In this day and age, you need not to attend college for four years to get a degree in Engineering, Law, Arts, or even Medicine. Instead, you can simply complete your high school and take a short time to do some coursework and write a few essays. But, the path of short and easy is not always the best one. There are cases when you need to write an essay that requires deep reflection and some serious intellectual effort. If this is the case, and you’re not the type to fall into easy tasks, we have some tips for you to follow.
You can do essays today and you can do them tomorrow and you can do them next week and you can do them ten years from now because writing essays is easy. It’s not about the content of what you write; it’s about how you write it.
If you’re part of a class, you’ve probably seen a reflection paper at least once in your life. It’s a writing assignment you have to complete, in which you answer questions about the class, and any extra information you feel is important.. Read more about reflection essay example and let us know what you think. Many first year students are given their first writing assignment. If they see examples from others or get help from tutors, they are more likely to write a perfect academic paper in one sitting. Nevertheless, students face many difficulties in writing a paper. For example, they lack ideas for a reflective essay or they don’t know how to make the logical structure of the collected material. In our article, we want to give you some tips on what to include and how to maintain your individual style when working on reflections.
What is reflective work?
Before you ask yourself how to deal with it, you need to define what reflective work is. According to the academic definition, an argumentative essay is a type of writing that allows students to reflect on their own position on a particular topic. There are actually three types of reflective work, and they are classified by purpose:
- Education
- professional
- personal
The development of an idea varies according to the type of work you are assigned. For example, if you are writing a reflective paper about a school or work activity, you will likely focus on reflective reading. In this case, you can talk about a book you’ve read, a course you’ve taken, or your career prospects. Generally, professional reflections are written on psychology, philosophy or pedagogy. If you are lucky enough to be able to think about a particular topic, you can reveal your thoughts or feelings about that project.
One of the most popular approaches to reflective inquiry is experimental reflexivity. In this kind of reflection piece, you can focus on professional ideas, experiences and concepts. It’s less about self-reflection and more about career-oriented work. You can submit a list of critical questions and answer them from your own perspective. When you understand the possibilities of this way of writing, you can easily determine how to begin an essay on your topic. Reflect on your own observations and explore your own ideas on the subject.
This work allows students to put their experiences and thoughts on paper. It’s also helpful for mentors to know how to absorb new ideas. For example, if you are asked to write a reflection on reading, teachers want you to give your personal opinion. They do this to encourage you to explore your own ideas about the text rather than generalize the opinions of others. Reflective writing strengthens your analytical skills because it requires a simple expression of thoughts.
Moreover, reflective analysis shows how and why you think the way you do. And most importantly: If your assumptions and biases drive your thoughts, learn to appreciate the perspective of others. Note the extent to which their beliefs and prejudices differ from your thoughts, and recognize the extent to which your ideas are supported or refuted by what they write.
Dedication of discussion paper: Differences between documents and cover letters
A reflective essay differs from other types of essays by its unique approach. Here the student is the author of the story. For a book or music review, for example, you can rely solely on the content of the composition. In contrast, in the examples of argumentative essays, you can see that students present their opinions more independently. This type of project requires you to highlight the key points of a publication (book, article, paper, essay, message), activity or situation. Material such as illustrations, diagrams, tables and charts can be used in the thinking process. So how do you write an explanation of a text, given its characteristics? First you must answer the following questions:
- What was your impression of the material you had in mind?
- How has this affected your consciousness?
- What does this mean for you?
- Is the content interesting to readers? Do you find it easy to get the audience’s attention?
- Has the material changed your outlook on certain issues? If so, explain how.
- Did the material raise questions about related disciplines?
- Where in the article are critical points omitted?
- Does the material relate to anything you have read before?
- Does the material connect to your recent reading experiences?
A clear understanding of these elements will add to the value of your thought-provoking paper, alongside other scientific research. Otherwise, if you want to know how to write a reflective letter, you need to familiarize yourself with these fundamentals:
- A contemplative letter always has a recipient, whether it’s your friend or a selection committee.
- The tone of reflective writing should be combined with that of academic and informal discourse, with the author inviting the recipient to respond.
