Reflective Writing: Paraphrasing, Summarising, CV Writing, Cover Letter Writing

This academic report explores the concept of reflective writing and its importance in academic and professional settings. It focuses on two terms, paraphrasing and summarising, and their role in learning and communication. It also delves into the skills of CV writing and cover letter writing, highlighting their significance in job applications. The report discusses the ERA cycle and Gibbs reflective cycle as effective models for reflection and learning. Overall, it emphasizes the value of these skills in achieving success in academic and professional endeavors.

Reflective Writing

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
1st term: Paraphrasing and summarising.................................................................................1
2nd term: CV Writing and Cover Letter Writing....................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Reflective writing is termed to an analytical practice wherein an individual describes an
imaginary or real life scene, occasion, activity and adds personal expression on its meaning as
well as impacts of scenario (Bassot, 2016). Reflection is all about mode of inquiry or a deliberate
manner to systematically recall experiences for reframing existing writing circumstances. It
documents interpretation of information of a person along with extent to which states about the
impacts or influences on their experiences. It all depends on critical thinking skills of an
individual. The present report is based on reflection on learning of two terms that are
paraphrasing and summarising along with CV Writings and Cover Letter Writing.
MAIN BODY
1st term: Paraphrasing and summarising
Paraphrasing and summarising is important term that help a person to write something in
own words (Dicken and van Graan, 2016). As a student, these terms plays useful role in my life
as they help me in learning along with demonstrating relevant information in understandable
manner. Paraphrasing is all about putting passage in own words from source material. Similarly,
summarising is termed to putting main ideas or thoughts of others in own words. With these
terms, I am able to present broad overview to others by retaining as well as fully communicating
real meanings of a passage or something else. These involves least matching of any material
word to word so that messages are delivered to others by focusing on the actual meanings.
Paraphrasing and summarising material are considered as shorter than actual passages and taking
broader segments from sources addition to condensing it slightly.
Earlier, I was only aware about the terms but after attending online classes I gained
knowledge to apply them in present life. I also perceived that gaining knowledge to apply the
terms generally needs time together with practice to develop the skills. In today’s fast paced era,
paraphrasing and summarising are essential skills that must be within a person. These terms have
been useful for me in order to share significant information with my peer ones in concise and
accurate manner that leads to eliminating any misunderstanding and wastage of time. Moreover,
these helped me in checking understanding about any problem or tasks. When paraphrasing and
summarising are done in accurate manner then they reduces huge chances of misunderstandings
(Heitman, 2016).
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ERA Cycle is considered as best reflection model which was initiated by Jasper in the year
2013. The reflection model revolves around making understating from experiences (Irby and
Hamstra, 2016). The model represents core notion that is reflection results in further learning. In
this model, main component are experience, reflection and action. At the stage of experience,
the entire event or occasion are analysed and described in own words. Herein, I learned that an
event or material are easily described on own words by keeping the meaning of the information.
Through presenting various data or real life situations, I gained experience in paraphrasing and
summarising that improved by earlier knowledge and skills for such activities. The next stage is
reflection which is the procedure that assists in thinking through experience (Jørgensen, 2016)
(Kalman, 2017). In this phase, various new techniques to present information are learned by me
that motivate me to present some context or source in rearranging sentences. The last stage is
action that describes about the workings performed as outcome of reflection. Herein, all the
gained knowledge is implemented as per the gained information. With these stages of the ERA
cycle, it is perceived that being a student, I started with experiences in my learning that are the
circumstances through which I have gone before or which are completely new for me. This can
be in positive or negative form which is related with my entire workings. When I experienced the
ways then I naturally started reflecting on various things which has happened. This allowed me
to imagine through experience as well as examine my feeling related to what happened in present
scenario and focusing on further steps. This took me towards taking an action. Moreover, I
learned that whatever is done by me was an outcome of experience and it will be different in
distinct situations. Additionally, actions will lead to other experiences that will result in ongoing
of the cycle.
With the help of the model and online classes, I analysed that paraphrasing and
summarising are very useful part of my life as student. I analysed that these terms are used in
many cases that are describing an event as published in newspaper or different material,
competing assignment from books and many more. These both terms have been helpful to me in
many ways that are smoothly integrating ideas or concepts of others in my assignment or essays.
With the help of these terms, I am able to find main points as well as key details of any
paragraph that builds my confidence to write them in my own words. The module was very
useful for me as it helped me in understanding that I can present the heard message clearly in
other words that makes other person knowing about the situations in exact manner they occurred.
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Further, these are useful for me in test review sessions as they help me to save time through just
restating information by using distinct words that shows same meanings.
2nd term: CV Writing and Cover Letter Writing
In present era, CV Writing as well as Cover letter writing is useful for a student. Cover
Letter writing is termed to the skill to prepare a document which highlights about credentials of
job seekers and describing content of CV with that is sent. Likewise, CV writing is the tactic to
write a summary about educational along with employment credentials of an applicant (Knott
and Scragg, 2016). Both are useful to me as they help me to prepare attractive draft so to get a
job. These are considered as important addition to potential lucrative material that an individual
likely to create. This term are useful in all field as writing skills are considered as key assets at
career stage that starts from writing first cover letter addition to curriculum vitae till retirement.
When these are written well then a person gains access to wide number of opportunities as well
