Everyone has gone through some pivotal life events that have somehow impacted their outlook and personality. A reflective essay isa way to share those momentsand show how this experience changed you.
We will write a custom article for $12.00 $10.20/page based on your instructions. 568 Certified Authors Online Get HelpA reflection paper is a common type of academic writing, such as B. College assignments. But it can also be seen in magazines or collections of articles. Depending on the target audience, the design of reflective writing may vary, although the structure of the introduction, body, and conclusion remains similar.
In this article you will find:
definition and a reflective essay outline guide
Reflective essay outline template and examples.
table of Contents
🔤 The basics
📑 Draft a reflective essay
🔖 Outline template
👀 3 examples of schemes
❓ FAQ
🔤 Reflective Writing: Definition
Reflective writing aims to describe, evaluate, and analyze a specific situation in your life that affected you or changed the way you see something.
While a narrative essay focuses more on the story itself,A reflective essay should show a lesson you have learned.
In just 3 hours we deliver a 100% personalized essay written from scratch. Read moreUnlike an argumentative essay, reflective writing is meant to show your ability to connect the theory you've learned and your real-world experiences.
Below are some examples of reflective writing tasks:
Share your internship or placement experience.
Please rate your group work experience.
Analyzethe experience of being a woman.
Describe your life changing experience.
- (Video) writing 2,500 words in 4 HOURS! - Oxford Uni stress
Share a reflective journal or an internship report.
Analyze your learning experience.
to live withADHD:the main challenges.
Analyze your work and how it affects your personality.
Describe your experience of copingstereotyped and discriminatory behavior.
gender differences in communication: Share your experience.
They arecultural identityand how it has affected your self-reflection.
Analyze your senior year in high school.
have you ever facedbullying at school? Describe your experience.
Describe the inspiration for the topic of your research paper.
Describe the results of your Gibbs reflection loop.
Feel free to use any of the topics listed above for your reflection essay. If you have not found anything suitable, you are welcome to use ourEssay-Topic-Generatorfor more ideas.
📑 Outline of a reflective essay: how to do it
Before you start writing an essay, it is important to plan it first. An outline can help you organize your ideas and omit all unnecessary information.
Introduction reflective essay
The introduction should contain a hook, some background, and aclosing sentence, which we will break down later.
Get your first personalized academic paper with a 15% discount per useA hook is usually one or two long sentences. Its purpose is to capture the attention of your reader. It could be a quote from a literary work, an interesting statistic, or a memorable phrase.
Suppose you are writing an essay about your teamwork experience. Your tick might be something like "Teamwork makes the dream come true."
Another example is "Real life is lived when small changes occur" by Leo Tolstoy for an essay about a life-changing event.
reflective essay thesis statement
The thesis statement for a reflective essay should let the reader know what your essay is about. You could include information about how the experience you describe in your essay affected you. Don't make it too short or too long. Instead, it should be informative enough to reflect your main point.
| bad thesis statement | Good thesis statement |
| I learned a lot during my first professional experience. | My first professional experience taught me many crucial skills, such as time management and leadership. |
| Studying abroad has changed my perspective on many things. | I got to know other cultures while studying abroad and this experience broadened my horizons. |
If you are having trouble writing a thesis, you can use our freetesis doctoral.
We will write a custom article for $12.00 $10.20/page based on your instructions. get helpReflective fixing body: the perfect model
If you are wondering how to write a good body part for your reflective essay, you might consider the following structure:
context
the lesson learned
The result
Let's break down each of the parts.
context
Start with your body part providing the reader with background information. let your reader knowthe attitude, time and other important details. By reading the context, your reader can better understand the situation he is describing. You can answer the following questions:
When did it happen?
Who were the people involved?
Why did this happened?
the lesson learned
Talk more about your experience and why it is important to you. Write how you feel and what you think about this experience. You can answer the following questions:
Is it consistent with previous similar experiences you've had before?
Why do you feel that way
What makes you think so?
How does it affect you?
The result
Here you can share the result of this experience. You can describe what you will do after learning the lesson. You can also answer the following questions:
How can you use the knowledge gained through this experience?
What parts of this experience would you like to share?
What are you going to avoid in the future?
What do you think about when you experience this?
Try to answer all of the questions above before creating an outline for your essay to make it more structured.
Conclusion of the reflective essay
The conclusion of a reflective essay should include a summary and review of your points. So please summarize the information you provided in the body part. You may want to do this automatically with ours.summary tool.
So, since you've written the thesis statement for your reflection essay, you can do thisrephrasein the conclusion to remind your reader of the main idea of your paper.
