course reflection essay outline

Guide on How to Write a Reflection Paper with Free Tips and Example

A reflection paper is a very common type of paper among college students. Almost any subject you enroll in requires you to express your opinion on certain matters. In this article, we will explain how to write a reflection paper and provide examples and useful tips to make the essay writing process easier.

Reflection papers should have an academic tone yet be personal and subjective. In this paper, you should analyze and reflect upon how an experience, academic task, article, or lecture shaped your perception and thoughts on a subject.

Here is what you need to know about writing an effective critical reflection paper. Stick around until the end of our guide to get some useful writing tips from the writing team at EssayPro — a research paper writing service

What Is a Reflection Paper

A reflection paper is a type of paper that requires you to write your opinion on a topic, supporting it with your observations and personal experiences. As opposed to presenting your reader with the views of other academics and writers, in this essay, you get an opportunity to write your point of view—and the best part is that there is no wrong answer. It is YOUR opinion, and it is your job to express your thoughts in a manner that will be understandable and clear for all readers that will read your paper. The topic range is endless. Here are some examples: whether or not you think aliens exist, your favorite TV show, or your opinion on the outcome of WWII. You can write about pretty much anything.

There are three types of reflection paper; depending on which one you end up with, the tone you write with can be slightly different. The first type is the educational reflective paper. Here your job is to write feedback about a book, movie, or seminar you attended—in a manner that teaches the reader about it. The second is the professional paper. Usually, it is written by people who study or work in education or psychology. For example, it can be a reflection of someone’s behavior. And the last is the personal type, which explores your thoughts and feelings about an individual subject.

However, reflection paper writing will stop eventually with one very important final paper to write - your resume. This is where you will need to reflect on your entire life leading up to that moment. To learn how to list education on resume perfectly, follow the link on our dissertation writing services .

Unlock the potential of your thoughts with EssayPro . Order a reflection paper and explore a range of other academic services tailored to your needs. Dive deep into your experiences, analyze them with expert guidance, and turn your insights into an impactful reflection paper.

Free Reflection Paper Example

Now that we went over all of the essentials about a reflection paper and how to approach it, we would like to show you some examples that will definitely help you with getting started on your paper.

Reflection Paper Format

Reflection papers typically do not follow any specific format. Since it is your opinion, professors usually let you handle them in any comfortable way. It is best to write your thoughts freely, without guideline constraints. If a personal reflection paper was assigned to you, the format of your paper might depend on the criteria set by your professor. College reflection papers (also known as reflection essays) can typically range from about 400-800 words in length.

Here’s how we can suggest you format your reflection paper:

Reflection Paper - How to Video Guide

Our experts have created a video guide on how to write a reflection paper step-by-step:

How to Start a Reflection Paper

The first thing to do when beginning to work on a reflection essay is to read your article thoroughly while taking notes. Whether you are reflecting on, for example, an activity, book/newspaper, or academic essay, you want to highlight key ideas and concepts.

You can start writing your reflection paper by summarizing the main concept of your notes to see if your essay includes all the information needed for your readers. It is helpful to add charts, diagrams, and lists to deliver your ideas to the audience in a better fashion.

After you have finished reading your article, it’s time to brainstorm. We’ve got a simple brainstorming technique for writing reflection papers. Just answer some of the basic questions below:

How did the article affect you?
How does this article catch the reader’s attention (or does it all)?
Has the article changed your mind about something? If so, explain how.
Has the article left you with any questions?
Were there any unaddressed critical issues that didn’t appear in the article?
Does the article relate to anything from your past reading experiences?
Does the article agree with any of your past reading experiences?

Here are some reflection paper topic examples for you to keep in mind before preparing to write your own:

How my views on rap music have changed over time
My reflection and interpretation of Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Why my theory about the size of the universe has changed over time
How my observations for clinical psychological studies have developed in the last year

The result of your brainstorming should be a written outline of the contents of your future paper. Do not skip this step, as it will ensure that your essay will have a proper flow and appropriate organization.

Another good way to organize your ideas is to write them down in a 3-column chart or table.

Do you want your task look awesome?

If you would like your reflection paper to look professional, feel free to check out one of our articles on how to format MLA, APA or Chicago style

Writing a Reflection Paper Outline

Reflection paper should contain few key elements:

Introduction

Your introduction should specify what you’re reflecting upon. Make sure that your thesis informs your reader about your general position, or opinion, toward your subject.

State what you are analyzing: a passage, a lecture, an academic article, an experience, etc...)
Briefly summarize the work.
Write a thesis statement stating how your subject has affected you.

One way you can start your thesis is to write:

Example: “After reading/experiencing (your chosen topic), I gained the knowledge of…”

Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs should examine your ideas and experiences in context to your topic. Make sure each new body paragraph starts with a topic sentence.

Your reflection may include quotes and passages if you are writing about a book or an academic paper. They give your reader a point of reference to fully understand your feedback. Feel free to describe what you saw, what you heard, and how you felt.

Example: “I saw many people participating in our weight experiment. The atmosphere felt nervous yet inspiring. I was amazed by the excitement of the event.”

As with any conclusion, you should summarize what you’ve learned from the experience. Next, tell the reader how your newfound knowledge has affected your understanding of the subject in general. Finally, describe the feeling and overall lesson you had from the reading or experience.

There are a few good ways to conclude a reflection paper:

Tie all the ideas from your body paragraphs together, and generalize the major insights you’ve experienced.
Restate your thesis and summarize the content of your paper.

We have a separate blog post dedicated to writing a great conclusion. Be sure to check it out for an in-depth look at how to make a good final impression on your reader.

Need a hand? Get help from our writers. Edit, proofread or buy essay .

How to Write a Reflection Paper: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: create a main theme.

After you choose your topic, write a short summary about what you have learned about your experience with that topic. Then, let readers know how you feel about your case — and be honest. Chances are that your readers will likely be able to relate to your opinion or at least the way you form your perspective, which will help them better understand your reflection.

For example: After watching a TEDx episode on Wim Hof, I was able to reevaluate my preconceived notions about the negative effects of cold exposure.

Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas and Experiences You’ve Had Related to Your Topic

You can write down specific quotes, predispositions you have, things that influenced you, or anything memorable. Be personal and explain, in simple words, how you felt.

For example: • A lot of people think that even a small amount of carbohydrates will make people gain weight • A specific moment when I struggled with an excess weight where I avoided carbohydrates entirely • The consequences of my actions that gave rise to my research • The evidence and studies of nutritional science that claim carbohydrates alone are to blame for making people obese • My new experience with having a healthy diet with a well-balanced intake of nutrients • The influence of other people’s perceptions on the harm of carbohydrates, and the role their influence has had on me • New ideas I’ve created as a result of my shift in perspective

Step 3: Analyze How and Why These Ideas and Experiences Have Affected Your Interpretation of Your Theme

Pick an idea or experience you had from the last step, and analyze it further. Then, write your reasoning for agreeing or disagreeing with it.

For example, Idea: I was raised to think that carbohydrates make people gain weight.

Analysis: Most people think that if they eat any carbohydrates, such as bread, cereal, and sugar, they will gain weight. I believe in this misconception to such a great extent that I avoided carbohydrates entirely. As a result, my blood glucose levels were very low. I needed to do a lot of research to overcome my beliefs finally. Afterward, I adopted the philosophy of “everything in moderation” as a key to a healthy lifestyle.

For example: Idea: I was brought up to think that carbohydrates make people gain weight. Analysis: Most people think that if they eat any carbohydrates, such as bread, cereal, and sugar, they will gain weight. I believe in this misconception to such a great extent that I avoided carbohydrates entirely. As a result, my blood glucose levels were very low. I needed to do a lot of my own research to finally overcome my beliefs. After, I adopted the philosophy of “everything in moderation” as a key for having a healthy lifestyle.

Step 4: Make Connections Between Your Observations, Experiences, and Opinions

Try to connect your ideas and insights to form a cohesive picture for your theme. You can also try to recognize and break down your assumptions, which you may challenge in the future.

There are some subjects for reflection papers that are most commonly written about. They include:

Book – Start by writing some information about the author’s biography and summarize the plot—without revealing the ending to keep your readers interested. Make sure to include the names of the characters, the main themes, and any issues mentioned in the book. Finally, express your thoughts and reflect on the book itself.
Course – Including the course name and description is a good place to start. Then, you can write about the course flow, explain why you took this course, and tell readers what you learned from it. Since it is a reflection paper, express your opinion, supporting it with examples from the course.
Project – The structure for a reflection paper about a project has identical guidelines to that of a course. One of the things you might want to add would be the pros and cons of the course. Also, mention some changes you might want to see, and evaluate how relevant the skills you acquired are to real life.
Interview – First, introduce the person and briefly mention the discussion. Touch on the main points, controversies, and your opinion of that person.

Writing Tips

Everyone has their style of writing a reflective essay – and that's the beauty of it; you have plenty of leeway with this type of paper – but there are still a few tips everyone should incorporate.

Before you start your piece, read some examples of other papers; they will likely help you better understand what they are and how to approach yours. When picking your subject, try to write about something unusual and memorable — it is more likely to capture your readers' attention. Never write the whole essay at once. Space out the time slots when you work on your reflection paper to at least a day apart. This will allow your brain to generate new thoughts and reflections.

Short and Sweet – Most reflection papers are between 250 and 750 words. Don't go off on tangents. Only include relevant information.
Clear and Concise – Make your paper as clear and concise as possible. Use a strong thesis statement so your essay can follow it with the same strength.
Maintain the Right Tone – Use a professional and academic tone—even though the writing is personal.
Cite Your Sources – Try to cite authoritative sources and experts to back up your personal opinions.
Proofreading – Not only should you proofread for spelling and grammatical errors, but you should proofread to focus on your organization as well. Answer the question presented in the introduction.

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How To Write A Reflection Paper?

How to start a reflection paper, how long should a reflection paper be.

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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How to Write a Reflection Paper: An Easy-to-Follow Guide

Last Updated: June 6, 2024 Fact Checked

Sample Outline and Paper

Brainstorming, organizing a reflection paper, as you write, expert q&a.

This article was co-authored by Alicia Cook . Alicia Cook is a Professional Writer based in Newark, New Jersey. With over 12 years of experience, Alicia specializes in poetry and uses her platform to advocate for families affected by addiction and to fight for breaking the stigma against addiction and mental illness. She holds a BA in English and Journalism from Georgian Court University and an MBA from Saint Peter’s University. Alicia is a bestselling poet with Andrews McMeel Publishing and her work has been featured in numerous media outlets including the NY Post, CNN, USA Today, the HuffPost, the LA Times, American Songwriter Magazine, and Bustle. She was named by Teen Vogue as one of the 10 social media poets to know and her poetry mixtape, “Stuff I’ve Been Feeling Lately” was a finalist in the 2016 Goodreads Choice Awards. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 3,843,000 times.

Reflection papers allow you to communicate with your instructor about how a specific article, lesson, lecture, or experience shapes your understanding of class-related material. Reflection papers are personal and subjective [1] X Research source , but they must still maintain a somewhat academic tone and must still be thoroughly and cohesively organized. Here's what you need to know about writing an effective reflection.

How to Start a Reflection Paper

To write a reflection paper, first write an introduction that outlines your expectations and thesis. Then, state your conclusions in the body paragraphs, explaining your findings with concrete details. Finally, conclude with a summary of your experience.

These sentences should be both descriptive yet straight to the point.

Step 2 Jot down material that stands out in your mind.

For lectures or readings, you can write down specific quotations or summarize passages.
For experiences, make a note of specific portions of your experience. You could even write a small summary or story of an event that happened during the experience that stands out. Images, sounds, or other sensory portions of your experience work, as well.

In the first column, list the main points or key experiences. These points can include anything that the author or speaker treated with importance as well as any specific details you found to be important. Divide each point into its own separate row.
In the second column, list your personal response to the points you brought up in the first column. Mention how your subjective values, experiences, and beliefs influence your response.
In the third and last column, describe how much of your personal response to share in your reflection paper.

Step 4 Ask yourself questions to guide your response.

Does the reading, lecture, or experience challenge you socially, culturally, emotionally, or theologically? If so, where and how? Why does it bother you or catch your attention?
Has the reading, lecture, or experience changed your way of thinking? Did it conflict with beliefs you held previously, and what evidence did it provide you with in order to change your thought process on the topic?
Does the reading, lecture, or experience leave you with any questions? Were these questions ones you had previously or ones you developed only after finishing?
Did the author, speaker, or those involved in the experience fail to address any important issues? Could a certain fact or idea have dramatically changed the impact or conclusion of the reading, lecture, or experience?
How do the issues or ideas brought up in this reading, lecture, or experience mesh with past experiences or readings? Do the ideas contradict or support each other?

Verify whether or not your instructor specified a word count for the paper instead of merely following this average.
If your instructor demands a word count outside of this range, meet your instructor's requirements.

For a reading or lecture, indicate what you expected based on the title, abstract, or introduction.
For an experience, indicate what you expected based on prior knowledge provided by similar experiences or information from others.

This is essentially a brief explanation of whether or not your expectations were met.
A thesis provides focus and cohesion for your reflection paper.
You could structure a reflection thesis along the following lines: “From this reading/experience, I learned...”

Step 4 Explain your conclusions in the body.

Your conclusions must be explained. You should provide details on how you arrived at those conclusions using logic and concrete details.
The focus of the paper is not a summary of the text, but you still need to draw concrete, specific details from the text or experience in order to provide context for your conclusions.
Write a separate paragraph for each conclusion or idea you developed.
Each paragraph should have its own topic sentence. This topic sentence should clearly identify your major points, conclusions, or understandings.

The conclusions or understandings explained in your body paragraphs should support your overall conclusion. One or two may conflict, but the majority should support your final conclusion.

If you feel uncomfortable about a personal issue that affects the conclusions you reached, it is wisest not to include personal details about it.
If a certain issue is unavoidable but you feel uncomfortable revealing your personal experiences or feelings regarding it, write about the issue in more general terms. Identify the issue itself and indicate concerns you have professionally or academically.

Step 2 Maintain a professional or academic tone.

Avoid dragging someone else down in your writing. If a particular person made the experience you are reflecting on difficult, unpleasant, or uncomfortable, you must still maintain a level of detachment as you describe that person's influence. Instead of stating something like, “Bob was such a rude jerk,” say something more along the lines of, “One man was abrupt and spoke harshly, making me feel as though I was not welcome there.” Describe the actions, not the person, and frame those actions within the context of how they influenced your conclusions.
A reflection paper is one of the few pieces of academic writing in which you can get away with using the first person pronoun “I.” That said, you should still relate your subjective feelings and opinions using specific evidence to explain them. [8] X Research source
Avoid slang and always use correct spelling and grammar. Internet abbreviations like “LOL” or “OMG” are fine to use personally among friends and family, but this is still an academic paper, so you need to treat it with the grammatical respect it deserves. Do not treat it as a personal journal entry.
Check and double-check your spelling and grammar after you finish your paper.

Step 3 Review your reflection paper at the sentence level.

Keep your sentences focused. Avoid squeezing multiple ideas into one sentence.
Avoid sentence fragments. Make sure that each sentence has a subject and a verb.
Vary your sentence length. Include both simple sentences with a single subject and verb and complex sentences with multiple clauses. Doing so makes your paper sound more conversational and natural, and prevents the writing from becoming too wooden. [9] X Research source

Common transitional phrases include "for example," "for instance," "as a result," "an opposite view is," and "a different perspective is."

Step 5 Relate relevant classroom information to the experience or reading.

For instance, if reflecting on a piece of literary criticism, you could mention how your beliefs and ideas about the literary theory addressed in the article relate to what your instructor taught you about it or how it applies to prose and poetry read in class.
As another example, if reflecting on a new social experience for a sociology class, you could relate that experience to specific ideas or social patterns discussed in class.

