Composing in Relation: Rethinking Multimodal Feedback as Rhetorical Design

Authors

• Angela Laflen, California State University, SacramentoFollow

Keywords

multimodal feedback, rhetorical design, social semiotics, first-year writing (FYC), relational pedagogy

Abstract

This qualitative study investigates how writing instructors compose feedback in multimodal digital environments, focusing on the rhetorical and relational dimensions of their design choices. Drawing on social semiotics and multimodal composition theory, the study analyzes feedback artifacts, instructor interviews, and student surveys from six first-year writing courses. Findings reveal that instructors engage in complex feedback design work across communication modes, often without formal training or shared frameworks. Instructors tended to default to text-based habits shaped by genre memory but adapted their strategies in response to communicative breakdowns and student needs. The study identifies three core themes: reliance on print-era conventions, rhetorical problem-solving through modal layering, and ambiguity in feedback interpretation. Despite these challenges, instructors demonstrated creativity and care in their attempts to communicate clearly and relationally. The article calls for a rhetorical framework to support multimodal feedback design, emphasizing the need for pedagogical reflection, professional development, and student co-interpretation. As genAI and platform automation continue to evolve, the findings underscore the importance of feedback as a site of human judgment and presence. The article concludes with recommendations for instructors, writing programs, and institutions to better support feedback as intentional, relational work.

Recommended Citation

Laflen, Angela (2026) "Composing in Relation: Rethinking Multimodal Feedback as Rhetorical Design," Journal of Response to Writing: Vol. 12: Iss. 1, Article 4.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/journalrw/vol12/iss1/4