🔖 Reflective Essay: Outline Template
Here is the reflective essay outline template example.
introduction
hook (can be a quote)
context information
closing sentence
Body
Context (setting, reason, time, etc.)
(Video) Reflection Essays: CORE Edition | ACU Online Writing CenterThe lesson learned (your thoughts and feelings)
The result
Diploma
Summary
newly formulated thesis
👀 Reflective essay: examples of schemes
Now that we've learned the theory, let's take a look at some reflective essay outlines on some common topics.
Reflective essay on the high school experience
Here is a reflective essay on the high school experience.
introduction
| A | Hook(can be a quote) | “The thing I remember the most from high school are the memories I made with my friends.” JJ Watt. |
| B | context information | I learned a lot during the classes but also made a lot of memories with my friends there. |
| C | closing sentence | High school gave me valuable knowledge, but it also gave me lifelong friends. |
Body
| A | context(setting, reason, time, etc.) | I went to high school from 2014 to 2018 (more details to come). |
| B | the lesson learned(your thoughts and feelings) | The memories I created there are the ones I treasure the most (more details to come). |
| C | The result | I have my school friends by my side. |
Diploma
| A | Summary | You can experience a lot during school. |
| B | newly formulated thesis | In high school you can not only gain knowledge, but also make friends who are always by your side. |
Reflexive essay on the writing process.
Here is an outline for a reflective essay on the writing process.
introduction
| A | Hook(can be a quote) | "Mistakes are the portals of discovery." James Joyce |
| B | context information | I have been attending this class for almost a semester. |
| C | closing sentence | Thanks to the teacher, the material and the group work, I learned a lot in this course. |
Body
| A | context(setting, reason, time, etc.) | I decided to take this course for several reasons (more details to come). |
| B | the lesson learned(your thoughts and feelings) | This class was very informative (more details to be added). |
| C | The result | Now I can write different types of essays. |
Diploma
| A | Summary | This course provides a lot of useful information. |
| B | newly formulated thesis | The combination of the material, the help of the teacher and the teamwork of the classmates made the lessons very useful for me. |
What Nursing Means to Me: A Reflective Essay
Here is a draft of the reflective essay What Nursing Means to Me.
introduction
| A | Hook(can be a quote) | "Save one life, you are a hero. Save 100 lives, you are a nurse." A stranger |
| B | context information | I chose to be a nurse because I can help people. |
| C | closing sentence | Nursing is a way of contributing to society by helping those who need it. |
Body
| A | context(setting, reason, time, etc.) | I first thought about becoming a nurse as a child (more details to come). |
| B | the lesson learned(your thoughts and feelings) | Nursing taught me to treat everyone equally and always do my best (more details to come). |
| C | The result | I always try to do my best when working with patients, even when I'm exhausted. |
Diploma
| A | Summary | Being a nurse is not easy, but I get as much as I give. |
| B | newly formulated thesis | By helping patients, I can give something back to society. |
❓ Outline of the reflective essay: Frequently asked questions
What is the purpose of reflective writing?
The purpose of reflective writing is to show your personal development after a specific situation in your life. Through this kind of writing you can show how you can connect the theory you have learned with the real situation. It could be a memorable day or event, or a person who influenced you.
How long should a reflective essay be?
A reflective essay for a college thesis is usually around 500 words. However, this may depend on specific instructions. Most reflective attachments have a 5 paragraph structure. The introduction and conclusion are usually one paragraph long, while the body is three.
How do I start a reflective essay?
You can start your reflective accessory introduction with a hook. Your hook needs to grab the reader's attention, so keep it short and engaging. You can use a quote for your hook. Remember to also include background information and a thesis statement in your introduction.
How do you close a reflection essay?
The conclusion of a reflective essay should include a summary of the main points you made in your essay. Be sure to end your essay with a restated thesis to remind your reader of the main idea of your essay. The conclusion should be one paragraph long.
🔗 References
Reflective Writing Structure - Western Sydney University
(Video) How to Write WINNING ESSAYS for the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship & bonus TIPS for the interview
FAQs
What are some examples of reflective writing? ›
- A journal requires you to write weekly entries throughout a semester. ...
- A learning diary is similar to a journal, but may require group participation. ...
- A logbook is often used in disciplines based on experimental work, such as science. ...
- A reflective note is often used in law.
- evidence project development and main learnings in regards to learning outcomes, personal development etc.
- evidence any/all critical moments or challenging experiences.