↑ https://www.csuohio.edu/writing-center/reflection-papers
↑ https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/assignments/reflectionpaper
↑ Alicia Cook. Professional Writer. Expert Interview. 11 December 2020.
↑ https://www.trentu.ca/academicskills/how-guides/how-write-university/how-approach-any-assignment/how-write-reflection-paper
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/thesis-statements/
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/conclusions/
↑ https://www.anu.edu.au/students/academic-skills/writing-assessment/reflective-writing/reflective-essays
↑ https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/scholarlyvoice/sentencestructure

About This Article

To write a reflection paper, start with an introduction where you state any expectations you had for the reading, lesson, or experience you're reflecting on. At the end of your intro, include a thesis statement that explains how your views have changed. In the body of your essay, explain the conclusions you reached after the reading, lesson, or experience and discuss how you arrived at them. Finally, finish your paper with a succinct conclusion that explains what you've learned. To learn how to brainstorm for your paper, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write Reflection Paper: Step-by-Step Guide

Table of contents

1 What Is a Reflective Essay?
2.1 Critical Reflection Paper
2.2 Personal Reflection Paper
2.3 Reading Reflection Paper
3.1 Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle
3.2 Boud’s Three-Level Model of Reflection
3.3 Schön’s Reflective Practitioner
3.4 Brookfield’s Four Lenses
3.5 Atkins and Murphy’s Model
3.6 Dewey’s Reflective Thinking
4 Writing a Reflection Outline
5 Reflection Paper Format
6.1 Choose the topic
6.2 Start with the main theme
6.3 Brainstorming part
6.4 Analyze how and why
6.5 Connect your opinion, experience, and observation
7.1 1. Describe the Experience Vividly
7.2 2. Use of First Person
7.3 3. Balancing Personal and Objective Elements
7.4 4. Authenticity and Honesty
7.5 5. Critical Self-Reflection
7.6 6. Demonstrating Growth and Learning
8 Reflection Paper Example
9 Ideas to Come Up with a Topic for a Reflective Essay
10 Reflective Essay Topic Ideas for Middle School Students
11 Reflective Essay Topics for College Students
12 Reflective Essay Topics for High School Students
13 Reflective Essay Topics about Places and Locations
14 Reflective Essay Topics about Events You Cherish
15 Reflective Essay Topics about Nature and Wildlife
16 Reflective Essay Topics about Relationships
17 Personal Reflective Essay Topics Ideas
18 Reflective Essay Topics about Nursing and Caring
19 Crafting Reflective Narratives

Have you watched or read something that impressed you much? In this case, you may want to talk about it in your essay. Often, students write such a paper not because they genuinely want to share something but because the professor wants to check how they have mastered the material. Thus, this article will give instructions to help you write an exciting and valuable reflection paper.

Starting with an outline, we will walk you through the nuances of the reflection paper format.
The article will guide you through the process of writing a reflection essay, from selecting a topic and identifying the central theme to engaging in brainstorming and analytical thinking.
Emphasize the importance of connecting personal experiences and observations with your opinions.
Moreover, the piece includes an extensive section on writing tips, where we discuss how to vividly describe experiences and balance personal insights with objective analysis.

What Is a Reflective Essay ?

Before we share what you need to know about effective reflection paper writing, we need to clarify what this type of essay is. It is your personal opinion and reaction about something, e.g., a movie or a trip. Accordingly, you must write about how that topic affected you instead of using only facts and arguments. As such, these papers are very appealing, and most students enjoy writing them. Of course, some don’t like these and rely on a writing essay service to complete a paper in no time.

In essence, the reflection’s purpose is to create a paper expressing your thoughts and opinions about the main topic. There are a few variations of reflection here, and we will explain each below.

Types of Reflective Writing

To write a reflection paper, you must pay close attention to the type you use. Word count is low here, so you must stay focused and use all the steps and proper elements. The essential element is to know about three different types. These will determine how to write a good reflection paper, how you need to optimize body paragraphs, and so much more. It is also one reason that makes writing reflection papers so hard.

Critical Reflection Paper

It is the most common and hardest type. It will be based on your study and has to include different points. For example, you need to elaborate on what you have learned, the experiences you received, and how and what challenges it took. However, you don’t have enough room, so you will need to be professional in this kind of academic writing, and you still need to focus on the main themes. Additionally, you will have to provide details about your experiences and reactions and analyze them in detail. Studying reflection paper examples may be necessary to get a general idea.

Personal Reflection Paper

Here, you also need to provide your experiences. Besides, you will also have to explain how it concerns you. There are countless examples and plenty of things you are about to discover. It differs from a critical reflection paper and focuses more on the experience’s personal element than anything else. You can always write a personal reflection essay how you like and want, but try to focus on the essential occasion.

Reading Reflection Paper

Being a pivotal component of education, a reflection paper plays a significant role in conveying the impact of literature, particularly books, on the individual. It necessitates clearly articulating how the reading material has influenced and shaped personal experiences. At many educational institutions, crafting a reflection on literature is a standard assignment. In meeting this requirement, it is essential to encompass all key aspects of this academic genre. Thus, the expected length of a reflection paper typically ranges from 2 to 3 pages, ensuring a concise yet comprehensive exploration of the insights gained from the literary experience.

Approaches to Reflective Inquiry

A reflection assignment is a powerful tool for personal growth and learning, allowing individuals to explore their experiences and derive meaning from them. Various approaches to thoughtful inquiry provide frameworks that can significantly enrich the narrative of a reflective essay. By incorporating these theories, writers can deepen their self-awareness, analyze their experiences from different perspectives, and articulate the transformative journey within their narratives. This exploration delves into five prominent approaches, each offering a unique lens through which individuals can reflect on something.

Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle

Graham Gibbs’ model offers a structured approach with six stages: Description, Feelings, Evaluation, Analysis, Conclusion, and Action Plan. This cycle ensures a comprehensive exploration of the experience by systematically guiding writers through each step. From initial impressions to actionable insights, Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle provides a robust framework for dissecting and creating a personal experience essay.

Boud’s Three-Level Model of Reflection

David Boud’s model comprises Descriptive Reflection, Dialogic Reflection, and Critical Reflection. By progressing through these levels, writers can move beyond surface-level observations, engage in a meaningful internal dialogue, and critically evaluate the broader implications of their experiences. Consequently, Boud’s model encourages writers to delve into the complexity of their reflections, fostering a more profound understanding of the self and the surrounding context.

Schön’s Reflective Practitioner

Donald Schön’s model distinguishes between Reflection-in-Action, Reflection-on-Action, and Knowing-in-Action. This approach emphasizes the importance of reflecting in real time, analyzing past experiences, and understanding how knowledge shapes future actions. Hence, Schön’s Reflective Practitioner offers a dynamic perspective that aligns with the ever-evolving nature of personal and professional development.

Brookfield’s Four Lenses

Stephen Brookfield’s model encourages writers to view their experiences through four distinct lenses: Autobiographical, Student, Colleague, and Theoretical. By adopting these different perspectives, writers gain a holistic understanding of their experiences, considering personal biases, the viewpoints of others, and theoretical frameworks that contribute to a more comprehensive self-reflection paper.

Atkins and Murphy’s Model

Sensing, Selecting, Executing, and Evaluating form the four stages of this model. Writers following this approach systematically progress through decision-making, implementation, and reflection, offering a practical reflection essay structure for examining the entire process. Particularly, Atkins and Murphy’s Model ensures writers reflect on the outcomes, decision-making, and implementation phases.

Dewey’s Reflective Thinking

John Dewey’s model follows a problem-solving approach with four stages: Identifying a Problem, Describing the Problem, Suggesting Solutions, and Testing Solutions. This model emphasizes recognizing challenges, contextualizing them, generating solutions, and assessing their effectiveness. Thus, Dewey’s Reflective Thinking aligns reflection with practical problem-solving, making it applicable in various contexts.

That being said, incorporating these reflective inquiry approaches into essay narratives enables writers to transcend surface-level descriptions, fostering a more profound understanding of their experiences. Whether examining emotions, analyzing actions, or considering multiple perspectives, these frameworks provide a structured pathway for meaningful self-discovery and growth.

Writing a Reflection Outline

Writing a reflection paper involves more than simply recounting experiences; it requires a thoughtful and organized approach to convey personal insights and growth effectively. That is why creating a reflective essay outline and adhering to a specific format can enhance the clarity and coherence of your reflective essay.

Reflection Paper Introduction:

Briefly introduce the experience or topic of reflection.
Provide context or background information as needed.
Clearly state the purpose of the reflection.

Body Paragraphs:

Organize each paragraph around a specific aspect/theme of the experience.
Use headings to distinguish different elements of the reflection.
Follow a chronological/thematic order, depending on the reflection’s nature.

Description:

Begin with a detailed description of the experience.
Capture sensory details, emotions, and the overall atmosphere.
Set the stage for readers to immerse themselves in the narrative.
Explore your emotions and thoughts during the experience.
Discuss how the event impacted you on a personal and emotional level.
Be honest and reflective in expressing your feelings.

Evaluation:

Analyze the experience.
Consider what worked well and what could have been improved.
Reflect on the significance of specific moments or decisions.
Reflect on what you learned from the experience.
Connect the experience to broader concepts, theories, or personal beliefs.
Consider how the experience contributed to your personal or professional development.

Conclusion:

Summarize the critical insights gained from the reflection.
Reinforce the significance of the experience in the broader context of your life.
End a reflection paper with a compelling conclusion for a lasting impression.

Action Plan (Optional):

Discuss how the insights will influence your future actions or decisions.
Consider any changes you plan to implement based on the reflection.

Reflection Paper Format

Here, we can see one crucial fact about reflective writing. All papers of this kind must use proper formatting. Admittedly, a reflective paper format will make your essay look as it should, and you won’t have any issues with your professor making any mistakes possible. In simple terms, this is the template you can use for all papers of this kind.

To encourage you to explore your ideas for different reflective essay topics , we will have to interpret the main facts below so you can use them. Keep in mind that your school may have a different requirement, so you will have to talk to your professor and get the guidelines to use them to write a reflection essay.

An academic writing is different worldwide, but you must do this before starting any essay:

You must write on A4 paper (in Office Word or on real paper).
Margins must be 1 inch.
The text size is 12 points.
Fonts you can use are Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri.
All lines must be paired with double spaces.
A teacher will define the citation (usually APA or Chicago style).
The length should be between 250 and 750 words.

How to Write Reflection Paper : Step-by-Step Guide

How to start a reflection paper? For this purpose, we will have a complete process of creating an effective reflective paper. All the experts use this simple guide, and it can have a huge effect on your writing. Undoubtedly, each reflective paper must follow the points, so you can imagine how crucial these are. If you skip at least one, you can finish poorly and get a lower grade. While at college, you can use these all the time but only on papers of this kind.

Choose the topic

The first is to pick the topic and thesis statement for reflective essay. Thus, you will have an easier time writing, and you will be able to focus more on the things you like and find interesting. You can also find some self-reflection paper examples . If the topic is not something you can opt for, you will probably have a harder time. Indeed, your chosen topic must perfectly match your experience and opinion and make you passionate. This is one of the reasons why so many students need help and want to get a good reflection paper done. They don’t want to write about some topic they don’t like. Luckily, you can always buy a research paper and get it over with.

Start with the main theme

You must write about what you have learned from the experience you are defining. Try to match the readers. They will want to be able to link up with you, and they will need that. In other words, if you can choose this, you already have a good reflection paper. They should be able to relate to that from reading your essay. Additionally, you can use strong words and many details if you are trying to define this from a book. At college, this is essential.

Brainstorming part

This can be an interesting part. You will need to relax and write down all the ideas that you have on your mind for self-reflective writing. It is not substantial how silly they are or how special they sound. Just write them down. Once you are done, you can organize them and make corrections. You should start with a title page when this is a more significant element. In general, you will have to write down anything memorable that may have any impact on the essay you are writing now.

✏️Example:

Main theme: A constant fear of missing out.

I only feel FOMO when I’m studying instead of having fun.
Studies show that FOMO is a display of fear of social exclusion.
Social media foments the fomo.
Now I realize the main solution to FOMO is to spend less time checking on the feed.

Analyze how and why

Now, you will need to choose and analyze that idea in depth. You will need to write about how and why it hit you and your experience at the end. This is more important than you may believe and has a huge role. While at school, you always need to ask yourself how to make a self-reflection assignment and why. These are mandatory questions for all types of writing, which can help you get your desired grade.

✏️Examples of reflective writing:

“Before” questions: What will I receive from this experience? Which critical thinking skills do I need to overcome? Are there any issues I can face?
“During” questions: What is the expertise I receive from the occasion? How do I feel about it? Does this experience change my outlook?
“After” questions: How have these past experiences altered my life and thoughts? Did it meet my expectations? How can I express my feelings about it?

Connect your opinion, experience, and observation

You will need to write about the connection between what you thought about that idea, your experience, and what you observed. Try to link these simply and reach your readers as well. It may sound obvious, but one element can be essential for understanding. If you are writing a reflection essay about the book, you must say something about the author, the characters’ names, and how it affected you.

6 Tips on Writing Your Reflection Paper

Writing a reflective essay is a powerful vehicle for self-discovery and learning, allowing you to delve into your experiences and extract valuable insights. Here are six essential tips to enhance the effectiveness of your reflection paper:

1. Describe the Experience Vividly

Bring your experiences to life by vividly describing the details. Engage your reader’s senses with colorful language, capturing the moment’s sights, sounds, and emotions, especially if you are writing a reflection paper on a book. Transport them into the scene by painting a rich picture, allowing them to connect with your experience on a deeper level. Whether it’s a significant life event or a subtle moment of realization, the power of your reflection lies in the ability to convey the experience with clarity and depth.

2. Use of First Person

Reflection papers are inherently personal, so embrace the use of first-person pronouns. This approach allows you to express your thoughts, feelings, and perceptions authentically. Accordingly, using “I” and “me” invites the reader into your journey, fostering a connection and providing a more genuine reflection of your experiences. Don’t shy away from sharing your perspective; it is the foundation of a reflection paper format.

3. Balancing Personal and Objective Elements

Strike a balance between personal reflections and objective analysis. While conveying your emotions and subjective experience is crucial, incorporate objective elements to provide context and depth to your reflection in psychology and self-development. Besides, consider the broader implications of your experience and how it fits into the larger socio-cultural or academic context. This balance ensures that your reflection is both introspective and intellectually engaging.

4. Authenticity and Honesty

Authenticity is the heart of reflective writing. Be honest with yourself and your readers about your thoughts and emotions. Share the highs and lows, acknowledging moments of uncertainty or personal growth. No doubt, readers connect with authenticity, adding depth to your narrative. Also, avoid embellishment or artificial positivity; let your genuine voice shine through, creating a narrative that resonates with sincerity.

5. Critical Self-Reflection

Go beyond surface-level descriptions by engaging in critical self-reflection. Thereupon, challenge your assumptions, question your beliefs, and analyze your thought processes during the experience. After, consider how external factors or societal influences may have shaped your perspective. Critical self-reflection demonstrates intellectual rigor and a willingness to explore the complexities of your thoughts, contributing to a more nuanced and insightful reflection.

6. Demonstrating Growth and Learning

A reflection paper is not just about recounting an experience; it’s an opportunity to showcase personal growth and learning. Thus, reflect on how the experience has influenced your beliefs, attitudes, or actions. Discuss any changes in your mindset or behavior that have resulted from this reflection. Plus, articulate the lessons learned and highlight the ongoing process of development. Demonstrating growth adds a forward-looking dimension to your reflection, illustrating the transformative impact of your experiences.

Incorporating these tips into your reflective writing process will make your paper more engaging and provide a platform for genuine self-exploration and learning. Embrace the opportunity to share your unique perspective, allowing your reflection to resonate authentically with yourself and your readers.

