feedback loop

Meaning

A feedback loop is a system or process where the outputs of an action are circled back and used as inputs for future actions. In academic settings, it often refers to the cycle of a student submitting work, receiving teacher critique, and using that critique to improve their next assignment. It can also describe scientific, biological, or social patterns where cause and effect reinforce each other.

Examples

• An effective feedback loop between teachers and students is essential for academic growth.

  An effective feedback loop between teachers and students is essential for academic growth.

• We need to establish a faster feedback loop so we can fix software bugs as soon as users report them.

  We need to establish a faster feedback loop so we can fix software bugs as soon as users report them.

• Climate change can trigger a dangerous feedback loop where melting ice causes the planet to absorb more heat.

  Climate change can trigger a dangerous feedback loop where melting ice causes the planet to absorb more heat.

• Without a proper feedback loop, employees won't know if they are meeting their performance goals.

  Without a proper feedback loop, employees won't know if they are meeting their performance goals.

• The peer-review process in scientific research acts as a critical feedback loop to ensure quality.

  The peer-review process in scientific research acts as a critical feedback loop to ensure quality.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We need a feedback circle to improve our work.

  ✓ We need a feedback loop to improve our work.

  Feedback loop is the standard idiomatic collocation; feedback circle is not used in this context.

• ✗ The teacher gave me a feedback loop on my essay.

  ✓ The teacher gave me feedback on my essay.

  A feedback loop is the entire iterative system of communication, not the individual piece of advice or critique.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Creating a tight ___ allows the product team to make rapid improvements based on user reviews.

  💡 A system where output is used to modify the next input.

  Show answer

  feedback loop

• The interaction between the two variables created a self-reinforcing ___.

  💡 Cyclic cause-and-effect process.

  Show answer

  feedback loop