There are those personal experiences that have changed the way you view different issues. In this respect, writing a reflection paper is a chance to look closely at those events and assess the impact they had in your life. Apart from the fact that you need to have a sharp memory and great analytical skills, it is also crucial to use your impeccable writing skills when undertaking such tasks. To write an excellent reflective essay, you should have a step-by-step approach to the work.
What Is a Reflective Essay? Simple Definition
In a reflective essay, you need to do more than just describing what happened during a given event or who was involved. Evaluate what happened, what would have been done differently, and how your whole perspective on the matter changed. Though it describes past events, you are also supposed to write how you intend to do things in the future if the same or similar situations.
The details that should be in a reflective essay include telling the reader what happened, the timelines within which the events took place, the people involved, and the exact location. Although you have just outlined what happened at this point, you now have to describe your feelings with regards to what took place. Explain why you took the specific action at that time and what you would do differently today. Describe the actual lessons learned from the whole experience. The description should not take a big percentage of the paper. What is important in this case is the reflection.
Expert Tips on How to Write a Good Reflective Essay
Your ability to recall what happened in the past and relating it to what you have today determines how well you can write a reflective essay. At the moment, you have acquired new knowledge, and you are likely to look at the same event differently from how you viewed it then. At the same time, it may be painful to think about some disappointing events since you cannot change what happened. Moreover, think about how you can apply the lesson drawn from the same event to other situations even if they are not similar. The thing is that reflective essays can be based on various aspects. For instance, you can write about an embarrassing moment and how it affected you.
Moreover, it is easier to read an essay that is organized properly. The point is that as you describe what happened, it is crucial to maintain an organized flow of events. Give proper timelines so that the readers are aware that what you are describing happened at the time when you were probably less experienced or naïve.
At the same time, the type of language to use should be comprehensible to the readers. Avoid using technical terms that may be too hard for those who are interested in your work. Do not use statements which may be interpreted differently if the person is not aware of its context. Simply put, ensure that the message gets to the reader of the reflective essay appropriately.
Moreover, it is improper to submit a text that is full of grammar and typographical mistakes. When you finish writing, read your essay and remove any errors that you may have made when writing. Correct any ambiguities or structural inconsistencies that may be in the essay.
Expert Advice on How to Start a Reflective Essay
When you are issued with these tasks, it is advisable that you do not wait for too long before you begin writing. Postponing the task may bring you more frustrations especially if you start tackling it when the deadline draws too close. Start by looking at the reflective essay question. Read it carefully so that you do not fail to answer any part of it.
Moreover, look at the accompanying guidelines as well. For instance, how many pages should you write? Such information helps to determine the amount of content required. If there are any structural guidelines that you are supposed to follow, make sure you adhere to them.
Now that you already know the question and the specific instructions, you now need to select the event that suits the specific reflective essay. Pick the one that is relevant and that you can easily recall. As much as this is not supposed to be a descriptive essay, ensure that you have the account of what took place. This way, you can easily analyze the circumstances under which things happened and write the reflective essay as required.
The Acceptable Reflective Essay Structure
You are the focus of the reflective essay. Normally, a reflective essay looks at the things that took place in the past. Therefore, you should look at how these events changed the way you would handle situations in the future. The descriptions are supposed to guide the reader to know what happened. You are then expected to analyze these events in a way that makes the teacher see that you now know and have the tools to assess the situations in your own life. Simply put, do not just give narrations of what happened to you. Dedicate a bigger portion of the paper to the lessons learned.
Crafting the Best Reflective Essay Outline
Consider the readers as you write these essays. They should comprehend the message contained. That can only happen if you organize the content properly. Hence, the reflective essay should have an introduction, body, and conclusion.
What to Include in the Reflective Essay Introduction
The introductory paragraph of the reflective essay should have a proper thesis statement. You need to tell the reader how the experience made you feel. Hook the reader to your work by writing a powerful introduction. To make the introduction connected to the thesis statement, use the proper transitional phrases.
Writing a Proper Reflective Essay Body Paragraph
It is important to note that the story should not necessarily be linear. However, write in such a way that the readers can follow the events. Moreover, the teacher is not interested in the narrations but the reflections from the chosen experience. The readers should understand the ideas outlined as you continue with the story.
What is more, you need to give the exact picture of what happened and describe how you felt. The arguments should be organized such that you tackle every idea in the corresponding paragraphs. Start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence.
How to Write a Great Reflective Essay Conclusion
In the final section, wrap-up everything in the essay. Give the summary of the events and the final thoughts on what happened. Give a brief statement of why your perspective has changed ever since. Mention how you have changed the approach that you take towards getting the solutions to your problems.
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