Reflection Paper Example

“Reflecting on the Moment I Received a Long-Desired Possession” I still vividly remember the day I received the item I had been longing for – a sleek, silver MacBook Pro laptop. It was a momentous occasion for me, as I had been saving up for it for months and constantly researching and comparing different models and features. The laptop symbolized a new level of independence and creativity for me, and I was beyond excited to finally have it in my hands. As I eagerly tore open the box, I felt a rush of emotions – excitement, gratitude, and a sense of accomplishment. I had worked hard for this, and it was a tangible representation of my efforts and determination. I felt proud of myself for setting a goal and following through with it, and I couldn’t wait to start using my new laptop to its full potential. Using the MacBook Pro was like a dream come true. Its sleek design, fast processing speed, and advanced features made it so much easier for me to accomplish tasks and unleash my creativity. Whether I was working on school projects, writing personal essays, or just browsing the web, I felt inspired and empowered. This experience taught me a valuable lesson about the power of perseverance and hard work. I learned that if I set my mind to something and put in the effort, I can make it happen. This sense of control and autonomy was empowering and gave me a new level of confidence. In conclusion, receiving my long-desired MacBook Pro was a moment that will stay with me for a long time. It taught me about the rewards of hard work and perseverance, and gave me a new sense of confidence and independence. I am grateful for this experience, and I am looking forward to using my laptop for many years to come.

Ideas to Come Up with a Topic for a Reflective Essay

As you already know, writing a reflective essay requires speaking from experience and expressing yourself. That means that not only do you need to have an understanding of a specific matter. But you have to find a relation between the subject of the writing and yourself. That is related to creative skills, as interpreting that connection and experience is not an easy matter.

When writing such assignments, knowing how to pick your topic is crucial. For that, you should choose something of interest, and it can be anything dear to you—places, events, or meaningful moments with special people.

Always conduct thoughtful research. Finding information about your topic is crucial, as you must not only speak with your experiences but be able to confirm that with some facts and examples too. It is vital to ensure that you do not make up facts by yourself and provide truthful information, see from your perspective, and explain with your understanding.

Keep these tips in mind when selecting your reflective essay topic. They will greatly help and make the writing process more comfortable. Now it’s time to give you another shoulder. Check down below, and you will find reflective essay topic examples that inspire you to create the perfect one.

Reflective Essay Topic Ideas for Middle School Students

What I Did During the Summer Vacation
School Trips Are Fun
The Impact of School Sports
Season Changes and Their Beauty
The Winter Vacations
When Was The First Time You Lied?
Best School Memory You Have
How Important Is Family?
Why Lies Are a Bad Thing
First Day at School

Reflective Essay Topics for College Students

What Is Your Favorite Computer Game?
Was the Time You Spend Studying Worth It?
The Impact Humans Leave on Nature
A Gorgeous Person You Have Met
When Were You Really Embarrassed for the First Time?
The Best Birthday Memory You Have
Your Special Person and Their Importance to You
What Is Your Favorite Holiday Season?
Are You Afraid of Failing at School?
School Bullying, a Factor that Must Disappear

Reflective Essay Topics for High School Students

Your Favorite Fast Food Place
Playing on the Beach as a Middle Schooler
Moving to a New Place and the Issues that Come With It
Effects of Gaming on School Performance
Life Behaviour and Understandings from the Perspective of a High Schooler
Overstudying, Depression and Its Effects on the Modern Student’s Life
How Does Social Media Influence the Life of Every High Schooler?
The First Time You Fell in Love
Features in the Educational System that Must Be Changed
Your Favorite Hobby and Its Effects on Your Life

Reflective Essay Topics about Places and Locations

The House in Which I Grew Up
Your First School Trip and the Experience You Gained from It
Dear Memories of Your Grandparent’s Place
Which Place Makes You Feel Safe No Matter What?
Your School Club and Its Importance to You
The Part Where You Kissed Your Loved One
Circus, the First Time You Ever Visited One
The Mall and Its Vital Role in Every Student’s Life
Your Favorite Coffee Place
The Cinema Where You Went on a Date for the First Time

Reflective Essay Topics about Events You Cherish

Your Best Birthday Party Memory
The First Parenting Experience You Have Got
The Importance of Getting a New Job
Fishing and the Memories You Have Got from Your Grandparents
First-Ever Experience with Your Favorite Sport
The Time You Got Lost in a New City
Your Favorite Sports Event
The Time You Celebrated Your First Significant Anniversary
Your First Time Going to a Bar for a Drink
What Was the Best Unexpected Gift You Have Ever Gotten?

Reflective Essay Topics about Nature and Wildlife

Your First Experience of Seeing and Touching a Wild Animal
Farming, Your Experience with It, and Personal Observations
The Most Beautiful Sunset You Have Ever Seen
Rock Climbing and Its Effects Over People’s Mindset
First Natural Disaster You Have Seen
Your Experience with Insects
Nature and Hiking, Importance of Healthy Life
Your Thoughts about Winter and the First Snow Every Year
Scuba Diving, Experiencing Life Beneath the Surface
Your First-Ever Walk in the Summer Rain

Reflective Essay Topics about Relationships

The Importance of Family in Your Life
What Is the Most Significant Memory that You Have with Your Loved One?
When Was the Last Time You Had a Good Laugh with Your Other Half?
The First Time You Have Told Someone You Are Sorry for Your Actions
The Impact of a Healthy Family Relation on the Positive Mindset of a Person
Your Thoughts about Social Networking at Work
School, Student, and Teacher Relationship and Its Importance over Studies
Sincere Thoughts about Relationship with a Family Member
Long Distance Dating, Pros and Cons of the Healthy Relationship
When Was The Best Date You Ever Had?

Personal Reflective Essay Topics Ideas

Eating During School and Your Personal Experience with It
Your Most Significant Memory of Your First Workplace
Graduation and My First Time Finding a Job
The Most Beautiful Memory of a Walk in Nature
When Was the First Time Someone Asked You on a Date?
The Earliest Birthday Memory You Have
Your First Job Interview
The One Time You Unexpectedly Went on a Journey
What Was the Thing That Made You Fall in Love?

Reflective Essay Topics about Nursing and Caring

Your Thoughts on Nursing and the Hardships Related to It
Nursing Studies, Your Experience of the Process
Elderly People Homes and Nurse’s Importance
Man in the Nursing Sector
Your Insights on the Nursing Career Path
The Importance of Fast Reaction and Time Management Issues
Nursing and the Patients, Whose Interest Comes First
Modern Ethics and Their Importance in the Nursing Sector
My Life as a Nurse, Reflection Essay
Nurse and Why Did I Choose to Become One?

Crafting Reflective Narratives

In navigating the landscape of reflective writing, embracing vivid descriptions, first-person engagement, and a delicate balance of personal and objective elements is essential. Authenticity and honesty form the bedrock of compelling reflections, creating connections between writer and reader. Otherwise, you can ask for help and Google someone who will perform your “ write my paper for me ” request or try to do it yourself.

Critical self-reflection elevates the discourse, fostering intellectual exploration. A well-crafted reflection paper should be a testament to growth and learning. As you embark on your reflective journey, remember that each experience, when authentically shared, has the potential to resonate profoundly. Embrace the transformative power of your narrative and let the true essence of your journey unfold!

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Reflective Essay

Reflective Essay Outline

Reflective Essay Outline - Samples & Template

Published on: Oct 3, 2020

Last updated on: Jul 23, 2024

How to Write a Reflective Essay Outline?

Writing a reflective essay is a way of describing your personal experience and explain how those life experiences influenced and how they changed your lives.

When writing the outline, one thing to keep in mind is the chronological order. Explain all the events in logical order. Creating a good outline will make your essay writing phase easy and quicker.

When you start creating the college essay outline, make sure you include three sections i.e., introduction, body, and conclusion.

Attention-grabbing hook
Overview of the topic
Thesis statement
Paragraph 1 with a detailed description of the event, person, or place
Paragraph 2 with a description of thoughts and feelings
Paragraph 3 with analysis and evaluation of the experience
Summary of the essay
Restate the thesis statement

Reflective Essay Structure - CollegeEssay.org

Let's discuss them in detail.

The essay introduction is based on your experiences, feelings, and situations. When you start writing the reflective paper introduction, focus on the main parts that make your introduction a good one.

The introduction part of the essay should start with an attention-grabbing hook statement. It is a statement that grabs the reader's attention. A great hook statement makes the readers want to read more.

It is the first statement that the reader read and decide to read the entire essay or not. The hook statement should start with a quote or an interesting question.

The introduction is a small overview of the reflection essay topic. Briefly mention the main points related to the topic. In this section, you need to communicate directly with the purpose of the essay. The first few sentences give a glimpse of the big picture that you reveal in the body paragraphs.

The thesis statement describes what the essay is all about. It is your entire essay's core statement, and it is called "reflective essay thesis." The thesis statement is all about places, events, experiences, and thoughts described further in the essay.

The body paragraph is the next section after the introduction. Writing the body paragraphs is sometimes time-consuming if you have not prepared the perfect outline.

Start the body paragraph with a topic sentence and explain the main idea. The reflective essay body paragraph is categorized into three paragraphs, like other essays.

In the first body paragraph, describe the event, person, or place. But describe all the events in chronological order so the reader easily understands. Not define the events in the body paragraphs without any order.

Describe the main issues related to the topic. Use quotations and cite sources related to the literature. Include precise examples of the events that occurred during this period.

The third part will be related to your personal reflections about the event. You need to add supporting details about the event and make a successful essay. In this paragraph, you describe what lessons you have learned after experiencing the event.

The essay's conclusion paragraph should be the finishing touch that brings the complete piece of the writing together. It contains two parts that make the essay successful.

The conclusion wraps the entire essay but does not add irrelevant details. Only add important points in the essay. It is the final part that the reader reads, so make it strong and powerful. In this part, encourage the reader to do further research.

In conclusion, restate the thesis statement and rewrite the main points. It is the closing part of the essay, and it must be concise. Inform the reader of your final opinion about the topic.

Reflective Essay Outline Format

The reflective essay format is different from other essays. It is a type of writing in which an essay writer uses the MLA format or APA style.

In APA style, you should consider a few points:

Use Time New Roman
The font size is 12, and all text should be double-spaced.
The page number is located at the top right corner of the page.
The title page, abstract, main body, and references are the main parts of the essay.

Similarly APA format, you should consider a few points in MLA format:

The font size is 12.
All the titles of the essay should be centered.
Your paper's header should have your name, course number, professor's name, and date.
On the last page of the essay, include the cited work.

Reflective Essay Outline Template

Creating a good outline is necessary for all essays. Without an outline, you will not complete your essay on time. Here is a template that will help you in creating a good reflective essay.

Reflective Essay Outline Examples

If you write the reflective essay for the first time, get help from these examples and craft a good essay. These examples will help in your writing the perfect reflective essay.

Example of Reflective Essay

Personal Reflective Essay

Reflective Essay Example About Travel

Tips on Writing the Reflective Essay

The outline is the backbone of the essay. For writing the perfect essay, you have to create the outline. Here are some tips that you should follow when writing a reflective essay.

Use the outline for your daily entries.
Avoid repetitive sentences in the essay.
State your own opinion in the essay.
Make sure that you have supported every moment that seemed unclear to you before.
Use transition words between paragraphs.
Include all the key points in the outline.
Don't use complex words in the essay and present your point of view.
Know the strong points that you need to showcase in the essay.
Proofread and edit the essay before submitting or publishing it.

Reflective essay writing might be tough, but you can easily write the essay with the right outline. Some students have too little time, and they are overloaded with essay writing tasks. They cannot give appropriate time to essay writing.

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Barbara is a highly educated and qualified author with a Ph.D. in public health from an Ivy League university. She has spent a significant amount of time working in the medical field, conducting a thorough study on a variety of health issues. Her work has been published in several major publications.

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How to Write a Reflection Paper

Why reflective writing, experiential reflection, reading reflection.

A note on mechanics

Reflection offers you the opportunity to consider how your personal experiences and observations shape your thinking and your acceptance of new ideas. Professors often ask students to write reading reflections. They do this to encourage you to explore your own ideas about a text, to express your opinion rather than summarize the opinions of others. Reflective writing can help you to improve your analytical skills because it requires you to express what you think, and more significantly, how and why you think that way. In addition, reflective analysis asks you to acknowledge that your thoughts are shaped by your assumptions and preconceived ideas; in doing so, you can appreciate the ideas of others, notice how their assumptions and preconceived ideas may have shaped their thoughts, and perhaps recognize how your ideas support or oppose what you read.

Types of Reflective Writing

Popular in professional programs, like business, nursing, social work, forensics and education, reflection is an important part of making connections between theory and practice. When you are asked to reflect upon experience in a placement, you do not only describe your experience, but you evaluate it based on ideas from class. You can assess a theory or approach based on your observations and practice and evaluate your own knowledge and skills within your professional field. This opportunity to take the time to think about your choices, your actions, your successes and your failures is best done within a specific framework, like course themes or work placement objectives. Abstract concepts can become concrete and real to you when considered within your own experiences, and reflection on your experiences allows you to make plans for improvement.

To encourage thoughtful and balanced assessment of readings, many interdisciplinary courses may ask you to submit a reading reflection. Often instructors will indicate to students what they expect of a reflection, but the general purpose is to elicit your informed opinions about ideas presented in the text and to consider how they affect your interpretation. Reading reflections offer an opportunity to recognize – and perhaps break down – your assumptions which may be challenged by the text(s).

Approaches to Reflective Inquiry

You may wonder how your professors assess your reflective writing. What are they looking for? How can my experiences or ideas be right or wrong? Your instructors expect you to critically engage with concepts from your course by making connections between your observations, experiences, and opinions. They expect you to explain and analyse these concepts from your own point of view, eliciting original ideas and encouraging active interest in the course material.

It can be difficult to know where to begin when writing a critical reflection. First, know that – like any other academic piece of writing – a reflection requires a narrow focus and strong analysis. The best approach for identifying a focus and for reflective analysis is interrogation. The following offers suggestions for your line of inquiry when developing a reflective response.

It is best to discuss your experiences in a work placement or practicum within the context of personal or organizational goals; doing so provides important insights and perspective for your own growth in the profession. For reflective writing, it is important to balance reporting or descriptive writing with critical reflection and analysis.

Consider these questions:

Contextualize your reflection: What are your learning goals? What are the objectives of the organization? How do these goals fit with the themes or concepts from the course?
Provide important information: What is the name of the host organization? What is their mission? Who do they serve? What was your role? What did you do?
Analytical Reflection: What did you learn from this experience? About yourself? About working in the field? About society?
Lessons from reflection: Did your experience fit with the goals or concepts of the course or organization? Why or why not? What are your lessons for the future? What was successful? Why? What would you do differently? Why? How will you prepare for a future experience in the field?

Consider the purpose of reflection: to demonstrate your learning in the course. It is important to actively and directly connect concepts from class to your personal or experiential reflection. The following example shows how a student’s observations from a classroom can be analysed using a theoretical concept and how the experience can help a student to evaluate this concept.

For Example My observations from the classroom demonstrate that the hierarchical structure of Bloom’s Taxonomy is problematic, a concept also explored by Paul (1993). The students often combined activities like application and synthesis or analysis and evaluation to build their knowledge and comprehension of unfamiliar concepts. This challenges my understanding of traditional teaching methods where knowledge is the basis for inquiry. Perhaps higher-order learning strategies like inquiry and evaluation can also be the basis for knowledge and comprehension, which are classified as lower-order skills in Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Critical reflection requires thoughtful and persistent inquiry. Although basic questions like “what is the thesis?” and “what is the evidence?” are important to demonstrate your understanding, you need to interrogate your own assumptions and knowledge to deepen your analysis and focus your assessment of the text.

Assess the text(s):

What is the main point? How is it developed? Identify the purpose, impact and/or theoretical framework of the text.
What ideas stood out to me? Why? Were they new or in opposition to existing scholarship?

Develop your ideas:

What do I know about this topic? Where does my existing knowledge come from? What are the observations or experiences that shape my understanding?
Do I agree or disagree with this argument? Why?

Make connections:

How does this text reinforce my existing ideas or assumptions? How does this text challenge my existing ideas or assumptions?
How does this text help me to better understand this topic or explore this field of study/discipline?

A Note on Mechanics

As with all written assignments or reports, it is important to have a clear focus for your writing. You do not need to discuss every experience or element of your placement. Pick a few that you can explore within the context of your learning. For reflective responses, identify the main arguments or important elements of the text to develop a stronger analysis which integrates relevant ideas from course materials.