as deliver them in exact manner for the purpose they are created that is opening path for jobs.
Before taking communication and personality development classes, I was only having
knowledge about the details that are required to write a cover letter and CV. Earlier, I only used
to write them in simple manner. But after attending the personality development class, I gained
huge knowledge related to necessary information which is required to draft a CV and cover letter
in innovative manner.
Gibbs reflective cycle helped me in developing my knowledge for the terms that are CV
Writing and Cover Letter Writing. The model was propounded in the year 1988 by Graham
Gibbs so that a person can learn from experiences by analysing different stages (Kurunsaari,
Tynjälä and Piirainen, 2016). The reflection model helped me in examining my experiences, as
well as analysing cyclic lends to repeated experiences that allowed me in learning addition to
plan from situations which went well and the things which didn’t went well. It generally involves
following stages:
Describing experience: In this, factual description of some incident is described
(Pennebaker and Smyth, 2016). Herein, I focused on the information that I need to present in CV
and Cover Letter which is very relevant. In this, I analysed situations of different companies that
are hiring people at large scale through online portals and some of the prompt questions which
raised in my brain as a student are what actually happened in the company that they are hiring
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people at large scale, what are the main reasons for it, how things changed and many more. This
improved my knowledge for understanding incidents and accordingly writing CV and Cover
Letter in the manner that will influence companies to hire me.
Feeling and thoughts: In this stage, major things required are critical thinking along with
analyse of emotions that are felt with some situation (Robert, Piemonte and Truten, 2018).
Herein, after seeing various requirements in companies, questions raised in my brain are how the
users of job portals have felt for the organisational situation and hence forth. The stage actually
motivated me to express my acquired skills in online classes and observations for writing cover
letter and CV that makes the companies feel to select me.
Evaluation of experience: Herein, the experiences are evaluated by an individual. In case
on mine, after analysing the situations of companies I focused on various aspects that are what
are the factors that have resulted in such situation, what are the positive along with negative
outcomes of entire situation and many more. This helped me in developing evaluation skills so
that I can evaluate various CV and cover letter so that I can draft mine in effective manner.
Analysing situations: In this stage, external factors are analysed (Van Manen, 2016). I
analysed the organisational situations through newspapers and news which are published and
telecasted. This piece of analysis improved my writing of CV and cover letter through focusing
on different field vacant in the companies and then applying for suitable one for me.
Conclusion: In this, a conclusion is drawn about the situation and relation of CV and Cover
letter writing. I learnt various things in this stage that are thinking about other possible aspects
that are to prepare the cover letter and CV for suitable organisation.
Action plan: The last stage in which understanding are build for managing or handling
situations for the purpose of improvements (Yancey, 2016). In this, I focused on thinking little
harder together with little more for improving my cover letter and CV so that no uncertain
outcomes are faced.
With online classes, Gibbs reflective cycle and observational mechanisms helped me in
improving CV and cover letter writing that are useful for my upcoming career. Furthermore,
these term are useful in making favourable impression of a candidate on recruiting manager of
any company. This is because when attractive and clear cover letter with CV is drafted and sends
then this influences the managers to make hiring decision. With this module, I gained few tricks
also in order to write curriculum vitae and cover letter in different manner in accordance with the
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job title. As a student, these modules have been useful for me to open success path towards
career and grabbing opportunity to attract managers of company to hire me for top position by
considering my skills and many more. These terms have been useful in my life through
improving my skills to analyse situations, evaluating factors and so on so that I can focus on the
situations that requires my opinions and requirements.
CONCLUSION
The above academic report concludes that reflective writing is related to describing an
occasion or situation in own words. Best reflective models are ERA cycle and Gibbs reflective
cycle that assist in reflecting on some aspects in own manner as per the real scenario. An
individual gains ways for improving paraphrasing and summarising through various online
classes. At same time, CV and Cover letter writing are improved through applying reflective
model and observation techniques that states how useful they are in real life. It is analysed that
paraphrasing and summarising are important to define entire event or occasion to others in exact
manner in which they are stated in some source through changing words but keeping the
meaning same. Similarly, CV and Cover letter writing are useful to achieve opportunities to sell
a person to some company for working. These are important tools for achievements of top
position.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Bassot, B., 2016. The reflective journal. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Dicken, C. and van Graan, D., 2016. Reflective practice skills. Skills for social work practice,
pp.142-161.
Heitman, D., 2016, October. Make a space for reflective pause. In Phi Kappa Phi Forum (Vol.
96. No. 3, p. 40). National Forum: Phi Kappa Phi Journal.
Irby, D. M. and Hamstra, S. J., 2016. Parting the clouds: three professionalism frameworks in
medical education. Academic Medicine. 91 (12). pp.1606-1611.
Jørgensen, K. E. ed., 2016. Reflective approaches to European governance. Springer.
Kalman, C. S. ed., 2017. Successful science and engineering teaching in colleges and
universities. IAP.
Knott, C. and Scragg, T. eds., 2016. Reflective practice in social work. Learning Matters.
Kurunsaari, M., Tynjälä, P. and Piirainen, A., 2016. Students’ experiences of reflective writing
as a tool for learning in physiotherapy education. In Writing for professional
development (pp. 129-151). Brill.
Pennebaker, J. W. and Smyth, J. M., 2016. Opening up by writing it down: How expressive
writing improves health and eases emotional pain. Guilford Publications.
Robert, J., Piemonte, N. and Truten, J., 2018. The Reflective Scribe: Encouraging Critical Self-
Reflection and Professional Development in Pre-Health Education. Journal of Medical
Humanities. 39(4). pp.447-454.
Van Manen, M., 2016. Writing in the dark: Phenomenological studies in interpretive inquiry.
Routledge.
Yancey, K. ed., 2016. A rhetoric of reflection. University Press of Colorado.
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