sample of reflection paper about research

Guide on How to Write a Reflection Paper with Free Tips and Example

A reflection paper is a very common type of paper among college students. Almost any subject you enroll in requires you to express your opinion on certain matters. In this article, we will explain how to write a reflection paper and provide examples and useful tips to make the essay writing process easier.

Reflection papers should have an academic tone yet be personal and subjective. In this paper, you should analyze and reflect upon how an experience, academic task, article, or lecture shaped your perception and thoughts on a subject.

Here is what you need to know about writing an effective critical reflection paper. Stick around until the end of our guide to get some useful writing tips from the writing team at EssayPro — a research paper writing service

What Is a Reflection Paper

A reflection paper is a type of paper that requires you to write your opinion on a topic, supporting it with your observations and personal experiences. As opposed to presenting your reader with the views of other academics and writers, in this essay, you get an opportunity to write your point of view—and the best part is that there is no wrong answer. It is YOUR opinion, and it is your job to express your thoughts in a manner that will be understandable and clear for all readers that will read your paper. The topic range is endless. Here are some examples: whether or not you think aliens exist, your favorite TV show, or your opinion on the outcome of WWII. You can write about pretty much anything.

There are three types of reflection paper; depending on which one you end up with, the tone you write with can be slightly different. The first type is the educational reflective paper. Here your job is to write feedback about a book, movie, or seminar you attended—in a manner that teaches the reader about it. The second is the professional paper. Usually, it is written by people who study or work in education or psychology. For example, it can be a reflection of someone’s behavior. And the last is the personal type, which explores your thoughts and feelings about an individual subject.

However, reflection paper writing will stop eventually with one very important final paper to write - your resume. This is where you will need to reflect on your entire life leading up to that moment. To learn how to list education on resume perfectly, follow the link on our dissertation writing services .

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Free Reflection Paper Example

Now that we went over all of the essentials about a reflection paper and how to approach it, we would like to show you some examples that will definitely help you with getting started on your paper.

Reflection Paper Format

Reflection papers typically do not follow any specific format. Since it is your opinion, professors usually let you handle them in any comfortable way. It is best to write your thoughts freely, without guideline constraints. If a personal reflection paper was assigned to you, the format of your paper might depend on the criteria set by your professor. College reflection papers (also known as reflection essays) can typically range from about 400-800 words in length.

Here’s how we can suggest you format your reflection paper:

Reflection Paper - How to Video Guide

Our experts have created a video guide on how to write a reflection paper step-by-step:

How to Start a Reflection Paper

The first thing to do when beginning to work on a reflection essay is to read your article thoroughly while taking notes. Whether you are reflecting on, for example, an activity, book/newspaper, or academic essay, you want to highlight key ideas and concepts.

You can start writing your reflection paper by summarizing the main concept of your notes to see if your essay includes all the information needed for your readers. It is helpful to add charts, diagrams, and lists to deliver your ideas to the audience in a better fashion.

After you have finished reading your article, it’s time to brainstorm. We’ve got a simple brainstorming technique for writing reflection papers. Just answer some of the basic questions below:

• How did the article affect you?
• How does this article catch the reader’s attention (or does it all)?
• Has the article changed your mind about something? If so, explain how.
• Has the article left you with any questions?
• Were there any unaddressed critical issues that didn’t appear in the article?
• Does the article relate to anything from your past reading experiences?
• Does the article agree with any of your past reading experiences?

Here are some reflection paper topic examples for you to keep in mind before preparing to write your own:

• How my views on rap music have changed over time
• My reflection and interpretation of Moby Dick by Herman Melville
• Why my theory about the size of the universe has changed over time
• How my observations for clinical psychological studies have developed in the last year

The result of your brainstorming should be a written outline of the contents of your future paper. Do not skip this step, as it will ensure that your essay will have a proper flow and appropriate organization.

Another good way to organize your ideas is to write them down in a 3-column chart or table.

Do you want your task look awesome?

If you would like your reflection paper to look professional, feel free to check out one of our articles on how to format MLA, APA or Chicago style

Writing a Reflection Paper Outline

Reflection paper should contain few key elements:

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.
• Write a thesis statement stating how your subject has affected you.

One way you can start your thesis is to write:

Example: “After reading/experiencing (your chosen topic), I gained the knowledge of…”

Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs should examine your ideas and experiences in context to your topic. Make sure each new body paragraph starts with a topic sentence.

Your reflection may include quotes and passages if you are writing about a book or an academic paper. They give your reader a point of reference to fully understand your feedback. Feel free to describe what you saw, what you heard, and how you felt.

Example: “I saw many people participating in our weight experiment. The atmosphere felt nervous yet inspiring. I was amazed by the excitement of the event.”

As with any conclusion, you should summarize what you’ve learned from the experience. Next, tell the reader how your newfound knowledge has affected your understanding of the subject in general. Finally, describe the feeling and overall lesson you had from the reading or experience.

There are a few good ways to conclude a reflection paper:

• Tie all the ideas from your body paragraphs together, and generalize the major insights you’ve experienced.
• Restate your thesis and summarize the content of your paper.

We have a separate blog post dedicated to writing a great conclusion. Be sure to check it out for an in-depth look at how to make a good final impression on your reader.

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How to Write a Reflection Paper: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: create a main theme.

After you choose your topic, write a short summary about what you have learned about your experience with that topic. Then, let readers know how you feel about your case — and be honest. Chances are that your readers will likely be able to relate to your opinion or at least the way you form your perspective, which will help them better understand your reflection.

For example: After watching a TEDx episode on Wim Hof, I was able to reevaluate my preconceived notions about the negative effects of cold exposure.

Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas and Experiences You’ve Had Related to Your Topic

You can write down specific quotes, predispositions you have, things that influenced you, or anything memorable. Be personal and explain, in simple words, how you felt.

For example: • A lot of people think that even a small amount of carbohydrates will make people gain weight • A specific moment when I struggled with an excess weight where I avoided carbohydrates entirely • The consequences of my actions that gave rise to my research • The evidence and studies of nutritional science that claim carbohydrates alone are to blame for making people obese • My new experience with having a healthy diet with a well-balanced intake of nutrients • The influence of other people’s perceptions on the harm of carbohydrates, and the role their influence has had on me • New ideas I’ve created as a result of my shift in perspective

Step 3: Analyze How and Why These Ideas and Experiences Have Affected Your Interpretation of Your Theme

Pick an idea or experience you had from the last step, and analyze it further. Then, write your reasoning for agreeing or disagreeing with it.

For example, Idea: I was raised to think that carbohydrates make people gain weight.

Analysis: Most people think that if they eat any carbohydrates, such as bread, cereal, and sugar, they will gain weight. I believe in this misconception to such a great extent that I avoided carbohydrates entirely. As a result, my blood glucose levels were very low. I needed to do a lot of research to overcome my beliefs finally. Afterward, I adopted the philosophy of “everything in moderation” as a key to a healthy lifestyle.

For example: Idea: I was brought up to think that carbohydrates make people gain weight. Analysis: Most people think that if they eat any carbohydrates, such as bread, cereal, and sugar, they will gain weight. I believe in this misconception to such a great extent that I avoided carbohydrates entirely. As a result, my blood glucose levels were very low. I needed to do a lot of my own research to finally overcome my beliefs. After, I adopted the philosophy of “everything in moderation” as a key for having a healthy lifestyle.

Step 4: Make Connections Between Your Observations, Experiences, and Opinions

Try to connect your ideas and insights to form a cohesive picture for your theme. You can also try to recognize and break down your assumptions, which you may challenge in the future.

There are some subjects for reflection papers that are most commonly written about. They include:

• Book – Start by writing some information about the author’s biography and summarize the plot—without revealing the ending to keep your readers interested. Make sure to include the names of the characters, the main themes, and any issues mentioned in the book. Finally, express your thoughts and reflect on the book itself.
• Course – Including the course name and description is a good place to start. Then, you can write about the course flow, explain why you took this course, and tell readers what you learned from it. Since it is a reflection paper, express your opinion, supporting it with examples from the course.
• Project – The structure for a reflection paper about a project has identical guidelines to that of a course. One of the things you might want to add would be the pros and cons of the course. Also, mention some changes you might want to see, and evaluate how relevant the skills you acquired are to real life.
• Interview – First, introduce the person and briefly mention the discussion. Touch on the main points, controversies, and your opinion of that person.

Writing Tips

Everyone has their style of writing a reflective essay – and that's the beauty of it; you have plenty of leeway with this type of paper – but there are still a few tips everyone should incorporate.

Before you start your piece, read some examples of other papers; they will likely help you better understand what they are and how to approach yours. When picking your subject, try to write about something unusual and memorable — it is more likely to capture your readers' attention. Never write the whole essay at once. Space out the time slots when you work on your reflection paper to at least a day apart. This will allow your brain to generate new thoughts and reflections.

• Short and Sweet – Most reflection papers are between 250 and 750 words. Don't go off on tangents. Only include relevant information.
• Clear and Concise – Make your paper as clear and concise as possible. Use a strong thesis statement so your essay can follow it with the same strength.
• Maintain the Right Tone – Use a professional and academic tone—even though the writing is personal.
• Cite Your Sources – Try to cite authoritative sources and experts to back up your personal opinions.
• Proofreading – Not only should you proofread for spelling and grammatical errors, but you should proofread to focus on your organization as well. Answer the question presented in the introduction.

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Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

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Reflective writing is a process of identifying, questioning, and critically evaluating course-based learning opportunities, integrated with your own observations, experiences, impressions, beliefs, assumptions, or biases, and which describes how this process stimulated new or creative understanding about the content of the course.

A reflective paper describes and explains in an introspective, first person narrative, your reactions and feelings about either a specific element of the class [e.g., a required reading; a film shown in class] or more generally how you experienced learning throughout the course. Reflective writing assignments can be in the form of a single paper, essays, portfolios, journals, diaries, or blogs. In some cases, your professor may include a reflective writing assignment as a way to obtain student feedback that helps improve the course, either in the moment or for when the class is taught again.

How to Write a Reflection Paper . Academic Skills, Trent University; Writing a Reflection Paper . Writing Center, Lewis University; Critical Reflection . Writing and Communication Centre, University of Waterloo; Tsingos-Lucas et al. "Using Reflective Writing as a Predictor of Academic Success in Different Assessment Formats." American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 81 (2017): Article 8.

Benefits of Reflective Writing Assignments

As the term implies, a reflective paper involves looking inward at oneself in contemplating and bringing meaning to the relationship between course content and the acquisition of new knowledge . Educational research [Bolton, 2010; Ryan, 2011; Tsingos-Lucas et al., 2017] demonstrates that assigning reflective writing tasks enhances learning because it challenges students to confront their own assumptions, biases, and belief systems around what is being taught in class and, in so doing, stimulate student’s decisions, actions, attitudes, and understanding about themselves as learners and in relation to having mastery over their learning. Reflection assignments are also an opportunity to write in a first person narrative about elements of the course, such as the required readings, separate from the exegetic and analytical prose of academic research papers.

Reflection writing often serves multiple purposes simultaneously. In no particular order, here are some of reasons why professors assign reflection papers:

• Enhances learning from previous knowledge and experience in order to improve future decision-making and reasoning in practice . Reflective writing in the applied social sciences enhances decision-making skills and academic performance in ways that can inform professional practice. The act of reflective writing creates self-awareness and understanding of others. This is particularly important in clinical and service-oriented professional settings.
• Allows students to make sense of classroom content and overall learning experiences in relation to oneself, others, and the conditions that shaped the content and classroom experiences . Reflective writing places you within the course content in ways that can deepen your understanding of the material. Because reflective thinking can help reveal hidden biases, it can help you critically interrogate moments when you do not like or agree with discussions, readings, or other aspects of the course.
• Increases awareness of one’s cognitive abilities and the evidence for these attributes . Reflective writing can break down personal doubts about yourself as a learner and highlight specific abilities that may have been hidden or suppressed due to prior assumptions about the strength of your academic abilities [e.g., reading comprehension; problem-solving skills]. Reflective writing, therefore, can have a positive affective [i.e., emotional] impact on your sense of self-worth.
• Applying theoretical knowledge and frameworks to real experiences . Reflective writing can help build a bridge of relevancy between theoretical knowledge and the real world. In so doing, this form of writing can lead to a better understanding of underlying theories and their analytical properties applied to professional practice.
• Reveals shortcomings that the reader will identify . Evidence suggests that reflective writing can uncover your own shortcomings as a learner, thereby, creating opportunities to anticipate the responses of your professor may have about the quality of your coursework. This can be particularly productive if the reflective paper is written before final submission of an assignment.
• Helps students identify their tacit [a.k.a., implicit] knowledge and possible gaps in that knowledge . Tacit knowledge refers to ways of knowing rooted in lived experience, insight, and intuition rather than formal, codified, categorical, or explicit knowledge. In so doing, reflective writing can stimulate students to question their beliefs about a research problem or an element of the course content beyond positivist modes of understanding and representation.
• Encourages students to actively monitor their learning processes over a period of time . On-going reflective writing in journals or blogs, for example, can help you maintain or adapt learning strategies in other contexts. The regular, purposeful act of reflection can facilitate continuous deep thinking about the course content as it evolves and changes throughout the term. This, in turn, can increase your overall confidence as a learner.
• Relates a student’s personal experience to a wider perspective . Reflection papers can help you see the big picture associated with the content of a course by forcing you to think about the connections between scholarly content and your lived experiences outside of school. It can provide a macro-level understanding of one’s own experiences in relation to the specifics of what is being taught.
• If reflective writing is shared, students can exchange stories about their learning experiences, thereby, creating an opportunity to reevaluate their original assumptions or perspectives . In most cases, reflective writing is only viewed by your professor in order to ensure candid feedback from students. However, occasionally, reflective writing is shared and openly discussed in class. During these discussions, new or different perspectives and alternative approaches to solving problems can be generated that would otherwise be hidden. Sharing student's reflections can also reveal collective patterns of thought and emotions about a particular element of the course.

Bolton, Gillie. Reflective Practice: Writing and Professional Development . London: Sage, 2010; Chang, Bo. "Reflection in Learning." Online Learning 23 (2019), 95-110; Cavilla, Derek. "The Effects of Student Reflection on Academic Performance and Motivation." Sage Open 7 (July-September 2017): 1–13; Culbert, Patrick. “Better Teaching? You Can Write On It “ Liberal Education (February 2022); McCabe, Gavin and Tobias Thejll-Madsen. The Reflection Toolkit . University of Edinburgh; The Purpose of Reflection . Introductory Composition at Purdue University; Practice-based and Reflective Learning . Study Advice Study Guides, University of Reading; Ryan, Mary. "Improving Reflective Writing in Higher Education: A Social Semiotic Perspective." Teaching in Higher Education 16 (2011): 99-111; Tsingos-Lucas et al. "Using Reflective Writing as a Predictor of Academic Success in Different Assessment Formats." American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 81 (2017): Article 8; What Benefits Might Reflective Writing Have for My Students? Writing Across the Curriculum Clearinghouse; Rykkje, Linda. "The Tacit Care Knowledge in Reflective Writing: A Practical Wisdom." International Practice Development Journal 7 (September 2017): Article 5; Using Reflective Writing to Deepen Student Learning . Center for Writing, University of Minnesota.

How to Approach Writing a Reflection Paper

Thinking About Reflective Thinking

Educational theorists have developed numerous models of reflective thinking that your professor may use to frame a reflective writing assignment. These models can help you systematically interpret your learning experiences, thereby ensuring that you ask the right questions and have a clear understanding of what should be covered. A model can also represent the overall structure of a reflective paper. Each model establishes a different approach to reflection and will require you to think about your writing differently. If you are unclear how to fit your writing within a particular reflective model, seek clarification from your professor. There are generally two types of reflective writing assignments, each approached in slightly different ways.

1.  Reflective Thinking about Course Readings

This type of reflective writing focuses on thoughtfully thinking about the course readings that underpin how most students acquire new knowledge and understanding about the subject of a course. Reflecting on course readings is often assigned in freshmen-level, interdisciplinary courses where the required readings examine topics viewed from multiple perspectives and, as such, provide different ways of analyzing a topic, issue, event, or phenomenon. The purpose of reflective thinking about course readings in the social and behavioral sciences is to elicit your opinions, beliefs, and feelings about the research and its significance. This type of writing can provide an opportunity to break down key assumptions you may have and, in so doing, reveal potential biases in how you interpret the scholarship.

If you are assigned to reflect on course readings, consider the following methods of analysis as prompts that can help you get started :

• Examine carefully the main introductory elements of the reading, including the purpose of the study, the theoretical framework being used to test assumptions, and the research questions being addressed. Think about what ideas stood out to you. Why did they? Were these ideas new to you or familiar in some way based on your own lived experiences or prior knowledge?
• Develop your ideas around the readings by asking yourself, what do I know about this topic? Where does my existing knowledge about this topic come from? What are the observations or experiences in my life that influence my understanding of the topic? Do I agree or disagree with the main arguments, recommended course of actions, or conclusions made by the author(s)? Why do I feel this way and what is the basis of these feelings?
• Make connections between the text and your own beliefs, opinions, or feelings by considering questions like, how do the readings reinforce my existing ideas or assumptions? How the readings challenge these ideas or assumptions? How does this text help me to better understand this topic or research in ways that motivate me to learn more about this area of study?

2.  Reflective Thinking about Course Experiences

This type of reflective writing asks you to critically reflect on locating yourself at the conceptual intersection of theory and practice. The purpose of experiential reflection is to evaluate theories or disciplinary-based analytical models based on your introspective assessment of the relationship between hypothetical thinking and practical reality; it offers a way to consider how your own knowledge and skills fit within professional practice. This type of writing also provides an opportunity to evaluate your decisions and actions, as well as how you managed your subsequent successes and failures, within a specific theoretical framework. As a result, abstract concepts can crystallize and become more relevant to you when considered within your own experiences. This can help you formulate plans for self-improvement as you learn.

If you are assigned to reflect on your experiences, consider the following questions as prompts to help you get started :

• Contextualize your reflection in relation to the overarching purpose of the course by asking yourself, what did you hope to learn from this course? What were the learning objectives for the course and how did I fit within each of them? How did these goals relate to the main themes or concepts of the course?
• Analyze how you experienced the course by asking yourself, what did I learn from this experience? What did I learn about myself? About working in this area of research and study? About how the course relates to my place in society? What assumptions about the course were supported or refuted?
• Think introspectively about the ways you experienced learning during the course by asking yourself, did your learning experiences align with the goals or concepts of the course? Why or why do you not feel this way? What was successful and why do you believe this? What would you do differently and why is this important? How will you prepare for a future experience in this area of study?

NOTE: If you are assigned to write a journal or other type of on-going reflection exercise, a helpful approach is to reflect on your reflections by re-reading what you have already written. In other words, review your previous entries as a way to contextualize your feelings, opinions, or beliefs regarding your overall learning experiences. Over time, this can also help reveal hidden patterns or themes related to how you processed your learning experiences. Consider concluding your reflective journal with a summary of how you felt about your learning experiences at critical junctures throughout the course, then use these to write about how you grew as a student learner and how the act of reflecting helped you gain new understanding about the subject of the course and its content.

ANOTHER NOTE: Regardless of whether you write a reflection paper or a journal, do not focus your writing on the past. The act of reflection is intended to think introspectively about previous learning experiences. However, reflective thinking should document the ways in which you progressed in obtaining new insights and understandings about your growth as a learner that can be carried forward in subsequent coursework or in future professional practice. Your writing should reflect a furtherance of increasing personal autonomy and confidence gained from understanding more about yourself as a learner.

Structure and Writing Style

There are no strict academic rules for writing a reflective paper. Reflective writing may be assigned in any class taught in the social and behavioral sciences and, therefore, requirements for the assignment can vary depending on disciplinary-based models of inquiry and learning. The organization of content can also depend on what your professor wants you to write about or based on the type of reflective model used to frame the writing assignment. Despite these possible variations, below is a basic approach to organizing and writing a good reflective paper, followed by a list of problems to avoid.

Pre-flection

In most cases, it's helpful to begin by thinking about your learning experiences and outline what you want to focus on before you begin to write the paper. This can help you organize your thoughts around what was most important to you and what experiences [good or bad] had the most impact on your learning. As described by the University of Waterloo Writing and Communication Centre, preparing to write a reflective paper involves a process of self-analysis that can help organize your thoughts around significant moments of in-class knowledge discovery.

• Using a thesis statement as a guide, note what experiences or course content stood out to you , then place these within the context of your observations, reactions, feelings, and opinions. This will help you develop a rough outline of key moments during the course that reflect your growth as a learner. To identify these moments, pose these questions to yourself: What happened? What was my reaction? What were my expectations and how were they different from what transpired? What did I learn?
• Critically think about your learning experiences and the course content . This will help you develop a deeper, more nuanced understanding about why these moments were significant or relevant to you. Use the ideas you formulated during the first stage of reflecting to help you think through these moments from both an academic and personal perspective. From an academic perspective, contemplate how the experience enhanced your understanding of a concept, theory, or skill. Ask yourself, did the experience confirm my previous understanding or challenge it in some way. As a result, did this highlight strengths or gaps in your current knowledge? From a personal perspective, think introspectively about why these experiences mattered, if previous expectations or assumptions were confirmed or refuted, and if this surprised, confused, or unnerved you in some way.
• Analyze how these experiences and your reactions to them will shape your future thinking and behavior . Reflection implies looking back, but the most important act of reflective writing is considering how beliefs, assumptions, opinions, and feelings were transformed in ways that better prepare you as a learner in the future. Note how this reflective analysis can lead to actions you will take as a result of your experiences, what you will do differently, and how you will apply what you learned in other courses or in professional practice.