Furthermore, your writing must be organized. Introduce your topic and the point you plan to make about your experience and learning. Develop your point through body paragraph(s), and conclude your paper by exploring the meaning you derive from your reflection. You may find the questions listed above can help you to develop an outline before you write your paper.

You should maintain a formal tone, but it is acceptable to write in the first person and to use personal pronouns. Note, however, that it is important that you maintain confidentiality and anonymity of clients, patients or students from work or volunteer placements by using pseudonyms and masking identifying factors.

The value of reflection: Critical reflection is a meaningful exercise which can require as much time and work as traditional essays and reports because it asks students to be purposeful and engaged participants, readers, and thinkers.

Apr 16, 2023

How to Write a Reflection Essay | Outlines and Examples

Do you ever struggle to put your thoughts into words? If you've ever felt stumped by a reflective essay assignment, you're not alone. In this article, we'll explore some strategies for writing effective reflection essays that will help you communicate your ideas clearly and powerfully!

Reflective Essays take a look at a piece of writing or an experience in your life and write down how you feel about it. This strategy not only reveals fascinating insights about your perspective and personality, but it also makes for entertaining reading. Examining some model papers is a great way to hone your skills in outlining introspective essays.

What Is a Reflective Essay?

A reflective essay (also called a critical reflection) involves a deep examination of one's assumptions, beliefs, and reactions to knowledge, events, or experiences. This type of writing encourages the author to introspect and articulate their personal insights on various subjects, influenced by literature, experiences, or lectures. Unlike traditional academic essays, reflective essays focus on the writer's individual perspective, employing a more subjective and expressive language without the necessity for scholarly sources. Essentially, while maintaining the core criteria of effective essay writing, a reflective essay distinguishes itself by centering on the writer's internal dialogue and personal growth.

Reflection isn't something that comes naturally to everyone. Whether one is contemplating one's own life experiences or a piece of literature, it can be challenging to put one's thoughts into words and express them adequately. Because of this, utilising this ability effectively when writing is necessary. The more time you devote to contemplating and learning about a topic, the more straightforward and understandable it will become. This situation is more complex than it initially appears to be.

What is the Purpose of Reflective Writing?

Reflective writing is another way to convey both your growth and the feelings you've experienced. You can discover a lot about yourself and how you function by conducting an in-depth investigation of your interior workings. It is interesting to watch how they mature and change over time. The initial move is always the one that presents the greatest challenge. Because of this, developing a strategy for your reflective essay is a fantastic way to kick off the writing process.

How to Create a Reflective Essay Outline?

The first part of an essay, known as the introduction, is generally composed of three parts. On the other hand, as was stated earlier, a conventional formula might experience significant shifts when written down in this manner.

Introduction

The introduction needs to be so captivating to the reader that they feel compelled to keep going with the story. To achieve this, writers will often include ambiguities, sarcastic circumstances, and tense situations in their works. An outline can be used for any kind of essay, but it is especially helpful for introspective writing because it organizes your thoughts and makes it easier to read. The abstract, just like the remainder of the essay, should be broken up into three main sections that are presented in the same order as the rest of the essay. On the other hand, as was stated earlier, a conventional formula might experience significant shifts when written down in this manner.

An engaging and interesting opening statement will pique the interest of the audience and encourage them to continue reading. To achieve this, authors will often include ambiguities, irony, and conflict within their works. The expression "my first bachelor celebration" is a good example of this concept in action.

Reflection Essay Example:

This past weekend I attended my first college frat party thanks to some friends who invited me.

That one phrase perfectly exemplifies an attention-grabbing opening to a reflective essay. In just one phrase, you've hooked the reader and set the stage for what you'll be discussing. Your essay's opening should always provide a teaser for the more in-depth explanation that follows in the essay's body.

The conclusion of your reflective essay, which you'll write based on the most significant event, should be the last line of the introduction. This sentence effectively summarises the changes brought about by the catalytic event and their importance in the grand scheme of things.

Body Paragraphs

The body of an introspective essay needs to expand on the topic presented in the essay's thesis. Students' first challenge in writing such essays is expressing their thoughts uninhibitedly. It's simple to get sidetracked and leap from one thought to the next. This leads us to a useful piece of advice: be consistent with the story arc you've established. If possible, create a distinct outline for the paragraphs in the main body.

You're free to include as many or as few body lines as you like. The text may have a one-sentence introduction and a secret closing, for instance, but the body will always be the largest section. Put your viewpoint on display as much as possible in the middle section. Put forth justifications to back up your claim or corroborating details to back up your statements. Examples, facts, occurrences of public life, events, real-life circumstances and experiences, scientific proof, references to scholars and scientists, etc., can all serve as argumentative points.

If you don't want to appear uncertain of your views, avoid giving too many examples. A personal reflective essay only needs one piece of proof. For reflective essays, interacting aspects of literary analysis, or speculative writing about a variety of phenomena, two examples will suffice. Overloading a free reflective essay with more than three examples of the facts to be discussed will be apparent.

For Example:

My weekend at a house party made it clear that the vast majority of my fellow college students have no tolerance for alcohol.

An effective introduction to a body paragraph is provided above. Your paragraph's subject sentence should tell the reader exactly what the paragraph is going to be about. The first line of each paragraph in the body of your writing should do what the introductory paragraph did: make the reader want to keep reading. Body paragraphs are where you can bring the essay to life with specific descriptions and examples.

In other terms, immerse the reader by providing relatable examples of circumstances and describing minor details with great care. A reader's excitement and interest will increase in proportion to the originality and literary charm of each phrase.

An independent closing paragraph is optional in reflective essays. If you choose an essay format that calls for a conclusion with supporting notes, keep it brief. The end must not be overly formal, however. The paragraphs in the body of the essay need to be supervised naturally by this section.

If you look for a model reflective essay online, you will most likely find one that has a complete, detailed conclusion. You could, of course, use them as models for your essays. However, if you want your viewers to be impressed and reflect deeper on your work, you shouldn't spoon-feed them your observations. Get your readers to ignore the surface-level explanations and focus on the meat of the text where your ideas and feelings are revealed.

As I reflect on my time spent at a college party, I realize that I can no longer advocate for the consumption of alcoholic beverages by minors.

As you probably know by now, the end of your essay is where you restate your thesis and discuss its significance. Then, using the details from the body paragraph, you should draw a conclusion in which you quickly restate how this experience changed you physically and/or mentally. Conclude by giving the reader your concluding thoughts on the subject.

What is the Format of a Reflective Essay?

There is a unique structure for reflective writing. In this form of writing, the author employs a specific style, such as the Modern Language Association (MLA) or the American Psychological Association (APA) .

There are a few things to keep in mind when writing in APA style:

Use Time New Roman Font

Double-space your work and use a font height of 12 points.

The page number appears in the upper right-hand area.

The major sections of an essay are the introduction, the body, and the bibliography or list of sources.

Equally to APA, there are a few things to keep in mind when using MLA format:

Use Time New Roman Font

Select 12 as a font size

Make sure to center all of your essay's names.

Include your name, the course number, the instructor's name, and the date in the header of your work.

On the last page of the essay, include the cited work.

Some Tips on Writing the Reflective Essay

The essay's structure serves as the paper's framework. You can't write a winning essay without first crafting a plan. If you have to write a reflective essay, here are some tips to follow.

References should be listed on the final page of the writing.

In the essay, try to avoid using the same phrase multiple times.

Give your take on the topic in the writing.

Verify that you have explained everything that was previously unclear.

Connect your parts with appropriate transitional language.

Make sure your plan covers everything important.

Avoid using difficult language and provide an argument to support your position.

Learn to identify your best qualities and highlight them in the writing.

Before sending or publishing the essay, make sure it has been thoroughly proofread.

Writing a reflective essay can be challenging, but you can make your way through the process with the help of a good plan. Some pupils simply don't have enough time to complete all of the required essay writing assignments. They lack the time necessary to offer essay writing their full attention.

3 Reflective Essay Examples

Impact of social media on students

Social media has become an integral part of our lives in recent years. With the advent of smartphones and the internet, social media platforms have become more accessible to everyone, including students. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, and others have had a profound impact on the way students interact with each other, access information, and learn.

Social media has created a platform for students to interact with their peers, teachers, and other individuals from different parts of the world. Social media platforms provide students with the opportunity to express their thoughts, share their experiences, and discuss topics that interest them. Through social media, students can participate in discussions, exchange ideas, and learn from others.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media on Students’ Life

One of the primary benefits of social media is its ability to provide students with access to information. Social media platforms have become a significant source of news, information, and educational resources for students. Students can learn about various topics, including history, science, literature, and more, from different social media platforms. For instance, Twitter provides students with the latest news on various topics, while Facebook and LinkedIn provide them with access to professional networks and job opportunities.

However, the impact of social media on students is not all positive. Social media has become a distraction for students, and many students spend more time on social media than they do studying. Social media platforms are designed to be addictive, and many students find themselves spending hours scrolling through their feeds and interacting with their peers. As a result, many students experience a decline in their academic performance and find it difficult to focus on their studies.

Moreover, social media has also had a significant impact on the mental health of students. Social media platforms can be a breeding ground for cyberbullying and online harassment, which can have a profound impact on a student's mental health. Additionally, social media platforms have been linked to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues in students. Many students feel pressured to present a perfect image of themselves on social media, which can lead to low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy.

Furthermore, social media has also affected the way students interact with each other. Many students now prefer to communicate through social media rather than in person, which can lead to a lack of social skills and interpersonal communication skills. This can make it challenging for students to form meaningful relationships and communicate effectively in the workplace and other settings.

In conclusion, social media has had a significant impact on students, both positive and negative. While social media provides students with access to information and a platform to express themselves, it has also become a significant distraction and can hurt their mental health and social skills. Therefore, students need to use social media responsibly and balance their time between social media and other activities. Additionally, educators and parents can play a significant role in guiding students on how to use social media effectively and responsibly.

Taking a Hike Through Forest

Introduction:

Nature is a therapeutic and rejuvenating element in our lives. Walking through a forest is an excellent way to connect with nature, relieve stress, and experience a sense of calmness. A hike through the forest provides a sense of freedom, and the tranquillity of the trees helps to reconnect with oneself. In this essay, I will reflect on my experience of taking a hike through a forest.

I woke up early one morning, feeling the need to get out of the city and spend some time in nature. I packed my bag with essentials and set off on a drive to a nearby forest. Upon arriving, I took a deep breath and took in the fresh air, which filled my lungs with a sense of peace.

The path was lined with tall trees, and the forest floor was soft and covered with leaves. As I walked, I could hear the rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds. The serenity of the forest made me forget about the outside world and its pressures.

I kept walking deeper into the forest, and soon enough, I came across a stream. The sound of the water flowing over the rocks was soothing, and I sat down by the bank to take it all in. The quietness of the forest made me feel like I was in a different world altogether, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

As I continued my hike, I came across a clearing, and there, I saw a herd of deer grazing. I stood there, frozen, watching the beauty of nature unfold in front of my eyes. It was a moment of pure bliss, and I felt grateful for the opportunity to witness it.

I reached a hilltop, and from there, I could see the entire forest. The view was breathtaking, and it made me realize how small we are in the grand scheme of things. It also made me appreciate the beauty of the earth and the environment around us.

Conclusion:

Taking a hike through the forest was a humbling and rejuvenating experience for me. The calmness of the trees, the sound of the water, and the sight of the animals made me feel connected to nature. It reminded me that we are all a part of this beautiful planet and that it's our responsibility to take care of it. The forest gave me the space to reflect and connect with myself, and it was a reminder that sometimes, the best therapy is found in nature.

The role of Friendship in my Life

Friendship is one of the most essential aspects of human life. It is an integral part of our social fabric, as it provides a sense of belonging, support, and joy. Friendship is not just about having someone to talk to or hang out with; it is about having a deep and meaningful connection with someone who accepts and loves us for who we are. In my life, friendship has played a crucial role in shaping my personality and helping me navigate through different phases of life. This essay aims to explore the role of friendship in my life, its significance, and how it has impacted me.

The significance of friendship:

Friendship is essential for our well-being and mental health. It is a bond that helps us feel connected and loved , even in the most challenging times. A good friend can help us navigate through difficult situations, offer us a fresh perspective on our problems, and provide us with emotional support. Friends also provide us with a sense of belonging, a feeling that we are part of something greater than ourselves. The sense of community and companionship that comes with friendship can help us develop a positive outlook toward life and a strong sense of self-esteem.

Friendship in my life:

In my life, friendship has played a vital role in shaping my personality and helping me grow as an individual. Growing up, I was a shy and introverted child who struggled to make friends. However, I was fortunate enough to find a group of friends who accepted me for who I was and helped me come out of my shell. They encouraged me to pursue my passions and interests and supported me through the ups and downs of life.

As I grew older, I realized the true value of friendship. I have made many friends over the years, and each one of them has played a unique role in my life. Some have been there for me through thick and thin, while others have helped me discover new interests and passions. Some have challenged me to step out of my comfort zone, while others have offered me a shoulder to cry on. Regardless of the role they played, all my friends have helped me grow as a person and provided me with a sense of belonging.

Impact of friendship on my life:

The impact of friendship on my life has been profound. My friends have helped me develop a positive outlook toward life and have taught me to appreciate the little things. They have taught me to be more empathetic, kind, and compassionate toward others, and have helped me develop a strong sense of self-worth. They have been a source of strength and inspiration, and have helped me navigate through difficult times.

In conclusion, friendship is an essential aspect of human life. It provides us with a sense of belonging, support, and joy, and helps us grow as individuals. In my life, friendship has played a vital role in shaping my personality and helping me navigate through different phases of life. My friends have been there for me through thick and thin, and have taught me valuable life lessons. I am grateful for their presence in my life, and I believe that everyone should have a good friend or a group of friends who accept and love them for who they are.

Final Words

In conclusion, writing a reflection essay is a powerful tool for gaining self-awareness and insight into our experiences. By following a few simple steps, such as choosing a meaningful experience to reflect on, asking yourself critical questions, and structuring your thoughts into a clear and organized essay, you can effectively convey your thoughts and emotions to your reader. Essay topics like composing a reflective essay are a great opportunity to delve deeper into your own thoughts and feelings, and to connect with your readers on a deeper level.

However, we understand that the process of writing can sometimes be challenging, and that's where Jenni.ai comes in. Our AI-powered software can help you streamline the writing process, with features such as autocomplete and citation assistance that make it easier to create high-quality content efficiently.

Whether you're a seasoned writer or just starting out, Jenni.ai can help you take your writing to the next level. So why not give it a try today, and see how it can help you create even better reflection essays, and other types of written content?

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Writing Tips

How to Write a Reflective Essay

3-minute read
29th August 2018

If you think that a “reflective essay” is a college paper written on a mirror, this post is for you. That’s because we’re here to explain exactly what a reflective essay is and how to write one. And we can tell you from the outset that no mirrors are required to follow our advice.

What Is Reflective Writing?

The kind of “reflection” we’re talking about here is personal. It involves considering your own situation and analyzing it so you can learn from your experiences. To do this, you need to describe what happened, how you felt about it, and what you might be able to learn from it for the future.

This makes reflective writing a useful part of courses that involve work-based learning . For instance, a student nurse might be asked to write a reflective essay about a placement.

When writing a reflective essay, moreover, you may have to forget the rule about not using pronouns like “I” or “we” in academic writing. In reflective writing, using the first person is essential!

The Reflective Cycle

There are many approaches to reflective learning, but one of the most popular is Gibb’s Reflective Cycle . This was developed by Professor Graham Gibbs and can be applied to a huge range of situations. In all cases, though, it involves the following steps:

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Description – You will need to describe your experiences in detail. This includes what happened, where and when it happened, who else was involved, and what you did.
Feelings – How you felt before, during, and after the experience you describe.
Evaluation and Analysis – Think about what went well and what could be improved upon based on your experience. Try to refer to ideas you’ve learned in class while thinking about this.
Conclusions – Final thoughts on what you’ve learned from the experience.
Action – How you will put what you’ve learned into practice.

If your reflective essay addresses the steps above, you are on the right track!

