different linguistic level, writing skills and experience, students take a skeptical, distrust view of peers. Therefore, teachers should be more cautious when they adopt this method.

On the whole, it is a must to establish a good partnership between students. Teachers should give impetus to motivate student’s enthusiasm and initiative. Then students will make much more progress.