Basic Structure and Writing Style

Reflective Background and Context

The first part of your reflection paper should briefly provide background and context in relation to the content or experiences that stood out to you. Highlight the settings, summarize the key readings, or narrate the experiences in relation to the course objectives. Provide background that sets the stage for your reflection. You do not need to go into great detail, but you should provide enough information for the reader to understand what sources of learning you are writing about [e.g., course readings, field experience, guest lecture, class discussions] and why they were important. This section should end with an explanatory thesis statement that expresses the central ideas of your paper and what you want the readers to know, believe, or understand after they finish reading your paper.

Reflective Interpretation

Drawing from your reflective analysis, this is where you can be personal, critical, and creative in expressing how you felt about the course content and learning experiences and how they influenced or altered your feelings, beliefs, assumptions, or biases about the subject of the course. This section is also where you explore the meaning of these experiences in the context of the course and how you gained an awareness of the connections between these moments and your own prior knowledge.

Guided by your thesis statement, a helpful approach is to interpret your learning throughout the course with a series of specific examples drawn from the course content and your learning experiences. These examples should be arranged in sequential order that illustrate your growth as a learner. Reflecting on each example can be done by: 1)  introducing a theme or moment that was meaningful to you, 2) describing your previous position about the learning moment and what you thought about it, 3) explaining how your perspective was challenged and/or changed and why, and 4) introspectively stating your current or new feelings, opinions, or beliefs about that experience in class.

It is important to include specific examples drawn from the course and placed within the context of your assumptions, thoughts, opinions, and feelings. A reflective narrative without specific examples does not provide an effective way for the reader to understand the relationship between the course content and how you grew as a learner.

Reflective Conclusions

The conclusion of your reflective paper should provide a summary of your thoughts, feelings, or opinions regarding what you learned about yourself as a result of taking the course. Here are several ways you can frame your conclusions based on the examples you interpreted and reflected on what they meant to you. Each example would need to be tied to the basic theme [thesis statement] of your reflective background section.

• Your reflective conclusions can be described in relation to any expectations you had before taking the class [e.g., “I expected the readings to not be relevant to my own experiences growing up in a rural community, but the research actually helped me see that the challenges of developing my identity as a child of immigrants was not that unusual...”].
• Your reflective conclusions can explain how what you learned about yourself will change your actions in the future [e.g., “During a discussion in class about the challenges of helping homeless people, I realized that many of these people hate living on the street but lack the ability to see a way out. This made me realize that I wanted to take more classes in psychology...”].
• Your reflective conclusions can describe major insights you experienced a critical junctures during the course and how these moments enhanced how you see yourself as a student learner [e.g., "The guest speaker from the Head Start program made me realize why I wanted to pursue a career in elementary education..."].
• Your reflective conclusions can reconfigure or reframe how you will approach professional practice and your understanding of your future career aspirations [e.g.,, "The course changed my perceptions about seeking a career in business finance because it made me realize I want to be more engaged in customer service..."]
• Your reflective conclusions can explore any learning you derived from the act of reflecting itself [e.g., “Reflecting on the course readings that described how minority students perceive campus activities helped me identify my own biases about the benefits of those activities in acclimating to campus life...”].

NOTE: The length of a reflective paper in the social sciences is usually less than a traditional research paper. However, don’t assume that writing a reflective paper is easier than writing a research paper. A well-conceived critical reflection paper often requires as much time and effort as a research paper because you must purposeful engage in thinking about your learning in ways that you may not be comfortable with or used to. This is particular true while preparing to write because reflective papers are not as structured as a traditional research paper and, therefore, you have to think deliberately about how you want to organize the paper and what elements of the course you want to reflect upon.

ANOTHER NOTE: Do not limit yourself to using only text in reflecting on your learning. If you believe it would be helpful, consider using creative modes of thought or expression such as, illustrations, photographs, or material objects that reflects an experience related to the subject of the course that was important to you [e.g., like a ticket stub to a renowned speaker on campus]. Whatever non-textual element you include, be sure to describe the object's relevance to your personal relationship to the course content.

Problems to Avoid

A reflective paper is not a “mind dump” . Reflective papers document your personal and emotional experiences and, therefore, they do not conform to rigid structures, or schema, to organize information. However, the paper should not be a disjointed, stream-of-consciousness narrative. Reflective papers are still academic pieces of writing that require organized thought, that use academic language and tone , and that apply intellectually-driven critical thinking to the course content and your learning experiences and their significance.

A reflective paper is not a research paper . If you are asked to reflect on a course reading, the reflection will obviously include some description of the research. However, the goal of reflective writing is not to present extraneous ideas to the reader or to "educate" them about the course. The goal is to share a story about your relationship with the learning objectives of the course. Therefore, unlike research papers, you are expected to write from a first person point of view which includes an introspective examination of your own opinions, feelings, and personal assumptions.

A reflection paper is not a book review . Descriptions of the course readings using your own words is not a reflective paper. Reflective writing should focus on how you understood the implications of and were challenged by the course in relation to your own lived experiences or personal assumptions, combined with explanations of how you grew as a student learner based on this internal dialogue. Remember that you are the central object of the paper, not the research materials.

A reflective paper is not an all-inclusive meditation. Do not try to cover everything. The scope of your paper should be well-defined and limited to your specific opinions, feelings, and beliefs about what you determine to be the most significant content of the course and in relation to the learning that took place. Reflections should be detailed enough to covey what you think is important, but your thoughts should be expressed concisely and coherently [as is true for any academic writing assignment].

Critical Reflection . Writing and Communication Centre, University of Waterloo; Critical Reflection: Journals, Opinions, & Reactions . University Writing Center, Texas A&M University; Connor-Greene, Patricia A. “Making Connections: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Journal Writing in Enhancing Student Learning.” Teaching of Psychology 27 (2000): 44-46; Good vs. Bad Reflection Papers , Franklin University; Dyment, Janet E. and Timothy S. O’Connell. "The Quality of Reflection in Student Journals: A Review of Limiting and Enabling Factors." Innovative Higher Education 35 (2010): 233-244: How to Write a Reflection Paper . Academic Skills, Trent University; Amelia TaraJane House. Reflection Paper . Cordia Harrington Center for Excellence, University of Arkansas; Ramlal, Alana, and Désirée S. Augustin. “Engaging Students in Reflective Writing: An Action Research Project.” Educational Action Research 28 (2020): 518-533; Writing a Reflection Paper . Writing Center, Lewis University; McGuire, Lisa, Kathy Lay, and Jon Peters. “Pedagogy of Reflective Writing in Professional Education.” Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (2009): 93-107; Critical Reflection . Writing and Communication Centre, University of Waterloo; How Do I Write Reflectively? Academic Skills Toolkit, University of New South Wales Sydney; Reflective Writing . Skills@Library. University of Leeds; Walling, Anne, Johanna Shapiro, and Terry Ast. “What Makes a Good Reflective Paper?” Family Medicine 45 (2013): 7-12; Williams, Kate, Mary Woolliams, and Jane Spiro. Reflective Writing . 2nd edition. London: Red Globe Press, 2020; Yeh, Hui-Chin, Shih-hsien Yang, Jo Shan Fu, and Yen-Chen Shih. “Developing College Students’ Critical Thinking through Reflective Writing.” Higher Education Research and Development (2022): 1-16.

Writing Tip

Focus on Reflecting, Not on Describing

Minimal time and effort should be spent describing the course content you are asked to reflect upon. The purpose of a reflection assignment is to introspectively contemplate your reactions to and feeling about an element of the course. D eflecting the focus away from your own feelings by concentrating on describing the course content can happen particularly if "talking about yourself" [i.e., reflecting] makes you uncomfortable or it is intimidating. However, the intent of reflective writing is to overcome these inhibitions so as to maximize the benefits of introspectively assessing your learning experiences. Keep in mind that, if it is relevant, your feelings of discomfort could be a part of how you critically reflect on any challenges you had during the course [e.g., you realize this discomfort inhibited your willingness to ask questions during class, it fed into your propensity to procrastinate, or it made it difficult participating in groups].

Writing a Reflection Paper . Writing Center, Lewis University; Reflection Paper . Cordia Harrington Center for Excellence, University of Arkansas.

Another Writing Tip

Helpful Videos about Reflective Writing

These two short videos succinctly describe how to approach a reflective writing assignment. They are produced by the Academic Skills department at the University of Melbourne and the Skills Team of the University of Hull, respectively.

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• Last Updated: Jun 3, 2024 9:44 AM
• URL: https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/assignments

How to Write a Reflection Paper in 5 Steps (plus Template and Sample Essay)

by Kaelyn Barron | 15 comments

If you’ve been assigned the task of writing a reflection paper on a book you’ve read, film you’ve seen, or an event you’ve attended, you may be wondering where to start.

After all, there are few rules when it comes to writing a reflection, since it’s basically just your reaction and thoughts on the material—and all that creative freedom can be intimidating at first! But even with this lack of structure, there are steps you can take to write a reflection paper that adds value to the discussion.

What Is a Reflection Paper?

A reflection paper is a type of essay that requires you to reflect, or give your thoughts and opinions, on a certain subject or material. This type of essay is often assigned to students after they’ve read a book or watched a film.

However, it can also be written in a professional setting, often by those who study education or psychology, to reflect on an individual’s behavior. Or, you can write a reflection paper for your own purposes, to work out your thoughts and feelings on a personal subject.

If you’re a student, in most cases, you’ll be given a prompt or question to guide your reflection. Often, these assignments are completed in class, so the reflections are generally under 1,000 words. The good news is that there are on wrong answers!

However, there are things you can do to write more effective reflections that will give you (and your teachers, if applicable) more insight to your views and thought processes.

How to Write a Reflection Paper

Use these 5 tips to write a thoughtful and insightful reflection paper.

1. Answer key questions.

To write a reflection paper, you need to be able to observe your own thoughts and reactions to the material you’ve been given. A good way to start is by answering a series of key questions.

For example:

• What was your first reaction to the material? Was it positive, negative, or neutral?
• Do you find the writer (or director, presenter, etc.) to be credible?
• Has the material changed your mind in some way?
• Which issues or questions does the material fail to address?
• What new or remaining questions do you have after reading/viewing the material?
• What have you learned from this material?
• Does it remind you of any personal experiences, or anything else you’ve seen or read?

Answering these questions will help you formulate your own opinions, draw conclusions, and write an insightful reflection.

2. Identify a theme.

Once you’ve answered a few basic questions, look at your responses and see if you can identify any common themes .

What’s the main takeaway? If you could summarize your thoughts on this piece in one sentence, what would you say?

Think about what you’ve learned, or how the material has affected you. Be honest about how you feel, especially if the material incites any strong opinions or reactions from you.

3. Summarize.

Your reflection paper should not be just a mere summary of the material you’ve read or studied. However, you should give a recap of the most important aspects, and offer specific examples when necessary to back up any assertions you make.

Include information about the author (if you’re writing about a book or article). If you’re writing about a work of fiction, very briefly and concisely summarize the plot. If writing about nonfiction, share the author’s thesis, or the main argument they’re trying to make.

Just be careful to not overdo the summary—you don’t want to reproduce or offer a play-by-play of the original work, but rather offer enough context so readers can appreciate your reflection and analysis.

4. Analyze.

Your reflection paper is a great place to practice your critical thinking skills , which include analysis. The questions in Step 1 will offer you a good start when it comes to thinking more analytically.

Once you’ve offered enough context for your readers by including a brief summary, analyze the

• the overall tone of the work
• the credibility of the writer (or producer of the content)
• potential biases
• the intended purpose of the material

If you’re writing a reflection paper on a work of fiction, be sure to check out our guide to writing a literary analysis.

5. Make connections.

Does the material remind you of any personal experiences you’ve had, or other books or films you’ve encountered? Can you connect it to any current events or real-world examples?

Then, zoom out and try to see the bigger picture. What do these connections have in common? Can you point out a larger, more universal theme?

The more of these connections you can tie in to your reflection to create a cohesive picture, the better.

Reflection Paper Template

Reflection papers don’t really require a rigid structure—the most important thing is that you communicate your ideas clearly and effectively. (Of course, if you received specific guidelines from your instructor, you should stick to those.)

The following is a loose outline that you can use to guide you through your reflection paper:

• Include: Title, Author Name (or Director, Photographer, etc.).
• Briefly summarize the work and its main themes.
• Write a thesis that states the work’s overall impact on you.
• When relevant, include specific quotes or examples to support your claims.
• Explore your main reactions and thoughts after reviewing the material.
• Build connections to personal experiences and other works you’ve encountered.
• Show how the ideas from your body paragraphs tie together to support your thesis.
• Summarize the overall effect the material had on you.

Reflection Paper Example

The following is an example of a reflection paper I wrote for a university course in response to an academic article on conflict resolution, found in the book Managing Conflict in a World Adrift :

In “Understanding the Gendered Nature of Power,” Oudraat and Kuehnast explain how peace theorists have fallen short in their analyses of the role of gender (and of women especially). Because gender roles are a reflection of power dynamics within societies, they can also serve as valuable indicators of dynamics within conflicts and post-conflict processes.

The authors emphasize the importance of using international intervention wisely. Although postconflict reconstruction might seem like an opportunity to rethink gender norms and roles, it seems that postconflict programs tend more often to reproduce gender norms that “no longer contribute productive approaches to society and escalate social tensions.” While I think we should always strive to bring more opportunities to women and eradicate gender biases, I agree with the authors that international actors must “be attentive to the gendered nature of the societies in which they intervene.” We have seen many cases where international intervention, although well-meaning, can end up hurting a community even more by meddling without truly knowing the conditions of a local situation.

One example of such misguided help is the campaign for “clean stoves” in African villages, based on the idea that women are assaulted when they look for fuel and water outside their camps. Providing clean stoves does nothing to address the root of the problem (sexual violence), and in fact further confines women to their homes, while many studies show that times of collecting water or other supplies are often critical opportunities for women to communicate, socialize, exchange ideas, and so on. In many cases it is the only time they will leave the home or village that day. The solution proposed by the clean stoves campaign reminds me of the culture surrounding sexual violence in the United States, where rather than working to attack the root causes of such crimes, we instead teach women that it is unsafe to go out late, or to dress in a certain way.

In order to make any progress, I agree with the authors when they suggest we need qualitative data that capture the changing nature of societies coming out of war. We must first identify the information we lack in order to move forward wisely and effectively.

Writing a Reflective Essay

Whether you’ve been assigned a reflection paper for school or simply want to write one for your own exercise, these tips will help you get the most from the experience.

Remember that when you’re consuming any type of media, it’s good practice to reflect on what you’ve absorbed and ask critical questions so you can draw your own conclusions.

Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:

• 19 Books That Make You Think: A List of Thought-Provoking Reads
• Why You Should Keep a Reading Journal: Tips for More Reflective Reading
• How to Write a Literary Analysis: 6 Tips for the Perfect Essay
• How to Summarize a Novel: 4 Steps to Writing a Great Summary

As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.

15 Comments

Very helpful, thanks a lot!

Thankful for this! Thanks to you!

we’re glad you found the post helpful! :)

In my understanding, this post helped me to guide my students while I was teaching them how to write effective reflection paper. In addition to this, I had time to correct my past through this post. Thanks a lot!!!

I’m so glad you found this post helpful for your students! :)

I believe I understood the steps and instructions on how to write a reflection paper and it makes lots of sense to me now than before . What I was really hoping for was that you could give us an example of a text or an article written followed by a reflection that was done on that article . Maybe I`m asking too much. Thank you though!!!!

Hi Larry, I’m glad the article was helpful for your reflection paper! I tried to provide an example of one of my own papers, but I couldn’t find the full text of the article I wrote on (it was from a textbook). I’ll try to find another example though :)

am very empress with this information. it really helps me to write an effective reflection papers

thanks Benjamin, we’re so glad you found it helpful! :)

This is very helpful as I am preparing for my portfolio defense. Many thanks Mark

I’m so glad you found it helpful, Mark!

Very informative.

Thanks Sara, I’m glad you found the post helpful! :)

Many thanks for this information,,very needed today for my final exam.

You’re very welcome Lyn, I hope it helped for your exam! :)

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How to Write a Reflection Paper: An Easy-to-Follow Guide

Last Updated: June 6, 2024 Fact Checked

Sample Outline and Paper

Brainstorming, organizing a reflection paper, as you write, expert q&a.

This article was co-authored by Alicia Cook . Alicia Cook is a Professional Writer based in Newark, New Jersey. With over 12 years of experience, Alicia specializes in poetry and uses her platform to advocate for families affected by addiction and to fight for breaking the stigma against addiction and mental illness. She holds a BA in English and Journalism from Georgian Court University and an MBA from Saint Peter’s University. Alicia is a bestselling poet with Andrews McMeel Publishing and her work has been featured in numerous media outlets including the NY Post, CNN, USA Today, the HuffPost, the LA Times, American Songwriter Magazine, and Bustle. She was named by Teen Vogue as one of the 10 social media poets to know and her poetry mixtape, “Stuff I’ve Been Feeling Lately” was a finalist in the 2016 Goodreads Choice Awards. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 3,844,079 times.

Reflection papers allow you to communicate with your instructor about how a specific article, lesson, lecture, or experience shapes your understanding of class-related material. Reflection papers are personal and subjective [1] X Research source , but they must still maintain a somewhat academic tone and must still be thoroughly and cohesively organized. Here's what you need to know about writing an effective reflection.

How to Start a Reflection Paper

To write a reflection paper, first write an introduction that outlines your expectations and thesis. Then, state your conclusions in the body paragraphs, explaining your findings with concrete details. Finally, conclude with a summary of your experience.

• These sentences should be both descriptive yet straight to the point.

• For lectures or readings, you can write down specific quotations or summarize passages.
• For experiences, make a note of specific portions of your experience. You could even write a small summary or story of an event that happened during the experience that stands out. Images, sounds, or other sensory portions of your experience work, as well.

• In the first column, list the main points or key experiences. These points can include anything that the author or speaker treated with importance as well as any specific details you found to be important. Divide each point into its own separate row.
• In the second column, list your personal response to the points you brought up in the first column. Mention how your subjective values, experiences, and beliefs influence your response.
• In the third and last column, describe how much of your personal response to share in your reflection paper.

• Does the reading, lecture, or experience challenge you socially, culturally, emotionally, or theologically? If so, where and how? Why does it bother you or catch your attention?
• Has the reading, lecture, or experience changed your way of thinking? Did it conflict with beliefs you held previously, and what evidence did it provide you with in order to change your thought process on the topic?
• Does the reading, lecture, or experience leave you with any questions? Were these questions ones you had previously or ones you developed only after finishing?
• Did the author, speaker, or those involved in the experience fail to address any important issues? Could a certain fact or idea have dramatically changed the impact or conclusion of the reading, lecture, or experience?
• How do the issues or ideas brought up in this reading, lecture, or experience mesh with past experiences or readings? Do the ideas contradict or support each other?

• Verify whether or not your instructor specified a word count for the paper instead of merely following this average.
• If your instructor demands a word count outside of this range, meet your instructor's requirements.

• For a reading or lecture, indicate what you expected based on the title, abstract, or introduction.
• For an experience, indicate what you expected based on prior knowledge provided by similar experiences or information from others.

• This is essentially a brief explanation of whether or not your expectations were met.
• A thesis provides focus and cohesion for your reflection paper.
• You could structure a reflection thesis along the following lines: “From this reading/experience, I learned...”

• Your conclusions must be explained. You should provide details on how you arrived at those conclusions using logic and concrete details.
• The focus of the paper is not a summary of the text, but you still need to draw concrete, specific details from the text or experience in order to provide context for your conclusions.
• Write a separate paragraph for each conclusion or idea you developed.
• Each paragraph should have its own topic sentence. This topic sentence should clearly identify your major points, conclusions, or understandings.

• The conclusions or understandings explained in your body paragraphs should support your overall conclusion. One or two may conflict, but the majority should support your final conclusion.

• If you feel uncomfortable about a personal issue that affects the conclusions you reached, it is wisest not to include personal details about it.
• If a certain issue is unavoidable but you feel uncomfortable revealing your personal experiences or feelings regarding it, write about the issue in more general terms. Identify the issue itself and indicate concerns you have professionally or academically.

• Avoid dragging someone else down in your writing. If a particular person made the experience you are reflecting on difficult, unpleasant, or uncomfortable, you must still maintain a level of detachment as you describe that person's influence. Instead of stating something like, “Bob was such a rude jerk,” say something more along the lines of, “One man was abrupt and spoke harshly, making me feel as though I was not welcome there.” Describe the actions, not the person, and frame those actions within the context of how they influenced your conclusions.
• A reflection paper is one of the few pieces of academic writing in which you can get away with using the first person pronoun “I.” That said, you should still relate your subjective feelings and opinions using specific evidence to explain them. [8] X Research source
• Avoid slang and always use correct spelling and grammar. Internet abbreviations like “LOL” or “OMG” are fine to use personally among friends and family, but this is still an academic paper, so you need to treat it with the grammatical respect it deserves. Do not treat it as a personal journal entry.
• Check and double-check your spelling and grammar after you finish your paper.

• Keep your sentences focused. Avoid squeezing multiple ideas into one sentence.
• Avoid sentence fragments. Make sure that each sentence has a subject and a verb.
• Vary your sentence length. Include both simple sentences with a single subject and verb and complex sentences with multiple clauses. Doing so makes your paper sound more conversational and natural, and prevents the writing from becoming too wooden. [9] X Research source

• Common transitional phrases include "for example," "for instance," "as a result," "an opposite view is," and "a different perspective is."