Structuring a Reflective Essay

While reflective essays vary depending upon topic and subject area, most share a basic overall structure. Unless you are told otherwise, then, your essay should include the following:

Introduction – A brief outline of what your essay is about.
Main Body – The main part of your essay will be a description of what happened and how it made you feel . This is also where you will evaluate and analyze your experiences, either as part of the description or as a separate section in the essay.
Conclusion – The conclusion of your essay should sum up what you have learned from reflecting on your experiences and what you would do differently in the future.
Reference List – If you have cited any sources in your essay, make sure to list them with full bibliographic information at the end of the document.

Finally, once you’ve written your essay, don’t forget to get it checked for spelling and grammar errors!

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Reflective Essay Writing

Reflective Essay Outline

How to Create a Reflective Essay Outline | Easy Guide with Examples

What is a Reflective Essay Outline?

A reflective essay outline is a layout of one’s thoughts and ideas in regard to a specific item. This type of academic writing revolves around a specific response to a topic in the form of a personal reflection.

In simple words, reflective writing is more like writing your diary, the only difference is your essay will be read by others so it has to be well-structured and coherent.

Why Outline Your Reflective Essay?

Creating an outline is the first step to a well-written reflective paper. The outline helps you organize your thoughts clearly and ensures that your essay flows logically from one point to the next.

Outlining your reflection essay also helps you see the overall picture of your essay and stops you from getting off-topic or adding irrelevant info.

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How to Write a Reflective Essay Outline?

As the purpose of writing a reflective essay is different from other types of essays , the organization of ideas will also be different. No matter what topic you pick, there are always certain rules you need to follow.

Here are the key components of a reflective essay outline and the steps to make one just right.

1. Reflective Essay Introduction

As with any other type of writing, reflective essays also start with an introduction to the topic. You can find some good topic ideas on our reflective essay topics blog. The following are the three important parts that an introduction for a reflective essay should include:

It is usually the first statement written to catch the reader’s attention from the beginning. It can be an anecdote, a rhetorical question, or an interesting fact.

For Example:

Ever felt like you were drowning, figuratively speaking? This overwhelming sensation is exactly how I felt during my first public presentation in college.

You can also go through our hook examples blog for exciting ways to start your essays.

Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is a 1-2 sentence statement that describes what your essay is all about. Don’t give too much information in the reflective essay thesis statement, as you will expand on it later.

Though initially crippled by stage fright, I discovered the power of preparation and self-compassion, ultimately transforming my public speaking experience into a valuable lesson in resilience.

2. Reflective Essay Body Paragraphs

Constructing the body section can be the difficult and most time-consuming part of outlining. Each body paragraph should consist of:

Topic Sentence: Start your body paragraph with a topic sentence to explain its main idea.
Event Analysis: Provide a detailed description using sensory details, actions, and relevant dialogue. Examine causes and consequences and analyze your thoughts and feelings.
Connect to Broader Themes: Elevate your reflection by drawing connections to universal concepts or lessons learned.

If you are describing an event, here is what each paragraph of your reflective essay should include.

First Body Paragraph

The first paragraph will be a description of the event. Don’t forget to answer the ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘why’, ‘where’, and ‘when’ questions. Include the essential information to describe your experience.

For describing an event, a good approach is to follow the chronological order and avoid jumping from one time to another.

Second Body Paragraph

In the second part, you need to point out the main issues related to the described event. You can also insert quotations and cite sources if the described points can be related to the literature.

Third Body Paragraph

The third part of your reflection essay will focus on the reflection of your thoughts about the event. This part describes what lessons you have learned as well as insights and ideas that evolved after experiencing the event.

3. Reflective Essay Conclusion

It is the last paragraph of your reflective essay where you need to provide a final touch to the whole writing together.

Here are the key elements that you need to add for writing a great essay conclusion paragraph.

Restate your thesis statement
Review the main ideas
Closing sentence

Reflective Essay Outline Template

Below is an outline template you could follow for writing your essay:

Reflective Essay Format and Style

When writing a reflective essay, you have various formats to choose from to structure your writing. The following are the three most common essay formats that you can use to arrange your reflective essay.

APA format
Chicago style

For a reflection essay, it's usually around 400-700 words, but always confirm the specific length with your instructor. Here are some key guidelines for APA and MLA format:

Guidelines for APA Style

Use Time New Roman.
Font size 12 should be used.
One inch margin on all sides of the paper.
On top of every page, include a page header.
Add the page number on the right side of the paper.
The essay in APA should be divided into four parts: the title page, the abstract, the main body section, and references.

Guidelines for MLA Style

All text should be double-spaced.
Use Times New Roman.
The one-inch margin on all sides of the paper.
Titles should be centered.
Include your name, your instructor’s name, course name, and date in the header.
The last page of your essay must include a work cited.

Reflective Essay Outline Examples

If you are working on your reflective essay assignment and need help with its outline, you can get help from the following examples to get started with your reflection paper.

Reflective Essay Structure Template

Have a look at the reflective essay template and use it to easily draft your essay outline.

Reflective Essay Outline Template

Reflective Essay Outline Samples

Here are additional examples of reflective essay outlines available for free download.

Reflective Essay Outline for University

Reflective Essay Outline on Learning Experience

Reflective Essay Outline Writing Tips

We have some expert tips for creating a perfect outline for your reflective piece of writing. Take a look:

Capture Key Ideas Quickly : Write down your main ideas and key points in a quick and concise manner. Use phrases or short sentences to represent each idea in your outline.
Start with the Core : Begin your outline with the essential sections: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion. This provides a structural foundation for your reflection.
Mind the Flow : Ensure that your outline has a logical flow from one section to the next. Each point or idea in the outline should naturally lead to the next one.
Chunk Similar Ideas : Group together similar ideas or related experiences in the same section. This simplifies the writing process and maintains coherence.
Focus on Key Details : Don't worry about including every detail in the outline. Instead, prioritize key details and examples that support your main points.
Use Symbols or Abbreviations : To save time and space, use symbols or abbreviations in your outline, like arrows (?) to indicate transitions or "ex." for examples.
Think in Questions : Use questions as prompts in your outline. For instance, "What did I learn from this experience?" can guide your reflection in a specific direction.
Reflective Prompts : Use reflective prompts as subheadings in your outline to guide your thought process. For example, "Why was this experience significant?"

Now, you know how to create an outline for writing a reflective essay. Refer to the above guide to craft a perfect reflective essay structure to achieve the results you need.

Reflective essay writing can be challenging for some, even with all the advice and tips.

Our reflective essay writing service can take care of your reflective essay outline or even the whole writing if you struggle to implement your idea. Our professional writers are available 24/7 to provide you with top-quality paper writing help .

So, order now!

Frequently Asked Questions

How many paragraphs is a reflective essay.

A reflective essay typically consists of 3-5 paragraphs, including an introduction, body paragraphs for reflection, and a conclusion.

How to start a reflective essay example?

To start a reflective essay:

Start with a captivating story or intriguing fact.
Introduce the central topic of your reflection.
Set the scene with relevant background details.
Clearly state your main idea or purpose for writing.

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A complete guide to writing a reflective essay

(Last updated: 3 June 2024)

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“The overwhelming burden of writing my first ever reflective essay loomed over me as I sat as still as a statue, as my fingers nervously poised over the intimidating buttons on my laptop keyboard. Where would I begin? Where would I end? Nerve wracking thoughts filled my mind as I fretted over the seemingly impossible journey on which I was about to embark.”

Reflective essays may seem simple on the surface, but they can be a real stumbling block if you're not quite sure how to go about them. In simple terms, reflective essays constitute a critical examination of a life experience and, with the right guidance, they're not too challenging to put together. A reflective essay is similar to other essays in that it needs to be easily understood and well structured, but the content is more akin to something personal like a diary entry.

In this guide, we explore in detail how to write a great reflective essay , including what makes a good structure and some advice on the writing process. We’ve even thrown in an example reflective essay to inspire you too, making this the ultimate guide for anyone needing reflective essay help.

Types of Reflection Papers

There are several types of reflective papers, each serving a unique purpose. Educational reflection papers focus on your learning experiences, such as a course or a lecture, and how they have impacted your understanding. Professional reflection papers often relate to work experiences, discussing what you have learned in a professional setting and how it has shaped your skills and perspectives. Personal reflection papers delve into personal experiences and their influence on your personal growth and development.

Each of these requires a slightly different approach, but all aim to provide insight into your thoughts and experiences, demonstrating your ability to analyse and learn from them. Understanding the specific requirements of each type can help you tailor your writing to effectively convey your reflections.

Reflective Essay Format

In a reflective essay, a writer primarily examines his or her life experiences, hence the term ‘reflective’. The purpose of writing a reflective essay is to provide a platform for the author to not only recount a particular life experience, but to also explore how he or she has changed or learned from those experiences. Reflective writing can be presented in various formats, but you’ll most often see it in a learning log format or diary entry. Diary entries in particular are used to convey how the author’s thoughts have developed and evolved over the course of a particular period.

The format of a reflective essay may change depending on the target audience. Reflective essays can be academic, or may feature more broadly as a part of a general piece of writing for a magazine, for instance. For class assignments, while the presentation format can vary, the purpose generally remains the same: tutors aim to inspire students to think deeply and critically about a particular learning experience or set of experiences. Here are some typical examples of reflective essay formats that you may have to write:

A focus on personal growth:

A type of reflective essay often used by tutors as a strategy for helping students to learn how to analyse their personal life experiences to promote emotional growth and development. The essay gives the student a better understanding of both themselves and their behaviours.

A focus on the literature:

This kind of essay requires students to provide a summary of the literature, after which it is applied to the student’s own life experiences.

Pre-Writing Tips: How to Start Writing the Reflection Essay?

As you go about deciding on the content of your essay, you need to keep in mind that a reflective essay is highly personal and aimed at engaging the reader or target audience. And there’s much more to a reflective essay than just recounting a story. You need to be able to reflect (more on this later) on your experience by showing how it influenced your subsequent behaviours and how your life has been particularly changed as a result.

As a starting point, you might want to think about some important experiences in your life that have really impacted you, either positively, negatively, or both. Some typical reflection essay topics include: a real-life experience, an imagined experience, a special object or place, a person who had an influence on you, or something you have watched or read. If you are writing a reflective essay as part of an academic exercise, chances are your tutor will ask you to focus on a particular episode – such as a time when you had to make an important decision – and reflect on what the outcomes were. Note also, that the aftermath of the experience is especially important in a reflective essay; miss this out and you will simply be storytelling.

What Do You Mean By Reflection Essay?

It sounds obvious, but the reflective process forms the core of writing this type of essay, so it’s important you get it right from the outset. You need to really think about how the personal experience you have chosen to focus on impacted or changed you. Use your memories and feelings of the experience to determine the implications for you on a personal level.

Once you’ve chosen the topic of your essay, it’s really important you study it thoroughly and spend a lot of time trying to think about it vividly. Write down everything you can remember about it, describing it as clearly and fully as you can. Keep your five senses in mind as you do this, and be sure to use adjectives to describe your experience. At this stage, you can simply make notes using short phrases, but you need to ensure that you’re recording your responses, perceptions, and your experience of the event(s).

Once you’ve successfully emptied the contents of your memory, you need to start reflecting. A great way to do this is to pick out some reflection questions which will help you think deeper about the impact and lasting effects of your experience. Here are some useful questions that you can consider:

What have you learned about yourself as a result of the experience?
Have you developed because of it? How?
Did it have any positive or negative bearing on your life?
Looking back, what would you have done differently?
Why do you think you made the particular choices that you did? Do you think these were the right choices?
What are your thoughts on the experience in general? Was it a useful learning experience? What specific skills or perspectives did you acquire as a result?

These signpost questions should help kick-start your reflective process. Remember, asking yourself lots of questions is key to ensuring that you think deeply and critically about your experiences – a skill that is at the heart of writing a great reflective essay.

Consider using models of reflection (like the Gibbs or Kolb cycles) before, during, and after the learning process to ensure that you maintain a high standard of analysis. For example, before you really get stuck into the process, consider questions such as: what might happen (regarding the experience)? Are there any possible challenges to keep in mind? What knowledge is needed to be best prepared to approach the experience? Then, as you’re planning and writing, these questions may be useful: what is happening within the learning process? Is the process working out as expected? Am I dealing with the accompanying challenges successfully? Is there anything that needs to be done additionally to ensure that the learning process is successful? What am I learning from this? By adopting such a framework, you’ll be ensuring that you are keeping tabs on the reflective process that should underpin your work.

How to Strategically Plan Out the Reflective Essay Structure?

Here’s a very useful tip: although you may feel well prepared with all that time spent reflecting in your arsenal, do not, start writing your essay until you have worked out a comprehensive, well-rounded plan . Your writing will be so much more coherent, your ideas conveyed with structure and clarity, and your essay will likely achieve higher marks.

This is an especially important step when you’re tackling a reflective essay – there can be a tendency for people to get a little ‘lost’ or disorganised as they recount their life experiences in an erratic and often unsystematic manner as it is a topic so close to their hearts. But if you develop a thorough outline (this is the same as a ‘plan’) and ensure you stick to it like Christopher Columbus to a map, you should do just fine as you embark on the ultimate step of writing your essay. If you need further convincing on how important planning is, we’ve summarised the key benefits of creating a detailed essay outline below:

Now you’re familiar with the benefits of using an outline for your reflective essay, it is essential that you know how to craft one. It can be considerably different from other typical essay outlines, mostly because of the varying subjects. But what remains the same, is that you need to start your outline by drafting the introduction, body and conclusion. More on this below.

Introduction

As is the case with all essays, your reflective essay must begin within an introduction that contains both a hook and a thesis statement. The point of having a ‘hook’ is to grab the attention of your audience or reader from the very beginning. You must portray the exciting aspects of your story in the initial paragraph so that you stand the best chances of holding your reader’s interest. Refer back to the opening quote of this article – did it grab your attention and encourage you to read more? The thesis statement is a brief summary of the focus of the essay, which in this case is a particular experience that influenced you significantly. Remember to give a quick overview of your experience – don’t give too much information away or you risk your reader becoming disinterested.

Next up is planning the body of your essay. This can be the hardest part of the entire paper; it’s easy to waffle and repeat yourself both in the plan and in the actual writing. Have you ever tried recounting a story to a friend only for them to tell you to ‘cut the long story short’? They key here is to put plenty of time and effort into planning the body, and you can draw on the following tips to help you do this well:

Try adopting a chronological approach. This means working through everything you want to touch upon as it happened in time. This kind of approach will ensure that your work is systematic and coherent. Keep in mind that a reflective essay doesn’t necessarily have to be linear, but working chronologically will prevent you from providing a haphazard recollection of your experience. Lay out the important elements of your experience in a timeline – this will then help you clearly see how to piece your narrative together.

Ensure the body of your reflective essay is well focused and contains appropriate critique and reflection. The body should not only summarise your experience, it should explore the impact that the experience has had on your life, as well as the lessons that you have learned as a result. The emphasis should generally be on reflection as opposed to summation. A reflective posture will not only provide readers with insight on your experience, it’ll highlight your personality and your ability to deal with or adapt to particular situations.

In the conclusion of your reflective essay, you should focus on bringing your piece together by providing a summary of both the points made throughout, and what you have learned as a result. Try to include a few points on why and how your attitudes and behaviours have been changed. Consider also how your character and skills have been affected, for example: what conclusions can be drawn about your problem-solving skills? What can be concluded about your approach to specific situations? What might you do differently in similar situations in the future? What steps have you taken to consolidate everything that you have learned from your experience? Keep in mind that your tutor will be looking out for evidence of reflection at a very high standard.

