Reflective writing is writing in which you describe an experience, such as a practical activity, and think critically about what you did, thought, and felt, and what you learned from it. It follows a simple structure of description, analysis, and outcomes, and you write it in your own voice.
Among the many types of writing that students must complete during their studies, reflective writing probably poses the most interesting challenge. High school students are not the only ones who struggle with it: even college students can have a hard time with reflective writing.
What is reflective writing?
Reflective writing is a genre in which you write down your thought process and your feelings while you do a practical activity. You review your experience and think critically about it. Reflecting on an experience in this way improves learning, and the text you write is evidence of that reflective thinking.
The purpose of reflective writing
As the name says, the purpose is to put your thinking about a particular practical experience into written form. The end goal is for you to learn which of the theories taught in class apply in practice.
The structure of reflective writing
There are many types of reflective writing, but they all follow the same basic structure: description, analysis, and outcomes or actions.
What you put in each part depends on what you are reflecting on. When you reflect on your learning, answer these questions:
- Description: What is the concept or theory you are reflecting on?
- Analysis: What are the challenges? How does the practice tie in with the theory? What information did you lack? Did the experience change how you think about the concept or problem? How did you contribute to the solution?
- Outcomes or actions: How will you apply the knowledge you gained in your future career? Are there any unanswered questions you need to follow up on? If you face the same challenge again, what will you do differently?
What is the key feature of reflective writing?
The key is the writer's voice. In a piece of reflective writing, many sentences start with "I" or "My". These pronouns are expected, because the writing is based on your personal experience. You write from your own point of view and say how you feel about the subject. In other words, reflective writing is subjective.
That said, you still need to keep a formal tone throughout. Avoid contractions, slang, and other informal language. Also make sure that no typos or misspellings find their way into your text. The Spell Checker marks them, so you can fix them before you hand in your work.
Can you write a reflection in the third person?
Yes. Although it is rare, teachers and professors sometimes ask students to write from a third-person perspective. Think of yourself as a character and keep your experiences at a distance from yourself. The result reads like a story with you as the main character.
Where can you find examples of reflective writing?
Many universities publish guides and examples. The University of New South Wales, for instance, has a page of examples of reflective writing. Many guides also explain Gibbs' reflective cycle, a well-known model for structuring a reflection.
If you are still unsure whether the piece you have just written is really reflective writing, compare it with examples like these.