- evidence the background for major decisions (and the literature/experiences that made it seem like the right choice)
Begin with a great hook and a strong introduction. Pull the reader in without giving too much away, then provide a quick overview of the reflective topic. Next, in the body of the essay, move into the meat of the paper by describing your experiences and growth.
What is an example of a reflective essay topic? ›The reflective essay topics should link to strong emotions and memories. For example, you can write an essay about a day at your favorite cafe, favorite place to eat, etc. Write a reflective essay about a place that you have really good and strong memories are easy to write.
How do you start a reflective essay 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.
What are 2 examples of reflection? ›Common examples include the reflection of light, sound and water waves. The law of reflection says that for specular reflection (for example at a mirror) the angle at which the wave is incident on the surface equals the angle at which it is reflected.
What is a blog example? ›Examples of blog posts include beauty product recommendations, travel and vacation trip reviews, and personal blog posts.
How do you start a reflective sentence? ›General Analysis • The most significant issue arising from this experience was … Alternatively this might be due to … I feel this situation arose because … Reflection on self • At the time I felt that …
What are the 5 R's of reflective writing? ›The 5R framework for reflection will guide you through Reporting, Responding, Relating, Reasoning, and Reconstructing to make sense of a learning experience.
Does a reflective essay need a title? ›Your reflective essay should be divided into four parts: Title Page, Abstract, Main Body, and References.
What are the 3 basic parts of reflection paper? ›
- Introduction.
- Body Paragraphs.
- Conclusion.
Your reflective essay SHOULD:
Be roughly 500-1000 words long (roughly 2-3 double-spaced pages). Maintain a generally academic tone.
- Mirror images.
- The image formed by Reflection through the spherical mirror.
- Reflection through headlights.
- Reflection through side mirror of vehicles.
- Reflection of the image in water bodies.
- Reflection through shoe polished surface.
- To observe various colors around us.
Examples from Collins dictionaries
I walked on in a reflective mood to the car. Mike is a quiet, reflective man. The German government's support of the U.S. is not entirely reflective of German public opinion.
For the structure you want to mirror an academic essay closely. You want an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion. Academic reflection will require you to both describe the context, analyse it, and make conclusions.
How many paragraphs should a reflective essay have? ›Use a three-paragraph structure. In the first one, introduce the experience and how it influenced you. In the next one, compare the experiences of others. Then, tell what you learned from it.
Can you use the word I in a reflective essay? ›In reflective writing, the use of 'I' is not only acceptable, but expected. Reflective writing, however, needs to be more than a description of your observations or thoughts, or a simple summary of what happened in a situation.
What is the best introduction for reflective writing? ›Reflection usually has the following major components: Introduction: the event, incident or topic. Description and problematisation of the event. Cause and effect of the critical event — don't write too much description at this stage.
What is an example of a simple reflection statement? ›saying, not just the facts or ideas. Common reflective statement stems: “So you feel...” “It sounds like you...” “You're wondering if...” “For you it's like…” The listener can repeat or substitute synonyms or phrases and stay close to what the speaker has said.
What are 3 examples of regular reflection? ›The regular reflection takes place when the light rays are incident on a polished smooth surface like a plane mirror, a stainless steel sheet and a thin sheet of aluminum, so, the reflected rays of light move only in a fixed direction.
What is an everyday example of reflection? ›
Rays of light reflect, or bounce off, objects just like a ball bounces on the ground. This reflection of light is what enables us to see everything around us. Take a look out your window: you see everything in the natural world (that doesn't produce its own light) because it reflects the light of the Sun.
How do you write a blog essay? ›- Put the reader first. ...
- Organize your thoughts. ...
- Use short paragraphs. ...
- Use short sentences. ...
- Use simple words. ...
- Be specific. ...
- Write in a conversational style. ...
- Be clear.
- Brainstorm blog topics.
- Refine your topic with keyword research.
- Define your audience.
- Create an organized outline.
- Write engaging content.
- Craft an irresistible headline.
- Choose a blog template.
- Select a blog domain name.
For me the most important/interesting idea/issue/fact was,… A few suggestions that I will give myself,… Having learned about,… I feel/ know/ question/ think/ wonder/ understand/ doubt/ felt/ realized,…
What are good sentence starters for essays? ›Below is a list of possible sentence starters, transitional and other words that may be useful. This essay discusses … … is explored … … is defined … The definition of … will be given … is briefly outlined … … is explored … The issue focused on …. … is demonstrated ... … is included …
What are the 4 steps to reflective practice? ›- Step 1: Look back at a situation or experience. Look back at something that happened or some thought you find yourself focusing on and describe it briefly.