Congratulations – you now have the tools to create a thorough and accurate plan which should put you in good stead for the ultimate phase indeed of any essay, the writing process.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Your Reflective Essay

As with all written assignments, sitting down to put pen to paper (or more likely fingers to keyboard) can be daunting. But if you have put in the time and effort fleshing out a thorough plan, you should be well prepared, which will make the writing process as smooth as possible. The following points should also help ease the writing process:

To get a feel for the tone and format in which your writing should be, read other typically reflective pieces in magazines and newspapers, for instance.
Don’t think too much about how to start your first sentence or paragraph; just start writing and you can always come back later to edit anything you’re not keen on. Your first draft won’t necessarily be your best essay writing work but it’s important to remember that the earlier you start writing, the more time you will have to keep reworking your paper until it’s perfect. Don’t shy away from using a free-flow method, writing and recording your thoughts and feelings on your experiences as and when they come to mind. But make sure you stick to your plan. Your plan is your roadmap which will ensure your writing doesn’t meander too far off course.
For every point you make about an experience or event, support it by describing how you were directly impacted, using specific as opposed to vague words to convey exactly how you felt.
Write using the first-person narrative, ensuring that the tone of your essay is very personal and reflective of your character.
If you need to, refer back to our notes earlier on creating an outline. As you work through your essay, present your thoughts systematically, remembering to focus on your key learning outcomes.
Consider starting your introduction with a short anecdote or quote to grasp your readers’ attention, or other engaging techniques such as flashbacks.
Choose your vocabulary carefully to properly convey your feelings and emotions. Remember that reflective writing has a descriptive component and so must have a wide range of adjectives to draw from. Avoid vague adjectives such as ‘okay’ or ‘nice’ as they don’t really offer much insight into your feelings and personality. Be more specific – this will make your writing more engaging.
Be honest with your feelings and opinions. Remember that this is a reflective task, and is the one place you can freely admit – without any repercussions – that you failed at a particular task. When assessing your essay, your tutor will expect a deep level of reflection, not a simple review of your experiences and emotion. Showing deep reflection requires you to move beyond the descriptive. Be extremely critical about your experience and your response to it. In your evaluation and analysis, ensure that you make value judgements, incorporating ideas from outside the experience you had to guide your analysis. Remember that you can be honest about your feelings without writing in a direct way. Use words that work for you and are aligned with your personality.
Once you’ve finished learning about and reflecting on your experience, consider asking yourself these questions: what did I particularly value from the experience and why? Looking back, how successful has the process been? Think about your opinions immediately after the experience and how they differ now, so that you can evaluate the difference between your immediate and current perceptions. Asking yourself such questions will help you achieve reflective writing effectively and efficiently.
Don’t shy away from using a variety of punctuation. It helps keeps your writing dynamic! Doesn’t it?
If you really want to awaken your reader’s imagination, you can use imagery to create a vivid picture of your experiences.
Ensure that you highlight your turning point, or what we like to call your “Aha!” moment. Without this moment, your resulting feelings and thoughts aren’t as valid and your argument not as strong.
Don’t forget to keep reiterating the lessons you have learned from your experience.

Bonus Tip - Using Wider Sources

Although a reflective piece of writing is focused on personal experience, it’s important you draw on other sources to demonstrate your understanding of your experience from a theoretical perspective. It’ll show a level of analysis – and a standard of reliability in what you’re claiming – if you’re also able to validate your work against other perspectives that you find. Think about possible sources, like newspapers, surveys, books and even journal articles. Generally, the additional sources you decide to include in your work are highly dependent on your field of study. Analysing a wide range of sources, will show that you have read widely on your subject area, that you have nuanced insight into the available literature on the subject of your essay, and that you have considered the broader implications of the literature for your essay. The incorporation of other sources into your essay also helps to show that you are aware of the multi-dimensional nature of both the learning and problem-solving process.

Reflective Essay Example

If you want some inspiration for writing, take a look at our example of a short reflective essay , which can serve as a useful starting point for you when you set out to write your own.

Some Final Notes to Remember

To recap, the key to writing a reflective essay is demonstrating what lessons you have taken away from your experiences, and why and how you have been shaped by these lessons.

The reflective thinking process begins with you – you must consciously make an effort to identify and examine your own thoughts in relation to a particular experience. Don’t hesitate to explore any prior knowledge or experience of the topic, which will help you identify why you have formed certain opinions on the subject. Remember that central to reflective essay writing is the examination of your attitudes, assumptions and values, so be upfront about how you feel. Reflective writing can be quite therapeutic, helping you identify and clarify your strengths and weaknesses, particularly in terms of any knowledge gaps that you may have. It’s a pretty good way of improving your critical thinking skills, too. It enables you to adopt an introspective posture in analysing your experiences and how you learn/make sense of them.

If you are still having difficulties with starting the writing process, why not try mind-mapping which will help you to structure your thinking and ideas, enabling you to produce a coherent piece. Creating a mind map will ensure that your argument is written in a very systematic way that will be easy for your tutor to follow. Here’s a recap of the contents of this article, which also serves as a way to create a mind map:

1. Identify the topic you will be writing on.

2. Note down any ideas that are related to the topic and if you want to, try drawing a diagram to link together any topics, theories, and ideas.

3. Allow your ideas to flow freely, knowing that you will always have time to edit your reflective essay .

4. Consider how your ideas are connected to each other, then begin the writing process.

And finally, keep in mind that although there are descriptive elements in a reflective essay, we can’t emphasise enough how crucial it is that your work is critical, analytical, and adopts a reflective posture in terms of your experience and the lessons you have learned from it.

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How to Write a Student Course Reflection Paper

Steps in Writing a Reflection Paper

A reflective essay on a course is a personal reflection on how the course affected the student. Reflective essays analyze the course material theories, core concepts and ideas presented by the instructor and then summarizes the writer's feelings about the material. A reflective essay, like all essays, should include an introduction, a body and the conclusion.

Introduce the reader to the course with a summary of the material covered by the course. Describe the method of instruction and the major topics covered. Tell the reader why you took the course and what educational benefits you expected from the course.

Identify the theories and core concepts that were presented during the course. Explain each theory or concept in your own words to demonstrate your understanding of the material.

Describe your feelings about the theories and concepts presented in the course and then analyze them by applying the concepts and theories to real life experiences, if possible. Tell the reader about your feelings on the subject of the course, and describe how and why (or why not) your feelings about the subject, theories and core concepts changed or developed during the course.

Conclude the reflective paper with a summary of your feelings about the course material in the beginning of the course. Summarize your feelings after the course was completed. State how the course helped or did not help you.

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Robin Reichert is a certified nutrition consultant, certified personal trainer and professional writer. She has been studying health and fitness issues for more than 10 years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of San Francisco and a Master of Science in natural health from Clayton College.

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Ultimate Guide to Writing a Reflective Essay

Carla johnson.

June 14, 2023
How to Guides

Writing about yourself is a powerful way to learn and grow as a person. It is a type of writing that makes you think about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences and how they have affected your personal and professional growth. A reflective essay is a type of writing that lets you talk about your own experiences, thoughts, and insights. In this article , we’ll tell you everything you need to know about writing a reflective essay, from how to define it and figure out what it’s for to how to do it well.

What You'll Learn

Definition of a Reflective Essay

A reflective essay is a type of writing in which you write about your own thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It is a type of personal writing that lets you talk about your own thoughts and experiences and share them with other people. Students are often asked to write reflective essays for school, but they can also be used for personal or professional growth.

Purpose of a Reflective Essay

The goal of a reflective essay is to get you to think about your life and how it has affected your personal and professional growth. Reflective essays can help you learn more about yourself and your experiences, as well as find places where you can grow and improve. They can also help you get better at writing and better at getting your ideas across.

Importance of Reflective Writing

Writing about yourself and your work is an important way to grow personally and professionally. It can help you learn more about yourself, figure out where you need to grow and change, and learn more about how you think and feel. Writing about yourself can also help you get better at critical thinking and analysis , and it can help you get your ideas across better. It is a useful tool for anyone who wants to grow personally and professionally, and it can be used in many different situations, from academic writing to keeping a personal journal.

Writing about yourself and your work is a powerful way to grow personally and professionally. Reflective essays give you a chance to think about your own life and how it has affected your personal and professional growth. By writing about your thoughts and feelings, you can learn more about them, find ways to grow and improve, and improve your writing and communication skills . In the next parts of this article, we’ll show you how to write a good reflective essay step by step, from choosing a topic and organizing your thoughts to writing and revising your essay.

Elements of a Reflective Essay

A reflective essay is a type of writing that allows you to reflect on your personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings. There are several essential elements that should be included in a reflective essay to ensure that it is effective in conveying your personal reflections and experiences.

Personal Reflection

The first essential element of a reflective essay is personal reflection. This involves exploring your own thoughts and feelings about the experience you are reflecting on. It is important to be honest and open about your thoughts and feelings, as this will make your essay more authentic and meaningful.

Description of the Experience

The second element of a reflective essay is a description of the experience that you are reflecting on. This includes providing details about the experience, such as where it took place, who was involved, and what happened. The description should be clear and concise, and should provide enough detail for the reader to understand the context of your reflection.

Analysis of the Experience

The third element of a reflective essay is analysis of the experience. This involves exploring the experience in more depth, and examining your thoughts and feelings about it. You should consider what you learned from the experience, and how it impacted your personal and professional growth .

Evaluation of the Experience

The fourth element of a reflective essay is evaluation of the experience. This involves examining the experience from different perspectives, and considering its strengths and weaknesses. You should reflect on what you would do differently if you were in the same situation again, and how you could improve your response or approach.

Identification of Key Learning

The fifth element of a reflective essay is identifying the key learning that you gained from the experience. This involves reflecting on the insights and lessons that you learned from the experience, and how these have impacted your personal and professional growth. This can include new skills, knowledge, or perspectives that you gained from the experience.

Planning for Future Action

The final element of a reflective essay is planning for future action. This involves considering how you can apply the lessons and insights gained from the experience to improve your future actions. You should reflect on how you can use what you learned to approach similar situations differently in the future.

How to Write a Reflective Essay

Writing a reflective essay can be a challenging task, but by following a few simple steps, you can write an effective and meaningful essay .

Steps for Writing a Reflective Essay:

1. Brainstorming and Selecting a Topic

Begin by brainstorming and selecting a topic for your reflective essay. Think about a personal experience or event that had a significant impact on your personal or professional growth.

2. Creating an Outline

Create an outline for your essay . This should include an introduction, body, and conclusion, as well as sections for each of the essential elements described above.

3. Writing the Introduction

Write the introduction for your essay . This should include a brief overview of the experience that you will be reflecting on, as well as the purpose and focus of your essay.

4. Writing the Body

Write the body of your essay, which should include the personal reflection, description of the experience, analysis of the experience, evaluation of the experience, identification of key learning, and planning for future action . Make sure to use specific examples and details to support your reflection.

5. Writing the Conclusion

Write the conclusion for your essay , which should summarize the key points of your reflection and provide closure for the reader. You can also include a final reflection on the experience and what it means to you.

6. Revising and Editing

Pay close attention to grammar, spelling, and sentence structure as you reread and edit your essay . Make sure your essay is easy to read and flows well. You might also want someone else to look over your essay and give you feedback and ideas.

If you follow these steps, you should be able to write a good reflective essay. Remember to be honest and open about your thoughts and feelings, and to support your reflection with specific examples and details. You can become a good reflective writer with practice , and you can use this skill to help your personal and professional growth.

Reflective Essay Topics

Reflective essays can be written on a wide range of topics, as they are based on personal experiences and reflections. Here are some common categories of reflective essay topics:

Personal Experiences

– A time when you overcame a personal challenge

– A difficult decision you had to make

– A significant event in your life that changed you

– A moment when you learned an important lesson

– A relationship that had a significant impact on you

Professional Experiences

– A challenging project or assignment at work

– A significant accomplishment or success in your career

– A time when you had to deal with a difficult colleague or boss

– A failure or setback in your career and what you learned from it

– A career change or transition that had a significant impact on you

Academic Experiences

– A challenging course or assignment in school

– A significant accomplishment or success in your academic career

– A time when you struggled with a particular subject or topic and how you overcame it

– A research project or paper that had a significant impact on you

– A teacher or mentor who had a significant impact on your academic career

Cultural Experiences

– A significant trip or travel experience

– A significant cultural event or celebration you participated in

– A time when you experienced culture shock

– A significant interaction with someone from a different culture

– A time when you learned something new about a different culture and how it impacted you

Social Issues

– A personal experience with discrimination or prejudice

– A time when you volunteered or worked for a social cause or organization

– A significant event or moment related to a social issue (e.g. protest, rally, community event)

– A time when you had to confront your own biases or privilege

– A social issue that you are passionate about and how it has impacted you personally

Reflective Essay Examples

Example 1: Reflecting on a Personal Challenge

In this reflective essay, the writer reflects on a personal challenge they faced and how they overcame it. They explore their thoughts, feelings, and actions during this time, and reflect on the lessons they learned from the experience.

Example 2: Reflecting on a Professional Experience

In this reflective essay, the writer reflects on a challenging project they worked on at work and how they overcame obstacles to successfully complete it. They explore their thoughts and feelings about the experience and reflect on the skills and knowledge they gained from it.

Example 3: Reflecting on an Academic Assignment

In this reflective essay, the writer reflects on a challenging academic assignment they completed and how they overcame difficulties to successfully complete it. They explore their thoughts and feelings about the experience and reflect on the skills and knowledge they gained from it.

Example 4: Reflecting on a Cultural Experience

In this reflective essay, the writer reflects on a significant cultural experience they had, such as traveling to a new country or participating in a cultural event. Theyexplore their thoughts and feelings about the experience, reflect on what they learned about the culture, and how it impacted them personally.

Example 5: Reflecting on a Social Issue

In this reflective essay, the writer reflects on their personal experiences with discrimination or prejudice and how it impacted them. They explore their thoughts and feelings about the experience, reflect on what they learned about themselves and the issue, and how they can take action to address it.

These examples demonstrate how reflective essays can be used to explore a wide range of personal experiences and reflections. By exploring your own thoughts and feelings about an experience, you can gain insights into your personal and professional growth and identify areas for further development . Reflective writing is a powerful tool for self-reflection and personal growth, and it can be used in many different contexts to help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you.

Reflective Essay Outline

A reflective essay should follow a basic outline that includes an introduction, body, and conclusion. Here is a breakdown of each section:

Introduction: The introduction should provide an overview of the experience you will be reflecting on and a preview of the key points you will be discussing in your essay .

Body: The body of the essay should include several paragraphs that explore your personal reflection, description of the experience, analysis of the experience, evaluation of the experience, identification of key learning, and planning for future action.

Conclusion: The conclusion should summarize the key points of your reflection and provide closure for the reader.

Reflective Essay Thesis

A reflective essay thesis is a statement that summarizes the main points of your essay and provides a clear focus for your writing. A strong thesis statement is essential for a successful reflective essay, as it helps to guide your writing and ensure that your essay is focused and coherent.

Importance of a Strong Thesis Statement

A strong thesis statement is important for several reasons. First, it provides a clear focus for your writing, which helps to ensure that your essay is coherent and well-organized. Second, it helps to guide your writing and ensure that you stay on topic throughout your essay . Finally, it helps to engage your reader and provide them with a clear understanding of what your essay is about.

Tips for Writing a Thesis Statement

To write a strong thesis statement for your reflective essay, follow these tips:

– Be clear and concise: Yourthesis statement should clearly state the main focus and purpose of your essay in a concise manner.

– Use specific language: Use specific language to describe the experience you will be reflecting on and the key points you will be discussing in your essay .

– Make it arguable: A strong thesis statement should be arguable and provide some insight or perspective on the experience you are reflecting on.

– Reflect on the significance: Reflect on the significance of the experience you are reflecting on and why it is important to you.

Reflective Essay Structure

The structure of a reflective essay is important for ensuring that your essay is well-organized and easy to read. A clear structure helps to guide the reader through your thoughts and reflections, and it makes it easier for them to understand your main points.

The Importance of a Clear Structure

A clear structure is important for several reasons. First, it helps to ensure that your essay is well-organized and easy to read. Second, it helps to guide your writing and ensure that you stay on topic throughout your essay. Finally, it helps to engage your reader and provide them with a clear understanding of the key points you are making.

Tips for Structuring a Reflective Essay

To structure your reflective essay effectively, follow these tips:

– Start with an introduction that provides an overview of the experience you are reflecting on and a preview of the key points you will be discussing in your essay .

– Use body paragraphs to explore your personal reflection, description of the experience, analysisof the experience, evaluation of the experience, identification of key learning, and planning for future action. Ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus and supports your thesis statement .

