Writing a Reflective Essay: Definition, Format & Free Example

In this blog, you will read about how to write a reflective essay and give samples and helpful hints to make the process go more smoothly.

A Reflective Essay is a sort of paper that many college students write. Almost every course you take requires you to express your opinions on specific issues.

The tone of reflection articles should be scholarly, but they should also be personal and subjective. In this type of writing, you should examine and analyze how an event, academic task, article, or lecture influenced your perspective and opinions on a topic. 

How do you write a good reflective essay? 

A reflection paper is a type of paper that requires you to present your point of view on a topic and support it with personal examples and observations.

Rather than giving your reader the viewpoints of other academics and writers, this essay allows you to express yourself—and the best thing is that there is no wrong answer.

It is YOUR viewpoint, and it is your job to deliver this in an understandable way and obvious to all readers. The possibilities are infinite.

Some instances are as follows:

Consider whether or not you believe aliens exist, what your favorite television show is, or how you feel about WWII's end. Almost everything can be written about.

There are three main sorts of reflective essays, and the tone you use will vary based on which one you choose.

The first type is a reflective educational paper. Your goal is to educate the reader by writing critiques about a book, movie, or seminar you attended.

The second is a professional paper. It is mainly written by students or professionals in the disciplines of education or psychology. It could, for example, be a reaction to someone's actions.

Finally, there's the personality type, which delves into your ideas and feelings on a personal topic. 

What is the structure of a reflective essay?

Reflective essays aren't usually formatted in any particular way. Professors usually allow you to handle things any way you want because it is your view.

It is usually advised to put down your thoughts authentically. If your professor has assigned you to write a reflection paper, the format of your work may be dictated by your professor's criteria.

A college reflection paper (also known as a reflection essay) normally has a word count of 400 to 800 words. 

Have a look at the structure of a reflective essay.

How to Start a Reflective Essay?

When starting with a reflective essay the very first question that comes is how to start a sentence with a reflective essay?

• Reading the article thoroughly while taking notes is the first step in creating a reflection essay. If you're reflecting on an activity, a book/newspaper, or an academic article, you'll want to underline key ideas and concepts.
• Start writing your reflection paper by summarising the key idea from your notes to ensure that your paper contains all of the information your readers require.
• Adding charts, diagrams, and lists to your presentation can help you communicate your ideas more effectively to your audience.
• It's time to brainstorm when you've completed reading your article. For creating reflection papers, we have an easy brainstorming process.

Simply respond to the following questions:

• What impact did the article have on you?
• How does this piece (or does it all) grab the reader's attention?
• Has anything in the article persuaded you to change your mind? Clarify how if this is the case, please explain how.
• Have you come away with any questions as a result of reading this article?
• Were there any major concerns that went neglected in the article?
• Is there anything in the article that reminds you of something you've read before?
• Is there anything in the article that you've read before that you agree with?

Here are some ideas for reflection paper topics to consider before you start writing your own:

• How my attitudes toward rap music have evolved over time

• Herman Melville's Moby Dick is the subject of my reflection and interpretation.

• Why has my theory regarding the universe's size evolved throughout time?

• How my clinical psychological research observations have progressed over the last year

Your brainstorming should culminate in a written outline of the contents of your upcoming paper. This phase should not be skipped because it will ensure that your essay has a correct flow and arrangement. 

You may like to see an example of a reflection paper.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Writing a Reflective Essay 

• Create a main theme in the first step-

After you've decided on a topic, write a brief summary of what you've learned from your experience with it.

Let your readers know how you feel about the subject—and be honest about it. Your readers will most likely be able to relate to your viewpoint, or at least the process through which you get at it, which will aid their comprehension of your reflection.

• Make a collection of thoughts and experiences about your topic - You might include specific phrases, predispositions, things that affected you, or anything else that comes to mind. Be honest about how you felt and explain it in simple terms.

For example, many people believe that even a small amount of carbohydrates will cause weight gain. A specific time when I was struggling with excess weight and completely avoided carbohydrates. The consequences of my actions prompted my research. The evidence and studies of nutritional science claim carbohydrates alone are to blame for obesity.

• Make links between your observations, experiences, and viewpoints – To create a consistent image of your theme, link your thoughts and observations. You might also strive to identify and deconstruct your assumptions so that you can challenge them in the future.

There are a few topics that are frequently discussed in reflection papers:

 

• Book - To keep your readers engaged, begin by writing some information about the author's life and a summary of the plot—without revealing the ending. Include the names of the characters, the major themes, and any issues raised in the work. Finally, write down your ideas and reflections about the book.