• For instance, if reflecting on a piece of literary criticism, you could mention how your beliefs and ideas about the literary theory addressed in the article relate to what your instructor taught you about it or how it applies to prose and poetry read in class.
• As another example, if reflecting on a new social experience for a sociology class, you could relate that experience to specific ideas or social patterns discussed in class.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.csuohio.edu/writing-center/reflection-papers
• ↑ https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/assignments/reflectionpaper
• ↑ Alicia Cook. Professional Writer. Expert Interview. 11 December 2020.
• ↑ https://www.trentu.ca/academicskills/how-guides/how-write-university/how-approach-any-assignment/how-write-reflection-paper
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/thesis-statements/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/conclusions/
• ↑ https://www.anu.edu.au/students/academic-skills/writing-assessment/reflective-writing/reflective-essays
• ↑ https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/scholarlyvoice/sentencestructure

About This Article

To write a reflection paper, start with an introduction where you state any expectations you had for the reading, lesson, or experience you're reflecting on. At the end of your intro, include a thesis statement that explains how your views have changed. In the body of your essay, explain the conclusions you reached after the reading, lesson, or experience and discuss how you arrived at them. Finally, finish your paper with a succinct conclusion that explains what you've learned. To learn how to brainstorm for your paper, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write a Reflective Essay

You’re probably used to responding to different sources in essays. For example, in an academic essay, you might compare two books’ themes, argue for or against a position, analyze a piece of literature, or persuade the reader with facts and statistics.

In one way, a reflective essay is similar to an academic essay. Like an academic essay, a reflective essay can discuss ideas and concepts from books, literature, essays, or articles. However, unlike an academic essay, it focuses on how your personal experience relates to these things.

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What is a reflective essay?

Reflective essays are a type of personal essay in which the writer examines a topic through the lens of their unique perspective. Reflective essays are more subjective about their subjects than an academic essay, use figurative language, and don’t require academic sources. The purpose of a reflective essay is to explore and share the author’s thoughts, perspectives, and experiences.

Reflective essays are often written for college applications and cover letters as a way for the writer to discuss their background and demonstrate how these experiences shaped them into an ideal candidate. For example, a college applicant might write a reflective essay about how moving every few years because of their parent’s military service impacted their concept of home.

Sometimes, reflective essays are academic assignments. For example, a student may be assigned to watch a film or visit a museum exhibition and write a reflective essay about the film or exhibition’s themes. Reflective essays can also be pieces of personal writing, such as blog posts or journal entries.

Reflective essay vs. narrative essay

There are a few similarities between reflective essays and narrative essays. Both are personal pieces of writing in which the author explores their thoughts about their experiences. But here’s the main difference: While a narrative essay focuses on a story about events in the author’s life, a reflective essay focuses on the changes the author underwent because of those events. A narrative essay has many of the same elements as a fictional story: setting, characters, plot, and conflict. A reflective essay gets granular about the circumstances and changes driven by the conflict and doesn’t necessarily aim to tell a full story.

Reflective essays based on academic material

You might be assigned to write a reflective essay on an academic text, such as an essay, a book, or an article. Unlike a reflective essay about your own personal experiences, this type of reflective essay involves analysis and interpretation of the material. However, unlike in an analytical essay , the position you support is informed by your own opinion and perspective rather than solely by the text.

How to choose a topic

A reflective essay can be about any topic. By definition, a reflective essay is an essay where the writer describes an event or experience (or series of events or experiences) and then discusses and analyzes the lessons they derived from their experience. This experience can be about anything , whether big life events like moving to a new country or smaller experiences like trying sushi for the first time. The topic can be serious, lighthearted, poignant, or simply entertaining.

If your reflective essay is for an assignment or an application, you might be given a topic. In some cases, you might be given a broad area or keyword and then have to develop your own topic related to those things. In other cases, you might not be given anything. No matter which is the case for your essay, there are a few ways to explore reflective essay ideas and develop your topic.

Freewriting is a writing exercise where you simply write whatever comes to mind for a fixed period of time without worrying about grammar or structure or even writing something coherent. The goal is to get your ideas onto paper and explore them creatively, and by removing the pressure to write something submittable, you’re giving yourself more room to play with these ideas.

Make a mind map

A mind map is a diagram that shows the relationships between ideas, events, and other words related to one central concept. For example, a mind map for the word book might branch into the following words: fiction , nonfiction , digital , hardcover . Each of these words then branches to subtopics. These subtopics further branch to subtopics of their own, demonstrating just how deep you can explore a subject.

Creating a mind map can be a helpful way to explore your thoughts and feelings about the experience you discuss in your essay.

Real-life experiences

You can find inspiration for a reflective essay from any part of your life. Think about an experience that shifted your worldview or dramatically changed your daily routine. Or you can focus on the smaller, even mundane, parts of life like your weekly cleaning routine or trips to the grocery store. In a reflective essay, you don’t just describe experiences; you explore how they shape you and your feelings.

Reflective essay outline

Introduction.

A reflective essay’s introduction paragraph needs to include:

• A thesis statement

The hook is the sentence that catches the reader’s attention and makes them want to read more. This can be an unexpected fact, an intriguing statistic, a left-field observation, or a question that gets the reader’s mind thinking about the essay’s topic.

The thesis statement is a concise statement that introduces the reader to the essay’s topic . A thesis statement clearly spells out the topic and gives the reader context for the rest of the essay they’re about to read.

These aren’t all the things that a reflective essay’s introduction needs, however. This paragraph needs to effectively introduce the topic, which often means introducing a few of the ideas discussed in the essay’s body paragraphs alongside the hook and thesis statement.

Body paragraphs

Your essay’s body paragraphs are where you actually explore the experience you’re reflecting on. You might compare experiences, describe scenes and your emotions following them, recount interactions, and contrast it with any expectations you had beforehand.

Unless you’re writing for a specific assignment, there’s no required number of body paragraphs for your reflective essay. Generally, authors write three body paragraphs, but if your essay needs only two—or it needs four or five—to fully communicate your experience and reflection, that’s perfectly fine.

In the final section, tie up any loose ends from the essay’s body paragraphs. Mention your thesis statement in the conclusion, either by restating it or paraphrasing it. Give the reader a sense of completion by including a final thought or two. However, these thoughts should reflect statements you made in the body paragraphs rather than introduce anything new to the essay. Your conclusion should also clearly share how the experience or events you discussed affected you (and, if applicable, continue to do so).

6 tips for writing a reflective essay

1 choose a tone.

Before you begin to write your reflective essay, choose a tone . Because a reflective essay is more personal than an academic essay, you don’t need to use a strict, formal tone. You can also use personal pronouns like I and me in your essay because this essay is about your personal experiences.

2 Be mindful of length

Generally, five hundred to one thousand words is an appropriate length for a reflective essay. If it’s a personal piece, it may be longer.

You might be required to keep your essay within a general word count if it’s an assignment or part of an application. When this is the case, be mindful to stick to the word count—writing too little or too much can have a negative impact on your grade or your candidacy.

3 Stay on topic

A reflective essay reflects on a single topic. Whether that topic is a one-off event or a recurring experience in your life, it’s important to keep your writing focused on that topic.

4 Be clear and concise

In a reflective essay, introspection and vivid imagery are assets. However, the essay’s language should remain concise , and its structure should follow a logical narrative.

5 Stay professional

Although you aren’t bound to a formal tone, it’s generally best to use a professional tone in your reflective writing. Avoid using slang or overly familiar language, especially if your reflective essay is part of a college or job application .

6 Proofread

Before you hit “send” or “submit,” be sure to proofread your work. For this last read-through, you should be focused on catching any spelling or grammatical mistakes you might have missed.

Reflective essay FAQs

Reflective essays are a type of personal essay that examines a topic through the lens of thewriter’s unique perspective. They are more subjective about their subjects than an academic essay, use figurative language, and don’t require academic sources.

What’s the difference between a reflective essay and a narrative essay?

While a reflective essay focuses on its author’s feelings and perspectives surrounding events they’ve experienced or texts they’ve read, a narrative essay tells a story. A narrative essay might show changes the author underwent through the same conventions a fictional story uses to show character growth; a reflective essay discusses this growth more explicitly and explores it in depth.

What are example topics for a reflective essay?

• Moving abroad and adapting to the local culture
• Recovering from an athletic injury
• Weekly phone conversations with your grandmother
• The funniest joke you ever heard (and what made it so funny)

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Examples of Reflective Writing

Types of reflective writing assignments.

A journal  requires you to write weekly entries throughout a semester. May require you to base your reflection on course content.

A learning diary is similar to a journal, but may require group participation. The diary then becomes a place for you to communicate in writing with other group members.

A logbook is often used in disciplines based on experimental work, such as science. You note down or 'log' what you have done. A log gives you an accurate record of a process and helps you reflect on past actions and make better decisions for future actions.

A reflective note is often used in law. A reflective note encourages you to think about your personal reaction to a legal issue raised in a course.

An essay diary  can take the form of an annotated bibliography (where you examine sources of evidence you might include in your essay) and a critique (where you reflect on your own writing and research processes).

a peer review  usually involves students showing their work to their peers for feedback.

A self-assessment task  requires you to comment on your own work.

Some examples of reflective writing

Social science fieldwork report (methods section).

Engineering Design Report

Learning Journal (weekly reflection)

Brookfield, S 1987, Developing critical thinkers: challenging adults to explore alternative ways of thinking and acting , Open University Press, Milton Keynes.

Mezirow, J 1990, Fostering critical reflection in adulthood: a guide to transformative and emancipatory learning , Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.

Schön, DA 1987, Educating the reflective practitioner , Jossey-Bass. San Francisco.

We thank the students who permitted us to feature examples of their writing.

Prepared by Academic Skills, UNSW. This guide may be distributed or adapted for educational purposes. Full and proper acknowledgement is required. 

Essay and assignment writing guide

• Essay writing basics
• Essay and assignment planning
• Answering assignment questions
• Editing checklist
• Writing a critical review
• Annotated bibliography
• How do I write reflectively?
• Examples of reflective writing
• ^ More support

Writing Program at New College

Assignments - research question and reflection.

We have arrived at a crucial moment in the semester and in everyone’s individual inquiry process. Now that you have identified an issue you have identified as important, worked through several drafts of a research question, and drafted a narrative identifying your personal connection to this issue, the time has come to reflect on the process that has brought even greater focus to your original inquiry. In order to consider and assess your own learning thus far, we ask that you also write an informal but thoughtful reflection on the research question process. This assignment sheet recaps work accomplished thus far, details the short reflection essay assignment, and concludes with a sample Research Question Reflection.

The research question and reflection assignment has two parts:

1.    Share your existing research question with members of the class. As a group, use these criteria (now familiar to you) to refine your research questions:

a.   The question accurately reflects the issue about which you want to learn.

b.   The question is neither too broad nor too narrow considering the time and resources you have for research. Be ambitious, but not  too  ambitious!

c.    Key terms and phrases in the question reflect the language used by other researchers inquiring into the same issue(s). In other words, your question clearly participates in the existing scholarly conversation.

d.   The question is effectively edited and free of sentence-level errors.

2.    Write a brief (approx. 500 words) reflection on what you have learned in the research-question process. The goal of this writing is to record how your thinking about  the issue  may have developed or changed, and perhaps, how your thinking about the  process of research  itself has changed. As long as you communicate these ideas, you may take this short essay in any direction you like. You may write it as a narrative, the story or your research process. If you prefer, write more of a thesis-driven essay in which you make a careful case about what you’ve learned. And of course, you might find some other way of responding. Just make sure your response reflects on and communicates what you understand as the heart of your learning process thus far.

A successful response to this assignment will:

• Include the initial research question, a final version, and a brief reflective essay
• Present a final research question that is clear, well focused, and appropriate given our available time and resources this semester;
• Include a reflective essay that clearly communicates the writer’s learning process, using important details from that process in illustration;
• Be effectively edited

Sample Response to This Assignment

Josephine Student

ENG 102.12345

Spring 2012

Formal Research Question Assignment

Original Research Question:  What can ASU do to prevent eating disorders?

Revised Research Question:  How can ASU raise awareness about eating disorders as well as encourage people who may be suffering from eating disorders to seek help?

Reflection:  Given the freedom to write a research on paper on any topic you wish might be a dream come true to other writing students; however, I found the lack of restrictions quite challenging. My mind went in 100 directions when given the assignment. I thought about world peace, vegetarianism, and dorm food.  My first “real” topic then became starvation among African youth. After shooting down this topic because of its enormity and because my lack of personal connection, I decided to discuss eating disorders among college students – especially females. I have personal experience with this subject because I once suffered through a terrifying struggle with bulimia. Also, as a Community Assistant in a residential hall at Arizona State University, part of my job is to promote healthy life styles in general, including healthy eating habits. I admit that the process of starting, stopping, and reconfiguring my research question was frustrating, but I also came to realize the importance of that process.  I can now speak from experience and with passion – through my personal connection to the research question – as well as read and analyze the research materials with a more critical and careful eye because of that first-hand experience.

The next problem I faced in formulating my research question was the broad scope of my question.  I had always thought that bigger was better when it came to doing research. However, I quickly changed my mind about that after doing just a little bit of research.  After spending thirty minutes rummaging through Google Scholar, I realized I was having difficulty pinpointing relative and important information. In addition, the hugeness of it all made it hard to find something I wanted to write about. It was at this moment I decided to talk specifically about and to female college students at Arizona State University.  Since I am both a CA and a student at ASU, I decided to think about the project in terms of an actual program or presentation I could share with other students on campus. 

Another thing I found in my initial research was a National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.  Excited that I might be able to “do” something “real” with my research, I came up with “What can ASU do to prevent eating disorders?”  I really thought this was my final question, but my faculty writing mentor made me see that the question implies a single, identifiable answer exists to the question. This is something even I knew was not possible.  To avoid that frustration and to create a positive and proactive spin on the subject, I came up with this:  How can ASU raise awareness about eating disorders as well as encourage people who may be suffering from eating disorders to seek help? The answers to my question will not only allow me to learn about ways to prevent eating disorders; my research allows me to think of ways other than writing an essay in order to share that information. 

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Research Paper Reflection

In the research paper, I can feel my biggest change is in dealing with the structure of the whole article. The structure of the essay is already mentioned in the introduction part, so the next step is to follow the structure I have made. In other words, each part, as well as each title of paragraphs of the essay should take concerted action with the structure and the development in the the introduction. Otherwise, the introduction part will lost its function. As for my thinking aspect, the most important thing is to organize and get idea fragments in order in my mind. And now I will follow the principle of thinking first and writing second. After dividing the whole structure into some main parts, some smaller structures in each part should also be divided further. In my revision process, because of huge number of words, I firstly made a plan for the overall structure, and then for the words, finally for the content. Therefore, after finishing this essay, I have learned that breaking up the goal is very important. When the big goal becomes into small, it will be much easier.

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A great example of a reflective essay

(Last updated: 12 May 2021)

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Fieldwork experiences can often be a daunting way of conducting research but they can also be fulfilling. I have had first-hand experience conducting fieldwork for my master’s degree, and while it was a generally enjoyable experience, I did make a number of mistakes during the process. However, I learned some valuable lessons as a result of this too. During my fieldwork in Rwanda, I increasingly realised that it was important to incorporate primary research data into my study, but because of a lack of data on my topic, I made use of other sources of qualitative data to validate my findings. This strategy, according to Denzin (1970), is known as methodological triangulation and it allows researchers to make use of various data gathering methods to ensure internal validity. Based on the use of methodological triangulation, I specifically designed interviews targeted at both elite groups and slum dwellers in Rwanda to investigate the thinking behind the urban policies designed by political elites, and how it impacts marginalised slum dwellers.

The first group of interviewees that I targeted comprised of government officials and the second comprised of a group people living in slums. The elite interviews were generally semi-structured in nature and were based on open- and closed-ended questions. Scholars such as Harvey (2011) have noted that this is the best approach for elite interviews because it allows flexibility and hence, maximises response rates. Notably, scholars such as Aberbach and Rockman (2002), Hoffmann-Lange (1987) as well as Zuckerman (1972) have also shown that elites prefer to engage with open-ended questions so that they can articulate their views coherently. During my interviews with elite groups, I did not always draft formal questions, but I made sure that I was familiar with the topic so that I could comfortably develop a natural rapport with the respondents. Interview times ranged from thirty minutes to up to two hours, and respondents commonly offered me some data sets to consult, which followed with some discussion. I was often required to submit a formal application to access these files, and although I formally submitted a request letter to the Ministry of Urban Development, my efforts proved futile, and it became increasingly frustrating for me to access the data sets I needed.

In some of the interviews, I found that political elites provided evasive answers because of the politically sensitive nature of some of the questions posed. The general etiquette according to Peabody et al. (1990) suggests that political elites should ideally not be interviewed using recording devices as it can cause elusiveness and anxiety – although I did not use a recorder, I continued to receive elusive responses which sometimes left me frustrated and disillusioned with my project. I felt particularly irritated because the absence of a recording device meant I was unable to get hold of a verbatim record of my interviews. Because I had to write down observational notes while engaging with the respondent, it was difficult to record all the information and I lost out on some important points. I tried to strike a balance between note taking and the interview process, but I found this to be a difficult endeavour. I was able to access more political elites than initially anticipated, however it often felt futile because I couldn’t source as much information as I had wanted from this sample group. I tried to counteract these limitations by shifting my focus to the second sample in my study, the slum dwellers, although this was also fraught with some complications. Comparatively and overall, the second sample group proved to be more cooperative and I quickly learned that I had wasted a significant amount of time focusing on political elites, when a lot of the responses I desired could have easily been sourced from policy documents and government reports.

As mentioned, I discovered that slum dwellers, after gaining their trust, provided a great deal of nuanced insight into my understanding of urban regeneration in Rwanda, which was very beneficial for my project. Harvey (2011) has highlighted how field researchers must endeavour to earn the trust of their respondents to gain access to high quality data and looking at the results I garnered, I believe I was able to do this successfully. The data acquisition from the sample group was however, not without complications. The first complication pertained to my status as a foreigner, which I realised made several people wary of my presence. After visiting the research site continuously over a period of time, they became more familiar with me and thus opened up to the idea of participating in my study. I also ensured that I hired a local research assistant, and I realised that my association with a local gave me a greater deal of legitimacy in the eyes of my potential research respondents.

While oftentimes the data collection process was extremely stressful, and sometimes precarious, I learned to be resilient in, and how to maintain focus on meeting my set objectives. Concurrently, I also learned when to change approaches in the field – especially when a particular research method had proven to be unsuccessful. In hindsight, I should have changed my approach much earlier to save a lot of the time I wasted. Looking back, I would have placed less emphasis on the elite sample group as primary data was not necessary for addressing my research questions concerning government policy. I could have saved time and effort in sourcing this information from secondary sources such as government reports and books. I also would have employed a local researcher much earlier in the process as it paved the way for gaining the trust of respondents. At the same time, I realised that I should have provided a lot more training for the research assistant who also served as a translator, due to the events that ensued in the field.

According to scholars such as Temple and Edwards (2002, p.2) “the interpreter is a conduit linking the interviewer with the interviewee and ideally is a neutral party who should not add or subtract from what the primary parties communicate to each other” but in my research, I quickly realised that this was not the case. Generally, the research assistant was highly opinionated and in some instances tried to impose his political views on my respondents. Looking back, I think I could have done a better job in training him and getting him to understand why the responses of interviewees should not be pre-empted. There were several instances where I also noticed that the translation process was not as effective as it should be during the fieldwork process. Due to my increasing familiarity with local dialects, I was able to discern when the translator was not providing the full picture with respect to the responses of the respondents. In my opinion, this was indicative of the lack of training which the translator received and I learned to not just assume that job roles were obvious, especially in this context. In instances where omissions were obvious, I questioned the translator to gain further details. During the early stages of the fieldwork, he was also far too independent and in some instances, did not stick to the script, in terms of the interview questions I had drafted. In hindsight, I should have done a trial run or pilot study, so that he was better acquainted with the standard of research I was expecting.

Overall, the process was a challenging one that introduced me to the iterative nature of fieldwork. It became increasingly obvious to me that in the field, nothing ever goes as neatly as planned on paper. I realised how imperative both resilience and flexibility was in the field. In hindsight, I would have prepared back-up alternatives for each aspect of my study, since in some cases I was completely thrown off guard and had to take a few days off to re-strategise. I lost a few valuable days by doing this and if I had managed my expectations with more caution, I believe I would have been better prepared for the unexpected occurrences in the field. On reflection, I would also have taken my positionality far more seriously, as I never imagined that the way I was perceived by others could affect my study. During my interviews with elite groups, they were often bemused and yet intrigued at the same time about my role as a foreign female researcher. Scholars such as Kobayashi (1994) have highlighted how gender identities play out during fieldwork, meaning women are often discriminated against on the basis of their sex. I did not experience discrimination, but I feel my being a woman helped me gain access to certain respondents that I never anticipated to access, because I was somewhat perceived as a damsel in distress who needed help. While the pity I received worked in my favour, it had no bearing within the interviews themselves as I was not able to acquire the data that I hoped to. Having a better understanding of the cultural nuances would have helped me to manage my expectations better. Indeed, researchers such as Denzin and Lincoln (2011) have highlighted how a researcher’s ability to gain access is shaped by personal characteristics, including gender. Looking back, I believe my fieldwork project was fairly successful, mostly because of its ability to gain nuanced insight from the second sample involving slum dwellers. The major pitfalls of the project mostly pertained to the logistics of the project – specifically the lack of training for the research assistant, and the general lack of a research focus.

References Aberbach, J. & Rockman, B., 2002. Conducting and Coding Elite Interviews. PS: Political Science and Politics, 35(4), pp.673–676. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1554807?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents [Accessed November 20, 2015].

