Reflective

Log / Essay
 Reflection Means
 The throwing back by a body or
surface of light, heat, or sound
without absorbing it
Or
 Serious thought or consideration
 Reflection of past memories
What is Reflective
Writing?
 Reflective writing is an analytical practice
in which the writer describes a real or
imaginary scene, event, interaction,
passing thought, memory, form, adding a
personal reflection on the meaning of the
item or incident, thought, feeling, emotion,
or situation in his or her life.
What Is a Reflective Log/
Essay?
 Reflective essays describe an event or
experience, then analyze the meaning of
that experience and what can be learned
from it.
 What makes an essay reflective is that the
writer is analyzing a past event from the
present.
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 Reflective essays require the writer to open
up about their thoughts and emotions in
order to paint a true picture of their history,
personality, and individual traits.
 They should included a vivid summary and
description of the experience so that the
reader feels they have also experienced it.
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 They should also include an explanation
of your thoughts, feelings, and reactions.
Reflective Cycle
 Reflective Writing is:
 Your response to experiences, opinions, events
or new information.
 Your response to thoughts and feelings.
 A way of exploring your learning.
 An opportunity to gain self-knowledge.
 A way to achieve clarity and better
understanding of what you are learning.
How Do You Write a Reflection
Paper?
 Choose a Topic Idea. If you haven't been
assigned a topic and don't have a topic in mind,
check the list of topics above for inspiration. ...
 Study Your Subject. ...
 Brainstorm. ...
 Pick Reflection Questions. ...
 Identify the Meaning of Your Experience
 What Can You Write
About?
 The most common subjects a reflective essay
include the following:
 A real experience
 Something you imagined
 A place or a special object
 Something you've read, watched, seen, touched,
tasted, smelled, or heard.
Topic Ideas for a Reflective
Essay

Places You've Been:

 The beach, mountains, countryside, or desert

 A special hideaway or special room

 The house you grew up in a relative's home

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Life-Altering Events:
 A special date
 Failing or succeeding at something
 A time you learned something new
 A new experience
 A time you overcame one of your fears
 An important memory
 A significant conversation
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Recurring or Significant Thoughts like:
 A dream or daydream
 A conversation you wish you had or something
you wish you had done
 A story you've told about yourself
 An embarrassing moment
 The person you'd like to be
 A strong emotion
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Impactful Experiences:
 A book, movie, T.V. show, song, play, or other
form of media Social media post Magazine or
article
 A concert
 A vacation
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Important People
 Your grandmother and/or grandfather, mom and/or dad,
aunt and/or uncle, nephew and/or niece, or siblings
 Your best friend
 Someone who hurt you
 A special teacher or life coach
 Format of Reflective writing
Introductory Paragraph
 Your first paragraph should be an introduction in
which you identify the subject and give the reader a
general overview of the impression it made on you.
 Your introductory paragraph should also included a
thesis statement that will serve as the focal point of
your paper.
 Body Paragraphs
 In the first body paragraph, write about one reason
your subject made the impression on you that it did.
 Then, write about why. This is a reflective essay,
which means you can speculate. There are no right or
wrong answers in this type of essay.
 In the second body paragraph, write about the second
reason your subject made the impression on you that
it did. Then, write about why.
 In the third body paragraph, write about the third
reason your subject made the impression on you that
it did. Then, write about why.
 Conclusion
 Recap your thesis statement and the reasons you

provided in the body of your essay.

 Sum up your article with some final thoughts on

your subject, and some closing reflective thoughts.

How Do You Write a Reflection Paper?

 Choose a Topic Idea

 Study Your Subject

 Brainstorm

 Pick Reflection Questions

 Answer the Questions You Selected

 Identify the Meaning of Your Experience

A possible structure for reflective
writing:
1. What happened?

2. .What is being examined?

3. Interpretation:

What is most important / interesting / useful / relevant about the object, event

or idea? How can it be explained e.g. with theory? How is it similar to and

different from others?

4. Outcome:
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 Typically, a reflective essay should constitute

of 300 to 700 words but it depends on the instructions

given by the examiner; a writer has to follow them.

 Reflection is an exploration and an explanation of

events – not just a description of them.

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 Genuinely reflective writing often involves ‘revealing’

anxieties, errors and weaknesses, as well as strengths and

successes.

 It is normally necessary to select just the most significant parts

of the event or idea on which you’re reflecting.

 It is often useful to ‘reflect forward’ to the future as well as

‘reflecting back’ on the past.

 Reflection Questions

 What did I notice?

 How did I feel about this?

 Why did it make me feel this way?

 How was my experience of this unique to me? How did

others who were there experience it differently? Why?

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 How has this changed me?

 What might I have done differently?

 What is the meaning of this event in my life?

 How is this similar to something else that I've

experienced?
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 How can I use this to help someone else?

 How does this event relate to the rest of my life?

 How is this typical in my life?

 Was this a good or a bad thing for me?

 How did this experience foretell things that would
happen later?
 What skills did I learn?
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 Was my experience the same as someone else's or different?
 How can I apply what I learned to my life?
 How can I apply this experience to my studies?
 How can this help me in my career?
 What about this experience challenged me socially?
 How was this emotionally important? or emotionally
difficult?
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 In what way did this expand my understanding of my own
culture? or a different culture?
 How did this experience relate to my understanding of
theology, God or religion?
 What questions did this experience make me have?
 How has this changed the way I think?
 How has this made me realize someone else was right?
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 How was this unexpected? Or how did this fulfill my
expectations?
 Would I want to repeat this experience?

 Would this experience be the same if I did it again?

 How did this affect me and why?
 Why did I have the reaction I did to this?