- It may be past training experiences, current training or an internship.
- In the reflection letters, students share information about the skills they have acquired while studying or working on probation.
- While in a reflective article you focus on the material that has had the greatest impact on you, in a letter you and your experiences are the focus of your story. The author must show the reader how something or someone affects their daily life.
- At the end of the reflection letter, outline your plans and goals for the future.
These elements make reflective letters something different from a paper or an essay. Using examples of reflection letters and specific reflection letter templates in different sections, you will better understand how to write.
Standard structure of the concept document
Like any academic essay, a reflective essay has an outline that you need to follow. For proper understanding by the scientific public, it is necessary to supplement the information collected on a particular section. All papers consist of an introduction, chapters and a conclusion. The examples below show how you can apply this structure to a thinking piece. Introduction In this section, you need to know immediately how to start thinking.
Since every academic paper has a thesis statement as a starting point, you should include it in your reflective essay as well. State what you are saying and show it in the first few sentences. Tell the reader what you will be reflecting on: the course, program, scholarship, volunteering, or other experience. Also, make sure you set your expectations before you go through the experience. Body Heels This is the most important part of the design of the contemplative article. In the chapters, students explain step by step why and how an event or material affects their perception of the topic.
By logically expressing your own opinion, you reveal the meaning of the material or experience. In the first paragraph, explain how you came to your experience and what led you to it. In the second case, show with examples what aspects of life it affects and how it changes your thinking. In the third paragraph of a reflective essay, the writer can analyze the connections between opinions, observations, and experiences. Conclusion In summary, answer for yourself what the main question of the article means to you in terms of thinking and what you have learned from the research. In the final section, summarize the thesis statement and background information from the main section.
The conclusion makes the final impression on the reader, so don’t wonder how to write a contemplative essay. Here is a typical structure of a sample concept paper that you can follow to make your project organized and engaging. Before you write your first draft, make an outline of the article and mark each chapter with important points and tips. Come up with a title for each paragraph so you don’t miss anything important. Follow a structure when presenting your ideas and implement it in your writing.
How to write a reflection piece
1. Define your subject After you have found a main topic, write a short text about what you have learned from your experience with this topic. Be honest with your readers about what you think about your topic. You will understand your thoughts better if you can relate your opinion to the matter or situation you are thinking about. How you form your point of view will help you in your writing. 2. Brainstorm new concepts related to your main topic. If you are looking for inspiration, brainstorming is the best way to start a thought-provoking article. Write down what impressed you the most and start working on that. Explain your feelings, emotions, and experiences regarding the topic. For example:
- When I first skateboarded, I realized how easily it could become a metaphor for life. We must learn to overcome obstacles in different ways so that we do not fall.
- Skateboarding is one of the most dangerous and at the same time most fun extreme sports. After trying it myself, I enjoyed learning new skills not only for my body, but also for my mental well-being.
- Many people think skateboarding is only for kids, but in my opinion it is a useful training method for adults as well. The first time I tried to stand on skates, I felt my brain connect with my body to perform all the maneuvers. It’s like dancing in the street.
It doesn’t matter what topics you are considering for your project; what matters is that you take the time to come up with a reliable idea. 3. Examine how the material or experience has influenced the interpretation of your theme. After brainstorming, choose what influenced you the most from a book, article, program, course, or other experience. Make a compelling assumption that only you can see in the situation. Let’s look at the themes that come up most often when we talk about how to begin a reflection: – Interview.
This is where the writer needs to focus on the person they are interviewing. Describe the subject of the interview, the content, discuss the main points and mention how the interviewee answered the questions. – Program. If you have attended several conferences or courses in related fields, indicate how this will be useful in a broader career perspective. Explain why you adopted this program and whether the outcome met your expectations. – Book or composition. In general, the writer of a book incorporates many autobiographical facts into his story.
After reading the book, research the author’s biography and write a thought-provoking article comparing the story and its implications for the real world. Focus on your perception of the characters through the plot and the responsibilities they face. You don’t have to tell the reader how the book ends, but share the ideas that came to mind when you were inspired (or disappointed) by the book. – Project. It may be a project you have been involved in, or another project you have read about or observed.
