Providing constructive feedback is complex due to the interplay of emotional and motivational processes students experience when receiving such feedback. In the present study, we investigated constitutive elements of what would make feedback perceived to be constructive, and whether students' mastery approach goal orientation and writing self-efficacy influenced these perceptions of feedback on an imagined, writing assignment scenario. In Phase 1, college students were asked to rate 56 feedback statements on degree of specificity and friendliness. In Phase 2, different students rated the feedback statements from Phase 1 on levels of constructiveness. Feedback high in specificity was rated higher in constructiveness than unspecific feedback; however, feedback friendliness had no effect overall. Feedback high in specificity and friendliness received lower ratings of constructiveness. This pattern was more pronounced for students high in mastery approach goal orientation and students high in writing self-efficacy.