Denzin, N., 1970. The Research Act in Sociology, Chicago: Aldine. Denzin, N.K. and Lincoln, Y.S., 2011. The Sage handbook of qualitative research. Sage.

Harvey, W.S., 2011. Strategies for conducting elite interviews. Qualitative Research, 11(4), pp.431– 441. Available at: http://qrj.sagepub.com/content/11/4/431.abstract [Accessed May 6, 2015].

Herod, A., 1999. Reflections on interviewing foreign elites: praxis, positionality, validity, and the cult of the insider. Geoforum, 30(4), pp.313-327.

Highley, J., Deacon, D. & Smart, D., 1979. Elites in Australia, London: Routledge.

Hoffmann-Lange, U., 1987. Surveying national elites in the Federal Republic of Germany. In G. Moyser & M. Wagstaffe, eds. Research Methods for Elite Studies. London: Allen & Unwin, pp. 27– 47.

Johl, S.K. and Renganathan, S., 2010. Strategies for gaining access in doing fieldwork: Reflection of two researchers. The Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods, 8(1), pp.42-50.

Kobayashi, A., 1994. Coloring the field: Gender,“race,” and the politics of fieldwork. The Professional Geographer, 46(1), pp.73-80.

Mullings, B., 1999. Insider or outsider, both or neither: some dilemmas of interviewing in a cross-cultural setting. Geoforum, 30(4), pp.337-350.

Nolinske, T., 1995. Multiple mentoring relationships facilitate learning during fieldwork. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 49(1), pp.39-43.

Rose, G., 1997. Situating knowledges: positionality, reflexivities and other tactics. Progress in human geography, 21(3), pp.305-320.

Overing, J., 1987. Translation as a creative process: The power of the name. Comparative anthropology, 70, p.71.

Peabody, R., Hammond, S., Torcom, J., Brown, L., Thompson, C. & Kolodny, R., 1990. Interviewing Political Elites. PS: Political Science and Politics, 23(3), pp.451–455.

Temple, B. and Edwards, R., 2002. Interpreters/translators and cross-language research: Reflexivity and border crossings. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 1(2), pp.1-12.

Zuckerman, H., 1972. Interviewing an Ultra-Elite. Public Opinion Quarterly, 36(2), p.159. Available at: http://poq.oxfordjournals.org/content/36/2/159.abstract [Accessed November 20, 2015].

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How to Write a Reflection Paper: Example & Tips

Want to know how to write a reflection paper for college or school? To do that, you need to connect your personal experiences with theoretical knowledge. Usually, students are asked to reflect on a documentary, a text, or their experience. Sometimes one needs to write a paper about a lesson or a movie.

This assignment tests your critical thinking rather than your summarizing skills.

Struggling with a reflection paper? This article by our custom-writing experts will help you ace this task. Here you’ll find:

• A guide on how to write a reflection paper;
• Outlining and formatting tips;
• Reflection paper example & a template.

🤔 What Is a Reflection Paper?

• ✅ Reflection Paper Types
• ✍️ Step-by-Step Guide
• 📃 Examples & Formatting Tips

A reflection essay is a type of academic assignment in which you connect theories learned in class with your personal experience and knowledge. Additionally, you analyze your feelings and attitudes towards the subject. It helps you understand how to put theory into practice. 

For this assignment, the ability to use reflective thinking is vital. What does it mean? It means that you should be able to look back at and analyze:

• what you did;
• how and why you did it;
• how it made you feel ;
• what you could have done differently .

Consequently, your reflection essay should include the following components: 

So, let’s make clear what a reflection paper is and what it’s not. Have a look at this comparison:

When it comes to topics, a reflexive paper may be about many things, such as:

• an analysis of your work;
• your impressions from attending a class or a speech;
• an experience that has influenced your worldview;
• a solution to a problem;
• the steps to improve your academic progress.

Once you have a topic idea, the next step is to prepare for writing.

✅ How to Write a Reflection Paper: Tips for Various Types

Before your start working on your essay, let’s find out what exactly you should deal with. There are several different types of reflexive essays. Make sure to choose the one that suits you best.

We have prepared three classifications, depending on when, how, and what you will reflect.

Depending on time, reflection papers can be:

• Reflection-in-action. You study your actions under certain circumstances. Usually, it’s a patient-therapist interaction. In this case, you observe, feel, and analyze the situation you are engaged in.
• Reflection-on-action. You study your actions after the situation has already occurred. It’s crucial to use your critical thinking here as well. 

Depending on the manner, reflexive essays can be:

• Experimental. You make connections between theory and practice by conducting an experiment. It’s suitable for sociology, education, business, psychology, forensics, and nursing.
• Reading. You connect the ideas from the texts and your interpretations to show your comprehension. 

Depending on the content, reflective writing can be:

• a journal (to reflect on your learning in the course)
• a learning diary (to evaluate group work)
• a logbook (to reflect on your experiments, analyze past actions, and plan future ones)
• a reflective note (to express your attitudes towards an issue)
• an essay diary (to write an annotated bibliography, to analyze and critique the sources)
• a peer review (to present your feedback on other students’ work or teamwork)
• a self-reflection essay (to examine and comment on your working process).

Personal Reflection Paper: Writing Tips

In a personal reflection paper, you need to present your attitudes, emotions, feelings, and experiences. How do you do it? 

Here is the answer:

• Think about an experience that evokes particular emotions.
• Describe what happened: mention the participants and their actions.
• Demonstrate your emotions and feelings. It’s important to show them rather than just tell. The trick is to make the reader feel the same. You can do it by using imagery and various descriptive techniques.
• Analyze your experiences and make connections with your present-day life. You can relate them to your study material or relevant theories and concepts.
• Conclude with your plans. Tell the readers how you’re going to implement this knowledge. 

These reflective writing examples should give you an idea of what your writing should be like and what to avoid. First, let’s have a look at a poor example :

I wanted to become a painter. I liked to paint very much. Once I saw a painting of Claude Monet and decided to become like him. I bought paints and a canvas. My first work was not very good, but I didn’t give up. My future pictures were much better.

As you can see, it’s not very informative. There’s no analysis of an experience, and connections are not made. It also lacks interesting descriptions.

Now, check out this good example :

Critical Reflection Paper: Writing Tips

In a critical reflection essay, you assess how theories can be applied in practice, examine causes and consequences, and find solutions to problems. It’s all about evaluating and changing your attitude towards an issue rather than summarizing events and details.

The critical reflection process consists of two stages:

• Analysis . Ask critical questions to find the core of the issue and your role in it. 
• Articulation . Organize your ideas into a structured essay.

How exactly can you make an analysis?

Have a look at the following three-stage model. All you should do is answer the following questions:

• What? During the first stage, you describe the details of the issue.
• So what? The second stage requires you to relate your theoretical knowledge to the situation you discuss. The way you do it depends on the questions you are going to ask yourself while writing. There are three major perspectives to choose from:

• Now what? At this stage, you think about the future outcomes. Ponder on how this situation will shape your further experiences. 

As soon as the analysis stage is over, you’re ready to relate your thoughts and ideas in written form.

How to Write a Reflection Paper on a Book

Now, let’s see what strategies can help you write an excellent reflective essay on a book. First of all, remember that this assignment is not about summarizing the plot. It’s about analyzing and connecting the ideas presented in the text with your knowledge. 

To write a perfect reflective paper on a book, take the following steps:

• Analyze the text. Explore the ideas, purpose, and theoretical framework of the book. State its main point clearly and concisely. Then, discuss the information that interested you the most. Mention what emotions it evoked, and say whether the ideas in the book are new to you. 
• Expand on your ideas. Describe how this information shapes your understanding of the subject. Also, state whether you agree with the author’s arguments. 
• Establish connections. Show how the book helped to broaden your knowledge. Mention whether it had challenged your assumptions.

The following sample will help you see how you can structure your ideas:

How to Write a Reflection Paper on an Article

Usually, a reflection paper on an article is concerned with critiquing a written text or a speech. These strategies will help you write it:

• Focus on your attitudes and feelings towards the article. You may mention your expectations and whether they were met.

I believed this book would help me understand the difference between traditional and radical forgiveness. I thought these two types had a lot in common. However, it turned out they are entirely different.

• Refer to the passages that interested you the most: quote directly, paraphrase , or summarize them.
• Include your subjective opinion: it’s important not to overdo it.
• Combine formal and informal vocabulary to make your writing more expressive.

✍️ How to Write a Reflection Paper: Step-by-Step Guide

Want to know what exactly you should do to get an excellent reflexive essay? Read the following tips. They will help you write any type of reflection essay .

Reflection Paper Writing: Before You Start

Let’s start with some pre-writing strategies. Here are the main steps:

Step 1: Brainstorm ideas . Identify your central theme and write a summary of essential points.

Main theme:  Psychological reasons for eating a lot of sweets

• Usually, I eat sweets when I’m sad or upset.
• I have read that people who lack love and positive emotions and feelings try to substitute it with food.
• Watching a documentary has evoked my interest in this topic.
• My attitude towards sweets has changed after research.

Step 2: Analyze your ideas. Then, connect your experiences with theoretical knowledge.

The following list of questions will help you navigate your response.

Step 3: Organize your reflection essay . This list will make it clear what the writer does and doesn’t do in a reflective essay. Keep it in mind while planning what to include in your paper.

Here’s a bonus tip: to structure your reflection process, use the 4Rs model :

• Report on the topic and its relation to the course.
• Relate it with your personal experiences.
• Reason out connections between your practical and theoretical knowledge.
• Reconstruct the initial idea to make a conclusion.

Reflection Paper Template: What to Include

Now, let’s have a look at your essay’s structure. Your paper should consist of an introduction, main body, and conclusion:

Want to know how to write each part? Keep reading!

Reflection Paper Outline: How to Start

The introductory part of your essay should be catchy, informative, and well-organized. How can you do it? Follow these strategies:

• It should be specific: try not to include general and well-known information.
• Make this sentence catchy. This will get your readers interested in the rest of your paper.
• major facts or details related to the situation or issue;
• general themes covered in the text, interview, or video under analysis;
• aspects of teamwork or an individual assignment;
• your biases, expectations, and possible challenges.
• cover observations or conclusions made by you;
• reveal a clear position on an issue;
• include a plan on how to defend your opinions throughout the paper.

Don’t forget to reread your introduction each time before writing a new body paragraph. Make sure that all of them match the ideas covered in your introductory part and thesis statement.

Reflection Paper Outline: Body Paragraphs

So, what’s the next part? After you’ve presented your ideas in the introduction, you expand on them in the body paragraphs. The main point here is to cover one idea per paragraph and provide necessary supporting evidence. That’s why it is better to have no more than 3 body paragraphs.

Here’s what to include in this essay part:

Reflection Paper Outline: Conclusion

Finally, any academic paper needs a conclusion. Don’t know how to write it? Check out the following helpful tips:

📃 Reflection Paper Examples & Formatting Tips

The moment when you stop writing your essay is really amazing. But then comes the final part: you need to format your paper appropriately. Don’t know how to do it? Look no further: we have prepared some formatting tips for you.

You only need to know which citation style to use. APA and MLA are the most popular citation styles. That’s why we have gathered the most helpful information on them. Check it out!

APA Reflection Paper Formatting

American Psychological Association (APA) format is mostly used in sciences, psychology, and education. Consider the following tips if you need to write an APA reflection essay.

Below you’ll find a downloadable reflection paper example in APA format.

Reflection Papers Format: MLA

Modern Language Association (MLA) formatting is widespread in the humanities. Do you need to write an MLA reflexive essay? Have a look at some essential formatting tips about this citation style below.

If you want to know more about MLA formatting, check out this free reflection essay sample. You can download the full version below.

Reflection Paper Example

The COVID-19 pandemic raised the need for educational means that will not potentially endanger the students’ health. As a result, the need for online classes sharply rose worldwide. However, it is difficult to conclude whether such practices have been successful so far, especially in regions that are considered least developed. According to my personal observations, online classes may represent a negative educational experience that will hinder its primary role as the means of passing on the knowledge.

Make sure to check out these reflection paper samples to get more ideas for your essay.

• Personal Philosophy of Nursing Reflection Paper
• Application of Research in Social Sciences Reflection Paper
• Ibsen’s A Doll’s House: Reflection Paper
• Reflections on Aging
• Reflection on the Book of Psalms
• Epidemiology Course Topics Reflection
• Relational Practice: Reflections on Family Nursing
• Reflection on “The Shock Doctrine” by Naomi Klein
• Martin Luther King Speech Reflection

Reflection Paper Topics

• Personal response to Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr. 
• Reflection on importance of leadership in healthcare.  
• Globalization of Missions by Kgatle: personal reflections.
• Personal reflection on social work policy and its values.  
• Racism as an example of social injustice: reflection paper.
• Reflection on the immigration policy based on Paul Vitello’s article Kiss me, I’m Illegal .
• Personal response to William Shakespeare ’s quotation, “For there is nothing either good or bad, thinking makes it so.”
• Reflection and evaluation of Gilman’s short story The Yellow Wallpaper .
• Importance of realization the policy of diversity: reflection paper.
• Analyze your personal response to the sports industry cowboysization.
• What, in your opinion, is leadership and professionalism?
• Reflect on the significance of the International Women’s Day celebration.
• Analyze the survey on nursing ethics and give your evaluation of its results.
• Personal reflection on French Revolution and value of liberty.
• Values and beliefs of nursing as a multifaceted healthcare area: personal evaluation.
• Brief analysis and personal evaluation of Christianity framework.
• Reflection on your personal nursing philosophy and beliefs.
• How does media affect friendship?  
• Reflections on the portrayal of family in Homer’s Odyssey . 
• Personal evaluation of Gary Smalley’s Hidden Keys to Loving Relationships .  
• Reflect on the historical and literary significance of Chronicles of the Indies .
• What does the leadership skills mean: reflection paper.
• Reflection on John Hume’s Nobel Prize speech and lecture about reaching agreement.
• Personal response to Soderbergh’s film Contagion .
• Reflect on visiting the website Virtual American Revolution, Boston and its role in teaching history.
• Describe your impressions of The Love Suicides at Amijima by Chikamatsu Monzameon. 
• Reflect on the meaning of art using the installation My Bed by Emin as an example.
• Analyze your thoughts and feelings evoked by Epic of Gilgamesh .
• Is photography a true art?
• Does the idea presented in a series of stories The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien correlate with your personal beliefs?
• Bachelor of Science in social work : reflection paper.
• Discuss the problems reflected in the documentary Autism: Insight From Inside .
• Present your reflections on the single-parent families.  
• How do you understand ethics?  
• Consider the crucial points of Cheleyem: An Experimental of Mapuche Film Program.
• The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic : personal reflections.
• Present personal evaluation of the film Mi Familia directed by Gregory Nava.
• Bill of Rights : reflective essay.
• Describe the impression of the film Rampant: How a City Stopped a Plague by Victoria Midwinter-Pitt.
• Evaluate staging of Shakespeare’s play The Tempest.

We hope that this article on a reflection paper has made things clear for you. In a nutshell, here are the main steps:

• analyze the situation;
• reflect on your feelings and experiences;
• connect them to your theoretical knowledge.

We wish you the best of luck with your assignments. Don’t hesitate to share this article with your friends!

Further reading:

• How to Write a Lab Report: Format, Tips, & Example
• What Is a Master’s Thesis & How to Write It: Best Tips
• Literature Review Outline: Examples, Approaches, & Templates
• How to Write an Annotated Bibliography: Tips, Format, & Samples
• 10 Research Paper Hacks: Tips for Writing a Research Paper

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

A reflection is a combination of critical thinking and learning. It’s a way of responding to one’s experiences, issues, and acquired knowledge. There’s no right or wrong in reflection writing, as every person reacts uniquely.

It’s better to discuss the essay’s length with your instructor. However, if there are no specific instructions regarding word count, your reflective essay should contain between 300- 500 words (approximately 1-2 pages.)

To write an effective reflexive essay about a lesson, you need to:

1. describe the lesson’s contents; 2. express your ideas and feelings related to the class; 3. mention what you’ve learned and how it affected you.

To write a reflection paper on a movie, follow the template below:

1. reflect on your emotions before, during, and after watching the film; 2. analyze your observations; 3. draw connections with the information learned in class.

🔍 References

• Reflective Writing: UNSW Sydney
• Models of Reflection: LibGuides at La Trobe University
• Reflective Writing: Deakin University
• The Reflection Paper: University of Toronto
• Reflection Papers: Cleveland State University
• The 4Rs Model of Reflective Thinking: Queensland University of Technology
• Keys to Writing a Reflection Paper: Seattle PI
• How to Write a Reflection Paper: Trent University
• Reflection Template: University of South Florida
• Critical Reflection: University of Waterloo
• Critical Reflection: Texas A&M University
• A Short Guide to Reflective Writing: University of Birmingham
• The Structure of Reflective Writing: Monash University
• General Format: APA Style: Purdue University
• Using MLA Format: MLA Style Format
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Hi custom-writing.org admin, You always provide practical solutions and recommendations.

This information on reflective writing has been very helpful. Thank you so much. Linda Grayson Trevecca Nazarene University Nashville, TN

Personal Reflection Sample: preparing a Research Report for ACCA

The skill and learning statement includes the implications of interactions with mentor, an analysis of the extent to which research questions have been answered, a brief analysis of interpersonal and communication skills and their relevance to the research, as well as the contribution of the research experience to my professional and personal development.

1.      Experiences of interactions with mentor

I had chances of meeting my project mentor three times and obtained practical support regarding various aspects of the work during these meetings. Our first meeting was mainly dedicated to clarifying our expectations from the research experience and the discussions took place related to the issues of selection of the research approach and formulation of research questions and objectives.

By the time I had a meeting with my mentor for the second time Introduction and Information gathering chapters of the work have been completed and I received detailed feedback for these chapters of the research. Also, discussions were held about data analysis and presentation associated with the project.

During the final meeting with my mentor the overall work has been scrutinised and a set of specific points have been mentioned by my mentor. Specifically, my mentor raised a point that my discussions of research findings lacked depth and scale. Then, these points have been addressed and the final draft of the Research Report was completed.

I found advices given by my mentor very helpful in terms of increasing the quality of my Research Report and equipping me with knowledge of effectively conducting similar studies in the future in general. Moreover, my Project Mentor was not only highlighting the shortages that were associated with my project, but also was giving detailed explanations why these changes were desirable in a passionate manner.

Furthermore, I found these three sessions with my mentor to be highly motivational and informative experience because they have increased the level of my personal interest in conducting businesses studies. Prior to conducting the Research Report and having discussions with my mentor I was assuming conducting analytical business studies to be a rather boring experience.

However, thanks to my mentor I learned to appreciate the importance of analysing a business case in terms of identifying a current strategic and financial position of a business, and formulating the ways of identifying further strategic options available to the business.

2.      The extent to which research questions have been answered

Answering the research questions in my Research Report were directly related to the quality of secondary data, and the choice of methodology. Therefore, these issues were approached effectively by critically assessing the validity of the sources of secondary data and assessing alternative choices of methodology. Moreover, my first meeting with my Project mentor was mainly devoted to the discussion of the same issues.

As a result of comprehensive analysis the most reliable sources of secondary data in order to be used in Research Report were found to include published financial statements and annual reports, textbooks on financial and business analysis, information published in official company website, information available from ACCA website, as well as, various business journals an newspapers.

The choice of methods for conducting the study, on the other hand, was guided by the reliability of the data analysis methods and their relevance to the research issues. After spending additional amount of time for the choice of appropriate methodology and taking into account advises of my mentor, financial ratios and analytic tools have been chosen to be employed in my Research Report.

Purposely, financial and accounting ratios that were used in the study include profitability, liquidity, financial position and investor ratios, whereas, the choice of analytic tools consist of SWOT, PESTLE, and Porter’s five forces analysis.

To summarise this part, it is fair to state that all of the research questions in my Research Report have been effectively addressed, because the secondary data have been obtained from reliable sources, relevant methodology has been used to conduct the study, and the research findings have been critically discussed.

3.      Interpersonal and communication skills and their relevance to the research

I have demonstrated my interpersonal and communication skills at various stages of doing Research Report and preparing for and making the presentation. Moreover, without my interpersonal and communication skills completing the Research Report and doing the presentation would have proved to be highly challenging.

For example, my listening skills have proved to be highly valuable in terms of understanding vital information given by my mentor about increasing the quality of my Research Report, because these advises were fully understood and implemented into the practice.

My interpersonal skills have also played a positive role when I asked some of my trusted colleagues to be an audience when I was rehearsing my presentation. I was making presentations in front of my colleagues and was asking for their opinions about the quality of my presentation. This practice took place many times in different settings and I believe that following this strategy has enhanced the quality of my presentation and my marks.

However, my communication skills have played a crucial role in terms of succeeding in making the presentation effectively. I have learned from my experiences within and outside of academic settings that communication skills play the most crucial role in terms of succeeding in personal and professional lives.

For instance, an individual may possess a deep knowledge about a certain area. However, if the individual lacks competency of communicating his or her ideas, knowledge and feelings in an effective manner, the overall competency of the individual and the level of his or her contribution to the organisation will always remain compromised.

Therefore, in my opinion, regardless of the field, industry or type of organisation, communication skills can be specified as a compulsory attribute for an employee in order to be considered an a competent. In my case in particular, my advanced level of communication skills have enabled me to do my Research Report presentation effectively which has resulted in positive acclaim from my peers and mentor.

4.      The potential contribution of Research Report to the level of professional development

Conducting the Research Report and doing the presentation has increased the level of my professional competency in several ways. First of all, I have to mention the fact that I have developed a critical mindset towards solving business issues as a result of conducting the Research Report.