Devote a page of your concept paper to how the project can benefit the research. Follow a standard structure for project reflection and also work out the advantages and disadvantages of the current study. Indicate what changes you would like to see the author make to this work. In general, we recommend that you keep it short and to the point. There is no point in diving into the subject and coming up with exaggerated ideas if you have no idea about the research material.
Keep it simple but engaging, because readers don’t want to be overwhelmed by complicated definitions. List all sources you use to protect your project from plagiarism. The following formatting guidelines will help you with this.
Working with reflection papers
Many academic essays have strict formatting requirements, and a reflection paper is no exception. The format of the reflection paper should follow the guidelines of your assigned style (APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, etc.). In the following lists, we want to introduce you to the two most commonly used citation methods – APA and MLA. If you are assigned to write an APA-style think piece: The format of the reflection is identical to that of any other essay in APA format.
Double spacing, capital letters in the upper left corner of each page and the page number in the upper right corner. Begin the cover page with the title of the research paper, your name, and any additional information (e.g., your class or school). Also, put a brief summary of your thoughts on the first page. Finally, if you are working with in-text citations or reference lists, use the APA guide to format them correctly. If you are tasked with designing an MLA style think piece: Follow the basic principles of academic MLA formatting to ensure your reflection paper is error-free:
- Use 8 ½ x 11 inch white paper to print your own work.
- Place a 1-inch border around the top, bottom and sides.
- The first word of each paragraph is indented half an inch.
- Quotation marks should be indented one inch from the left margin.
- Fonts like Times New Roman or Arial are suitable for your think piece because they are easy to read. Remember that the italic font must be different from the normal font.
- Set the font size to 12 points.
- The paper must be double-spaced, including the bibliography page.
- Remember to leave a space after periods and other punctuation marks.
By going through the list of citation styles, you will be able to work with any format of reflection piece with more confidence. Even if you have problems with long lists of references or citations in the text, our reliable English writers can help you.
Get more ideas from our suggestions for topics for reflection descriptions
- The way I structure communication with different groups of people.
- The most dangerous hobby I’ve ever tried.
- Why do I struggle with my fears?
- This is a book I always enjoy returning to.
- It’s a movie that scarred me.
- Last time I shared an important secret with my family members.
- First experience driving a car.
- My feelings on a first date.
- The importance of revealing your feelings to those closest to you. My positive experience.
- When you first become a parent, you feel independent.
- The hunt and my opinion of it.
- Natural disasters and my experiences as an observer (earthquakes, floods, storms).
- My favorite.
- My first job.
- My first time in an amusement park.
Reflective Work Example
Have social media helped or hurt our society? Social media has been around for some time. Whether it’s information, a recipe, a movie review or inspiration for an English essay, you can find it all online. People have different opinions: Some people think social media is very harmful and has been since the beginning, while others think it is a quick way to communicate or a way to accomplish something.
When it comes to whether social media is harmful or beneficial, I’d say it’s both. It is therefore important to identify the advantages and disadvantages of social media. Let’s talk about the professionals first. Instead of a traditional email that takes days to reach your loved ones, a message on social media reaches your family or friends in seconds.
The internet makes it easy to communicate with friends and family and helps you find your way if you get lost along the way. You can even shop online without getting out of bed, and everything is delivered to your door. Another reason is that it is easier to get information for the school. For example, Linkedin can help you find a job or a position. As you can see from the Forbes article, it’s not all bad: The social good of social media AJ Agrawal, it has raised awareness among teenagers.
The article states that the use of social media allows teens to follow organizations and causes they believe in. It makes them feel like they are part of something, even though they feel like outcasts in society – this is true because teens need information as much as adults, since there are many dangers that teens can ignore. Our society uses social media daily, sometimes too much. First: We spend too much time on social media.