- Step 2: Think in depth about your experience or thought. ...
- Step 3: Describe what you learned about yourself or your role. ...
- Step 4: Plan what you will do next.
- 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. ...
- Body. Next up is planning the body of your essay. ...
- Conclusion.
- Description of the experience.
- Feelings and thoughts about the experience.
- Evaluation of the experience, both good and bad.
- Analysis to make sense of the situation.
- Conclusion about what you learned and what you could have done differently.
A common mistake people make when writing reflectively is to focus too much on describing their experience. Think about some of the phrases below and try to use them when writing reflectively to help you avoid this problem: The most important thing was... At the time I felt...
What not to do when writing a reflective essay? ›Too little or too much detail
You need to describe the experience adequately. The reader needs to be given enough detail to understand the context in which the experience occurred. However, it is not enough just to describe the experience in great detail.
What should you avoid in reflective writing? ›
- Mistake #1: Thinking only about actions.
- Mistake #2: Reflecting in isolation.
- Mistake #3: Using only analytical skills.
- Mistake #4: Relying only on your own experience and preference.
The most common lines of reflection are the x-axis, the y-axis, or the lines y = x or y = −x. Notice that the notation tells you exactly how each (x,y) point changes as a result of the transformation. Write the notation that represents the reflection of the preimage to the image in the diagram below.
What is the 3 R's of reflection? ›During these stressful times, the 3 R's can help us remember to 1) slow down and calm ourselves, 2) pay attention and think about the meanings behind our kids' behaviors, and 3) respond with appropriate strategies and empathy.
What is a reflective essay format? ›A reflective essay should follow the classic essay format of introduction, body, and conclusion. Some other common formats include journaling or using a reflective model for only part of an essay or assignment. A journal is a collection of entries made on a regular basis (e.g. daily or weekly).
What makes a good reflective essay? ›Academic reflective writing requires critical and analytic thought, a clear line of argument, and the use of evidence through examples of personal experiences and thoughts and often also theoretical literature. You should aim for a balance between personal experience, tone, and academic practice and rigor.
How many sentences should the introduction of a reflective essay be? ›Typically, reflective essays follow the following format: Introduction: The introduction can be one or two paragraphs.
How do you start a conclusion for a reflective essay? ›Think of your thesis statement and use that purpose to guide your reflection. You might begin your conclusion with something such as “When I look back on that day, I consider how lucky I am to have survived.” You will then continue by restating some of the main points of your story that prove your thesis.
What is the best example for reflective thinking? ›Have you ever missed the bus and then thought next time I'll leave the house 5 minutes earlier'? This is an example of you being reflective: you thought about an experience and decided to learn from it and do something different the next time. As a student, and in the workplace, you will be asked to be reflective.
How do you write reflective writing? ›Analyse the event by thinking in depth from different perspectives. Use subject theory, reflective models and personal insight. The critical evaluation you make of your and others' actions should be applied to future events. Thinking about what happened, what did and didn't work, and what you think about it.
What is the most common form of reflective writing? ›Critical incident analysis
This form of reflective writing is common in professional practitioner subjects such as Health and Social care or Teaching. It asks you to look closely at a single event from your own practice (for example, on a placement) that you've identified as challenging in some way.
What is a simple reflection example? ›
Simple Reflections: Act like a regular mirror. You paraphrase, simply restating what you heard from the client. Client: We have already done a needs assessment and none of us have time to do another one. Simple reflection: I know you have done a needs assessment and there is not enough time to do another one.
How do you write a reflective paragraph example? ›To write a strong reflective essay, you should not only explain the change you underwent but also support it with details and examples. For example, if you discuss becoming more optimistic in life, you would discuss how you took a positive approach and how it resulted in a good outcome.
What does reflective writing begin with? ›Reflective writing is used in an academic setting to examine your response to a new experience or piece of writing. Reflective writing can also be analytical when applied to critical thinking or processing used in research. To begin reflective writing, start with reflection.
What makes a good reflective writing? ›Academic reflective writing requires critical and analytic thought, a clear line of argument, and the use of evidence through examples of personal experiences and thoughts and often also theoretical literature. You should aim for a balance between personal experience, tone, and academic practice and rigor.
What are the three parts of a reflective essay? ›A reflective essay should follow the classic essay format of introduction, body, and conclusion. Some other common formats include journaling or using a reflective model for only part of an essay or assignment.
What are the 3 main elements to reflective thinking writing? ›Reflective thinking essentially involves three processes: experiencing something, thinking (reflecting) on the experience, and learning from the experience.