– Use transition words and phrases to connect your paragraphs and make your essay flow smoothly.

– End your essay with a conclusion that summarizes the key points of your reflection and provides closure for the reader.

– Consider using subheadings to organize your essay and make it more structured and easy to read.

By following these tips, you can create a clear and well-structured reflective essay that effectively communicates your personal experiences and reflections. Remember to use specific examples and details to support your reflection, and to keep your focus on the main topic and thesis statement of your essay .

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. what is a reflective essay.

A reflective essay is a type of writing that allows you to reflect on your personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings. It involves exploring your own thoughts and feelings about an experience, and reflecting on what you learned from it.

2. What are the elements of a reflective essay?

The essential elements of a reflective essay include personal reflection, description of the experience, analysis of the experience, evaluation of the experience, identification of key learning, and planning for future action.

3. How do I choose a topic for a reflective essay?

To choose a topic for a reflective essay, think about a personal experience or event that had a significant impact on your personal or professional growth. You may also consider professional experiences, academic experiences, cultural experiences, or social issues that have impacted you personally.

Reflective writing is a powerful tool for personal and professional development. By exploring your own thoughts and feelings about an experience, you can gain insights into your personal and professional growth and identify areas for further development. To write an effective reflective essay, it is important to follow a clear structure, use specific examples and details to support your reflection, and stay focused on the main topic and thesis statement of your essay . By following these tips and guidelines, you can become a skilled reflective writer and use this tool to improve your personal and professional growth.

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Student Learning Outcomes Course Reflection Essay Example

To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
As a template for you assignment

Course Reflection: Essay Introduction

The chosen course proved a positive experience for students due to the achievement of an appropriate study atmosphere and the establishment of beneficial student-teacher relationships. Attaining the study group’s confidence permitted instituting a functional feedback mechanism, which allowed those in attendance to demonstrate their grasp of the learned material and give recommendations on bettering the course based on personal experience. Consequently, Student Learning Outcomes were sufficiently achieved, leaving both learners and their lector satisfied with the pupils’ level of attained knowledge and competencies.

Despite the overall success of the course, there remain choice aspects of it that require additional work and improvement to receive even better results. Unpredictable external circumstances, such as weather conditions, resulted in the loss of class time and, therefore, leaving the last chapter uncovered. The acquirement procedure for the e-book access code was not perfected, with numerous pupils opting not to attain it, which made the use of the Marketing Lab troublesome. Additionally, revisiting the length of Exam 1 is necessary due to the difficulty that the majority of students experienced with its timely completion.

Resolving these issues, as well as other minor problems noted over the length of the course, requires addressing their origins. To make the Marketing Lab a more significant part of the learning process, more homework could be assigned from it, integrating questions from the textbook that were not covered in class. Additionally, this would effectively compel students to procure and use the e-book access code. The inclusion of more case studies in the course would also be a useful strategy, which may permit learners to achieve a more profound and hands-on understanding of course material.

Paying increased attention to the ongoing pupils’ assessment becomes crucial under these conditions, making journal entries a viable tactic when checking their comprehension of material after each chapter. Permitting students to include their possible questions in these entries would make working with learners easier through creating facilitated lines of communication. Therefore, considering all of these changes, revising the length of Exam 1 and re-assessing its weight in the overall course evaluation process becomes a necessary step. This change would contribute to the achievement of a balanced grading system that would adequately reflect the work done by students throughout their learning process.

The Effect of Professional Development on Education

The success of the course may be linked to the effort put into professional development, which permits perfecting the teaching process to achieve better learning outcomes. Attending Blackboard and Digital Measures training made gaining a mastery of teachers’ resources and integrating them to the best of their use possible within the classroom setting. Additionally, the ITCL Symposium helped achieve a better understanding of course material and how it could be taught, the presentation on product development having become part of the classroom lectures. The participation in coaching and symposiums, therefore, not only presented a chance for sufficient professional growth but also permitted apperceiving additional educational materials.

Implementing modern educational methods, which integrate the benefits of new technologies inside a traditional classroom setting, makes possible the attainment of previously unreachable goals through a combined teaching approach. In this aspect, Blackboard training may claim the most significant impact on the quality of provided schooling since it helped improve the continuity of the educational process through the demonstration of useful virtual teaching techniques.

The benefit of learning through Blackboard is evident due to the possibility of pacing the internet-based learning process, making the received training self-controlled, even if based around deadlines. During training, these aspects proved decisive as there was no need for extensive traveling, providing all the necessary information in one easily accessible place.

This advantage may be carried over successfully into the learning process, either providing the educator with an additional platform for student-teacher communication or presenting a chance for a changeover into entirely internet-based learning. For pupils, this transition could mean heightened educational autonomy when planning their time, which may be a crucial additional professional skill.

Evaluating Results and Setting Future Goals

Despite the positive impact of these provided chances for training, the brevity of the Faculty Annual Evaluation, which lasted one semester, poses significant issues to creating a continuous process of staff education. Additionally, the narrowness of the chosen courses’ topics, as well as their limitation to an in-house setting, poses a significant hindrance in achieving better professional results.

While a modernized approach to education, which focuses on the integration of technological advancements inside the classroom, may be beneficial to modern students’ understanding of the material, this attitude could be detrimental to traditional conceptions. However, as exercises and symposiums retain certain limitations, disputing the significant benefits that they provide to educators is not possible.

These current developments are a positive step towards achieving a better level of faculty performance, creating competent teachers that in turn can produce exceptional students. Advancing the already obtained results may be possible through continuing to provide employees with not only the possibility of professional growth but also presenting them with a broader variety of educational options and topics.

However, setting future goals for development based on the already achieved results becomes viable when considering the significant impact already imparted on the teaching staff. Therefore, setting goals for the coming year that pertain to expanding virtual education and developing online collaboration becomes appropriate and necessary for the continuation of staff growth. Taking additional steps to increase the provided variety of subjects, as well as the types of training offered, such as conferences and workshops, could present a chance to secure a steady reinforcement of teachers’ competencies. Since the already achieved results in educators’ training may be considered an accomplishment, this success should be supported and augmented.

Setting SMART Goals

It may be crucial to keep in mind that the process of education should equally benefit both students and teachers. To continue achieving excellent results and presenting pupils with the chance to learn from the best version of their educator it is necessary to keep giving adequate attention to self-improvement. Therefore, it becomes essential to outline specific SMART goals that are quantifiable and rely on accurate and measurable pre-determined goals that can be attained in a set time and may, therefore, be called realistic.

Predominantly, these SMART goals should be oriented towards developing professional competencies that may help teach management and marketing courses, as these subjects remain primarily taught courses. Attending two new specialized development courses, specifically tailored for those who teach marketing or management before the end of the next year could be a viable betterment option.

Another goal would be carrying out extra research on marketing tactics and management techniques before the start of the next semester and compiling the findings into ten cases for each course for students to solve. Personally forming these cases would permit creating not only a prerequisite for professional development through a study of modern practices but also provide learners with a unique and challenging educational experience.

Considering the assistance provided by technology, it may be necessary, as an educator, to continue integrating online resources into the education process. This aspiration makes mastering a new educational platform before the end of this semester essential objective, the success of which may be measured by the transfer of learning materials to the more modern program. Conducting at least two online examinations or assessments of pupils in the next semester is, therefore, an interdependent and reasonably achievable goal.

Additionally, it is necessary to integrate a virtual system of journal entries that would allow analyzing learners’ competencies as well as their acquired knowledge. Therefore, making journal entries a part of the next marketing and management courses could be an important SMART goal that may prove essential to stimulate students’ reflection regarding the courses’ goals. Incorporating modern technologies into the learning process should prove beneficial for learners who will seek employment in future job markets, which may have heightened expectations regarding the interdisciplinary skills of their staff.

These outlined short-term SMART goals are aimed at developing both professional and personal qualities in pupils and their educator alike. Consequently, the final goal should be related to receiving feedback from learners in both courses, which requires devising a communication from before the end of the current semester and making it accessible online. An omnipresent educational objective, therefore, is making sure that pupils feel confident and secure enough to communicate their possible grievances and suggestions.

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IvyPanda. (2020, December 9). Student Learning Outcomes. https://ivypanda.com/essays/student-learning-outcomes-course-reflection/

"Student Learning Outcomes." IvyPanda , 9 Dec. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/student-learning-outcomes-course-reflection/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'Student Learning Outcomes'. 9 December.

IvyPanda . 2020. "Student Learning Outcomes." December 9, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/student-learning-outcomes-course-reflection/.

1. IvyPanda . "Student Learning Outcomes." December 9, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/student-learning-outcomes-course-reflection/.

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How to Write a Reflective Essay?

07 August, 2020

17 minutes read

Author: Elizabeth Brown

A reflective essay is a personal perspective on an issue or topic. This article will look at how to write an excellent reflexive account of your experience, provide you with reflexive essay framework to help you plan and organize your essay and give you a good grounding of what good reflective writing looks like.

What is a Reflective Essay?

A reflective essay requires the writer to examine his experiences and explore how these experiences have helped him develop and shaped him as a person. It is essentially an analysis of your own experience focusing on what you’ve learned.

Don’t confuse reflexive analysis with the rhetorical one. If you need assistance figuring out how to write a rhetorical analysis , give our guide a read!

Based on the reflective essay definition, this paper will follow a logical and thought-through plan . It will be a discussion that centers around a topic or issue. The essay should strive to achieve a balance between description and personal feelings.

It requires a clear line of thought, evidence, and examples to help you discuss your reflections. Moreover, a proper paper requires an analytical approach . There are three main types of a reflective essay: theory-based, a case study or an essay based on one’s personal experience.

Unlike most academic forms of writing, this writing is based on personal experiences and thoughts. As such, first-person writing position where the writer can refer to his own thoughts and feelings is essential. If the writer talks about psychology or medicine, it is best to use the first-person reference as little as possible to keep the tone objective and science-backed.

To write this paper, you need to recollect and share personal experience . However, there is still a chance that you’ll be asked to talk about a more complex topic.

By the way, if you are looking for good ideas on how to choose a good argumentative essay topic , check out our latest guide to help you out!

The Criteria for a Good Reflective Essay

The convention of an academic reflective essay writing will vary slightly depending on your area of study. A good reflective essay will be written geared towards its intended audience. These are the general criteria that form the core of a well-written piece:

A developed perspective and line of reasoning on the subject.
A well-informed discussion that is based on literature and sources relevant to your reflection.
An understanding of the complex nuance of situations and the tributary effects that prevent them from being simple and clear-cut.
Ability to stand back and analyze your own decision-making process to see if there is a better solution to the problem.
A clear understanding of h ow the experience has influenced you.
A good understanding of the principles and theories of your subject area.
Ability to frame a problem before implementing a solution.

These seven criteria form the principles of writing an excellent reflective essay.

Still need help with your essay? Handmade Writing is here to assist you!

What is the Purpose of Writing a Reflective Essay?

The purpose of a reflective essay is for a writer to reflect upon experience and learn from it . Reflection is a useful process that helps you make sense of things and gain valuable lessons from your experience. Reflective essay writing allows you to demonstrate that you can think critically about your own skills or practice strategies implementations to learn and improve without outside guidance.

Another purpose is to analyze the event or topic you are describing and emphasize how you’ll apply what you’ve learned.

How to Create a Reflective Essay Outline

Analyze the task you’ve received
Read through and understand the marking criteria
Keep a reflective journal during the experience
Use a reflective framework (Schon, Driscoll, Gibbs, and Kolb) to help you analyze the experience
Create a referencing system to keep institutions and people anonymous to avoid breaking their confidentiality
Set the scene by using the five W’s (What, Where, When, Who and Why) to describe it
Choose the events or the experiences you’re going to reflect on
Identify the issues of the event or experience you want to focus on
Use literature and documents to help you discuss these issues in a wider context
Reflect on how these issues changed your position regarding the issue
Compare and contrast theory with practice
Identify and discuss your learning needs both professionally and personally

Don’t forget to adjust the formatting of your essay. There are four main format styles of any academic piece. Discover all of them from our essay format guide!

Related Posts: Essay outline | Essay format Guide

Using Reflective Frameworks

A good way to develop a reflective essay plan is by using a framework that exists. A framework will let help you break the experience down logical and make the answer easier to organize. Popular frameworks include: Schon’s (1983) Reflection in action and reflection on action .

Schon wrote ‘The Reflective Practitioner’ in 1983 in which he describes reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action as tools for learning how to meet challenges that do not conform to formulas learned in school through improvisation. He mentioned two types of reflection : one during and one after. By being aware of these processes while on a work-experience trail or clinical assignment you have to write a reflective account for, you get to understand the process better. So good questions to ask in a reflective journal could be:

<td “200”>Reflection-pre-action <td “200”>Reflection-in-action <td “200”>Reflection-on-Action<td “200”>What might happen? <td “200”>What is happening in the situation? <td “200”>What were your insights after?<td “200”>What possible challenges will you face? <td “200”>Is it working out as you expected? <td “200”>How did it go in retrospect?<td “200”>How will you prepare for the situation? <td “200”>What are the challenges you are dealing with? <td “200”>What did you value and why?<td “200”> <td “200”>What can you do to make the experience a successful one? <td “200”>What would you do differently before or during a similar situation?<td “200”> <td “200”>What are you learning? <td “200”>What have you learned?

This will give you a good frame for your paper and help you analyze your experience.

Kolb’s (1984) Learning Cycle

Kolb’s reflective framework works in four stages:

Concrete experience. This is an event or experience
Reflective observation. This is reflecting upon the experience. What you did and why.
Abstract conceptualization. This is the process of drawing conclusions from the experience. Did it confirm a theory or falsify something? And if so, what can you conclude from that?
Active experimentation. Planning and trying out the thing you have learned from this interaction.

Gibb’s (1988) Reflection Cycle

Gibbs model is an extension of Kolb’s. Gibb’s reflection cycle is a popular model used in reflective writing. There are six stages in the cycle.

Description. What happened? Describe the experience you are reflecting on and who is involved.
Feelings. What were you thinking and feeling at the time? What were your thoughts and feelings afterward?
Evaluation. What was good and bad about the experience? How did you react to the situation? How did other people react? Was the situation resolved? Why and how was it resolved or why wasn’t it resolved? Could the resolution have been better?
Analysis. What sense can you make of the situation? What helped or hindered during the event? How does this compare to the literature on the subject?
Conclusion. What else could you have done? What have you learned from the experience? Could you have responded differently? How would improve or repeat success? How can you avoid failure?
Action plan. If it arose again what would you do? How can you better prepare yourself for next time?

Driscoll’s Method (1994) and Rolfe et al (2001) Reflexive Learning

The Driscoll Method break the process down into three questions. What (Description), So What (Analysis) and Now What (Proposed action). Rolf et al 2001 extended the model further by giving more in-depth and reflexive questions.

What is the problem/ difficulty/reason for being stuck/reason for feeling bad?
What was my role in the situation?
What was I trying to achieve?
What actions did I take?
What was the response of others?
What were the consequences for the patient / for myself / for others?
What feeling did it evoke in the patient / in myself / in others?
What was good and bad about the experience?
So, what were your feelings at the time?
So, what are your feelings now? Are there any differences? Why?
So, what were the effects of what you did or did not do?
So, what good emerged from the situation for yourself and others? Does anything trouble you about the experience or event?
So, what were your experiences like in comparison to colleagues, patients, visitors, and others?
So, what are the main reasons for feeling differently from your colleagues?
Now, what are the implications for you, your colleagues and the patients?
Now, what needs to happen to alter the situation?
Now, what are you going to do about the situation?
Now, what happens if you decide not to alter anything?
Now, what will you do differently if faced with a similar situation?
Now, what information would you need to deal with the situation again?
Now, what methods would you use to go about getting that information?

This model is mostly used for clinical experiences in degrees related to medicine such as nursing or genetic counseling. It helps to get students comfortable thinking over each experience and adapting to situations.

This is just a selection of basic models of this type of writing. And there are more in-depth models out there if you’re writing a very advanced reflective essay. These models are good for beginner level essays. Each model has its strengths and weaknesses. So, it is best to use one that allows you to answer the set question fully.