Sometimes we forget to do our chores because we spend too much time with Tiktok. Social media can harm our mental health by spreading rude opinions about people or even information about things that can harm us. Most of us say that social media has too much information about us and that it has a purpose, but why do they have so much information about us? Because we provide information. Jessica Brown wrote in a BBC article: In a survey of 1,800 people, women reported being more stressed than men. Twitter appears to be an important factor because it increases the perception of stress by others (Is Social Media Bad for You?).
As an example, a case that happened to me. During the pandemic, social media caused me a lot of stress because of all the fake news and information going around, and because I was locked up at home, unable to see my friends, and unable to go to school. In some ways it stressed me out because of all the news, but in other ways it helped me because I was able to connect with my friends on social media. Another drawback of social media is that teens, especially young girls, can be tricked by adults who pose as teens for the sole purpose of talking to and meeting girls.
Young people should be educated at school and at home about the dangers of social media. In summary, I think social media can have its pros and cons, but if used in moderation and for the right purpose, it won’t harm you or others. Works cited Agrawal, AJ. It’s not so bad: The social good of social media. Forbes, Forbes Media, https://www.forbes.com/sites/ajagrawal/2016/03/18/its-not-all-bad-the-social-good-of-social-media/?sh=644a7c90756f. Brown, Jessica. Is social media bad for you? Evidence and facts unknown. BBC, BBC, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20180104-is-social-media-bad-for-you-the-evidence-and-the-unknowns.
The role of reflective practice in education
If you are asked to write a reflection paper, take this task seriously. This type of work is necessary to teach students to express their thoughts. Depending on the topic, a student’s reflective essay may vary, but it is always useful to improve various skills. Reflective writing assignments also help teachers identify their strengths and weaknesses in analytical and writing skills. So, if you want to learn how to write an effective argumentative essay, base it on your topic and do thorough research.
Let our writers show you how to write a reflective essay
Writing an argumentative essay is not an easy task. Some students can’t find a cogent story to think about, and others don’t think their experience makes sense. In our opinion, the main problem is the lack of knowledge on how to write down their experiences. If you have no ideas for writing a thought-provoking article, you can always ask for help. With the personal support of a writer, you will learn to write with more confidence and better understand what to include in your thinking.
Read the sample reflections and use them as a model for another written assignment on this task. Photo by pitoutepitoute from PixabayWhen you get an assignment to write a reflection paper, you’re in a tough spot. You know you have to do the assignment well, and you have to do it with little to no effort. But how do you do it? You could try to improve your writing skills, or you could buy a book that tells you how to write a reflection paper. That’s probably not the best way to go about doing it. Here’s a way you can do it that’s much more likely to work for you and for your paper.. Read more about reflection paper sample pdf and let us know what you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you start a reflection paper?
Reflection papers are common assignments in the universities. This paper is required to be written by the students, for the teachers to understand how well the students are learning and to guide them in their learning in future. Students always find it difficult to write this paper, which is why they go for online help. Some of the students who find it difficult to do online help, prefer to get the help from their friends or their teachers.
Some who can’t afford online help go to their friends or teachers, but they find it difficult to get a good reflection paper by their friends or teachers. Reflection papers are a common assignment for students in high school and universities. They are usually an essay written about a real life issue, a recent learning experience, a relationship issue, or a personal event. Writing these papers is not easy. But if you follow these simple steps, writing one is almost too easy.
How do you write a reflection?
Reflecting on your own experience is a fundamental skill that everyone needs to develop. It is a skill that can be learned at any age and with practice it can be used in a variety of situations. This is a question I get a lot: how do you write a reflection paper? It’s simple: you don’t. You just put your thoughts down on paper. But, if you plan to rise above the rest of the pack, these are the tips I share with my students:
What is an example of a reflection?
Reflections are a form of reflective writing in which students describe their learning experience by reflecting on their own personal growth and development; in other words, they reflect on their learning process. This type of writing is an important part of education because it helps students self-reflect and recall past learning experiences. There are many ways to do a reflection paper. You can ask yourself some questions: What is this paper about? What is my goal? How to write a good reflection paper? Do I need to use it as an assignment? The main point is that you need to get your own opinion and make your own judgement. So, if you still have questions, read the following article that will help you understand what reflection is, what is a good reflection paper, and how to write one.