Feedback is information you receive about how well you're doing something, helping you understand what's working and what needs improvement. When a teacher returns your essay with comments in the margins, that's feedback. When your soccer coach tells you to keep your head up while dribbling, that's feedback too.

Good feedback is specific and useful. Instead of just saying “nice job” or “that's wrong,” helpful feedback explains why something works or doesn't work. If you're learning piano and your instructor says “your left hand is too loud in that measure,” you know exactly what to adjust. If she just says “that sounded off,” you're left guessing.

Feedback works both ways. You might give your friend feedback on her science project presentation, or your parents might ask for your feedback on dinner. Scientists and engineers rely on feedback constantly: they test their designs, observe what happens, and use that information to make improvements.

Learning to accept feedback gracefully, without getting defensive, can help you improve. When someone offers you thoughtful feedback, they're giving you information you can use to see your work through someone else's eyes, and to decide what to do next.