My mentor made it clear that it was important to critically analyse related issues in Research Report rather than just offering description of the issues and supplying calculations. The mentor had stressed many times that critical analysis and discussions are the elements of the work that increase its value. For the same reason I had to revise my Research Report several times until my mentor was satisfied with the level of critical analysis the work had included.

Although, such an approach to work seemed to be very challenging and confusing during the research process, I appreciated the value of critical analysis once the final work was completed. The skills of critical analysis that I have developed and applied in Research Report can easily be applied when real business issues would need to be resolved by me in the future in my professional capacity.

Completing the Research Report was similar to project management in real businesses environment in terms of strict deadlines, scarcity of resources, organising and planning, scheduling meetings, doing presentations etc. Therefore, the skills I developed during the process of completing Research Report can be used in order to successfully manage business projects in the future.

Moreover, my writing skills have also been greatly improved as a result of engaging in Research Report. Despite the popular opinion that with the increasing importance of information technology the practice of writing letters and reports are being replaced by alternative means of business communications, the importance of writing will always remain significant for business managers.

From this point of view engaging in Research Report was a very beneficial experience for me on a personal level. Specifically, writing the paper of almost ten thousand words in total, including this personal reflection, has made me better prepared to join the full-time workforce once my studies are completed.

Lastly, as a result of preparing the Research Report my professional interest on the issues associated with corporate strategy has been enhanced. Moreover, I am planning to continue studying the issues of corporate strategy and that knowledge would benefit me in the future as a corporate leader.

5.      Gains derived from conducting Research Report experience on a personal level

On a personal level I benefited from conducting the Research Report and doing the presentation in a number of ways. The research experience with Oxford Brookes has increased the level of my motivation for studying, making bold plans for my future career and implements necessary measures and initiatives in order to accomplish these plans. My mentor deserves to be mentioned here specifically for all encouragements and practical tips that can be applied in various alternative settings apart from academic life.

The level of my self-confidence has also been increased because I could complete the Research Report in time. Moreover, the presentation experience has increased the level of my self-confidence dramatically, because I understood that if I could do a successful presentation in front of my mentor and colleagues, doing the presentations of multi-million projects in front of top executives was just a matter of time.

The paramount importance of self-confidence for an individual is an undisputable matter. Self-confidence allows us to set ambitious plans and utilise all the available resources efficiently in order to achieve these plans.

My time-management skills have also been improved by the end of the Research Report. This is because there was a specific deadline for both, the Research Report and presentation and I had to adopt some principles related to time management in order to be able to submit my work on time.

These principles included setting specific deadlines for each chapter of the work, and above all, dramatically cutting the amount of time I used to browse social networking sites on the internet. I can highlight this fact as one of the most substantial gains in a personal level. This is because prior to the research experience I used to spend several hours a day browsing a set of social networking sites with no real benefit whatsoever. However, once the priority was given to the Research Project, this bad habit was dealt with effectively and irreversibly.

6.      Conclusions

To summarise, completing the Research Report and making presentation with Oxford Brookes University following my ACCA course has increased the level of my preparedness to join the full-time workforce and successfully utilise my energy and knowledge. In my opinion the biggest benefit I received from enrolling to this course of study is that the course of study, the Research Report and doing the presentation have made me to believe in my skills and capabilities and they have also awoke my desire to approach studying as a lifelong process.

Moreover, I have obtained a set of professional and personal gains as a result of completing the Research Report and making presentation that include the development of a critical mindset, improvement my writing and time management skills and enhancement of the level of my self-confidence.

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How to Write a Reflection Paper: Full Guide with a Free Example

Erick Mwenda

A reflection paper is a very common type of paper among college students. Almost any subject you enroll in requires you to express your opinion on certain matters. In this article we will explain how to write a reflection paper, and provide you with examples and useful tips that will make the writing process easier.

Reflection papers should have an academic tone, yet be personal and subjective. In this type of paper you should analyse and reflect upon how an experience, academic task, article, or lecture shaped your perception and thoughts on a subject.

Here is what you need to know about writing an effective reflection paper. Stick around until the end of our guide to get some useful writing tips from the writing team at EssayPro — professional paper writing service .

What Is a Reflection Paper

A reflection paper is a type of paper that requires you to write your opinion on a topic, supporting it with your observations and personal examples. As opposed to presenting your reader the opinions of other academics and writers, in this essay you get an opportunity to write your point of view — and the best part is that there is no wrong answer. It is YOUR opinion, and it is your job to express your thoughts in a manner that will be comprehensible and clear for any and all readers that will read your paper. The topic range is endless. Here are some examples: whether or not you think aliens exist, what your favorite TV show is, or what your opinion is on the outcome of WWII. You can write about pretty much anything.

There are three types of a reflection paper, and depending on which one you end up with, the tone you write with can be slightly different. The first type is the educational reflective paper. Here your job is to write feedback about a book, movie, or seminar you attended — in a manner that teaches the reader about it. The second is the professional paper. Usually it is written by people who study or work in education or psychology. For example, it can be a reflection on someone’s behavior. And the last is the personal type, which explores your thoughts and feelings about a personal subject.

However, reflection paper writing will stop eventually with one very important final paper to write — your resume. This is where you will need to reflect on your entire life leading up to that moment. To learn how to list education on resume , perfectly, follow the link.

Reflection Paper Format

Reflection papers typically do not follow any specific format. Since it is your opinion, professors usually let you handle them any way you are comfortable with. It is best to write your thoughts freely, without guideline constraints. If your reflection paper was assigned to you, the format of your paper might depend on the criteria set by your professor. College reflection papers (also known as reflection essays) can typically range between about 400–800 words in length.

If you would like your reflection paper to look professional, feel free to check out one of our articles on how to format MLA , APA or Chicago style

Here’s how we can suggest you format your reflection paper:

How to Start a Reflection Paper

The first thing to do when beginning to work on a reflection essay is to read your article thoroughly while taking notes. Whether you are reflecting on, for example, an activity, book/newspaper, or academic essay, you want to highlight key ideas and concepts.

You can start writing your reflection paper by summarizing the main concept of your notes to see if your paper includes all the information needed for your readers. It is helpful to add charts, diagrams, and lists to deliver your ideas to the audience in a better fashion.

After you have finished reading your article, it’s time to brainstorm. We’ve got a simple brainstorming technique for writing reflection papers. Just answer some of the basic questions below:

• How did the article affect you?
• How does this article catch the reader’s attention (or does it all)?
• Has the article changed your mind about something? If so, explain how.
• Has the article left you with any questions?
• Were there any unaddressed critical issues that didn’t appear in the article?
• Does the article relate to anything from your past reading experiences?
• Does the article agree with any of your past reading experiences?

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Here are some reflection paper topic examples for you to keep in mind before preparing to write your own:

• How my views on rap music have changed over time
• My reflection and interpretation of Moby Dick by Herman Melville
• Why my theory about the size of the universe has changed over time
• How my observations for clinical psychological studies have developed in the last year

The end result of your brainstorming should be a written outline of the contents of your future paper. Make sure to not skip this step, as it will ensure that your essay will have a proper flow and appropriate organization.

Another good way to organize your ideas is to write them down in a 3-column chart or table.

Writing a Reflection Paper Outline

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 analysing: a passage, a lecture, an academic article, an experience, etc…)
• Briefly summarize the work.
• Write a thesis statement stating how your subject has affected you.

One way you can start your thesis is to write:

Example: “After reading/experiencing (your chosen topic), I gained the knowledge of…”

Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs should examine the ideas and experiences you’ve had in context to your topic. Make sure each new body paragraph starts with a topic sentence.

If you are writing about a book or an academic article, your reflection may include quotes and passages. They give your reader a point of reference to fully understand your feedback. Feel free to describe what you saw, what you heard, and how you felt.

Example: “I saw many people participating in our weight experiment. The atmosphere felt nervous yet inspiring. I was amazed by the excitement of the event.”

As with any conclusion, you should summarize what you’ve learned from the experience. Tell the reader how your newfound knowledge has affected your understanding of the subject in general. Describe the feeling and overall lesson you had as a result of the reading or experience.

There are a few good ways to conclude a reflection paper:

• Tie all the ideas from your body paragraphs together, and generalize the major insights you’ve experienced.
• Restate your thesis and summarize the content from your paper.

We have a separate blog post dedicated to writing a great conclusion . Be sure to check it out for an in-depth look at how to make a good final impression on your reader.

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How to Write a Reflection Paper: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: create a main theme.

After you choose your topic, write a short summary about what you have learned about your experience with that topic. Let readers know how you feel about your topic — and be honest. Chances are that your readers will likely be able to relate to your opinion or at least the way you form your perspective, and that will help them have a better understanding of your reflection.

For example: After watching a TEDx episode on Wim Hof, I was able to reevaluate my preconceived notions about the negative effects of cold exposure.

Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas and Experiences You’ve Had Related to Your Topic

You can write down specific quotes, predispositions you have, things that influenced you, or anything memorable. Be personal and explain, in simple words, how you felt.

For example: • A lot of people think that even a small amount of carbohydrates will make people gain weight • A specific moment when I struggled with an excess weight where I avoided carbohydrates entirely • The consequences of my actions that gave rise to my research • The evidence and studies of nutritional science that claim carbohydrates alone are to blame for making people obese • My new experience with having a healthy diet with a well-balanced intake of nutrients • The influence of other people’s perceptions on the harm of carbohydrates, and the role their influence has had on me • New ideas I’ve created as a result of my shift in perspective

Step 3: Analyse How and Why These Ideas and Experiences Have Affected Your Interpretation of Your Theme

Pick an idea or experience you had from the last step, and analyse it further. Write your reasoning for agreeing or disagreeing with it.

For example: Idea: I was brought up to think that carbohydrates make people gain weight. Analysis: Most people think that if they eat any carbohydrates, such as bread, cereal, and sugar, they will gain weight. I believe in this misconception to such a great extent that I avoided carbohydrates entirely. As a result, my blood glucose levels were very low. I needed to do a lot of my own research to finally overcome my beliefs. After, I adopted the philosophy of “everything in moderation” as a key for having a healthy lifestyle.

Step 4: Make Connections Between Your Observations, Experiences, and Opinions

Try to connect your ideas and insights to form a cohesive picture for your theme. You can also try to recognize and break down your assumptions, which you may challenge in the future.

There are some subjects for reflection papers that are most commonly written about. They include:

• Book — Start off by writing some information about the author’s biography and summarize the plot — without revealing the ending to keep your readers interested. Make sure to include the names of characters, the main themes, and any issues mentioned in the book. Finally, express your thoughts and reflect on the book itself.
• Course — A good place to start is to include the course name and its description. Then, you can write about the course flow, explain reasons you had for taking this course, and tell readers what you learned from it. Since it is a paper about reflection, express your opinion, supporting it with examples from the course.
• Project — The structure for a reflection paper about a project has identical guidelines to that of a course. One of the things you might want to add would be the pros and cons of the course. Also, mention some changes you might want to see, and evaluate how relevant the skills you acquired are to real life.
• Interview — First, introduce the person, and briefly mention what the interview was about. Touch on the main points, controversies, and what your opinion is on that person.

Writing Tips

Everyone has their own style of writing a reflective essay — and that’s the beauty of it, you have plenty of leeway with this type of paper — but, there are still a few tips everyone should incorporate.

Before you start your paper, read some examples of other papers, they will likely help you get a better understanding of what they are and how to approach yours. When picking your subject, try to write about something unusual and memorable — it is more likely to capture your readers’ attention. Never write the whole essay at once. Space out the time slots when you work on your reflection paper to at least a day apart. This will allow your brain to generate new thoughts and reflections.

• Short and Sweet — Most reflection papers are between 250 and 750 words. Don’t go off on tangents. Only include relevant information.
• Clear and Concise — Make your paper as clear and concise as possible. Use a strong thesis so that your essay can follow it with the same strength.
• Maintain the Right Tone — Use a professional and academic tone — even though the writing is personal.
• Cite Your Sources — Try to cite authoritative sources and experts to back up your personal opinions.
• Proofreading — Not only should you proofread for spelling and grammatical errors, but you should proofread to focus on your organization as well. Answer the question presented in the introduction.

Free Reflection Paper Example

Now that we went over all of the essentials about a reflection paper and how to approach it, we would like to show you some examples that will definitely help you with getting started on your paper.

Reflection-of-Angela-Jones-Lecture-on-Poverty

Do You Need a Well-Written Reflection Paper?

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Reflective Essay Examples

50 best reflective essay examples (+topic samples).

If you have ever read reflective essay examples, you would know that these types of written works examine the writer’s life experiences . When you write a reflective paper example, you write about your own experiences and explore how you’ve changed, grown or developed because of those experiences. There’s no standard format for this essay as it may vary depending on the target audience.

Table of Contents

• 1 Reflective Essay Examples
• 2 What is a reflective essay?
• 3 Reflective Paper Examples
• 4 Format of reflective essay
• 5 Creating the outline of reflective essay examples
• 6 Reflective Paper Samples
• 7 Tips for writing reflective essay
• 8 Reflective Essay Samples

What is a reflective essay?

A reflective essay is a type of written work which reflects your own self. Since it’s about yourself, you already have a topic to write about. For reflective essay examples, readers expect you to evaluate a specific part of your life. To do this, you may reflect on emotions, memories, and feelings you’ve experienced at that time.

Since you’re writing reflection essay samples about yourself, make sure that they’re interesting and exciting. This is very important so that your readers don’t get bored with what you’ve written. Reflective essays are very personal thus, they’re a special type of essay. As you write one, you need to reflect, think, and explain.

In the essay, you should demonstrate and describe different feelings or emotions which you’ve felt in the past. These statements breathe life into your essay as your readers start picturing what you’ve written in their minds. Reflective essays are very honest, personal, and emotional, especially those which describe painful experiences.

Reflective Paper Examples

Format of reflective essay

As aforementioned, reflective essay examples don’t have a standard format. They seem easy enough to write but once you’ve sat down to start writing, you may suddenly find the task very challenging! Besides the format, you must think about the life experience you want to write about and remember everything about it.

A reflective paper example is a lot like a personal journal or diary. Of course, the difference is that other people will read your essay. Therefore, you must write it with good structure and coherence. In this regard, reflective essays are a lot like the other types of essays too.

When writing a reflective essay, you will have to examine your own life experiences. The purpose of writing such an essay is to provide yourself with a platform to share your most meaningful life experiences with other people. You can also use it as a way to explore how your experiences have changed you as a person.

You can present reflective writing in different formats. Most of the time though, people use a learning log or a diary entry format. You can use these formats and others. Just make sure that your essay has a good flow and that it’s easy for other readers to understand.

The format to use for your reflection essay samples would depend on your target audience. You can make an academic reflective essay or you can make it as a general and informal piece of writing. If you need to write the essay for a class assignment, follow the format given to you by your teacher.

No matter what format you choose, you may write an essay which:

• Focuses on your personal growth Such an essay helps you learn how to evaluate and analyze the experiences you have had in your personal life. This helps promote emotional development and growth. It also helps you understand yourself and your behaviors better.
• Focuses on literature For this type of essay, you may have to include references to literature and apply these to your own life experiences. Such essays are commonly given as assignments to students in school.

Creating the outline of reflective essay examples

Before you write your reflective essay examples, you must create an outline for them. Although you’d write about your own life, creating an outline gives structure to your essay to serve as a guide for what you want to write about.

Whether you need to write an essay for school, for a magazine or for any other reason, creating an outline is the very first step. With a good outline, you have a better idea of how your essay will flow from one paragraph to the next all the way to the conclusion.

When creating the outline of your reflective paper example, keep it organized. Develop the outline gradually and put a lot of thought into it. In doing this, you make the writing process much easier. Here is a rundown of the steps involved in the essay-writing process:

• Choose a topic (a significant life experience you want to write about)
• Gather information
• Create an outline
• Write a draft
• Finalize your essay

Reflective Paper Samples

Tips for writing reflective essay

As you think about the content of your reflection essay samples, remember that the important thing is that such an essay must be highly personal but also engaging to readers. There’s so much more to reflective essays than just writing your story. You must also reflect on your experiences to engage your audiences.

For your starting point, think about the most significant experiences you had in your life. Those which had either a negative or a positive impact on you as a person. If the reflective essay is a school assignment, your professor would probably specify what you must write about. Here are some tips for you for writing your reflective paper example:

• Reflection The most important part of writing your reflective essay is the reflective process. Think about the personal experience you want to write about. Focus on what happened, how this experience made you feel, and how it affected your life. Explore your memories and emotions for this part of the process. As you’re recalling and reflecting on your life experience, take a lot of notes . Write down all the details you remember and try to be as clear and as detailed as you possibly can. Take as much time as you need for reflection. You can even close your eyes as you try to remember those experiences vividly. When you’re confident that you have recalled all of the details of your life experience, it’s time to write your essay. To make it more meaningful, try to answer some important questions about your life experience including: Did you learn anything new about yourself because of this experience? Have you grown or developed because of this experience? If so, in what way? Did this experience impact your life positively or negatively? If you had the chance to experience this all over again, would you do anything differently? Why did you behave in such a way at the time of this experience? Did you make the right choices? What are your general thoughts and feelings about this experience? Can you say that you learned from this experience? Did you gain any new perspectives or skills because of this experience? These are “signpost questions” which can help you write a more meaningful essay. These are just some examples, you can also think of your own questions to ask yourself. The point of these questions is to make sure that you think critically and deeply about the experience you’re writing about.
• Planning After you’ve reflected on your life experience, it’s time to start planning your essay. When it’s time to start, you might feel as if you’re not adequately prepared even though you’ve done a lot of reflection. This is a normal feeling, especially if you want to create a written piece which people will love reading. To ease your anxiety and doubt, come up with a well-rounded and comprehensive plan. The best way to do this is through an outline. With an outline to guide your writing process, you can come up with an essay that’s more coherent and which has a clear structure. An outline or plan is important for reflective essays. Since you’re writing about an emotionally-charged topic, you might find yourself getting “lost” along the way. This is especially true if you’re writing about a painful experience which still affects you until now. The outline serves as a map for you to keep your thoughts organized. In your outline, make sure to establish all of the fundamental details you wish to include in your essay. This helps you pick out and remove any superfluous information to make it easier to read and understand. Planning the points you want to write about makes it easier for you to stay on point. As such, your writing becomes a lot clearer and your readers can follow your line of thought. An outline also prevents you from missing out any relevant information. It’s very difficult and frustrating to go back after you’ve written the whole essay just to fit in this information! Planning your essay also saves you a lot of time. Coming up with the structure makes you more familiar with your essay even before you start writing it. Thus, you can spend more time writing, revising, and proofreading your essay to make it the best version possible.

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The Reach and Impact of a Positive Youth Development Program (Project P.A.T.H.S.) in China and Beyond: Review and Reflection

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• Published: 27 August 2024

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• Daniel T. L. Shek   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3359-6229 1 &
• Diya Dou 1  

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There are few validated positive youth development (PYD) programs in different regions of China. Utilizing 15 PYD constructs extracted from effective programs in the United States and with the support of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, colleagues from five universities in Hong Kong developed the P.A.T.H.S. Program in Hong Kong. In the past two decades, the research team trained 9,415 potential program implementers, supported the implementation in 300 + high schools in Hong Kong (357,839 participants) and evaluated the impact of the project. Because of its overall success, the P.A.T.H.S. Program was transplanted to mainland China with the support of the Tin Ka Ping Foundation, with adaptation of the curriculum materials. Before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, the research team also trained 1,589 teachers and related professionals, provided guidance on the implementation in 30 + schools (84,000 + participants), and evaluated the impact of the program. This paper reviews the achievements, effects, and impact of the P.A.T.H.S. Program in China and beyond. It also highlights several observations and reflections regarding the future development of positive youth development programs in China as well as around the globe.

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Introduction

Mental health issue is a rising problem in Hong Kong. In their review of the “UNHAPPY” growing environment of young people in Hong Kong, psychological well-being is one of the problems that young people face (Shek & Siu, 2019 ). Recently, in Hong Kong, there were also mental health issues in young people during the COVID-19 (Shek et al., 2023 ) and post-pandemic period particularly (Chai & Shek, 2024 ). Similarly, in mainland China, mental health problems are also alarming in young people (Cao & Su, 2007 ; Chang et al., 2023 ; Chen et al., 2017 ; Chi et al., 2020 ; Hesketh et al., 2002 ; Hu et al., 2015 ; Li et al., 2014 , 2019 ; Lo et al., 2018 ; Ma et al., 2021 ; Wang et al., 2020 ; Wei et al., 2022 ; Zhang et al., 2021a ).

Confronting the adolescent mental health problems in Hong Kong and mainland China, one question arises - how to reduce psychological morbidity and mental health problems in young people? Obviously, besides intervening when problems happen, preventing the problems from occurring and promoting adolescent well-being are also needed. To achieve this objective, the positive youth development (PYD) approach is promising to prevent the problem using a primary prevention approach (Benson, 2003 ; Botvin & Griffin, 2004 ; Durlak et al., 2011 ; Israelashvili & Romano, 2017 ; Israelashvili et al., 2020 ; Lerner & Castellino, 2002 ; Lerner et al., 2005 , 2009 ; Taylor et al., 2017 ; Weissberg, 2019 ). The focus of the PYD is on the strengths and competence of young people and its basic argument is that when young people thrive, they will not easily get sick. Actually, this is consistent with the focus of Chinese medicine on strengthening the inner capabilities of an individual. Unfortunately, there are very few validated PYD programs in China (Shek et al., 2023 ). In response to this unfortunate situation, the Project P.A.T.H.S. (Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes) was launched in Hong Kong in 2005. In the past two decades, different developments of the programs in China and even beyond China have been achieved. This review highlights the achievements (particularly the reach) and impact of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in China and beyond.

The Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong, China

With reference to adolescent developmental issues such as Internet addiction and psychological morbidity among adolescents in Hong Kong, we need to ask how to reduce developmental problems in adolescents and enhance their well-being. With the emergence of Positive Psychology, which is a strengths-based approach to understanding human behavior, the positive youth development (PYD) approach can help to build up adolescents’ thriving and minimize their developmental problems. With the financial support and initiation of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the research team began to develop and implement the positive youth development program entitled Project P.A.T.H.S. to enhance the well-being of junior high school students in 2004. In the first phase of the project (P.A.T.H.S. I), the research team, the Social Welfare Department and the Education Bureau worked together to develop and implement the program with an earmarked grant of HK$400 million. Since the initial evaluation findings were very positive, an additional grant of HK$350 million was approved to support an extension phase (P.A.T.H.S. II from the 2009/10 to 2011/12 academic years). In the third phase, since the project was well supported by various parties and the effectiveness of the project was affirmed by many evaluation studies, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust continued to allocate funds to implement the project in the community context from 2013 to 2016 with a grant of HK$8 million. From 2016 to 2024, we revamped curriculum materials, developed virtual teaching and learning materials, and maintained the website, with a research grant of around HK$13 million.

There are many achievements of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong. First, since its inception, 360 + schools and 357,839 students have joined the project. Second, researchers of P.A.T.H.S. have developed curriculum materials for the project, including 120 original units and 61 updated units, 60 special units, and 30 units incorporating technology-enhanced learning activities. In these units, PYD, indigenous Chinese concepts, and real-life developmental issues of young people are focused upon. Recently, researchers of P.A.T.H.S. have collaborated with colleagues in other places to develop foreign versions of the P.A.T.H.S. program, including Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka version), Argentina (Spanish version), Korea (Korean version) and Malaysia (Chinese and Malaysian versions). Third, a hallmark of the output is the training of the potential program implementers. Since its inception, researchers of P.A.T.H.S. have conducted more than 300 training workshops for teachers and allied professionals with the participation of 9,415 teachers, social workers and allied professionals. Fourth, a website and hard discs containing the curriculum manuals were created with training manuals and evaluation materials. Fifth, besides Hong Kong, the program was implemented in Macau and Sri Lanka. Finally, numerous publications were published, including books, book chapters, journal articles, and special issues, to disseminate the impact of the project (Shek & Zhu, 2020 ).

Regarding the outcomes of the P.A.T.H.S. Program, researchers adopted an evidence-based approach, which utilized different evaluation strategies based on different stakeholders, data, and research methods (Shek, 2019 ). Primarily, researchers of P.A.T.H.S. used objective outcome evaluation to evaluate the program effect. Besides the one-group pretest-posttest design, researchers also collected eight waves of data over five years based on an experimental group and a control group. Analyses based on growth curve analyses revealed that students in the treatment group showed faster development in PYD attributes and slower development in risk behavior than the control group participants (Shek & Zhu, 2020 ). Second, consistent with the usual practice of educational and social welfare evaluation, researchers collected subjective outcome evaluation data based on the program participants and implementers. Results generally showed that program participants and implementers held favorable perceptions of the program’s content and delivery, as well as program implementers. Most important of all, stakeholders overwhelmingly perceived that the program was able to enhance the psychosocial competence and well-being of the program participants (Shek et al., 2012 ). Based on secondary analyses of the interim and final evaluation reports submitted by the schools, the findings also concurred with those based on subjective outcome evaluation. Third, researchers collected qualitative evaluations from the students and program implementers. Evaluation based on observations, focus groups, student diaries, and repertory grid tests consistently showed that different stakeholders had positive views about the program, implementation process, and benefits of the program (Shek et al., 2012 ; Shek, 2024 ). In particular, the repertory grid test showed that participants perceived positive changes in their identities after they had joined the program. Table  1 outlines the outcomes of the Project P.A.T.H.S. based on different evaluation strategies.

The Project P.A.T.H.S. has received significant international recognition. It was listed as a life skills training program by the World Health Organization ( 2016 ). It was identified as an evidence-based program (Alvarado et al., 2017 ). The Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale generated from the project was regarded as a validated measure of positive youth development (Hinson et al., 2016 ). In a paper reviewing evidence-based programs globally, the Project P.A.T.H.S. was the only Chinese program identified as effective in enhancing psychosocial competencies and well-being of young people (Catalano et al., 2012 ). In the Research Assessment Exercise conducted by the University Grants Committee in Hong Kong, the Project P.A.T.H.S. was rated as “internationally leading” (4 i.e., a 4-star project).

Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. Program in Mainland China

With the great success of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong, the research team also transplanted, adapted, implemented, and evaluated the program in mainland China. With the support of the Tin Ka Ping Foundation, the research team launched a pilot project in four Tin Ka Ping secondary schools in East China (Shanghai, Suzhou, Yangzhou, and Changzhou) from 2011 to 2014. In the pilot implementation, the research team adapted the curriculum materials to suit the needs of junior secondary school students in mainland China. A total of 868 students benefited from the pilot implementation of the program in different subjects such as Moral Education and Mental Health Education. A quasi-experimental study showed that students in the experimental group showed better developmental outcomes compared to the control group. Subjective outcome assessments also showed that students had very favorable evaluations of the curriculum, teachers, and the benefits of the program (Shek & Zhu, 2020 ).

With the successful completion of the pilot project (2011–2014), the Tin Ka Ping Foundation decided to continue the program in 30 + Tin Ka Ping secondary and sister schools across mainland China. At the same time, schools were encouraged to actively participate in teacher training and establish school-based programs to help students grow up in an all-round and healthy manner. After a one-year training in the preparatory year (2014–2015), 30 + participating schools successfully transitioned to the Full Implementation Phase in the 2015–2016 school year to continue implementing the junior and senior secondary curriculum. Besides refining the junior high school curriculum, the research team voluntarily developed the senior secondary P.A.T.H.S. curriculum outside the original research scope of the project. Based on their practical experience, the research team completed the revision, printing and distribution of the updated version of the junior high school and senior secondary textbooks (Shek et al., 2022 ). At the same time, the research team continued to conduct training targeting program implementers and offer support programs. The schools involved in the project not only gradually improved team building and actively explored localized implementation strategies, but also communicated with other sister schools in the region, taking the initiative to let more schools, teachers, and students benefit from the Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. program, and the results achieved were gratifying. As the existing manuals have been developed with reference to the urban context, we have also developed a rural version of the P.A.T.H.S. Program with adapted curriculum content to meet the needs of young people in rural areas, which are considered impoverished areas of China.

The Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. Project benefitted large numbers of schools and participants in mainland China. In 2015–2016, the total number of classes benefited was 454, and the total number of students benefited was 21,379 (15,361 junior secondary students, 6018 senior secondary students). In 2016–2017, a total of 636 classes and 29,976 students benefited from the project, including 16,850 junior secondary students and 13,126 senior secondary students. In 2017–2018, a total of 709 classes with 33,043 students benefited, including 19,302 junior secondary students and 13,741 senior secondary students. With the involvement of an agency, a total of 526,089 students joined the project via face-to-face (126,458) or online (399,631) programs from the 2011/12 to 2018/19 academic years. From September 2019 till the summer of 2023, even faced with the Social Events in Hong Kong and the global pandemic, the program benefitted many mainland high school students (216,671 students online and 89,732 students offline) and involved 3,921 teachers. The research team also collected evaluation data from more than 14,600 students and 85 teachers since the 2019/20 academic year. Obviously, the reach of the program since the pandemic is enormous (306,403 students and 3,921 teachers).

In order to build up the capacity of teachers and allied professionals to have an in-depth understanding and mastery of the Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. Program, we developed several train-the-trainer courses. In the 2015–2016 school year, we provided a total of 66 h of training courses to 531 participants (both junior and senior secondary groups). In the 2016–2017 school year, a total of 60 h of instructor training courses were provided to 603 participants. In the 2017–2018 school year, a total of 54 h of train-the-trainer courses were provided to 455 participants. In sum, during the three-year full implementation period, we provided a total of 180 h of train-the-trainer courses to 1,589 participants, far exceeding the original plan of 120 h of training. The train-the-trainer courses not only deepened the understanding of the whole curriculum among the project schools and staff members, promoted observation and exchange between the schools, but also promoted reflections on the implementation methods and effects of the curriculum, and responded to the difficulties and doubts encountered by the schools and staff during the process, which were really beneficial to the staff members. After each training of trainers, we also conducted a training course evaluation to understand the participants’ feedback on the training course and the perceived effectiveness of the training course. Overall, teachers participating in the training of the junior and senior secondary groups had positive comments on the quality of the course, the quality of the lecturers, their personal performance, and the administrative arrangements. The findings support that the training program can help instructors further acquire the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values of co-creation lessons (see papers in Shek et al., 2022 ). In addition to using the subjective evaluation form to understand the participants’ overall opinions on the training, the research team also invited the participating instructors to share and write down their experiences at the conclusion of each training. An analysis of the impressions collected from teachers showed that their feelings about the training were very positive (Shek et al., 2022 ). In the 2023-24 academic year, we conducted 10 online training sessions. A systematic evaluation showed that the majority of the participants found the training helpful in enhancing their teaching competence, teacher well-being, and understanding of the needs of young people.

We also initiated several support activities for the Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. Project in mainland China. First, the research team visited the project schools in mainland China. In the 2014–2018 academic year, the Principal Investigator of the project, Professor Daniel Shek, led the research team to visit 32 project schools to gain an in-depth understanding of the challenges and difficulties faced during the implementation of the program, and to discuss specific measures to further enhance their teaching effectiveness and address the challenges. Second, we created a dedicated website as a resource library and one-stop platform to support the participating schools and colleagues. The website contains many useful materials, including activity manuals for junior high school students, 60 units of the high school curriculum manuals, Secondary 1 to 3 Teacher Training Resource Kit and updated training manuals, demonstration videos of the teaching units, training resources, assessment manuals, and assessment forms. In particular, to facilitate communication and learning among the project schools, the research team encouraged the project schools to share classroom videos.

In addition, to encourage more teachers to actively participate in teaching and research, enhance their sense of belonging to the project and pursue excellence, the Foundation and the research team launched an award system in 2016–2017. Based on the instructional expertise of P.A.T.H.S. teachers in program delivery, engagement in training, teaching, and research, the accolades are categorized into five tiers: “P.A.T.H.S. Teacher,” “Senior P.A.T.H.S. Teacher,” “Chief P.A.T.H.S. Teacher,” “P.A.T.H.S. Trainer,” and “Senior P.A.T.H.S. Trainer.” We also recognized teachers who have made special contributions to the implementation of the program. Since the launch of the award system in December 2016, a total of 266 teachers from 29 schools have been awarded the Level 1 “P.A.T.H.S. Teacher” award, 14 teachers from 10 schools have been awarded the Level 2 “Senior P.A.T.H.S. Teacher” award, and 8 teachers from 7 schools have been awarded the Level 3 “Chief P.A.T.H.S. Teacher” award. Besides, in recognition of the efforts made by school administrators during the implementation of the project, 14 members of the leadership team from 14 schools were jointly nominated as “P.A.T.H.S. Project Consultants”.

In addition to the above-mentioned outputs and support activities, another unique output of the Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. Project is publications contributed by the teachers. In addition to the researchers’ writings, the research team is also very aware of the importance of documenting teaching experiences and successes so that we can promote the scholarly nature of teaching and learning. One example is the publication of a special issue in 2018 at the conclusion of the Full Implementation Phase. In order to encourage communication and collaboration among teachers, social workers, and expert teams in various schools, the research team launched a call for papers for all project schools by sharing their experience of implementing the program and the difficulties encountered in the implementation of the program to further promote the Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. program to benefit more young people, and to help teachers in various schools turn their experiences and reflections into publication results (Shek, 2019 ).

Thanks to the efforts of all parties, the “Review of Social Work with Children, Adolescents and Families (Volume 5) - “Creating a Path of Growth: A Special Issue on Tin Ka Ping’s Positive Youth Development Project” was officially published in May 2018. The book explores the importance of positive growth of adolescents and introduces the development of co-creation in China, covering two parts: theoretical and practical experience, and reflection. At the theoretical level, there are 7 articles on the introduction of the curriculum concept, the progress of implementation, the analysis of the consistency between the curriculum and the reform of basic education and the core values of socialism, and the discussion of the ideas for the long-term implementation of core literacy. The practical discussion included 33 articles from 20 project schools, including personal experience and reflection in the past curriculum implementation process, discussion and reflection on teaching mode and methodology, model exploration of curriculum implementation time, and positive impact of curriculum on teachers and students. These articles show the real face of the school-based process of curriculum from different perspectives and further verify the positive effect of curriculum on teachers and students in terms of teacher competence and well-being.

The research team conducted objective outcome evaluation, subjective outcome evaluation, and qualitative evaluation to evaluate the impact of the program (Shek et al., 2022 ; Zhu & Shek, 2020 a, 2020 b). Numerous evaluation studies have shown that the program has many beneficial effects on students, including improving their intrinsic abilities, interpersonal competence, family relationships, and community involvement. All in all, the program promotes the holistic development of students in terms of both positive values and psychosocial competencies. In addition, evaluations have shown that teachers benefit from the program. They generally agree that the program has improved their teaching abilities and positive pedagogical philosophy; the program also helps improve their intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, as well as parenting skills. In the case of schools, the program promotes a culture of positive education in schools, contributing to the transformation of China’s education system with a greater focus on the holistic development of students and student-centered teaching practices (Shek et al., 2022 ).

As positive education programs, the Project P.A.T.H.S. and Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. Project have several distinctive features. First, the P.A.T.H.S. programs are future-oriented. The programs focus on 21st -century skills (i.e., skills that enable young people to adapt to the demands of the 21st century), which typically include transversal skills such as communication, collaboration, problem-solving, creativity, and cultural competences (Almazroa & Alotaibi, 2023 ). Second, the programs are innovative in theory, pedagogy, curriculum development, assessment, and dissemination, which is truly groundbreaking in Asia. Third, the programs engage a variety of stakeholders, such as students, teachers, and parents, in transforming educational philosophies and practices to center on the potential of young individuals and emphasize evidence-based teaching and learning. Fourth, the programs are sustainable. After roughly two decades of implementation, we are still collecting assessment data for each year, including the pandemic years. In addition, the research team has recently extended the implementation of the project in several counties in China. The research team is also working on Korean and Spanish versions.

Fifth, the project has a wide reach. Besides Hong Kong, the program was initially introduced in Macau (Shek et al., 2022 ). Later, it was implemented in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka version of the program was developed. After the pandemic, we implemented the program in Sichuan, Anhui, and Fujian provinces. Starting from the 2024/25 school year, we plan to implement the program in two more sites, including Heyuan County of Guangdong (with around 30,000 + students) and Gutian County of Fujian Province (with around 2,000 students). Outside Hong Kong, we have developed curriculum manuals for junior high schools using other languages, including Korean, Spanish, and Malay.

Sixth, several evaluation studies clearly show that the programs can enhance the well-being and psychosocial competencies of the students as well as the teaching competence and well-being of the teachers (Ma & Shek, 2017 ; Shek et al., 2019a , b ; Zhu & Shek, 2020 ). These findings are encouraging in view of the lack of validated studies in China and the growing mental health issues among young people in China. Finally, through various ways of disseminating the findings on the outcomes of the project (e.g., books and media reports), the public can further understand the importance of the positive youth development approach and programs in enhancing the well-being of young people.

Observations Based on the Implementation of the Project P.A.T.H.S in China and Beyond

Reflection 1: prevention of adolescent well-being problems.

One deep-seated issue surrounding the P.A.T.H.S. Program is how to promote adolescents’ well-being. From a public health perspective, there are three levels of preventing adolescent well-being problems (AbdulRaheem, 2023 ; Durlak & Wells, 1997 ; Offord, 2000 ). Tertiary prevention basically refers to the effort to reduce the harmful effects of well-being problems. For example, for adolescents with depression, a clinician may use cognitive-behavioral therapy or mindfulness CBT programs to help the patients. While tertiary prevention is important for treatment purposes, it may be too late because well-being problems have already occurred. Besides, it is basically a highly remedial approach. Therefore, the next level of prevention, which takes place earlier than the full-blown manifestation of the illness, is secondary prevention which attempts to identify those high-risk cases as early as possible (i.e., early identification and detection). Through using validated screening tools, students with potential risks can be identified early, enabling the provision of timely assistance. However, there are several problems with this approach. First, its success depends on the availability of validated tools. Second, its accuracy depends on whether the respondents respond in an honest manner. In fact, some “professional” clients may falsely claim to be relatively healthy. Third, the process of “screening” is stigmatizing in the school context. Finally, this prevention strategy may give the false impression that youth well-being problems can be fundamentally solved.

In contrast to tertiary and secondary prevention strategies, primary prevention attempts to minimize or halt the occurrence of well-being issues by reducing the risk factors and/or strengthening the protective factors (Albee & Ryan, 1998 ; Blair, 1992 ; Cowen, 2000 ; Durlak, 1998 ; Henderson, 2007 ). One important primary prevention strategy is to implement positive youth development programs for young people to promote their psychosocial competence, which eventually helps students cope with life stresses and challenges. In fact, the use of PYD programs is in line with the core belief of Chinese medicine that strengthening one’s inner strength can protect one from getting ill. In the Southern part of China, people use “boiled soup” with the addition of Chinese herbs to build up bodily strength. Using this analogy, PYD programs can be regarded as “soup for the soul” that can protect oneself. For different programs, they may add different ingredients to the soup. In view of the growing mental health problems in mainland China (Ma et al., 2021 ; Mei et al., 2016 ; Tang et al., 2019 ; Wang et al., 2011 ; Wen et al., 2020 ; Zhang et al., 2020 , 2021a , 2022 ), prevention programs are desperately needed.

Reflection 2: The Quest for an Ecological Understanding of Adolescent Quality of life

With reference to adolescent well-being issues, we have to understand the origin and maintenance of quality-of-life issues in young people. Instead of using either a micro perspective (e.g., genetic and neurological problems) or a macro perspective (e.g., social problems), the commonly adopted approach is an ecological understanding of adolescent well-being issues, highlighting factors in different systems (e.g., personal, school, family, community, society and global systems) that can shape adolescent well-being (Flynn & Mathias, 2023 ; Huang et al., 2023 ; McHale et al., 2009 ). Particularly, focusing on risk factors (i.e., factors that intensify adolescent well-being problems) and protective factors (i.e., factors that reduce the probability of developing adolescent well-being problems) is a hallmark of the ecological approach. Regarding protective factors, while some factors are environmental (e.g., promotion of positive peer relationships and family resilience), other factors are related to the promotion of psychosocial competence of young people, which can improve the lives of millions of young people (Breton et al., 2015 ; Magson et al., 2021 ; McKinley et al., 2021 ; Richardson et al., 2024 ).

Reflection 3: Strengthen Developmental Assets

Strengthening adolescent developmental assets is a commonly used strategy to prevent developmental issues (Abdul et al., 2022 ; Dejenie et al., 2023 ; Zheng et al., 2022 ). For example, teaching adolescents about resilience and emotional management skills can help them cope with psychosocial stresses in a more healthy and efficient manner. There are several models for building up developmental assets in young people. In the developmental assets proposed by the Search Institute, it is asserted that 20 internal assets and 20 external assets are important for optimal adolescent development (Benson, 2006 ). In the 5 C/6 C model proposed by Richard Lerner, connection, competence, confidence, character, and contribution contribute to adolescent thriving (Lerner et al., 2016 ). In view of the existence of different models of developmental assets, it is important for practitioners to use conceptual models that are supported by strong theoretical arguments and empirical support. The key consideration here is science — whether the developmental models are conceptually and empirically robust.

Reflection 4: Take the Unique Cultural Context into Account

It is noteworthy that most of the existing models and curriculum on PYD are based on samples with WEIRD attributes (i.e., data collected from White, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic societies), which focus on individual autonomy and personal interests rather than collective interests. However, it is less clear whether PYD is equally effective in non-Western societies, where collective interests are often emphasized. Therefore, we have to ask two questions – is PYD positively related to adolescent developmental outcomes? Do PYD programs promote the development of adolescent participants? In a special issue on positive youth development in different countries, Wiium and Dimitrova ( 2019 ) concluded that while research generally supported the positive relationship between PYD attributes and adolescent developmental outcomes, “more research is needed to ascertain appropriate developmental assets to facilitate PYD, as defined by the specific context where young people are embedded (p. 147)”. Dimitrova and Wiium ( 2021 ) also pointed out that there is cross-cultural support for the positive relationship between PYD attributes and adolescent development, whereas cross-cultural support for the effectiveness of PYD programs should be stepped up. With reference to these two cross-cultural questions, P.A.T.H.S. Projects not only support the positive role of PYD attributes on youth developmental outcomes but also support the effectiveness of a PYD program in a cross-cultural context.

Besides support for the positive role of PYD attributes and the effectiveness of PYD programs, there are two other issues to be addressed. The first crucial concern is how to take cultural context into account and incorporate specific cultural attributes into program development. For example, Chinese people place great emphasis on the importance of the family. Hence, how to develop PYD curriculums via the family lens is an important issue to be resolved. Some examples of cultural adaptation in the Project P.A.T.H.S. can be given here. First, when giving examples of the PYD constructs (e.g., spirituality), local Chinese examples are used. Second, in each unit, a Chinese motto is normally included. For example, for Bonding (BO1.1), the Chinese motto is “it is joyful to understand oneself and others”; for Moral Competence (MC1.1), the Chinese motto is “deal with things fairly, take affect and reason into account”. Third, when we developed the mainland version, we used simplified Chinese characters and indigenous Chinese materials. Fourth, in view of the differences between urban and rural areas, we have developed a rural version of the P.A.T.H.S. Program, which will be published in early 2025.

