Which statement best describes the relationship between feedback and goals?

• A. Feedback is linked to a specific skill that leads to a performance goal.
• B. Feedback has no relation to goals.
• C. Feedback only concerns attendance.
• D. Feedback replaces practice.

Answer: (A)

Feedback works best when it targets a specific skill and connects directly to a clear performance goal. When feedback points to a particular aspect of the skill, you know exactly what to improve and how that improvement will move you toward the goal. This creates a useful loop: set the goal, observe current performance, receive targeted feedback, adjust practice, and progress toward the goal. For example, if the goal is to improve free-throw accuracy, feedback that focuses on stance, release, and follow-through tells you precisely what to adjust and how those adjustments should affect your score.

Other ideas fall short because they miss this link. Feedback that’s described as unrelated to goals doesn’t guide what to improve. Focusing only on attendance ignores the skill you’re trying to develop. And treating feedback as something that replaces practice undermines the idea that feedback informs and improves practice, not eliminates it.