 

• Course - Including the course name and description is an excellent place to start. Then you can describe the course's flow, explain why you decided to take it, and tell readers what you learned from it. Because this is a reflection paper, convey your thoughts and back them up with examples from the course.

 

• Project - The structure of a project reflection paper follows the same criteria as a course reflection paper. One item you might want to include in the course's benefits and drawbacks. Also, express any modifications you'd want to see, and assess how applicable the skills you learned are in real life.

 

• Interview - Begin by introducing the person and briefly describing the nature of the interview. Discuss the important topics, any disagreements, and your feelings on that person. 

Sample of a reflective essay or example of a reflective essay 

When you write a reflective paper example, you write about your personal experiences and examine how those events have changed, evolved, or developed you. This essay has no set format because it may vary based on the intended audience.

If you've already read reflective essay examples, you're aware that these forms of written works focus on the author's own experiences. 

Here are some pointers to help you write your reflective essay example:

• Reflection -

The reflective approach is the most significant aspect of composing your reflective essay. Consider the personal experience you'd like to share. Concentrate on what happened, how it made you feel, and how it impacted your life. For this step, you'll need to go deep into your memories and emotions.

Take copious notes as you recall and reflect on your life experiences. Make a list of all the information you recall, and try to be as specific and thorough as possible. Allow yourself as much time as you require for reflection. You can even close your eyes and try to recall those events in detail.

• Planning -

It's time to start planning your essay after you've thought about your life experiences. Even if you've done a lot of reflection, you could feel unprepared when it's time to start. This is a natural reaction, especially if you want to write something that people will like reading.

Create a well-rounded and complete approach to alleviate your fear and doubt. An outline is the most effective method for accomplishing this. With an outline to assist you through the writing process, you can produce a more cohesive and well-structured essay.

For reflective essays, a framework or plan is essential.

Reflective Essay Example

Following is an example of a Reflective Essay that one could use for reference -

“Story of my First Job”

“I got my graduation in a month, put it on the shelf, and got a job as an assistant in the human resources department of a huge IT firm. After watching far too many TV shows, I became interested in this field.

It's finally here – my first day. The air of importance and complex corporate processes was thick enough that I believed I could reach out and touch it.

Strangers, most of whom were older than I, appeared to be all-knowing and experienced. I was giddy to the top of my head with anticipation. It was difficult to maintain a serious expression while my mind was screaming, "I did it! I did it!" "I'm a high-ranking HR executive!" Finally, I have my own office space. It has everything a young environmental management needs.

Finally, I have my own office space. It had everything a young green manager could desire, including a comfortable chair, office supplies, and a computer screen that took up half of the desk. The nave spirit is engulfed in pure ecstasy and bliss.
Everyone wants to show off their best qualities while starting a new career. You are ready to jump out of your skin to impress your boss and coworkers when it is your first job. This method puts the new employee under a lot of stress.

Everything seemed to be going swimmingly at first. My new boss assigned me rather basic work, which I completed in a few hours. It should have been my first success, in my opinion. I was crossing the street when

As I walked across the room to present my employer the results of my job, I imagined Mr. Smith (my boss) shaking my hand and telling me that I was a capable manager, and so on. Is it necessary for me to inform you that nothing of the such occurred at that time?

Mr. Smith was not enthusiastic about the presentation I gave. To cut a long tale short, instead of the expected applause, it was met with a barrage of criticism, and I sobbed my way back to my desk. And at first, I didn't know what to do.

Tina, a young HR manager from our department, approached me and offered to help me get some fresh air. It was both a delightful surprise and a genuine shock.

It was both a delightful surprise and a genuine shock. She was pleasant and stated that our supervisor was very busy planning new recruitment plans for an upcoming meeting with the CEO and that my presentation was part of that endeavor. She admitted that it did contain the errors that Mr. Smith had pointed out, but that there was nothing to be upset about. She later assisted me in repairing it, and it was then that I learned that justified criticism may be a catalyst for growth.

I learned to take criticism and use it to develop new skills. From that day on, I noticed a distinct difference between top- and middle-management attitudes to work. “

Conclusion - 

To summarise, the key to writing a reflective essay is explaining what lessons you've learned from your experiences, as well as why and how these teachings have shaped you.

You must intentionally make an attempt to recognize and analyze your own thoughts in response to a particular experience to begin the reflective thinking process.

Don't be afraid to look into any prior information or experience you have with the issue, as this will help you figure out why you have certain viewpoints on the subject.

Remember that the assessment of your attitudes, assumptions, and values is at the heart of reflective essay writing, so be honest about how you feel.

Reflective writing may be quite therapeutic, as it can assist you in identifying and clarifying your strengths and flaws, especially in terms of communication.

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