The second issue is how to integrate Western PYD models and traditional Chinese beliefs or develop indigenous Chinese PYD models and intervention models. For the integration of Western PYD concepts and Chinese youth development conceptions, Shek et al. ( 2013 ) pointed out that there are many similarities between traditional Chinese philosophies and PYD models, such as the notion of character strengths. Hence, how to integrate the Western PYD models and traditional Chinese philosophies would be an exciting area to explore further. Developing indigenous Chinese PYD models, such as models based on Confucian thoughts, is a long journey requiring both conceptual framework development and practical model building (Bo et al., 2023 ; Gibbons & Poelker, 2019 ; Rangel & Valdez, 2017 ).

Reflection 5: The Quest for inter-disciplinary Collaboration

Obviously, student well-being also relies on the support and aid provided by teachers. Teachers are the core professionals who implement the programs and can determine the outcome of PYD programs. Without a shared vision and professional teaching techniques, any well-designed programs will not work (Schlegel, 2009 ; Smye & Frangi, 2021 ; Widimsky et al., 2023 ). Similarly, without good teaching techniques, PYD programs will also fail. In addition to teachers, support from the senior management in the school context is also vital for program success. Without the support of the school authority, the program is also impossible to succeed. High schools in mainland China may have psychology teachers who also play an important role in successfully implementing PYD programs. Given that the Communist Party Secretary holds the highest authority in Chinese high schools, how to engage them in the program implementation poses a significant issue that needs to be considered and addressed.

However, support from teachers and school authorities alone is not sufficient for successful implementation of PYD programs. We also need validated PYD programs with sound theoretical bases and supporting evidence.

Notably, professionals from diverse fields can collaborate and contribute to the development of the program. Primarily, developmental psychologists can offer insight into the choice of PYD models and adolescent development. Educational psychologists and clinical psychologists can work on pedagogies that can help to engage students and motivate them to learn psychosocial competencies. With their experience in working with young people, social workers can also contribute to team building, group activities, and debriefing techniques. Finally, counselors can also contribute by highlighting the importance of relationship-building skills, empathy, self-disclosure, and dealing with resistance. Last but not least, the research team needs program evaluators to assess the impact of the programs – social scientists can help to design the evaluation, statisticians can contribute to sampling and data analysis tasks, and educators can help to develop policies and determine issues such as sustainability.

Reflection 6: Developing an Integrated School Policy on the PYD Program

School-based positive youth development programs heavily depend on school support and it is important to link PYD programs with the school ecology, particularly the education policies involved. First, we should consider how to involve the school administrators, in particular the support of the principal and the school management. It is helpful to provide training for school principals to gain more understanding of the benefits of PYD programs.

Second, within the examination-driven education system in mainland China, teachers may perceive PYD programs as futile and time-consuming, primarily due to their lack of training in adolescent well-being development. Hence, the research team has to step up publicity and training programs for teachers. Over the years we have guided many teachers to make a “paradigm shift” in helping students to have holistic development. Besides, we have emphasized the importance of publishing the program effectiveness through which the teachers are empowered.

Third, with the absence of a dedicated subject on positive youth development apart from mental health lessons, PYD programs face an identity crisis. Hence, the research team has to think about how PYD programs can be incorporated into the formal curriculum, particularly in terms of its relationship to Moral Education, Politics and Citizenship, and Mental Health curriculum. Fourth, because of the lack of a clear subject identity, we should consider how to arrange lessons for PYD programs. Although we can run such programs as extra-curricular activities, they may not receive serious attention. If PYD programs were included in the formal curriculum, there would be competition for teaching time. One possibility is to use a “diffusion” approach instead of a single subject by including PYD attributes in different subjects. For example, one could consist of the concept of resilience in English or Chinese by introducing prominent historical figures (such as Sun Yat-Sen).

In mainland China, the prevailing and “politically correct” education goal aims to build character and cultivate the person. At the same time, academic competition is very intense and fierce. Hence, the challenge is how to promote “whole person development” within a highly competitive school system. Essentially, while acknowledging the importance and inevitability of academic competition, we can consider two responses. First, the research team can try to balance the importance of academic competition and holistic youth development. Second, from an instrumental perspective, providing PYD training for students can at least protect them from negative mental health problems.

Reflection 7: Embrace Positive Education

Several drawbacks exist in contemporary education systems. First, they over-emphasize excellence with “many children lagging behind”. This elitist approach might lead to many mental health problems in children and adolescents. Second, because of the highly competitive school contexts, studying is no longer enjoyable, and lack of motivation to study is a common issue in China. Third, although student psychological well-being is a burning issue, there is a clear gap between the curriculum and the psychosocial needs of the students. Essentially, mental health is usually emphasized as lip service, and very little can be found in the formal curriculum and co-curricular activities. Besides, mental health is commonly conceived in terms of adolescent pathologies rather than positive mental health.

Positive Education plays an important role in solving the above problems (Lou & Xu, 2022 ; Rickard et al., 2023 ; Waters & Loton, 2021 ). According to Norrish et al. ( 2013 ), Positive Education “seeks to combine principles of Positive Psychology with best-practice teaching and with educational paradigms to promote optimal development and flourishing in the school setting” (p. 147). Waters and Loton ( 2019 ) argued that there are six basic themes in Positive Education, including strengths and potentials, emotional control, awareness, relationships, coping with life stresses and habits, and personal goals. Coulombe et al. ( 2021 ) pointed out that the goal of Positive Education is to promote academic growth and student engagement that eventually contributes to student well-being.

Shek et al. ( 2019a , b ) outlined several principles for developing school-based positive youth development programs. These programs include the use of developmental assets supported by effective programs; utilizing evidence-based conceptual models to guide program development; focusing on holistic youth development; considering both positive and negative adolescent development; developing developmentally appropriate programs; intervention programs designed over different grades; adequate training given to the potential program implementers; using appropriate teaching methods and demonstration in training; emphasizing student engagement; valuing activities within and outside classroom; maximizing generalization of teaching effects to different contexts; involving students in program development; considering different issues; changing the developmental contexts of the student; and emphasizing ongoing evaluation at different stages of the project.

Reflection 8: Utilizing Positive Youth Development Attributes in Positive Education

Conceptually, positive youth development attributes can contribute to developing Positive Education programs. Based on a review of 75 PYD programs in the United States, Catalano et al. ( 2004 ) identified 15 PYD constructs in the effective PYD programs that can be utilized in Positive Education Programs. These include positive relationship with healthy adults and positive peers (bonding); positive coping under adversity (resilience); logical thinking and problem-solving skills (cognitive competence); positive management of emotions (emotional competence); interpersonal skills (social competence); assertiveness and commitment to one’s position (behavioral competence); ability to differentiate right from wrong (moral competence), making decisions independently (self-determination), a sense of control and confidence about goal attainment (self-efficacy), transcendental and non-material experiences and life meaning (spirituality), positive self-appraisal and self-esteem (healthy and positive self-identity), an optimistic view of the future (belief in the future), respect for rules, regulations and practice valued by the society (valuing prosocial norms), participation in prosocial activities (opportunities for prosocial involvement), and appreciation of positive behavior of young people (recognition for positive behavior). These PYD attributes are the foundational constructs in the Project P.A.T.H.S., Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. Program, and “Tomorrow’s Leaders” (i.e., the university version of the P.A.T.H.S. program in the form of a leadership subject).

Reflection 9: Importance of Experiential Learning Pedagogies

In the Chinese context, teachers typically employ didactic techniques with emphasis on teacher authority and the passive involvement of students in the learning process. In contrast, Positive Education, such as the positive youth development approach, highlights the importance of experiential learning, which involves learning by experience, experimentation, evaluation, and reflection (Cole et al., 2022 ; Kong, 2021 ; Morris, 2019 ). Experiential learning actively engages young people in the learning process through collaborative and reflective learning. Research findings support the effectiveness of experiential learning pedagogies (Austin & Rust, 2015 ; Burch et al., 2019; Illeris, 2016 ; Kolb et al., 2014 ; Lewis & Williams, 1994 ).

In the Project P.A.T.H.S., the research team used multiple pedagogies involving the student (e.g., worksheet, personal reflection, homework, and growth puzzles), the group (e.g., group sharing, group discussion, group exercises, and role plays), inter-group activities (e.g., group competition; games, and debates), the class (e.g., class sharing; class discussion; recognition for positive behavior; virtual teaching and learning techniques) and the teacher (e.g., teach, share, ask, and encouragement of students).

Reflection 10: Positive Teacher Development

Teacher training is indispensable for successfully implementing PYD programs. Through training, teachers can understand the philosophy behind the program, acquire basic knowledge about the program, learn teaching skills, and reflect on their own teaching style. Through training, the research team can empower teachers and enhance their teaching competence as well as well-being. Besides, teachers also mentioned that they became better parents after training. However, there are several hurdles in teacher training. First, teaching training must obtain school approval. In other words, it depends on the support of the school authority. Second, training may add additional burdens to teachers who are already very busy with teaching tasks. According to Shek and Wai ( 2008 ), there are 12 principles of training within the context of PYD program development, including utilizing validated theories and models to design training programs; specifying the objectives and intended learning outcomes with reference to basic knowledge of adolescent development, program design, and teaching skills; promoting reflection skills, teaching efficacy, and motivation to engage the students; building role models, mutual support networks and communities of practice; having demonstration and practical exercises; sufficient training time; incorporation of cultural contexts; and systematic adequate training time; consideration of the cultural context in training; and systematic program evaluation. A series of evaluation studies found that the trainees had positive views of the program, workers, and effectiveness.

Reflection 11 – Evidence-based PYD Programs through Systematic Evaluation

One thorny issue surrounding PYD programs is whether the developed program really works. Most of the time, when implementers have “good feelings” about the program, they may believe the program works. However, we should note that “feeling effective” does not necessarily mean that the program is effective. Besides, it should be noted that some programs are not working, even though we invest much financial resources in them. For example, some researchers have found that despite the widespread use of the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) project, its effectiveness is questionable (West & O’Neal, 2004 ). It is noteworthy that some programs with good intentions create harm. For example, unintended harmful effects of substance abuse programs have been reported. Another example is that there is a proposal to send young people to visit prisons, which might “scare” them and deter them from engaging in crimes. However, no positive impact has been found and some studies even showed that young people committed more crimes after prison visits (Petrosino et al., 2013 ). In short, we should always be conscious that “the road to hell is always paved with good intentions”.

Several considerations can be highlighted on this topic. First, there are different evaluation strategies based on different paradigms with different philosophical orientations (Daniels & Wirth, 1983 ; Guraya et al., 2023 ; Montrosse-Moorhead et al., 2024 ). While positivism relies on quantitative evaluation, assuming that reality is static, interpretivism relies on qualitative evaluation, arguing that reality is fluid, demanding different interpretations. Second, quantitative evaluation is the mainstream approach in evaluation, commonly using pretest-posttest measurement involving experimental and control groups. Third, qualitative evaluation is an alternative evaluation strategy upheld by those believing that it is necessary to have close contact with the field and that there are different layers in reality. Fourth, based on a pragmatic paradigm, mixed-method evaluation is commonly used so that one can get a broad view of the program’s effects as well as an in-depth understanding of the subjective experience of different stakeholders. Fifth, adopting a positivistic standpoint, researchers have developed hierarchies of evidence arguing that the best evidence comes from randomized controlled trials in multi-sites involving independent groups of evaluators. The sixth reflection is that, regardless of the evaluation paradigm adopted, it is important to triangulate evaluation findings across time, methods, and different stakeholders. Finally, Shek et al. ( 2019a , b ) pointed out that evaluation in PYD programs should be guided by different principles: use of objective outcome evaluation; assessment of the views of different stakeholders; looking at the relationship between objective and subjective outcomes; understanding what happens in the intervention process; periodic evaluation; use of qualitative evaluation involving different stakeholders using different qualitative research strategies; collecting student products after joining the program; and case studies.

Reflection 12: Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)

To advance the development of PYD programs, besides implementation and evaluation, it is equally important to share the teaching experience and the outcomes with other stakeholders in the field. Although it originated in the higher education sector, the concept of scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) is also applicable to any education programs (Darling, 2003 ; Hutchings & Shulman, 1999 ; McKinney, 2004 ; Richlin, 2001 ; Trigwell et al., 2000 ). The most important component of SoTL is to disseminate the teaching experience, particularly via publications. By publishing the experience and outcomes of PYD programs, colleagues in the field can examine the program design, implementation, and effects. In the Project P.A.T.H.S., we have published books, book chapters and international refereed papers to make the whole thing transparent and public. This practice allows us to document the impact of the PYD program and build a scientific database for future projects.

PYD Programs in Mainland China: The Way Forward

In their discussion of the Project P.A.T.H.S., Shek and Sun ( 2013 ) pointed out that there are several issues to be considered in the development of PYD programs, including meeting adolescents’ mental health needs via specific PYD programs, conceptual and empirical support for the programs, the need for multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration, training of potential implementers, assurance of program quality, evaluation approaches, indicators of program success, and long-term sustainability of the programs. Obviously, these issues also apply to the Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. Program in mainland China.

Regarding the way forward for PYD programs in mainland China, there are seven “Rs” to be considered. The first “R” is responding to the needs of young people, particularly their mental health needs. In view of the growing mental health issues in young people in mainland China, the PYD program is a promising response. The second “R” is recognition of the need for PYD programs, which involves a paradigm shift in understanding the holistic needs of young people through the lens of 21st -century skills. The third “R” is robust programs that are supported by empirical evidence through rigorous evaluation methods. The fourth “R” is real-life training programs for potential program implementers so that they can identify with the program philosophies and master the basic skills. The fifth “R” is research on PYD programs. Besides evaluation, we have to examine the factors that determine the effectiveness of the programs as well as the mediating mechanisms involved. The sixth “R” is the resolve and determination of the Government and leaders in the education sector to implement PYD programs. This is a very important factor because, without policy support, PYD programs may not be endorsed by the schools. The final “R” is reflection - researchers, implementers, policy-makers, and educators have to constantly reflect on the need for PYD programs as well as the critical issues involved in the development, implementation, evaluation, and sustainability of PYD programs in mainland China.

In this review, the research team describes the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong and the Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. Project in mainland China. Besides developing developmentally appropriate curriculum materials based on the PYD approach, the research team also trained teachers, supported the program implementation, and evaluated the impacts of the programs. The programs in Hong Kong, China, Macau, and Sri Lanka have reached more than 0.5 million participants. We are also developing Korean, Spanish, and Malaysian versions of the curriculum materials. Notably, numerous evaluations showed that the programs enhanced the psychosocial competence, well-being, and life satisfaction of both teachers and students. They also enriched the teaching toolbox, built up the capacity of the teachers, and enhanced their teaching skills. Our experiences are relevant not only to the Chinese population but also to the global community.

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Acknowledgments

The preparation for this paper and the Project P.A.T.H.S. were financially supported by the Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (ZZ4U and WZ8A) and the Research Grants Council of the University Grants Committee (ZH4Q and ZECL). Address all correspondence to Daniel T. L. Shek, Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hunghom, Hong Kong (e-mail address: [email protected]).

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Shek, D., Dou, D. The Reach and Impact of a Positive Youth Development Program (Project P.A.T.H.S.) in China and Beyond: Review and Reflection. Applied Research Quality Life (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-024-10364-3

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CWP: Craft of Prose: Researching the White Paper

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Research the White Paper

Researching the white paper:.

The process of researching and composing a white paper shares some similarities with the kind of research and writing one does for a high school or college research paper. What’s important for writers of white papers to grasp, however, is how much this genre differs from a research paper.  First, the author of a white paper already recognizes that there is a problem to be solved, a decision to be made, and the job of the author is to provide readers with substantive information to help them make some kind of decision--which may include a decision to do more research because major gaps remain. 

Thus, a white paper author would not “brainstorm” a topic. Instead, the white paper author would get busy figuring out how the problem is defined by those who are experiencing it as a problem. Typically that research begins in popular culture--social media, surveys, interviews, newspapers. Once the author has a handle on how the problem is being defined and experienced, its history and its impact, what people in the trenches believe might be the best or worst ways of addressing it, the author then will turn to academic scholarship as well as “grey” literature (more about that later).  Unlike a school research paper, the author does not set out to argue for or against a particular position, and then devote the majority of effort to finding sources to support the selected position.  Instead, the author sets out in good faith to do as much fact-finding as possible, and thus research is likely to present multiple, conflicting, and overlapping perspectives. When people research out of a genuine desire to understand and solve a problem, they listen to every source that may offer helpful information. They will thus have to do much more analysis, synthesis, and sorting of that information, which will often not fall neatly into a “pro” or “con” camp:  Solution A may, for example, solve one part of the problem but exacerbate another part of the problem. Solution C may sound like what everyone wants, but what if it’s built on a set of data that have been criticized by another reliable source?  And so it goes. 

For example, if you are trying to write a white paper on the opioid crisis, you may focus on the value of  providing free, sterilized needles--which do indeed reduce disease, and also provide an opportunity for the health care provider distributing them to offer addiction treatment to the user. However, the free needles are sometimes discarded on the ground, posing a danger to others; or they may be shared; or they may encourage more drug usage. All of those things can be true at once; a reader will want to know about all of these considerations in order to make an informed decision. That is the challenging job of the white paper author.     
 The research you do for your white paper will require that you identify a specific problem, seek popular culture sources to help define the problem, its history, its significance and impact for people affected by it.  You will then delve into academic and grey literature to learn about the way scholars and others with professional expertise answer these same questions. In this way, you will create creating a layered, complex portrait that provides readers with a substantive exploration useful for deliberating and decision-making. You will also likely need to find or create images, including tables, figures, illustrations or photographs, and you will document all of your sources. 

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Research in 60 Seconds: Using Tech to Improve Readability

Associate Professor Ben Sawyer’s research examines how digital enhancements to text can help improve reading comprehension and speed.

By Nicole Dudenhoefer ’17 | Video by UCF Social | August 30, 2024

Whether it’s solving the world’s biggest problems or investigating the potential of novel discoveries, researchers at UCF are on the edge scientific breakthroughs that aim to make an impact. Through the Research in 60 Seconds series , student and faculty researchers condense their complex studies into bite-sized summaries so you can know how and why Knights plan to improve our world.

Name: Ben Sawyer

Position(s): Associate professor of industrial engineering and director of The Readability Consortium

Why are you interested in this research? My mother was a children’s librarian focused on building collections, and my father was a high school teacher, and then a professor of education. My own early work was focused on attention and distraction, and I became fascinated by how people get information out of machine systems, and into their minds. My present research centers around human performance in reading: how can we best move information into your awareness, so you can do something with it.

Are you a faculty member or student conducting research at UCF? We want to hear from you! Tell us about your research at bit.ly/ucf-research-60-form.

Who inspires you to conduct your research? I’m inspired by people working hard to understand [information, including] children, soldiers, analysts, physicians, and older adults all looking to find the information they need to get them to their goal and keep them safe on the way. My father worked with children with dyslexia, and it’s amazing how much parity I see between the struggles of those kids and the struggle of a physician trying to move through a 60-year medical history in a clunky interface in time to make a good decision for an anxious patient. I’m inspired by that struggle, which all of us face to a greater degree every day.

How does UCF empower you to do your research? UCF provides access to a brilliant community of students and collaborators. Industrial engineering is a friendly and collaborative faculty. I’ve met so many fascinating students in my classes and have been privileged to have some of them join my research group. I have graduated a few of these as scientists and engineers. I love the diversity at UCF: people from every imaginable walk of life are on this campus, and the perspectives they bring to this research make it possible. Moreover, I like the people I get to work with, and I wake up every day happy to see them and excited to move our work forward. I feel very lucky in this.

What major grants and honors have you earned to support your research? My readability research is primarily funded by industry. The consortium’s founding members Adobe and nonprofit Readability Matters provided the initial foundation for a community that now notably includes Google and Monotype. We also are beginning to work with these companies to attract state funding directly, including a 2023-24 $1 million appropriation from the State of Florida.

Why is this research important? Billions of readers have too much to read. The information age is only as miraculous as our individual abilities to access infinite information. The written word, one of the great engineering accomplishments of human history, was literally developed on reeds and animal hide. This research is founded in the idea that writing and reading, is due for an update. Rebuilding the written word to help humans of the information age is also an opportunity for languages that have not benefited so strongly from the digital revolution. Mandarin, Arabic, Hindi, Bengali and other scripts are underserved by modern Latin alphabet centered digital infrastructure but are receiving large investments as billions of these readers move online. Our readability research provides an opportunity to build equity in these languages, while working from evidence-based first principles of readability.

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How Nonfiction Books Build College Research Skills

Raise your hand if you’ve ever stared at a blank Word document, wishing your college essay could generously write itself, perhaps thinking, “Forget this. I’ll have ChatGPT write my paper for me.” Yet many students don’t realize that nonfiction books often use the same research techniques their professors are asking for.

What is nonfiction? Whereas novels rely on an author’s imagination, nonfiction works are based on real subject matter and require facts and logic to make reasoned arguments. As such, nonfiction literature uses the same building blocks as many college research papers. Keep reading to learn how studying the former can help you succeed in writing the latter.

Separating Fiction From Nonfiction

First, let’s define fiction vs. nonfiction with respect to the writing process.

Fiction writing focuses on fundamentals like plot, characterization, and conflict in imaginary settings. Harry Potter doesn’t actually exist; Hogwarts isn’t a real school; and running head-on into Platform 9 ¾ is not, in fact, a good idea.

Meanwhile, nonfiction writing attempts to share knowledge or present an argument. Nonfiction authors put more emphasis on finding reliable sources, making evidence-based claims, and providing coherent analysis.

Understanding what is fiction and nonfiction matters because each requires different skill sets. And since academic writing is based on nonfiction techniques, it’s important to understand that nonfiction literature comes in many forms.

A Few Examples: Five Types of Nonfiction

Now that we understand the difference between fiction and nonfiction, let’s review five types of nonfiction writing. Each of these mediums is constructed differently and can cover a wide range of subject matter. However, all of them require a combination of structure and evidence to be effective.

This should sound familiar because academic papers take on different forms, but they are often assessed on similar analytical skills. The good news is that this allows students to pull from a variety of intellectual influences. Elaborating upon these types of nonfiction will show just how many resources college students have at their disposal.

The word “essay” derives from French for “attempt” or “trial.” It is a flexible form of nonfiction in which the author organizes an analysis on one of many possible literature topics.

As a common college assignment, the essay has defining traits that may be familiar to students. It begins with a thesis statement summarizing the author’s central argument. It follows with supporting claims, often in paragraphs containing topic sentences and strengthened with evidence. Effective essays are also charitable toward other perspectives, making space for counterarguments while responding with logical rebuttals. Therefore, looking to essays for guidance is always invaluable for students seeking to improve their own argumentative prowess.

The History Book

Anyone who’s been to Barnes & Noble knows that history books are perennially popular and full of dense research. With infinite topic examples in literature, history books are built upon letters, newspapers, government documents, interviews, and other sources obtained from older books or historical archives.

In that sense, writing a “history” is a bit like doing detective work. Students can learn from history books not just in terms of content – the actual historical evidence they bring to light – but also in process: the vast amount of effort required to organize diverse sources into cohesive, compelling narratives.

The Biography

The biography is a type of history book that focuses on the life and contributions of a specific person. As such, it requires the same commitment to investigative research and commonly includes, based on that research, some interpretation of its subject’s legacy.

However, biographies also frequently use narrative structures that readers can find in fiction. In following one person’s life from beginning to end, biographers have the opportunity to combine minute historical detail with the digestible language of storytelling.

That’s why biographies aren’t just useful for students researching only one person’s actions; they are also a source of guidance on how to communicate rigorous academic research through entertaining prose.

Let’s get even more specific. A memoir is another type of history book and is, in a sense, like a biography. The difference is that memoirs are written by the biographical subject themselves and are, as the name suggests, more so a collection of memories than a straightforward retelling of their life story.

While memoirs are thus prone to personal bias, they are not inherently bad resources. For one thing, identifying a subject’s bias is in and of itself a valuable part of academic research. Like biographies, memoirs also provide a model by which college students can learn to structure fact-based papers in narrative, often chronological form.

The Newspaper Article

Newspapers are among the most commonplace types of nonfiction writing and still provide a vital outlet for investigative journalism. As the “first draft of history,” news coverage can give students guidance on how to prioritize relevant information and keep background knowledge from overshadowing their research.

Journalists often structure their ideas like an “inverted pyramid,” putting their most important findings up front and asking critical questions – “Who?” “What?” “Where?” – before filling in details of decreasing importance. While distinct from argumentative nonfiction, like the essay, the newspaper article still contains a logical structure designed to communicate information effectively to the public.

Put Into Practice: A Few (More Specific) Nonfiction Examples

Having defined five forms of nonfiction literature in the abstract, let’s go over some specific examples of nonfiction.

As we cover these three pieces of literature, reflect upon their differences in structure, objectives, and use of sources. Think about their value not just in terms of content – any old study guide can list off facts, after all – but as holistic, cohesive contributions to academic discussion.

In other words, remember that strong nonfiction literature is defined by its readiness to make meaningful conclusions from clear, cogent analysis. Its ultimate goal, as with college research, is to “say something.”

Essay: “On the Duty of Civil Disobedience” – Henry David Thoreau

What makes this essay so iconic? Among other things, let’s first marvel at how unapologetically Thoreau makes his case. His central claim – that citizens have the right to resist unjust governments – is stated right at the beginning with unambiguous language: “I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward.”

Weaving in provocative questions, exercises in logic, and references to slavery and the Mexican-American War, Thoreau provides here a masterclass in analytical writing. Rather than give only indisputable facts, he delivers memorable statements that, crucially, can be debated. Thoreau shows that what’s worse than a disagreeable essay is one which does not say anything worth disagreeing with.

Memoir: Night – Elie Wiesel

One of the most famous Holocaust memoirs ever written, Night demonstrates that real historical events – the author’s imprisonment at Auschwitz and Buchenwald – can be recounted with gripping if also upsetting prose.

Being a personal narrative, this memoir does not pretend to give us a complete history of World War II. Instead, it trades breadth for depth; in focusing on one person’s experiences, combined with commentary on his loss of faith in humanity, Night reminds us that nonfiction literature can vary widely in scope. Wiesel’s story is one of millions, and yet its ability to “zoom in” on individual tragedy gives us, ultimately, a clearer historical picture.

Newspaper Article: “Kennedy is Killed by Sniper” – New York Times (11/23/1963)

Any research paper writing service can tell you to use a catchy title, but sometimes the headlines just speak for themselves. This particular article recounts John F. Kennedy’s assassination and its aftermath, organizing all of its moving parts – Lyndon Johnson’s swearing-in as president, Lee Harvey Oswald’s arrest, eyewitness accounts – in order of importance.

Thus we see how, even in such a historic moment, the inverted pyramid model provides structure and flow to the story. Though still a work of nonfiction, summarizing real events from different perspectives, the investigative journalism on display here maintains its commitment to logical narrative.

Analysis: So How Will All of This Actually Help Me?

Ok, ok. At this point, you might still be wondering how a deep dive on nonfiction sources, replete with a few lovely examples, will actually translate into practical use.

In this section, let’s tie everything together and discuss how college students can use nonfiction literature as a template for academic writing. If you need college paper help and have been waiting patiently for concrete advice, know that your hard work is noted. With any luck, and perhaps even a bit of effort on a good day, you’ll never have to use ChatGPT again from here on out.

The Importance of Nonfiction Literature

Any nonfiction work is born from an author’s willingness to spend countless hours researching, editing, and thinking about a nuanced subject. It represents a triumph of intellectual curiosity.

And yet to make the most of literature, you have to be willing to read nonfiction books with intentionality. Passive readers will skim a book word by word, perhaps “enjoying the ride” but not critically engaging with its overall analysis. Active readers, however, will take thoughtful notes, not fixate on every detail, and end up absorbing more knowledge in the end. Graduating from passive to active reading marks a vital step towards appreciating all that nonfiction literature has to offer.

Applying Nonfiction Literature in College

It follows that college students who engage critically with nonfiction writing will incorporate its processes into their own academic writing.

After all, what makes somebody better at cooking: enjoying a nice meal, or watching a chef in the kitchen? Do musicians learn their instruments by putting on headphones, or do they go out and take lessons?

You get the point. If you need guidance on how to write your college research papers, you’re best advised by the contributions of those who have written before you. Observing how professional academics form sound arguments is the first step towards meeting their standards of quality in your college career.

How About Some Examples? Reviewing American Literature Topics

Just to give an idea, let’s look at a few American literature essay topics. If you need to write about American nonfiction for an assignment, these may be extra relevant. But even if you don’t, think about how you can translate lessons from robust academic works into your own college research.

Rather than just give more works of nonfiction, let’s also connect each subject to a specific kind of research assignment. Not every college paper is an argumentative essay, after all. By using these American literature research paper topics, though, it should become easier to visualize transposing these formats to other fields of study.

“Self-Reliance”: The Reflection Paper

We’ve already looked at Thoreau, so let’s turn to another giant of American literature, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and his classic 1841 essay on the necessity of self-reliance.

Imagine you’re asked to read Emerson and compile reflection paper ideas. Which arguments resonated with you? Which ones did you find unconvincing? Did “Self-Reliance” leave you with questions? Are there other texts, perhaps of Emerson’s time, that answered those questions for you?

The personal reflection format might require less formal language – first-person perspective, for example – but we thus see that it allows for the same commitment to academic analysis as a more argumentative assignment.

Legacies of Watergate: The Literature Review

At first glance, being asked to research literature review topics that other people have researched looks like an exercise in dull summarization. But that’s only the case if, as passive readers, we forgo critical engagement with scholarly debate.

Alternatively, good nonfiction histories often review nuances in historiography – in essence a historical literature review – before presenting their own original research. As an example, read how Beverly Gage outlines different interpretations of the Watergate scandal. If literature reviews still don’t sound exciting, just remember that your ability to appraise other scholars’ ideas is ultimately key to contextualizing your own.

The Civil Rights Movement: The Argumentative Essay

Finally, here’s a Socratic exercise. Argumentative essays often center around one research question, or “prompt”; however, as we’ve already established, students often struggle to transform that blank document into a sustained, nuanced analysis.

Asking questions can unlock your creative side and help you organize unlimited literature research paper topics. If you’re asked to assess the importance of churches during the Civil Rights Movement, just start asking. Which churches? Were they more important in the South? Did churches stay important throughout the 1960s?

These questions will direct your search for nonfiction literature, which in turn will guide your questions further. Before you know it, your research paper will not only have direction but the sources it needs to succeed.

In Conclusion: Finding Nonfiction Meaning in Academia

To review, we’ve learned:

• What does nonfiction mean vs. fiction
• Types of nonfiction writing
• Specific examples of nonfiction works
• Applicative uses of nonfiction literature
• How to connect American literature with different types of essays

Creating academic research at a college level is daunting, but it gets less overwhelming over time. Don’t panic if you feel stuck or confused by a vague assignment, but also, just as importantly, don’t try to reinvent the wheel! Look to nonfiction literature and see how professional scholars do it. Learn by example, and your efforts will, with honest, original work, be rewarded with academic success.

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Research on identification of critical quality features of machining processes based on complex networks and entropy-critic methods.

1. Introduction

2. establishment of machining process network based on complex networks, 2.1. the definition of processing technology network node.

• Machining features are the basic unit of part processing used to describe the geometry and topological affinity of the workpiece surface. In the machining process, the state of machining features constantly changes, essentially the evolution of quality features.
• The quality feature contains information containing nominal requirements, tolerances, and actual error parameters. It is categorized into two types of quality features with and without datum reference.
• The machining element is the direct error source that causes the error in process quality features. It mainly includes machine tools (MT), cutting tools (CT), and fixtures (FT).

2.2. Definition of Edge Relationship between Nodes in Machining Process Network

• The evolution of a processing feature at different stages is called an evolutionary relationship.
• In multi-process machining, the localization between workpiece datums is called the localization relationship.
• The relationship between different processing stages using different elements is called processing relationship.
• A machining feature usually contains one or more quality features, and this coupling relationship between a machining quality feature and its plural quality features is defined as an attribute relationship.

2.3. Construction of Processing Technology Network

3. critical process identification based on the machining process network.

• In order to better represent the directionality of nodes in a machining process network, a directional centrality degree is proposed to quantify the importance of each machining quality node in a directed network system. The directional centrality degree can be used to measure the coupling relationship between each quality feature, expressed through a node’s in-degree and out-degree. Equation (5) can express the stochastic matrix of node Q = ( q i j ) based on directional centrality degree. q i j = k i int + k i o u t ∑ p ∈ B k p int + ∑ p ∈ B k p o u t a i j (5) where B represents the set of nodes of node i , and p ∈ B .
• When the number of iterations is stabilized or the maximum number of iterations is reached, the background node values are assigned according to the proportion of LR values of each node. L R i = L R i ( k c ) + L R i ( k c ) ∑ i = 1 N L R i ( k c ) L R g ( k c ) (6)

4. Determination of Critical Quality Features

4.1. determination of critical quality features based on entropy weight method, 4.2. determination of critical quality features based on the critic method, 4.3. determination of critical quality features based on entropy-critic method, 5. instance analysis, 6. conclusions, author contributions, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

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Qu, D.; Liang, W.; Zhang, Y.; Gu, C.; Zhou, G.; Zhan, Y. Research on Identification of Critical Quality Features of Machining Processes Based on Complex Networks and Entropy-CRITIC Methods. Computers 2024 , 13 , 216. https://doi.org/10.3390/computers13090216

Qu D, Liang W, Zhang Y, Gu C, Zhou G, Zhan Y. Research on Identification of Critical Quality Features of Machining Processes Based on Complex Networks and Entropy-CRITIC Methods. Computers . 2024; 13(9):216. https://doi.org/10.3390/computers13090216

Qu, Dongyue, Wenchao Liang, Yuting Zhang, Chaoyun Gu, Guangyu Zhou, and Yong Zhan. 2024. "Research on Identification of Critical Quality Features of Machining Processes Based on Complex Networks and Entropy-CRITIC Methods" Computers 13, no. 9: 216. https://doi.org/10.3390/computers13090216

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How to Cite in APA Format (7th edition): Citation Style Guide

Table of Contents

What is APA 7th Edition ?    

The American Psychological Association (APA) introduced the latest edition of the APA Style Manual (i.e., APA 7 th edition ) in 2019. APA Style has its origins in 1929 , when a group of academics and professionals decided to develop a set of guidelines that would standardize scientific writing. The earliest form was a seven-page guide published in the Psychological Bulletin . The first formal edition of the APA Publication Manual was published in 1952, with subsequent editions appearing in 1974, 1983, 1994, 2001, 2009, and most recently, in 2019.  

Over the years, the APA style guide has evolved considerably to meet the changing needs of a wide range of disciplines, from social and behavioral sciences to health care, natural sciences, and humanities. APA Style is widely used by academic journals and books.  

As APA 7 th edition is the current and most updated version, students and researchers should familiarize themselves with the style guidelines, including the reference and citation styles.  

Who Should Use APA 7th Edition ?    

The aim of style guides such as the APA Style Guide is to simplify the work of editors and make it easier for readers to understand a text by ensuring a uniform format for a given publication. For example, the APA Style Guide will contain guidelines that lay down the APA reference format and APA style citation for authors to follow.  

The APA Style Guide can be a valuable reference when writing and formatting academic papers, irrespective of discipline. However, this style is primarily used by professionals, researchers, and students in the social sciences (e.g., sociology, psychology, anthropology), behavioral sciences, education, business, and nursing.  

If you are a student, you may consult with an instructor to check what style your discipline uses before using APA Style in your work. Most importantly, be sure to check the guidelines of your university or the journal you plan to publish in to ensure APA 7 th edition is the correct style to use.   

APA In-text Citations    

Researchers rely on citations and references to give credit to original sources, support their arguments, and guide readers to additional information for further study. Let us now look at how to cite sources in APA format. The formatting requirements of APA 7th edition citation for referring to secondary sources in your text are as follows.  

The APA citation format includes the author’s last name and the year of publication. When referring to a particular part of a source, the page number may be included, e.g., “(Rawat et al., 2018, p. 115).”  

APA style citation in the text may be parenthetical or narrative.  

In parenthetical citation, the author’s name and the year of publication are placed in parentheses within the text. This style is used at the end of a sentence. See below for an example:  

• Gender, age, education, and income determine a person’s risk and adaptive capacities (Birkmann et al., 2022).  

In narrative citation, the author’s name appears as a part of the sentence, followed by the publication year in parentheses. See below for an example:  

• Birkman et al. (2022) note that gender, age, education, and income determine a person’s risk and adaptive capacities.

Table 1: How to cite sources in APA format when there are multiple authors and organizations as authors  

*First time with an abbreviation: (World Health Organization [WHO], 2016); all subsequent citations: (WHO, 2016)  

Table 2: How to cite sources in APA format when some information is missing  

  APA Reference Format    

After APA citations , let us now look at the APA reference format. As an academic, you might use a wide array of source types. According to the APA style guide , each type is formatted in a certain manner. The most commonly used sources are journal articles, books, and dissertations. However, you occasionally might need to cite webpages, podcasts, and news article. How would all these appear in an APA 7 reference page ? You will find your answers in Table 3!  

Table 3: How to format various sources in the APA reference list  

Formatting the APA Paper    

Papers formatted according to APA 7th edition typically contain the following elements:  

Title page with the title (bold, centered), running head and page number in the header, author names and affiliations, and author notes (ORCID ID, conflicts of interest, etc.); see below:  

Next comes the abstract . It should be double spaced and use consistent font. The keywords appear below the abstract, with an indent.  

For the main text, margins are 1 inch on all four side s. T he text is double spaced . T he font used should be consistent . H eadings are used to separate sections , and d etails on heading levels are as follows:  

Source: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/headings

Finally, the APA 7 reference page contains the references to all sources used in the paper. References are double-spaced and use hanging indents :  

Style guides in academic writing serve to standardize formatting, citations, and language use across scholarly works. They provide readers with cues they can use to follow the text more efficiently and to locate information of interest to them. In other words, it avoids distraction of unfamiliar or non-uniform formatting.  

In this piece about APA 7th edition , we have explained in detail the nuances of APA citations , including how to cite in APA format and how to format the APA 7 reference page . A brief primer on formatting a manuscript in line with APA 7th edition is also provided.  

Frequently Asked Questions    

• What are the major changes from APA 6th to APA 7th Edition ?  

The updates from APA 6th to APA 7th Edition reflect a commitment to improving clarity, inclusivity, and usability in scholarly writing. The salient differences from APA 6 th edition are as follows:  

• Title page format: The title page has been updated for professionals. The author note includes information such as ORCID IDs and conflict of interest disclosures.
• Running head: The running head format has been simplified for professional authors.
• Font flexibility : There is greater flexibility in font specifications to enhance accessibility.
• Bias-free language guidelines: The guidelines for bias-free language have been updated to promote inclusivity and respect when writing about various identities.  
• Reference formatting: In APA 7th edition , the number of authors included in a reference entry has changed to allow up to 20 authors before using an ellipsis. The presentation of DOIs and URLs has been standardized.  
• In-text citations: In-text citations for works with three or more authors have been simplified to include only the first author’s name followed by “et al.”
• Accessibility: APA 7th edition emphasizes accessibility for users with disabilities, ensuring that guidelines support various modalities, including screen readers.  
• How do I cite a journal article in APA 7th Edition ?  

According to APA 7 th edition , a reference would appear as below:  

Author, A. A. (Year of Publication). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, volume number (issue number), pages. https://doi.org/xx.xxx/yyyy .  

The in-text citation would include the author name(s) and year of publication, e.g., (Andriolatou, 2007).   

• How should multiple authors be cited in APA 7th Edition?  

APA 7 citation style would vary depending on the number of authors and whether you are citing the source parenthetically or narratively:  

Single author, parenthetical: (Bik, 2020)  

Single author, narrative: Bik (2020) reported that…  

Two authors, parenthetical: (Bik & Urs, 2019)  

Two authors, narrative: As demonstrated by Bik and Urs (2019), …  

Three or more authors, parenthetical: (Bik et al., 2023)  

Three or more authors, narrative: Bik et al. (2023) have published…  

• How do I format in-text citations for a direct quote?  

When someone else’s words are copied verbatim in your paper, it refers to a direct quote.   

For APA 7 citation of short direct quotes (<40 words), use quotation marks around the quote and cite the author, year, and page number:  

Another way to look at it is how people “get a broader range of experience than they would on a feature” (Catmull, 2014, p. 209).  

For APA 7 citation of longer quotes, or block quotes, the sentence preceding the quote ends in a colon and is followed by the quoted text. No quotation marks are used. The quote is indented and cited without a period at the end (see the figure below).   

Figure: How to cite block quotes in APA citations

To conclude  

Over the years, the APA style guide has evolved significantly. The current version, APA 7th edition , has expanded in both scope and size to accommodate the needs of wide-ranging fields and to address changing times. Despite these changes, the core intention—to provide clear, consistent guidelines for effective communication—remains at the heart of APA Style .   

For busy researchers, not only is it difficult to remember the different elements of citations and references and the subtle differences in formatting, but it also a tedious task to manually format in-text citations and reference lists and ensure consistency between them. In addition, you might need to format (and even re-format) your manuscript according to different journals, which might follow styles different from APA 7th edition (MLA, Chicago, AMA, etc.)! But there is no need to worry…help is at hand!

Citation generators are online tools that format references in different styles. There are a number of citation generators available, and Paperpal has launched its new citation generator , which stands out from the others in many ways. As a part of Paperpal’s writing workflow, you can easily find and cite sources accurately in a matter of seconds.

This free citation generator supports the updated recent versions of 10,000+ styles, including APA 7th edition . Therefore, it can serve as an APA 7th edition citation generator if you need one! What’s more, you don’t need to switch between multiple tools to search, save, or format your citations. You can rely Paperpal’s citation generation feature for help with citing sources accurately and consistently in your writing. Explore Paperpal for free now!  

Paperpal is a comprehensive AI writing toolkit that helps students and researchers achieve 2x the writing in half the time. It leverages 21+ years of STM experience and insights from millions of research articles to provide in-depth academic writing, language editing, and submission readiness support to help you write better, faster.  

Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed.  Try for free or  upgrade to Paperpal Prime  starting at US$19 a month  to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed.  

Experience the future of academic writing –  Sign up to Paperpal and start writing for free!  

Related Reads:

Mla works cited page: format, template & examples.

• 7 Best Referencing Tools and Citation Management Software for Academic Writing
• How to Write Your Research Paper in APA Format
• Cite Sources Accurately in 10,000+ Styles with Paperpal’s New Citation Generator

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