This written piece can follow many different structures depending on the subject area . So, check your assignment to make sure you don’t have a specifically assigned structural breakdown. For example, an essay that follows Gibbs plan directly with six labeled paragraphs is typical in nursing assignments. A more typical piece will follow a standard structure of an introduction, main body, and conclusion. Now, let’s look into details on how to craft each of these essay parts.

How to Write an Introduction?

There are several good ways to start a reflective essay . Remember that an introduction to a reflective essay differs depending on upon what kind of reflection is involved. A science-based introduction should be brief and direct introducing the issue you plan on discussing and its context.

Related post: How to write an Essay Introduction

For example, a nursing student might want to discuss the overreliance on medical journals in the industry and why peer-reviewed journals led to mistaken information. In this case, one good way how to start a reflective essay introduction is by introducing a thesis statement. Help the reader see the real value of your work.

Do you need help with your thesis statement? Take a look at our recent guide explaining what is a thesis statement .

Let’s look at some reflective essay examples.

‘During my first month working at Hospital X, I became aware just how many doctors treated peer-views journal articles as a gospel act. This is a dangerous practice that because of (a), (b) and (c) could impact patients negatively.’

The reflective essay on English class would begin differently. In fact, it should be more personal and sound less bookish .

How to Write the Main Body Paragraphs?

The main body of the essay should focus on specific examples of the issue in question. A short description should be used for the opener. Each paragraph of this piece should begin with an argument supporting the thesis statement.

The most part of each paragraph should be a reflexive analysis of the situation and evaluation . Each paragraph should end with a concluding sentence that caps the argument. In a science-based essay, it is important to use theories, other studies from journals and source-based material to argue and support your position in an objective manner.

How to Write the Conclusion?

A conclusion should provide a summary of the issues explored, remind the reader of the purpose of the essay and suggest an appropriate course of action in relation to the needs identified in the body of the essay.

This is mostly an action plan for the future. However, if appropriate a writer can call readers to action or ask questions. Make sure that the conclusion is powerful enough for readers to remember it. In most cases, an introduction and a conclusion is the only thing your audience will remember.

Reflective Essay Topics

Here are some good topics for a reflective essay. We’ve decided to categorize them to help you find good titles for reflective essays that fit your requirement.

Medicine-related topics:

Write a reflective essay on leadership in nursing
How did a disease of your loved ones (or your own) change you?
Write a reflection essay on infection control
How dealing with peer-reviewed journals interrupts medical procedures?
Write a reflection essay about community service
Write a reflective essay on leadership and management in nursing

Topics on teamwork:

Write a reflective essay on the group presentation
What makes you a good team player and what stays in the way of improvement?
Write a reflective essay on the presentation
Write about the last lesson you learned from working in a team
A reflective essay on career development: How teamwork can help you succeed in your career?

Topics on personal experiences:

Write a reflective essay on the pursuit of happiness: what it means to you and how you’re pursuing it?
Write a reflective essay on human sexuality: it is overrated today? And are you a victim of stereotypes in this area?
Write a reflective essay on growing up
Reflective essay on death: How did losing a loved one change your world?
Write a reflective essay about a choice you regret
Write a reflective essay on the counseling session

Academic topics:

A reflective essay on the writing process: How does writing help you process your emotions and learn from experiences?
Write a reflective essay on language learning: How learning a new language changes your worldview
A reflective essay about a choice I regret

Related Posts: Research Paper topics | Compare&Contrast Essay topics

Reflective Essay Example

Tips on writing a good reflective essay.

Some good general tips include the following:

Do's and don'ts of reflective essay writing

As long as you use tips by HandMade Writing, you’ll end up having a great piece. Just stick to our recommendations. And should you need the help of a pro essay writer service, remember that we’re here to help!

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Course Reflection

Writing Strategies Learned Throughout the Course

Always outline the essay with transitional topic sentences and evidence (organize!)
Leave time to reflect and ponder an assignment (write multiple drafts)
Generate a starting position and motive for everything
Be open to changing your argument to fit a better audience, evidence or claim after hearing feedback
Every detail added must always be relevant
Use “Style”s subject and action formula for revising a paper

One of the most valuable pieces of advice I’ve derived from this course is using an outline to organize my writing so it may be revised to fit a better audience or claim. In high school, while I’ve matured from the typical five-paragraph essay, I have not been trained to create a basic outline map that can be adjusted to fit different claims. As seen from my AP English paper posted in the “Evidence Based Writing” Section, I usually separate general ideas into sections but don’t think about how organization could play a role in delivering my claim any more than what I have done. In my high school writing reflection “Reflection on Past Writing” , I talk about my use of extraneous details and long-winded sentences. These are all a product of unorganized structure. Thus, I view outlining my ideas as a valuable tool that will also affect many other writing nuances. In this class, I’ve had many chances to practice outlining my rough drafts. Looking over my pieces from this term, I’ve been able to remember much more clearly my claims and motives for writing.

In the first paper, there was a lot more theoretically-based readings on critical regionalist discourse, as seen in the pre-draft materials. Using past knowledge of how to integrate sources, I had many long paragraphs in my workshop draft that did not separate my opinion from big literary critics’ opinions well. Professor Van Kley noticed this and gave me a big piece of advice: “As you work on revision, you might find it useful to keep a working outline that records your logical structure.” He provided a basic outline of the claims and Ideas I’ve generated and I typed them up into a physical outline that served as the basis for my conference draft. However, even during my conference review, I decided to break up my ideas even more in order to provide a more cohesive structure. This included prioritizing my paragraphs based on conceptual lenses (critical reviews) and choosing which claims in past literary discourse best supported my idea. Again, with the final draft, I set up my paper with a post-revision outline that constantly reminded me of who I was writing, why I was writing the piece and what evidence was important to include. This is perhaps the most important implication of an outline. It constantly encourages the writer to review his writing in comparison to the bigger picture. Professor Van Kley offers his final thoughts on my organization at the end of the final paper : “In places, you offer really exceptional paragraphing, though, including powerful and robust transitions, paragraph focus, and clear topic sentences.” Seeing the transformation of my writing from an anomalous blob to a clear structure has been powerful and inspires me to continue creating outlines for future papers.

In my second paper, I had a clear structural guideline to follow: the IMRAD structure. Because we adapted the IMRAD research structure to fit a more academic context, there were set topic headings that made writing the essay much easier. However, even so, there were still illogical structural shifts in each section. For example, my topic was on Swamp Gravy and in my essay I included a “Methods” section detailing the evidence and resources used to generate my claim. However, in combining past literary discourse and new knowledge, my paragraph in the Methods section of the conference draft became a massive illogical blob. Professor Van Kley commented “I’m struggling in places to follow the logical order of this section. That initial paragraph is particularly challenging for me. I hope you can walk me through that part of the piece. – IN general, I’ll encourage you to spend some time with outlining in order to clarify how your different paragraphs fit together logically.” His feedback reminded me to continue evaluating how my ideas form into a cohesive structure on the paper. For my post-revision plan, I decided to once again form transitional sentences that outlined my claims and provide basic evidence for each section. This outline not only provided a means for clear writing, it also helped me develop my claim about Swamp Gravy after seeing how I could potentially layout my essay.

For my third paper, rather than a traditional thesis-first essay, I created a website that presented my claims on Thompson Arena. This was a lot more difficult than drafting papers, and it was often difficult to get started due to the nature of the medium. Creating a website to serve as an essay requires a lot more thought about how it should be structurally outlined. My peers pointed this out during peer review and we experimented with different website themes to see which one best served my argumental purpose. I found that I didn’t accomplish a clear structure until my final conference with Professor Van Kley. His feedback includes challenging me to think about how each section of my website adds to my claim, an idea I had never thought too much of before. We also discussed using section titles (very similar to my topic transitional sentences) to detail what evidence is included in each section.

I think the importance of being a good writer is not only to write and general organic ideas, but also to structure them in a way that delivers a powerful impact on the audience. From this course, I’ve matured through using a typical outline to structure and restructure my ideas, generating better claims each time. I have truly enjoyed learning and growing from this writing course and I hope to continue this technique of organization for every piece of writing in the future.

IMAGES

Reflective Essay Outline
50 Best Reflective Essay Examples (+Topic Samples) ᐅ TemplateLab
50 Best Reflective Essay Examples (+Topic Samples) ᐅ TemplateLab
Guide to Writing a Reflective Essay or Report
Writing A Reflection Paper Outline
💄 Reflective writing outline. Composing an Ideal Reflective Essay

COMMENTS

How to Write a Reflection Paper in 5 Steps (plus Template and Sample Essay)
Use these 5 tips to write a thoughtful and insightful reflection paper. 1. Answer key questions. To write a reflection paper, you need to be able to observe your own thoughts and reactions to the material you've been given. A good way to start is by answering a series of key questions. For example:
How to Write a Reflection Paper: Guide with Examples
Never write the whole essay at once. Space out the time slots when you work on your reflection paper to at least a day apart. This will allow your brain to generate new thoughts and reflections. Short and Sweet - Most reflection papers are between 250 and 750 words. Don't go off on tangents.
How to Start a Reflection Paper: Examples & Templates
1. Keep it short and sweet. A typical reflection paper is between 300 and 700 words long. Verify whether or not your instructor specified a word count for the paper instead of merely following this average. If your instructor demands a word count outside of this range, meet your instructor's requirements. 2.
How to Write Reflection Paper [Outline, Topics and Essay Example]
3 Approaches to Reflective Inquiry. 3.1 Gibbs' Reflective Cycle. 3.2 Boud's Three-Level Model of Reflection. 3.3 Schön's Reflective Practitioner. 3.4 Brookfield's Four Lenses. 3.5 Atkins and Murphy's Model. 3.6 Dewey's Reflective Thinking. 4 Writing a Reflection Outline. 5 Reflection Paper Format.
Reflective Essay Outline
Reflective Essay Outline Examples. 5. Tips on Writing the Reflective Essay. The best essay starts with the perfect essay outline. An essay outline helps to get everything in order. It is the layout of one's thoughts and ideas related to the specific topic. With an outline, you can easily structure it properly.
How to Write a Reflective Essay
Reflective essay outline Introduction. A reflective essay's introduction paragraph needs to include: A hook; A thesis statement; The hook is the sentence that catches the reader's attention and makes them want to read more. This can be an unexpected fact, an intriguing statistic, a left-field observation, or a question that gets the reader ...
How to Write a Reflection Paper
Develop your point through body paragraph (s), and conclude your paper by exploring the meaning you derive from your reflection. You may find the questions listed above can help you to develop an outline before you write your paper. You should maintain a formal tone, but it is acceptable to write in the first person and to use personal pronouns.
The Writing Center
A reflection is an essay, so provide full, thoughtful responses to the questions in your instructor's prompt. The style and tone of your reflective essay should match the purpose of the overall assignment. This is a personal essay meant to showcase what you learned from the text, event, or experience that you are writing about.
How to Write a Reflection Essay
If you have to write a reflective essay, here are some tips to follow. References should be listed on the final page of the writing. In the essay, try to avoid using the same phrase multiple times. Give your take on the topic in the writing. Verify that you have explained everything that was previously unclear.
How to Write a Reflective Essay
Structuring a Reflective Essay. While reflective essays vary depending upon topic and subject area, most share a basic overall structure. Unless you are told otherwise, then, your essay should include the following: Introduction - A brief outline of what your essay is about. Main Body - The main part of your essay will be a description of ...
Reflective Paper & Essay Writing Guide
The appropriate format for a reflective essay; How to write a reflective essay outline; How to perfect your reflective essay; Definition of Reflective Essay. All reflective essays share one thing in common: they do ask that you consider your personal thoughts, opinions, and experiences and apply those to the course you are taking.
Reflective Essay Outline
A reflective essay outline is a layout of one's thoughts and ideas in regard to a specific item. This type of academic writing revolves around a specific response to a topic in the form of a personal reflection. ... Include your name, your instructor's name, course name, and date in the header. The last page of your essay must include a ...
A complete guide to writing a reflective essay
Identify the topic you will be writing on. 2. Note down any ideas that are related to the topic and if you want to, try drawing a diagram to link together any topics, theories, and ideas. 3. Allow your ideas to flow freely, knowing that you will always have time to edit your reflective essay. 4.
PDF Writing a Reflection Paper
arned? Introduction 1. First, identify and briefly expl. t. e text or experience. 2. The next step would be to indicate your reaction. t. e text or experience. 3. Finally, you will e. d with a thesis statement. Your purpose for writing the reflection shoul. be clear to your readers. For more information on how to create a strong thesi.
Writing a Reflective Paper
Reflective writing is a process of identifying, questioning, and critically evaluating course-based learning opportunities, integrated with your own observations, experiences, impressions, beliefs, assumptions, or biases, and which describes how this process stimulated new or creative understanding about the content of the course.
How to Write a Student Course Reflection Paper
A reflective essay on a course is a personal reflection on how the course affected the student. Reflective essays analyze the course material theories, core concepts and ideas presented by the instructor and then summarizes the writer's feelings about the material. A reflective essay, like all essays, should include an introduction, a body and ...
Ultimate Guide To Writing A Reflective Essay
4. Writing the Body. Write the body of your essay, which should include the personal reflection, description of the experience, analysis of the experience, evaluation of the experience, identification of key learning, and planning for future action. Make sure to use specific examples and details to support your reflection. 5.
Student Learning Outcomes Course Reflection Essay Example
Course Reflection: Essay Introduction. The chosen course proved a positive experience for students due to the achievement of an appropriate study atmosphere and the establishment of beneficial student-teacher relationships. Attaining the study group's confidence permitted instituting a functional feedback mechanism, which allowed those in ...
Use This Reflective Essay Outline to Get Your Paper Started
Reflective Essay Outline Template. This outline template follows a 5-paragraph format, but you can add paragraphs and rearrange the body paragraphs to fit your needs. Just fill in the blanks with your own information, and you'll be one step closer to a stellar essay.
How to Write a Reflective Essay
Set the scene by using the five W's (What, Where, When, Who and Why) to describe it. Choose the events or the experiences you're going to reflect on. Identify the issues of the event or experience you want to focus on. Use literature and documents to help you discuss these issues in a wider context.
How to Write a Reflection Paper
Reflection Paper Outline. With brainstorming done, the next step is to write the outline.The outline creates order out of the brainstorming chaos. It is a template for the paper, and can simply be ...
Course Reflection
Course Reflection. Writing Strategies Learned Throughout the Course. Always outline the essay with transitional topic sentences and evidence (organize!) Leave time to reflect and ponder an assignment (write multiple drafts) Generate a starting position and motive for everything;

Guide on How to Write a Reflection Paper with Free Tips and Example

What Is a Reflection Paper

Free Reflection Paper Example

Reflection Paper Format

Reflection Paper - How to Video Guide

How to Start a Reflection Paper

Writing a Reflection Paper Outline

Introduction

Body Paragraphs

How to Write a Reflection Paper: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas and Experiences You’ve Had Related to Your Topic

Step 3: Analyze How and Why These Ideas and Experiences Have Affected Your Interpretation of Your Theme

Step 4: Make Connections Between Your Observations, Experiences, and Opinions

Writing Tips

Do You Need a Well-Written Reflection Paper?

How To Write A Reflection Paper?

How to Write a Reflection Paper: An Easy-to-Follow Guide

Sample Outline and Paper

How to Start a Reflection Paper

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Writing a Reflection Outline

Reflection Paper Format

How to Write Reflection Paper : Step-by-Step Guide

Choose the topic

Start with the main theme

Brainstorming part

Analyze how and why

Connect your opinion, experience, and observation

6 Tips on Writing Your Reflection Paper

1. Describe the Experience Vividly

2. Use of First Person

3. Balancing Personal and Objective Elements

4. Authenticity and Honesty

5. Critical Self-Reflection

6. Demonstrating Growth and Learning

Reflection Paper Example

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How to Write a Reflection Paper

Types of Reflective Writing

Approaches to Reflective Inquiry

Consider these questions:

Assess the text(s):

Develop your ideas: