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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

Free reflective essay example 01

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

Free reflective essay example 10

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.

Free reflective essay example 20

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

Free reflective essay example 30

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.

Reflective Essay Samples

Free reflective essay example 40

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How to Write a Reflective Essay

  • 3-minute read
  • 29th August 2018

If you think that a “reflective essay” is a college paper written on a mirror, this post is for you. That’s because we’re here to explain exactly what a reflective essay is and how to write one. And we can tell you from the outset that no mirrors are required to follow our advice.

2000 word reflective essay

What Is Reflective Writing?

The kind of “reflection” we’re talking about here is personal. It involves considering your own situation and analyzing it so you can learn from your experiences. To do this, you need to describe what happened, how you felt about it, and what you might be able to learn from it for the future.

This makes reflective writing a useful part of courses that involve work-based learning . For instance, a student nurse might be asked to write a reflective essay about a placement.

When writing a reflective essay, moreover, you may have to forget the rule about not using pronouns like “I” or “we” in academic writing. In reflective writing, using the first person is essential!

The Reflective Cycle

There are many approaches to reflective learning, but one of the most popular is Gibb’s Reflective Cycle . This was developed by Professor Graham Gibbs and can be applied to a huge range of situations. In all cases, though, it involves the following steps:

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  • Description – You will need to describe your experiences in detail. This includes what happened, where and when it happened, who else was involved, and what you did.
  • Feelings – How you felt before, during, and after the experience you describe.
  • Evaluation and Analysis – Think about what went well and what could be improved upon based on your experience. Try to refer to ideas you’ve learned in class while thinking about this.
  • Conclusions – Final thoughts on what you’ve learned from the experience.
  • Action – How you will put what you’ve learned into practice.

If your reflective essay addresses the steps above, you are on the right track!

Structuring a Reflective Essay

While reflective essays vary depending upon topic and subject area, most share a basic overall structure. Unless you are told otherwise, then, your essay should include the following:

  • Introduction – A brief outline of what your essay is about.
  • Main Body – The main part of your essay will be a description of what happened and how it made you feel . This is also where you will evaluate and analyze your experiences, either as part of the description or as a separate section in the essay.
  • Conclusion – The conclusion of your essay should sum up what you have learned from reflecting on your experiences and what you would do differently in the future.
  • Reference List – If you have cited any sources in your essay, make sure to list them with full bibliographic information at the end of the document.

Finally, once you’ve written your essay, don’t forget to get it checked for spelling and grammar errors!

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Writing a Reflective Essay: A Complete Guide

Thomas Babb

Reflective essays, an integral part of academic writing , offer students a unique opportunity to engage in introspection and articulate their personal experiences and learnings. Distinct from traditional essays, reflective writing focuses on conveying the writer's internal thought processes, often relating to real-life experiences, and drawing insightful conclusions from them.

Whether you are a high school student encountering reflective essays for the first time or a university student looking to hone your skills, this guide is tailored to provide clear and structured guidance. By the end of this article, you will be equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to craft a compelling and introspective reflective essay.

The Essence of Reflective Writing

What is a Reflective Essay

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Reflective writing is a distinctive form of expression that goes beyond mere recounting of events. It requires students to not only describe their experiences but also to analyse and learn from them. This type of essay is prevalent in both high school and university curricula, as it fosters critical thinking, personal growth, and a deeper understanding of subject matter.

Understanding Reflective Essays

Reflective essays differ from traditional academic essays in their focus and style. While most academic writings rely on external sources and objective analysis, reflective essays are introspective and subjective. Unlike argumentative essays , as IGCSE tutors point out, reflective essays focus more on personal growth than on presenting an argument. They encourage students to delve into their feelings, reactions, and changes in perspective in response to a particular experience or concept. This form of writing serves as a bridge between theory and practice, helping students apply academic theories to real-life scenarios.

Purpose in Academic Settings

The purpose of reflective writing in educational settings is multifold:

  • Enhances Critical Thinking : Reflective writing pushes students to think critically about their actions, decisions, and experiences, encouraging a deeper level of learning.
  • Promotes Personal Development : It allows students to assess their growth, strengths, and areas for improvement, facilitating personal development.
  • Encourages Active Learning : By reflecting on their experiences, students engage in active learning, making connections between coursework and real life.

Reflective essays are a valuable tool in education, enabling students to synthesise their experiences with academic knowledge, resulting in a deeper understanding of both. As students progress in their academic journeys, the ability to reflect becomes increasingly vital, fostering both academic success and personal growth .

Topic Selection for Reflective Essays

Choosing the right topic is the first step in writing a reflective essay. The topic should be meaningful and relevant to the writer, allowing for a deep and thoughtful exploration of personal experiences.

Tips for Choosing Topics

  • Personal Relevance : Select a topic that is personally significant. Reflect on experiences that have shaped your perspective, beliefs, or learning.
  • Scope for Reflection : Choose a topic that allows for introspection and analysis. It should enable you to delve into your thoughts and feelings about the experience.
  • Educational Value : Consider topics that align with your academic objectives or course themes. Reflecting on experiences related to your studies can deepen your understanding of the subject matter.

Example Topics

For school students, topics might include:

  • A time when you overcame a challenge.
  • Reflecting on a group project and your contribution.
  • Learning experiences during a significant school event.

University students might consider topics like:

  • Reflections on a particular academic assignment or project.
  • Experiences from internships or work placements.
  • Insights gained from a challenging course or lecture.

These are just a few examples. Potential reflective essay topics that you can write on are endless.

Role of Personal Experience

Your personal experiences are at the heart of a reflective essay. They provide the framework for your narrative and reflection. When selecting a topic, consider experiences that have prompted you to think differently, challenged your preconceptions, or contributed to your personal or academic growth.

The right topic can make the reflective writing process not only more manageable but also more enriching. It becomes a journey of self-discovery, allowing you to connect your personal experiences with broader themes and concepts.

Structuring a Reflective Essay

A well-structured reflective essay facilitates a clear and coherent presentation of thoughts. It typically follows a conventional essay structure with an introduction, body, and conclusion, each serving a distinct purpose in the reflective process. IGCSE tutors recommend that students devote ample time to planning the essay structure for clarity and coherence.

Introduction

The introduction sets the stage for your reflective essay. As noted by experienced A-level tutors , crafting a compelling introduction is important for reflective essays. It should:

  • Engage the Reader : Start with a hook that captures the reader's interest. This could be a compelling question, a striking quote, or a vivid description of the experience.
  • Present the Focus : Briefly introduce the experience or concept you will be reflecting on, setting the context for your readers.
  • Thesis Statement : Conclude the introduction with a thesis statement that outlines the main insights or learnings derived from the experience.

The body is where the bulk of reflection takes place. It should be structured around specific aspects of your experience or different stages of your learning. Each paragraph should:

  • Describe the Experience : Start by describing a specific part of the experience. Use sensory details to make your narrative engaging.
  • Analyse and Reflect : Follow the description with analysis and reflection. Discuss your feelings, reactions, and any changes in perspective. Connect your personal experience to wider concepts or theories if applicable.
  • Use Examples : Include specific examples to illustrate your points, making your reflections more relatable and concrete. Use the 'PEAL' method to effectively structure your points.

The conclusion wraps up your essay, and should:

  • Summarise Insights : Reiterate the key insights or learnings derived from your reflection.
  • Reflect on Impact : Discuss how this reflection has affected or might affect your personal or academic life.
  • End with a Thought : Conclude with a final thought or question that leaves the reader pondering, effectively closing the reflective cycle.

Logical Flow and Coherence

Maintaining a logical flow in your essay is important in reflective writing. Ensure that your essay progresses smoothly from one point to the next, with each paragraph building upon the previous one. Use transitional phrases to guide the reader through your narrative and reflections.

A well-structured reflective essay not only demonstrates your ability to introspect and analyse experiences but also enhances the reader's understanding of your personal journey. By effectively organising your thoughts and insights, you can craft a reflective essay that is both insightful and engaging.

Writing Techniques for Reflective Essays

How to Write a Reflective Essay

How to Write a Reflective Essay

Effective reflective writing employs specific techniques that differentiate it from other academic writing styles. These techniques help in conveying personal experiences and insights in a meaningful and engaging way.

Utilising First-Person Narrative

Reflective essays are typically written in the first person to convey personal experiences and reflections. This style allows for a more intimate and direct expression of thoughts and feelings. Use phrases like "I felt," "I realised," or "I learned" to articulate your personal journey.

Balancing Descriptive and Analytical Writing

A reflective essay should strike a balance between descriptive and analytical writing . While it's important to describe the experience vividly, it's equally crucial to analyse and reflect on that experience. Here's how you can maintain this balance:

  • Descriptive Writing : Describe the experience in detail, focusing on what happened, where it happened, and who was involved. Use sensory details to bring your narrative to life.
  • Analytical Writing : After describing the experience, move on to analyse it. Discuss how the experience affected you, what you learned from it, and how it relates to broader concepts or theories.

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Example Paragraphs for Effective Reflective Writing

To illustrate the blend of descriptive and analytical writing in reflective essays, let's delve deeper into a few examples:

Example 1: Reflecting on a Personal Challenge

  • Descriptive : "When I faced the challenge of speaking in front of a large audience for the first time, my hands trembled, and my voice was barely above a whisper. The room seemed to close in on me, and I could feel every eye fixed in my direction."
  • Analytical : "This moment was pivotal in my understanding of my public speaking fears. It made me realise the power of self-confidence and the importance of preparation. Subsequently, I joined a public speaking club, which gradually helped me overcome my fear and improved my communication skills."

Example 2: Learning from a Group Project

  • Descriptive : "In our group project, tensions rose as deadlines approached. We struggled to integrate diverse ideas and work styles, leading to heated discussions and, occasionally, outright conflict."
  • Analytical : "This experience highlighted the complexity of team dynamics and the value of conflict resolution skills. I learned the significance of empathy and active listening in teamwork. It taught me that diverse perspectives, when harmoniously combined, can lead to innovative solutions."

Product and Process of Reflection

Example 3: Adapting to University Life

  • Descriptive : "My first semester at university was a whirlwind of emotions. Navigating a new environment, managing a more demanding workload, and balancing social activities were daunting tasks."
  • Analytical : "This transition period was critical for my personal growth. It taught me the importance of time management, self-discipline, and reaching out for support when needed. Adapting to university life honed my resilience and independence, skills that are invaluable in both academic and personal contexts."

These examples demonstrate how to effectively use descriptive elements to set the scene and analytical insights to reflect on the experience. The descriptive part immerses the reader in the situation, making the experience relatable, while the analytical part provides a deeper understanding of the impact and learnings from that experience.

Incorporating Feelings and Thoughts

Your reflective essay should delve into your emotional journey. Describe how the experience made you feel, how your thoughts evolved over time, and what internal conflicts you might have experienced. This introspection adds depth to your reflective writing.

Connecting Personal Experience to Broader Themes

Where relevant, connect your personal experiences to broader themes or academic theories. This not only demonstrates your ability to apply theoretical knowledge to real-life situations but also adds depth and context to your reflections.

By mastering these writing techniques, you can create a reflective essay that is both introspective and insightful, providing a window into your personal growth and learning.

Using Evidence and Examples in Reflective Essays

Incorporating evidence and examples is important in reflective essays to substantiate your reflections and offer a tangible context to your experiences. This approach not only enriches your essay but also demonstrates your ability to connect personal experiences with broader themes or academic theories.

Integrating Personal Experiences as Evidence

Your personal experiences act as the primary evidence in a reflective essay. These experiences, when detailed and analysed, provide the foundation for your reflections. For instance, discussing how a specific event changed your perspective or influenced your decisions adds authenticity and depth to your essay.

Citing External Sources

Evidence in Writing

While reflective essays are primarily subjective, referencing external academic sources can add credibility and context. This could include:

  • Academic Theories : Relating your experiences to relevant theories or models can deepen your analysis. IB tutors often emphasise the importance of connecting personal reflection with broader academic concepts, a skill key in IB assessments . For example, connecting a personal leadership experience to established leadership theories.
  • Research Studies : Citing research that supports or contrasts your experience can offer a broader perspective and demonstrate your engagement with the subject.
  • Statistical Data : Including relevant statistical data can provide a factual basis for your reflections. For example, if reflecting on a community service experience, you might include statistics about the issue your service addressed.
  • Quotes from Academic Texts or Experts : Quoting experts in the field or relevant academic texts can provide a theoretical or professional perspective that complements your personal reflections.
  • Case Studies : Referencing case studies can help contextualise your experiences within a broader setting, showing how similar situations are handled or analysed in academic or professional domains.

Balancing Anecdotal and Academic Evidence

The key to a successful reflective essay is balancing anecdotal (personal experiences) and academic (external sources) evidence. This balance ensures that while the essay remains personal and introspective, it also engages with academic discourse, adding depth and credibility to your reflections.

Examples to Illustrate Points

Use specific examples to illustrate your reflections. For instance, if you are reflecting on teamwork, describe a particular team project, detail the dynamics and challenges, and then analyse what this experience taught you about teamwork and collaboration. Concrete examples make your reflections more relatable and understandable.

Incorporating evidence and examples effectively can transform your reflective essay into a rich and insightful narrative, blending personal experiences with academic rigour.

Overcoming Common Writing Challenges

Writing a reflective essay can be a deeply personal and, at times, challenging process. Students often encounter specific hurdles that can make reflective writing seem daunting. Here, we address some common challenges and offer strategies to overcome them.

Overcoming Writer's Block

Writer's block is a frequent challenge, particularly when trying to articulate deep, personal experiences. To overcome this:

  • Take a Break : Sometimes stepping away from your essay can clear your mind.
  • Freewriting : Write down your thoughts without worrying about structure or grammar. This can help the ideas start flowing.
  • Discuss Your Ideas : Talking about your experiences with others can provide new perspectives and insights.

Ensuring Depth of Reflection

Reflective essays require a level of depth that goes beyond mere description. To achieve this:

  • Ask Yourself Questions : What did I learn from this experience? How did it change me? What would I do differently?
  • Connect to Broader Themes : Relate your experience to larger societal, academic, or personal growth themes.
  • Use a Reflection Model : Models like Gibbs' Reflective Cycle can provide a structured approach to your reflection.

Maintaining Coherence and Flow

A reflective essay should be coherent and easy to follow. To ensure this:

  • Create an Outline : Plan the structure of your essay beforehand.
  • Use Transitional Phrases : Phrases like 'as a result,' 'consequently,' and 'on reflection' can help in maintaining flow.
  • Read Aloud : Reading your essay out loud can help you catch disjointed areas or abrupt transitions.

Dealing with Emotional Topics

Reflective essays often delve into personal and sometimes emotional experiences. When dealing with such topics:

  • Maintain a Balance : While it's important to be honest, ensure your writing doesn't become overly sentimental.
  • Seek Feedback : Getting an external perspective from a supervisor or tutor can help ensure your reflection is conveyed effectively.

By addressing these challenges head-on and employing these strategies, students can enhance the quality of their reflective writing, turning potential obstacles into opportunities for deeper insight and learning.

Finalising and Refining Your Essay

Once the initial draft of your reflective essay is complete, the next step is to refine and finalise it. This stage is very important to ensure that your essay is coherent, polished, and effectively communicates your reflections.

Revision Techniques Specific to Reflective Essays

  • Reflect on the Reflective Quality : Ensure that your essay doesn't just recount events but also reflects on them. Are you analysing and learning from your experiences?
  • Check for Personal Insights : Your essay should include personal insights and learnings. Make sure these are clearly articulated and connected to the broader themes.
  • Evaluate the Structure : Review the structure of your essay. Each part – introduction, body, and conclusion – should serve its purpose and contribute to the overall narrative.

Importance of Feedback

  • Peer Review : Getting feedback from peers or mentors can provide valuable insights. They might point out areas that need more clarity or depth. Seeking the help of an expert English tutor can be especially helpful in this regard.
  • Consider Different Perspectives : Feedback can also help you understand how your reflections may be perceived by others, ensuring your message is conveyed effectively.

Iterative Improvement

  • Revise Multiple Times : Don't hesitate to revise your essay multiple times. Each revision can help refine your thoughts and expression.
  • Focus on Language and Tone : Ensure that you use clear language that is appropriate for your audience. Maintain a reflective and introspective tone throughout.

Checking for Language Accuracy

  • Grammar and Spelling : Thoroughly check for grammatical errors and spelling mistakes.
  • Readability : Make sure your essay is easy to read and understand. Use simple language where possible and avoid jargon.

Finalising your reflective essay is a critical step in the writing process. It involves revisiting and revising your work to ensure clarity, coherence, and a true reflection of your personal growth and learning. This final polishing can significantly enhance the effectiveness and impact of your reflective narrative.

In summary, writing a reflective essay is a valuable exercise that not only contributes to academic growth but also personal development. This guide has walked you through each step of the process, from understanding the essence of reflective writing and choosing a topic, to structuring your essay and refining the final draft. By employing the techniques and strategies discussed, you can craft a reflective essay that is insightful, coherent, and deeply personal. Remember, reflective writing is as much about the journey of self-discovery as it is about the final product. Embrace this opportunity to reflect, learn, and grow.

Can reflective essays include hypothetical scenarios?

Reflective essays predominantly focus on real-life experiences. However, hypothetical scenarios can be used to illustrate points or compare potential outcomes. For example, if you're reflecting on a decision, you might hypothesise about the alternative paths and their potential impacts. This can deepen your reflection by showing an understanding of different perspectives. However, the primary focus should remain on real experiences and personal insights.

How long should a reflective essay typically be?

The length of a reflective essay varies depending on the context and purpose. In academic settings, they typically range from 500 to 2000 words. This length allows for a thorough exploration of the topic while maintaining focus and clarity. It's enough space to describe experiences, reflect on them, and draw conclusions. Always adhere to any specific word count requirements provided by your instructor or institution.

Are citations necessary in reflective essays?

Citations in reflective essays are not mandatory but can enhance your writing. When you reference theories, models, or research, citations add depth and academic rigour to your reflections. They show your engagement with the subject beyond personal experiences and demonstrate your ability to connect personal insights with academic knowledge. However, the focus should remain on personal reflection rather than extensive academic research.

Can I use visuals in my reflective essay?

Including visuals in a reflective essay can be effective, especially if they help illustrate your points or experiences. Visual elements like photographs, charts, or mind maps can add depth and clarity to your narrative. They can make abstract concepts more tangible and enhance the reader's understanding. Ensure any visuals directly relate to your reflection and add to the essay's overall message.

How do I choose a reflective essay title?

A reflective essay title should be insightful and directly related to your core reflection. It needs to be engaging and give an indication of the essay's focus. Consider using a title that encapsulates your main learning or the most impactful aspect of your experience. The title should invite the reader into your reflective journey and give a hint of what they can learn from your experiences.

Is it okay to use informal language in reflective essays?

Reflective essays can have a slightly informal tone due to their personal nature. However, it's important to strike a balance. The language should remain respectful and professional, suitable for an academic context. Avoid slang and colloquialisms, and maintain clarity and precision in your writing. The tone should be personal and introspective, yet mature and analytical.

How can I make my reflective essay more engaging?

Engaging reflective essays often use vivid descriptions, personal anecdotes, and express genuine emotions and insights. To enhance engagement, write in a way that invites the reader to share your experiences and learnings. Use descriptive language to paint a clear picture of your experiences and include reflections that are relatable and thought-provoking. Engaging essays also have a clear structure, making them easy to follow and understand.

Should reflective essays have a bibliography?

If your reflective essay includes citations of external sources, a bibliography is necessary. It provides a reference list for your citations, ensuring academic integrity and allowing readers to explore the sources for further information. Including a bibliography also demonstrates your commitment to thoroughness and accuracy in your academic work.

Can I write a reflective essay in dialogue form?

Writing a reflective essay in dialogue form can be effective for illustrating interactions and varying perspectives. It can add a dynamic element to your writing, making it more relatable and vivid. However, ensure that the dialogue serves the purpose of reflection and introspection. It should contribute to the overall narrative and help express your thoughts, feelings, and learnings.

How do I balance emotion and analysis in reflective writing?

Balancing emotion and analysis is key to effective reflective writing. Start by vividly describing your experiences and emotions, then move into a more analytical phase where you reflect on the implications, learnings, and connections to broader themes or theories. It's about weaving the personal (emotion) with the academic (analysis) in a way that each enhances the other, providing a comprehensive view of your reflective journey.

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Thomas Babb

Written by: Thomas Babb

Thomas is a PhD candidate at Oxford University. He served as an interviewer and the lead admissions test marker at Oxford, and teaches undergraduate students at Mansfield College and St Hilda’s College. He has ten years’ experience tutoring A-Level and GCSE students across a range of subjects.

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8 Tips For Writing A Great Reflective Essay (With Examples)

By writing a reflective essay, you can capture some of these ephemeral emotions and make sense of who you are. Below, I share eight tips (and a few examples) that will help you do it in a better way. You may have to write a reflective essay as a part of an academic assignment or a college paper. Or perhaps you want to create it for yourself and never show it to anyone. Regardless of the reason, after reading this article, you will hopefully become better at it. They helped a lot of students over the years, so you may check them out.

Here’s how to write a great reflective essay:

1. first, what is a reflective essay, 2. the power of writing introspectively.

Many great men and women (like Charles Darwin or Frida Kahlo ) had a habit of keeping a journal. This seems to be forgotten these days as we record everything through our mobile devices. But the habit of introspective writing and journaling helps you get in touch with your inner self and even improves your mental health. The reflective essay serves a similar purpose. It lets you search for meaning in your life and lets you discover the underlying causes of your actions.

“Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forwards.” – Søren Kierkegaard

3. How do you start your essay?

You may start with an introduction of experience, an event, or a memory on which you’ll reflect. If your topic is “a life-changing incident you had when you were a child,” you could start with: I used to live on a sunny farm with my parents and grandparents when I was young. A few days after I turned six, something happened that would alter the course of my life forever. I’m fifty-two as I’m writing this…

This beginning has certain elements that make it effective:

“When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.” – Ralph Ellison

4. Learn how to structure your essay

In terms of length, it all depends on your assignment, but usually, the reflective essay has between 300 and 700 words . It has a rather informal structure and the use of language. After all, you’re drilling into your personal experiences, and often, this requires a poetic turn of the phrase. You’re more than welcome to use a wide range of advanced vocabulary .

Introduction

In this part, you set the tone for your reflection. You implicitly or explicitly say what will you reflect on, and what prompted you to do that. If you’re writing an academic paper , you’ll have to be more direct and for example, say: “What follows, are my reflections on what I’ve learned about life during the first year of college”.

Here, you sum up your essay and leave your audience with a final thought. Look ahead into the future and write about how your experiences are going to affect your life from now on. What’s the direction you’re going to take? What is there to look ahead to? You may also look backward and see how different you were in the past, compared to now. “I think it’s good for a person to spend time alone. It allows them to discover who they are and to figure out why they are always alone.” – Amy Sedaris

5. Create an outline for your essay

As with most writing assignments , the work begins with ideation and then creating some sort of outline . Here’s a simple process you can use to get everything ready before you start writing: a) Scan your mind in search of powerful experiences, meaningful memories, and thoughts about your past. This will serve as a raw material from which you’ll sculpt a piece of prose. b) Consider the attractiveness of your topic from the reader’s point of view. You certainly don’t want to bore anyone, so pick something interesting, but important. c) Organize your essay and divide it into a couple of paragraphs. Each paragraph should contain one important idea. d) Decide in which sequence you would like to share your ideas. Put some logic and chronology behind it. e) Jot down any side notes included in the essay. It’s always better to have an overabundance of material.

“Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” – C.G. Jung

6. The essay-writing process

Once you have the idea, you can follow a simple process:, 7. how to pick the right topic for your essay.

If you’re writing an assignment, you’ll probably receive the prompt from your professor. If that’s the case, follow it diligently. This may be something like: a) Reflect on what you learned during your first year of high school. b) Think about your favorite book and how it changed your life . c) How did your writing skills change over the years? And why? Or it might be something really specific like Write a two-page reflection paper on the Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. Here, it’s not only about your personal experience, but about your interaction with a specific text, event, play, or movie and the effect it had on you. But what if you want to write an essay on your own? Which topic would you choose then? First, pick something meaningful to you. Second, pick something that you know well. Third, pick something that you want to explore and get deep into.

Here’s some more inspiration in the area of topics:

Personal reflection:, reflection on life and meaning:, reflection on events:.

“Reflect upon your present blessings — of which every man has many — not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” – Charles Dickens

8. Learn from the masters

Montaigne was the father of the essay as a literary form. He was the first writer to use informal tone, colloquial language, and rather prosaic themes to get to the deeper truth about human nature.

I recommend you check his essays for inspiration, along with other masterworks:

And here are a few books filled with great reflective essays:.

And here you may find a huge list of 450+ essay books on Goodreads.

“Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.” – Albert Einstein

Example #1 of a reflective essay:

The misgivings about the high school football, here’s a second, shorter sample of a reflective essay:, the sources of love for instrumental music., looking backward, moving forward.

There are certain milestones in your life: finishing high school, falling in love for the first time, your first journey abroad, the first kiss, the first psychedelic trip, graduating from the university, getting your first job, getting married, having children… Each of these brings something new and unexpected and makes you grow as an individual. But you can run through life and never reflect on how it all changed , how silly and incompetent you were just a few years ago. And how you’ll think the same thing about the present in a few years. Perhaps you should compose a reflective essay and think about all of this, and about what’s coming. Next up, you may want to explore a list of the best essays of all time .

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Ultimate Guide to Writing a Reflective Essay

Carla johnson.

  • June 14, 2023
  • How to Guides

Writing about yourself is a powerful way to learn and grow as a person. It is a type of writing that makes you think about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences and how they have affected your personal and professional growth. A reflective essay is a type of writing that lets you talk about your own experiences, thoughts, and insights. In this article , we’ll tell you everything you need to know about writing a reflective essay, from how to define it and figure out what it’s for to how to do it well.

What You'll Learn

Definition of a Reflective Essay

A reflective essay is a type of writing in which you write about your own thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It is a type of personal writing that lets you talk about your own thoughts and experiences and share them with other people. Students are often asked to write reflective essays for school, but they can also be used for personal or professional growth.

Purpose of a Reflective Essay

The goal of a reflective essay is to get you to think about your life and how it has affected your personal and professional growth. Reflective essays can help you learn more about yourself and your experiences, as well as find places where you can grow and improve. They can also help you get better at writing and better at getting your ideas across.

Importance of Reflective Writing

Writing about yourself and your work is an important way to grow personally and professionally. It can help you learn more about yourself, figure out where you need to grow and change, and learn more about how you think and feel. Writing about yourself can also help you get better at critical thinking and analysis , and it can help you get your ideas across better. It is a useful tool for anyone who wants to grow personally and professionally, and it can be used in many different situations, from academic writing to keeping a personal journal.

Writing about yourself and your work is a powerful way to grow personally and professionally. Reflective essays give you a chance to think about your own life and how it has affected your personal and professional growth. By writing about your thoughts and feelings, you can learn more about them, find ways to grow and improve, and improve your writing and communication skills . In the next parts of this article, we’ll show you how to write a good reflective essay step by step, from choosing a topic and organizing your thoughts to writing and revising your essay.

Elements of a Reflective Essay

A reflective essay is a type of writing that allows you to reflect on your personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings. There are several essential elements that should be included in a reflective essay to ensure that it is effective in conveying your personal reflections and experiences.

Personal Reflection

The first essential element of a reflective essay is personal reflection. This involves exploring your own thoughts and feelings about the experience you are reflecting on. It is important to be honest and open about your thoughts and feelings, as this will make your essay more authentic and meaningful.

Description of the Experience

The second element of a reflective essay is a description of the experience that you are reflecting on. This includes providing details about the experience, such as where it took place, who was involved, and what happened. The description should be clear and concise, and should provide enough detail for the reader to understand the context of your reflection.

Analysis of the Experience

The third element of a reflective essay is analysis of the experience. This involves exploring the experience in more depth, and examining your thoughts and feelings about it. You should consider what you learned from the experience, and how it impacted your personal and professional growth .

Evaluation of the Experience

The fourth element of a reflective essay is evaluation of the experience. This involves examining the experience from different perspectives, and considering its strengths and weaknesses. You should reflect on what you would do differently if you were in the same situation again, and how you could improve your response or approach.

Identification of Key Learning

The fifth element of a reflective essay is identifying the key learning that you gained from the experience. This involves reflecting on the insights and lessons that you learned from the experience, and how these have impacted your personal and professional growth. This can include new skills, knowledge, or perspectives that you gained from the experience.

Planning for Future Action

The final element of a reflective essay is planning for future action. This involves considering how you can apply the lessons and insights gained from the experience to improve your future actions. You should reflect on how you can use what you learned to approach similar situations differently in the future.

How to Write a Reflective Essay

Writing a reflective essay can be a challenging task, but by following a few simple steps, you can write an effective and meaningful essay .

Steps for Writing a Reflective Essay:

1. Brainstorming and Selecting a Topic

Begin by brainstorming and selecting a topic for your reflective essay. Think about a personal experience or event that had a significant impact on your personal or professional growth.

2. Creating an Outline

Create an outline for your essay . This should include an introduction, body, and conclusion, as well as sections for each of the essential elements described above.

3. Writing the Introduction

Write the introduction for your essay . This should include a brief overview of the experience that you will be reflecting on, as well as the purpose and focus of your essay.

4. Writing the Body

Write the body of your essay, which should include the personal reflection, description of the experience, analysis of the experience, evaluation of the experience, identification of key learning, and planning for future action . Make sure to use specific examples and details to support your reflection.

5. Writing the Conclusion

Write the conclusion for your essay , which should summarize the key points of your reflection and provide closure for the reader. You can also include a final reflection on the experience and what it means to you.

6. Revising and Editing

Pay close attention to grammar, spelling, and sentence structure as you reread and edit your essay . Make sure your essay is easy to read and flows well. You might also want someone else to look over your essay and give you feedback and ideas.

If you follow these steps, you should be able to write a good reflective essay. Remember to be honest and open about your thoughts and feelings, and to support your reflection with specific examples and details. You can become a good reflective writer with practice , and you can use this skill to help your personal and professional growth.

Reflective Essay Topics

Reflective essays can be written on a wide range of topics, as they are based on personal experiences and reflections. Here are some common categories of reflective essay topics:

Personal Experiences

– A time when you overcame a personal challenge

– A difficult decision you had to make

– A significant event in your life that changed you

– A moment when you learned an important lesson

– A relationship that had a significant impact on you

Professional Experiences

– A challenging project or assignment at work

– A significant accomplishment or success in your career

– A time when you had to deal with a difficult colleague or boss

– A failure or setback in your career and what you learned from it

– A career change or transition that had a significant impact on you

Academic Experiences

– A challenging course or assignment in school

– A significant accomplishment or success in your academic career

– A time when you struggled with a particular subject or topic and how you overcame it

– A research project or paper that had a significant impact on you

– A teacher or mentor who had a significant impact on your academic career

Cultural Experiences

– A significant trip or travel experience

– A significant cultural event or celebration you participated in

– A time when you experienced culture shock

– A significant interaction with someone from a different culture

– A time when you learned something new about a different culture and how it impacted you

Social Issues

– A personal experience with discrimination or prejudice

– A time when you volunteered or worked for a social cause or organization

– A significant event or moment related to a social issue (e.g. protest, rally, community event)

– A time when you had to confront your own biases or privilege

– A social issue that you are passionate about and how it has impacted you personally

Reflective Essay Examples

Example 1: Reflecting on a Personal Challenge

In this reflective essay, the writer reflects on a personal challenge they faced and how they overcame it. They explore their thoughts, feelings, and actions during this time, and reflect on the lessons they learned from the experience.

Example 2: Reflecting on a Professional Experience

In this reflective essay, the writer reflects on a challenging project they worked on at work and how they overcame obstacles to successfully complete it. They explore their thoughts and feelings about the experience and reflect on the skills and knowledge they gained from it.

Example 3: Reflecting on an Academic Assignment

In this reflective essay, the writer reflects on a challenging academic assignment they completed and how they overcame difficulties to successfully complete it. They explore their thoughts and feelings about the experience and reflect on the skills and knowledge they gained from it.

Example 4: Reflecting on a Cultural Experience

In this reflective essay, the writer reflects on a significant cultural experience they had, such as traveling to a new country or participating in a cultural event. Theyexplore their thoughts and feelings about the experience, reflect on what they learned about the culture, and how it impacted them personally.

Example 5: Reflecting on a Social Issue

In this reflective essay, the writer reflects on their personal experiences with discrimination or prejudice and how it impacted them. They explore their thoughts and feelings about the experience, reflect on what they learned about themselves and the issue, and how they can take action to address it.

These examples demonstrate how reflective essays can be used to explore a wide range of personal experiences and reflections. By exploring your own thoughts and feelings about an experience, you can gain insights into your personal and professional growth and identify areas for further development . Reflective writing is a powerful tool for self-reflection and personal growth, and it can be used in many different contexts to help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you.

Reflective Essay Outline

A reflective essay should follow a basic outline that includes an introduction, body, and conclusion. Here is a breakdown of each section:

Introduction: The introduction should provide an overview of the experience you will be reflecting on and a preview of the key points you will be discussing in your essay .

Body: The body of the essay should include several paragraphs that explore your personal reflection, description of the experience, analysis of the experience, evaluation of the experience, identification of key learning, and planning for future action.

Conclusion: The conclusion should summarize the key points of your reflection and provide closure for the reader.

Reflective Essay Thesis

A reflective essay thesis is a statement that summarizes the main points of your essay and provides a clear focus for your writing. A strong thesis statement is essential for a successful reflective essay, as it helps to guide your writing and ensure that your essay is focused and coherent.

Importance of a Strong Thesis Statement

A strong thesis statement is important for several reasons. First, it provides a clear focus for your writing, which helps to ensure that your essay is coherent and well-organized. Second, it helps to guide your writing and ensure that you stay on topic throughout your essay . Finally, it helps to engage your reader and provide them with a clear understanding of what your essay is about.

Tips for Writing a Thesis Statement

To write a strong thesis statement for your reflective essay, follow these tips:

– Be clear and concise: Yourthesis statement should clearly state the main focus and purpose of your essay in a concise manner.

– Use specific language: Use specific language to describe the experience you will be reflecting on and the key points you will be discussing in your essay .

– Make it arguable: A strong thesis statement should be arguable and provide some insight or perspective on the experience you are reflecting on.

– Reflect on the significance: Reflect on the significance of the experience you are reflecting on and why it is important to you.

Reflective Essay Structure

The structure of a reflective essay is important for ensuring that your essay is well-organized and easy to read. A clear structure helps to guide the reader through your thoughts and reflections, and it makes it easier for them to understand your main points.

The Importance of a Clear Structure

A clear structure is important for several reasons. First, it helps to ensure that your essay is well-organized and easy to read. Second, it helps to guide your writing and ensure that you stay on topic throughout your essay. Finally, it helps to engage your reader and provide them with a clear understanding of the key points you are making.

Tips for Structuring a Reflective Essay

To structure your reflective essay effectively, follow these tips:

– Start with an introduction that provides an overview of the experience you are reflecting on and a preview of the key points you will be discussing in your essay .

– Use body paragraphs to explore your personal reflection, description of the experience, analysisof the experience, evaluation of the experience, identification of key learning, and planning for future action. Ensure that each paragraph has a clear focus and supports your thesis statement .

– Use transition words and phrases to connect your paragraphs and make your essay flow smoothly.

– End your essay with a conclusion that summarizes the key points of your reflection and provides closure for the reader.

– Consider using subheadings to organize your essay and make it more structured and easy to read.

By following these tips, you can create a clear and well-structured reflective essay that effectively communicates your personal experiences and reflections. Remember to use specific examples and details to support your reflection, and to keep your focus on the main topic and thesis statement of your essay .

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. what is a reflective essay.

A reflective essay is a type of writing that allows you to reflect on your personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings. It involves exploring your own thoughts and feelings about an experience, and reflecting on what you learned from it.

2. What are the elements of a reflective essay?

The essential elements of a reflective essay include personal reflection, description of the experience, analysis of the experience, evaluation of the experience, identification of key learning, and planning for future action.

3. How do I choose a topic for a reflective essay?

To choose a topic for a reflective essay, think about a personal experience or event that had a significant impact on your personal or professional growth. You may also consider professional experiences, academic experiences, cultural experiences, or social issues that have impacted you personally.

Reflective writing is a powerful tool for personal and professional development. By exploring your own thoughts and feelings about an experience, you can gain insights into your personal and professional growth and identify areas for further development. To write an effective reflective essay, it is important to follow a clear structure, use specific examples and details to support your reflection, and stay focused on the main topic and thesis statement of your essay . By following these tips and guidelines, you can become a skilled reflective writer and use this tool to improve your personal and professional growth.

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Reflective Essay Guide

Writing Reflective Essay

Last updated on: Feb 9, 2023

A Step by Step Guide to Writing a Reflective Essay

By: John K.

Reviewed By: Jacklyn H.

Published on: May 11, 2021

Reflective Essay

If you have been assigned the task of writing a reflective essay, it will be an excellent opportunity to polish your creativity and writing skills.

A reflective essay is slightly different from other essays as it requires a personal point of view of a chosen subject. Thus, you need to analyze a particular subject with your personal experience, understanding, and knowledge.

The only key to write a reflective paper is that you need to be more expressive. The more expressive you are, the merrier it will be for your essay. Feel free to talk about life experiences that are valid to your topic. Writing your reflections can actually be a strength in this kind of essay.

If this sounds like something that interests or concerns you, then keep reading! This blog contains every detail necessary to produce an impressive reflective essay.

Reflective Essay

On this Page

What Is a Reflective Essay?

A reflective essay describes an experience or event and analyzes the meaning of that particular experience and the lessons it delivers. One thing that makes it a reflective essay is that the writer analyzes an event of the past from the present.

When writing a reflective essay, you are required to open up about your emotions and thoughts to paint a clear picture of your personality, history, and individual traits.

It is required that you include a description and a vivid summary of the experience; it will make the reader feel that he has experienced it as well. Moreover, you need to explain your reactions, thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

A good reflective paper should be creative, insightful, and authentic. It needs to express your opinions on a specific topic interestingly so that the reader wants to follow what you're saying without getting bored or leaving it before reading.

Reflective Essay Format

REFLECTIVE ESSAY FORMAT AND TEMPLATE

How to Start a Reflective Essay?

Writing a great reflective essay is a chance to polish your skills of writing and enhance your creativity. However, sometimes, it gets difficult and confusing to write it. There are many high schools as well as college students who get confused thinking where to start.

So, we have compiled some steps that will help you to write a perfect essay.

Let’s discuss them in detail.

1. Choose Your Topic Carefully

If you are given the freedom to choose a topic and don’t have any idea regarding it, the best way is to brainstorm and research some trending and good topic ideas. Unfortunately, a common mistake when writing a reflective essay is to choose a topic that is too broad or too narrow.

2. Research About Your Subject

Make sure you do thorough research on your topic first. Close your eyes and start imagining or remembering. Then, watch, listen, and read the information regarding your topic.

3. Brainstorm

Before you even start writing, brainstorm your ideas first. It is always a wise step to take before writing anything.

4. Choose Reflection Questions

Take a look at the questions below to get a better idea:

  • What did I notice?
  • What do I feel about it?
  • Why am I feeling this way?

5. Answer the Questions You Have Chosen

After selecting your questions, you need to give their answers. Start from one essay question; make sure you answer it properly. After that, head on to the next one.

6. Recognize Your Experience Meaning

Before you even start writing, you need to choose the most significant lesson you have learned from your experience. This “most significant lesson or thing” is going to be the thesis of your essay.

7. Follow the Structure

Like all the other essays, the reflective essay also has the same format, which comprises the introduction, body, and conclusion paragraph.

Therefore, follow these steps and makes your essay writing process easy.

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How to Write a Reflective Essay?

Here are some steps that you should follow when you start writing your reflective paper.

1. Write the Introduction

To understand and know how to start a reflective essay introduction, you must first understand that an introduction is a piece of brief information about the main topic and its background.

In the reflective essay introduction, you will recognize the subject and provide the reader with an overview of the impression you have taken from it. Therefore, the introductory paragraph of your reflective essay needs to include a thesis statement that will act as a focal point of your paper.

2. Body Paragraphs

The first body paragraph should mention the impactful impression your subject has made on you. Then, provide relevant facts to support your thesis statement.

Moreover, the body of your essay will also describe most of the ideas you touched on in your introduction.

3. Write a Conclusion

Restate your thesis statement and summarize all the reasons you have mentioned in the essay’s body paragraphs. After that, sum up your essay with your final thoughts on the subject; close your essay with some reflective thoughts.

4. Proofread and Edit

Never submit your essay without editing or proofreading. Even though you have spent hours of effort and put a lot of hard work in doing your essay, your essay will have no worth if you haven’t proofread and edited it.

Here is the reflective essay outline sample for your ease.

Reflective Essay Outline

REFLECTIVE ESSAY OUTLINE

Reflective Essay Examples

We have compiled some perfect reflective essay examples below to help you get started on your paper.

Personal Reflective Essay Examples

PERSONAL REFLECTIVE ESSAY EXAMPLES

ENGLISH REFLECTIVE ESSAY EXAMPLES

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Reflective Essay Topics

Check out these reflective essay ideas on the most common subjects you can write about:

  • Something from your imagination
  • Something you have experienced in real
  • A special object
  • Something you have seen, heard, read, watched, touched, or smelled.

We are sure these subjects must have sparked your imagination, but here are a few essay topics that will help you get the bigger picture. In addition, these topics will help you understand the kind of topics teachers like to assign.

  • The desert, mountains, countryside, or beach
  • A special room or hideaway
  • The house you grew up
  • Home of some relative
  • A person that taught me how to improve reflective writing skills
  • New Experiences
  • When your piece of writing published
  • Important conversation
  • The older man line of thought
  • The time you overcame your fears

A list of topics will help you get a picture of what good ideas are like and how to come up with one of your own.

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Your essays are assigned to highly qualified essay writers who have years of experience and education. They make sure to provide you with mind-blowing, error-free, and on-time essays. They don’t just cater to the reflective essay but help with all types of essays.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a reflective essay.

The reflective essay should be between 300 and 500 words. However, it will vary according to the chosen topic.

What is the purpose of a reflective essay?

A reflective essay is a great opportunity for the author to explore what has happened in their life and show how this specific event may have changed them.

John K.

PhD Essay, Literature

John K. is a professional writer and author with many publications to his name. He has a Ph.D. in the field of management sciences, making him an expert on the subject matter. John is highly sought after for his insights and knowledge, and he regularly delivers keynote speeches and conducts workshops on various topics related to writing and publishing. He is also a regular contributor to various online publications.

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Reflective Essay: Introduction, Structure, Topics, Examples For University

Table of Contents

If you’re not quite sure how to go about writing reflective essays, they can be a real stumbling block. Reflective essays are essentially a critical examination of a life experience, and with the right guidance, they don’t have to be too difficult to write. As with other essays, a reflective essay needs to be well structured and easily understood, but its content is more like a diary entry.

This guide discusses how to write a successful reflective essay, including what makes a great structure and some tips on the writing process. To make this guide the ultimate guide for anyone who needs help with reflective essays, we’ve included an example reflective essay as well.

Reflective Essay

Reflective essays require students to examine their life experiences, especially those which left an impact.

Reflective Essay

The purpose of writing a reflective essay is to challenge students to think deeply and to learn from their experiences. This is done by describing their thoughts and feelings regarding a certain experience and analyzing its impact.

Reflective essays are a unique form of academic writing that encourages introspection and self-analysis. They provide an opportunity for individuals to reflect upon their experiences, thoughts, and emotions, and effectively communicate their insights. In this article, we will explore the essential components of a reflective essay, discuss popular topics, provide guidance on how to start and structure the essay, and offer examples to inspire your writing.

I. Understanding Reflective Essays:

  • Definition and purpose of reflective essays
  • Key characteristics that distinguish them from other types of essays
  • Benefits of writing reflective essays for personal growth and development

II. Choosing a Reflective Essay Topic:

  • Exploring personal experiences and their impact
  • Analyzing significant life events or milestones
  • Examining challenges, successes, or failures and lessons learned
  • Reflecting on personal growth and transformation
  • Discussing the impact of specific books, movies, or artworks
  • Analyzing the influence of cultural or social experiences
  • Reflecting on internships, volunteer work, or professional experiences

III. Starting a Reflective Essay:

  • Engage the reader with a captivating hook or anecdote
  • Introduce the topic and provide context
  • Clearly state the purpose and objectives of the reflection
  • Include a thesis statement that highlights the main insights to be discussed

IV. Writing a Reflective Essay on a Class:

  • Assessing the overall learning experience and objectives of the class
  • Analyzing personal growth and development throughout the course
  • Reflecting on challenges, achievements, and lessons learned
  • Discussing the impact of specific assignments, projects, or discussions
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of teaching methods and materials

V. Common Mistakes to Avoid in Reflective Essay Writing:

  • Superficial reflection without deep analysis
  • Overuse of personal opinions without supporting evidence
  • Lack of organization and coherence in presenting ideas
  • Neglecting to connect personal experiences to broader concepts or theories
  • Failing to provide specific examples to illustrate key points

VI. Why “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell is Classified as a Reflective Essay:

  • Briefly summarize the essay’s content and context
  • Analyze the introspective and self-analytical elements in Orwell’s narrative
  • Discuss the themes of moral conflict, imperialism, and personal conscience
  • Highlight Orwell’s reflections on the psychological and emotional impact of his actions

VII. Reflective Essay Structure:

  • Engaging opening statement or anecdote
  • Background information and context
  • Clear thesis statement
  • Present and analyze personal experiences, thoughts, and emotions
  • Reflect on the significance and impact of those experiences
  • Connect personal reflections to broader concepts or theories
  • Provide supporting evidence and specific examples
  • Summarize key insights and reflections
  • Emphasize the personal growth or lessons learned
  • Conclude with a thought-provoking statement or call to action

VIII. Reflective Essay Examples:

  • Example 1: Reflecting on a life-changing travel experience
  • Example 2: Analyzing personal growth during a challenging academic year
  • Example 3: Reflecting on the impact of volunteering at a local shelter

During a reflective essay, the writer examines his or her own experiences, hence the term ‘reflection’. The purpose of a reflective essay is to allow the author to recount a particular life experience. However, it should also explore how he or she has changed or grown as a result of the experience.

The format of reflective writing can vary, but you’ll most likely see it in the form of a learning log or diary entry. The author’s diary entries demonstrate how the author’s thoughts have developed and evolved over the course of a particular period of time.

The format of a reflective essay can vary depending on the intended audience. A reflective essay might be academic or part of a broader piece of writing for a magazine, for example.

While the format for class assignments may vary, the purpose generally remains the same: tutors want students to think deeply and critically about a particular learning experience. Here are some examples of reflective essay formats you may need to write:

Focusing on personal growth:

Tutors often use this type of paper to help students develop their ability to analyze their personal life experiences so that they can grow and develop emotionally. As a result of the essay, the student gains a better understanding of themselves and their behaviors.

Taking a closer look at the literature:

The purpose of this type of essay is for students to summarize the literature, after which it is applied to their own experiences.

What am I supposed to write about?

When deciding on the content of your reflective essay, you need to keep in mind that it is highly personal and is intended to engage the reader. Reflective essays are much more than just recounting a story. As you reflect on your experience (more on this later), you will need to demonstrate how it influenced your subsequent behavior and how your life has consequently changed.

Start by thinking about some important experiences in your life that have had a profound impact on you, either positively or negatively. A reflection essay topic could be a real-life experience, an imagined experience, a special object or place, a person who influenced you, or something you’ve seen or read.

If you are asked to write a reflective essay for an academic assignment, it is likely that you will be asked to focus on a particular episode – such as a time when you had to make an influential decision – and explain the results. In a reflective essay, the aftermath of the experience is especially significant; miss this out and you will simply be telling a story.

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Considerations

In this type of essay, the reflective process is at the core, so it’s important that you get it right from the beginning. Think deeply about how the experience you have chosen to focus on impacted or changed you. Consider the implications for you on a personal level based on your memories and feelings.

Once you have chosen the topic of your essay, it is imperative that you spend a lot of time thinking about it and studying it thoroughly. Write down everything you remember about it, describing it as clearly and completely as you can. Use your five senses to describe your experience, and be sure to use adjectives. During this stage, you can simply take notes using short phrases, but make sure to record your reactions, perceptions, and experiences.

As soon as you’ve emptied your memory, you should begin reflecting. Choosing some reflection questions that will help you think deeply about the impact and lasting effects of your experience is a helpful way to do this. Here are some suggestions:

  • As a result of the experience, what have you learned about yourself?
  • What have you developed as a result? How?
  • Has it had a positive or negative impact on your life?
  • Looking back, what would you do differently?
  • If you could go back, what would you do differently? Did you make the right decisions?
  • How would you describe the experience in general? What did you learn from the experience? What skills or perspectives did you acquire?

You can use these signpost questions to kick-start your reflective process. Remember that asking yourself lots of questions is crucial to ensuring that you think deeply and critically about your experiences – a skill at the heart of a great reflective essay.

Use models of reflection (like the Gibbs or Kolb cycles) before, during, and after the learning process to ensure that you maintain a high standard of analysis. Before you get to the nitty-gritty of the process, consider questions such as: what might happen (in regards to the experience)?

Will there be any challenges? What knowledge will be needed to best prepare? When you are planning and writing, these questions may be helpful: what is happening within the learning process? Has everything worked according to plan? How am I handling the challenges that come with it?

Do you need to do anything else to ensure that the learning process is successful? Is there anything I can learn from this? Using a framework like this will enable you to keep track of the reflective process that should guide your work.

Here’s a useful tip: no matter how well prepared you feel with all that time spent reflecting in your arsenal, don’t start writing your essay until you have developed a comprehensive, well-rounded plan. There will be so much more coherence in what you write, your ideas will be expressed with structure and clarity, and your essay will probably receive higher marks as a result.

It’s especially important when writing a reflective essay as it’s possible for people to get a little ‘lost’ or disorganized as they recount their own experiences in an erratic and often unsystematic manner since it’s an incredibly personal topic. But if you outline thoroughly (this is the same thing as a ‘plan’) and adhere to it like Christopher Columbus adhered to a map, you should be fine as you embark on the ultimate step of writing your essay. We’ve summarized the benefits of creating a detailed essay outline below if you’re still not convinced of the value of planning:

An outline can help you identify all the details you plan to include in your essay, allowing you to remove all superfluous details so that your essay is concise and to the point.

Think of the outline as a map – you plan in advance which points you will navigate through and discuss in your writing. You will more likely have a clear line of thought, making your work easier to understand. You’ll be less likely to miss out on any pertinent details, and you won’t have to go back at the end and try to fit them in.

This is a real-time-saver! When you use the outline as an essay’s skeleton, you’ll save a tremendous amount of time when writing because you’ll know exactly what you want to say. Due to this, you will be able to devote more time to editing the paper and ensuring it meets high standards.

As you now know the advantages of using an outline for your reflective essay, it is important that you know how to create one. There can be significant differences between it and other typical essay outlines, mostly due to the varying topics. As always, you need to begin your outline by drafting the introduction, body, and conclusion. We will discuss this in more detail below.

Introduction

Your reflective essay must begin with an introduction that contains both a hook and a thesis statement. The goal of a ‘hook’ is to capture the attention of your audience or reader from the very beginning. In the first paragraph of your story, you should convey the exciting aspects of your story so that you can succeed in

If you think about the opening quote of this article, did it grab your attention and make you want to read more? This thesis statement summarizes the essay’s focus, which in this case is a particular experience that left a lasting impression on you. Give a quick overview of your experience – don’t give too much information away or you’ll lose readers’ interest.

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Reflection Essay Structure

A reflective essay differs greatly from an argumentative or research paper in its format. Reflective essays are more like well-structured stories or diary entries that are rife with insights and reflections. Your essay may need to be formatted according to the APA style or MLA style.

In general, the length of a reflection paper varies between 300 and 700 words, but it is a good idea to check with your instructor or employer about the word count. Even though this is an essay about you, you should try to avoid using too much informal language.

The following shortcuts can help you format your paper according to APA or MLA style if your instructor asks:

MLA Format for Reflective Essay

  • Times New Roman 12 pt font double spaced;
  • 1” margins;
  • The top right includes the last name and page number on every page;
  • Titles are centered;
  • The header should include your name, your professor’s name, course number, and the date (dd/mm/yy);
  • The last page contains a Works Cited list.

Reflective Essay in APA Style

  • Include a page header on the top of every page;
  • Insert page number on the right;
  • Your reflective essay should be divided into four parts: Title Page, Abstract, Main Body, and References.

Reflective Essay Outline

Look at your brainstorming table to start organizing your reflective essay. ‘Past experience’ and ‘description’ should make up less than 10% of your essay.

You should include the following in your introduction:

  • Grab the reader’s attention with a short preview of what you’ll be writing about.

Example:  We found Buffy head-to-toe covered in tar, starved and fur in patches, under an abandoned garbage truck.

  • It is important to include ‘past experiences’ in a reflective essay thesis statement; a brief description of what the essay is about.

Example:  My summer volunteering experience at the animal shelter inspired me to pursue this type of work in the future.

Chronological events are the best way to explain the structure of body paragraphs. Respond to the bold questions in the ‘reflection’ section of the table to create a linear storyline.

Here’s an example of what the body paragraph outline should look like:

  • Explicit expectations about the shelter

Example:  I thought it was going to be boring and mundane.

  • The first impression
  • Experience at the shelter

Example:  Finding and rescuing Buffy.

  • Other experiences with rescuing animals
  • Discoveries

Example:  Newly found passion and feelings toward the work.

  • A newly developed mindset

Example:  How your thoughts about animal treatment have changed.

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Here’s How You Can Submit a Well-Written Reflective Essay for University

Even though writing a reflective essay may seem difficult at first, once you have a clear idea of what you will write and more importantly, how to write, it often gets easier as you go along. Here are five key writing tips to keep in mind when writing a reflective essay.

Choosing a Topic for Reflection

As a busy student, when was the last time you drowned yourself in thoughts and reflected on past experiences? Here is an assignment that intentionally puts you in that position.

Think about all of the experiences which have shaped you – a life-changing event, an interaction with someone you admire, a movie character that appealed to you, a book that gave you perspective, or any other experience which contributed to your character or thought process.

You should choose a topic that will help you reflect on your growth as an individual. Start brainstorming and record every idea that comes to mind.

Organize your thoughts in a mind map

The next step is to create a mind map to help you organize your essay once you have a rough idea of what you want to write.

You can use your mind map to quiz yourself by asking questions of relevance and putting together perspectives for your essay.

The purpose of this exercise is to give you an idea of what you want your essay to be about. It is important to keep pushing yourself to think more deeply and find meaning in your experiences in order to create a successful reflective essay.

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Start Freewriting

Sometimes, all you have to do is start writing. Essentially, that’s what freewriting is all about.

After brainstorming, creating a mind map, and organizing your thoughts, open a blank document and start writing. Do not stop to think or to edit – just write as your thoughts come to you.

The best part of freewriting is that it results in a steady flow of ideas you may not have thought of otherwise.

In other words, whether or not you’re motivated to write or are constantly second-guessing your ideas, it helps to let your ideas guide you and put them down on paper.

Structure the Essay

It’s time to put your ideas and thoughts into words and give them a proper structure. A reflective essay should have the following parts:

You should begin your essay with a hook to grab the reader’s attention. While setting the tone for the rest of the essay, your thesis statement should introduce the past experience you will be reflecting on;

In this section, you will elaborate on the experience and its significance, as well as its impact on your life. Avoid rambling on and on about the experience for readers to want to read more of your essay, you need to use your storytelling skills. If you can, use examples to strengthen your narrative;

A summary of your reflections is provided in the concluding paragraph. In your essay, you should describe how the experience shaped your life and how you intend to take your learnings and apply them.

Proofread, Proofread and Proofread

Be sure to proofread your reflective essay before submitting it. Before finalizing it, you need to do thorough proofreading. You will be surprised to see how many silly mistakes are made in the first draft.

Be on the lookout for grammatical, spelling, and sentence formation mistakes. Make sure your essay flows well and avoids plagiarism. If you want a fresh set of eyes on your essay, have a family member or friend read it too.

Reflective Essay Topics

Many students find choosing the right topic for a reflective essay difficult. Writing a reflective essay requires creativity and strong writing skills to express your emotions.

Reflective essays can be inspired by nature, places, relationships, and events. Here are some tips that will help you choose the right essay topic.

  • Decide on a topic idea for your reflective essay that you are familiar with. You will find it easier to write an essay about a topic you are interested in. Never choose a topic that is new to you. This makes the writing phase difficult.
  • Research your topic: Try to recollect minor details about it. Remember all the things that are related to your topic, and include them in your essay. Take notes about your topic.
  • Pick a topic that you can explain from a unique viewpoint: Choose a topic that you can explain from a different perspective. Writing something unique that demonstrates your personality in an interesting way is a good technique. Share a memorable and meaningful experience from your life.

Topics for Reflective Essays for Middle School Students

Essay topics can be difficult to choose for some students. The following list of topics can be classified according to grade level. Pick from them and make topic selection easier.

Topics for Reflective Essays in Grade 7

  • Taking a trip
  • To go scuba diving
  • Within your hometown
  • Was something you were proud of
  • Even when you were lost
  • To your favorite cartoon
  • During that time you lied
  • When you were hunting
  • Did your family play an important role in your life?
  • Spending time outdoors

Topics for Reflective Essays in Grade 8

  • Running in the outdoors
  • While picking berries
  • Will be your biggest loss
  • Who is your biggest inspiration?
  • What is your greatest fear?
  • Tell me about your most exciting moment.
  • What is your least favorite course?
  • When you go on a date
  • To a birthday party
  • Which is your favorite online space?

Topics for Reflective Essays in Grade 9

  • A new school
  • Makes me think about the future.
  • You participated in or watched a sporting event.
  • You moved to a new city.
  • You had an unforgettable dream.
  • You were running and hunting.
  • You cannot forget that dream.
  • It was your childhood home.
  • Watching the sunrise
  • An award ceremony

Topics for Reflective Essays in Grade 10

  • Defending someone in a situation
  • While playing with friends
  • It was a memorable dream
  • About lying and hiding
  • The most recent meal
  • While getting lost in the dark
  • As an intern at a hospital
  • Or when someone’s life inspired you to change your own
  • Challenges as a college freshman
  • By participating in sports

Topics for Reflective Essays for College Students

For college students, the most difficult part of writing a reflective essay is choosing a topic. Some students are better at choosing the essay topic than others, but some will get stuck in this phase.

Here are some excellent reflective essay topics for college students for your convenience. Choose one and write a well-written essay.

  • First time writing a thesis statement
  • Your favorite video game
  • The impact of social media on students
  • A place you always try to avoid
  • What was the best birthday memory you had?
  • What is your favorite restaurant?
  • The moment when you were proud of yourself
  • The bravest moment of your life
  • The most beautiful thing you have ever seen
  • A time you were embarrassed

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Topics for Reflective Essays for High School Students

The choice of a topic for a reflective essay can be confusing for high school students. Your topic should be engaging and you should be able to explain your personal experience easily. Here is a list of good topics for high school students; choose something from the list for your essay.

  • Shop at your favorite outlet store
  • To relive your favorite childhood memory
  • Of the most memorable holiday
  • That scared you?
  • That’s when you met your best friend
  • And what you love about yourself
  • Is playing with friends.
  • What’s your favorite book?
  • I loved playing in the mud as a kid.
  • Having to move to a new town or city

Topics for Reflective Essays about Places

Reflective essays should be based on strong emotions and memories. You could write an essay about a day spent at your favorite café, favorite restaurant, etc.

It is easy to write a reflective essay about a place where you have really good memories. Here are some topic ideas that you can use and write an essay on.

  • Your grandparents’ house
  • A skating rink
  • A place where you feel safe
  • A favorite vacation spot
  • A popular lunch spot
  • On your first day at the circus
  • The mall or your favorite store
  • Your first trip abroad
  • Best park in your town
  • Your most memorable adventure

Topics for Reflective Essays about Events

A good way to grab the reader’s attention is to write about any event. Your essay can be about a birthday party, a farewell, or any other event that you have enough information about.

If you are writing a reflective essay about an event, include vivid details. Here are some interesting topics for reflection essays, choose one and write a good essay.

  • Unexpected gift
  • To travel on vacation
  • While you were lost
  • The first time you voted
  • On your trip to the zoo
  • When you got a new job
  • It was one of your most memorable trips
  • During the holiday season
  • When you moved to a new city
  • Or when you swam fishing

Topics for Reflective Essays on Nature

A reflective essay should provide the reader with a deeper and more meaningful experience. In addition to making your writing process more interesting, writing about nature also stimulates your imagination.

The following are some good reflective essay topics about nature:

  • Mountain climbing
  • Ocean diving
  • Hiking in the woods
  • Climbing rocks
  • And watching the sunset
  • While running in the forest.
  • Spending quality time with your pet.
  • Taking a hike in the woods
  • And going swimming
  • While watching animals at a zoo

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Topics for reflection on relationships

As relationships are filled with strong emotions, writing a reflective essay about them means expressing those emotions. The following are some good reflective essay topics about relationships:

  • A wonderful family reunion
  • When you spoke publicly for the first time
  • What friendship means to me
  • When you were punished by your parents
  • During a family reunion
  • When you apologized
  • For a time you spent with friends without parental supervision
  • Tell me about your relationship with a family member
  • An angry conversation
  • Or a genuinely funny laugh

Some reflective essay topics are the same as some of the questions you may ask in a job interview.

Examples of Reflective Essay

Check out some examples for inspiration now that you know what it takes to write a reflective essay.

An Example of a Reflective Essay on “My Little Brother”

Essay example reflecting on the arrival of a younger sibling, written at a middle or high school level.

“There have been many life-changing experiences in my short life. Every new experience has been the first experience at one point in time. For good or for bad, each event altered the course of my life. But, the most transformative event was the birth of my youngest brother.”.

Joel is someone my parents often refer to as a happy accident. My mother became pregnant when I was 13 and my other brother, Jake, was 10. We were what you would call a well-rounded family of four. In almost every way, we fit the ideal classification. My youngest brother’s striking blue eyes were the moment when we realized what we were missing.

Honestly, I resented having another sibling. It wasn’t necessary to add to our family, and my mother, already 38 at the time, was considered high risk because of her age. A pregnancy full of complications sent my life on a rollercoaster-like ride that my 13-year-old mind could not comprehend. Now I can see how forging through those loops helped me cope with the unforeseen challenges of life.

Reflective Essay Example

My mother took me to the hospital instead of my father on the day Joel was born. I was the next best alternative because Jake and my father were both feverish; it wasn’t a planned move. With each contraction, I gained a new appreciation for just how strong and powerful a woman could be at her weakest. Through holding her hand and feeding her ice chips, I gained a connection with my mother that I didn’t realize we lacked.

Almost simultaneously, my new baby brother entered this world. One doesn’t realize how much you need something until it’s sitting in your lap. Secondly, my life after this moment would never be the same the moment he curled his chubby little finger around mine, I understood the meaning of the words “happy accident.”.y.

Life has given me many experiences that have shaped me as a person. But, nothing so profoundly changed my views and outlook on life as the birth of my youngest brother. Joel’s arrival was a life-altering event that caused me to see the world through new eyes.”

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Reflective Essay Example for “ Reading My Favorite Book”

This reflective essay example about a favorite book is something you might find at the middle or high school level.

When it comes to books, I don’t understand the appeal. Every time I was given an assignment, I would read one after another, not understanding what all the fuss was about. Nevertheless, the moment I read Pride and Prejudice, it was as if my literary eyes were opened for the first time. It stirred love within me for classics I didn’t realize could exist.

When I was first given the assignment of reading Pride and Prejudice, like many of my friends, I scoffed. With an eye roll, I internally calculated how much time I would have to read the book and write a report. I sighed at the loss of time with my friends for a stupid classic.

Cracking open the cover, I was determined to hate it before even reading the first words. By the time I reached page 3, I nearly stopped reading. But there was something about Elizabeth Bennet that quietly piqued my interest. I can’t say where, but somewhere along the way, my eyes devoured the pages instead of trudging along.

The moment I reached the end, I was ecstatic and disappointed at the same time. Their ending had been perfect, but I realized I would miss them. Not just them, but I would also miss being a part of their world.

It was the first time the characters of a story had affected me this way, so I tried to shake it off. However, after several days, that sadness carried me to the classics section of the school library. The moment I cracked open my next classic, my soul instantly felt more at ease, and I’ve never looked back.

I never thought I’d say a book changed me, but in this case, it’s true. The love I found in Pride and Prejudice introduced me to a beautiful world of classic literature I can’t imagine living without. Despite not reading Pride and Prejudice for a while, it will always be my favorite book.

In the conclusion of your reflective essay, you should focus on bringing your piece together. This will include providing a summary of both the points made throughout and what you have learned as a result. Try to include a few points on why and how your attitudes and behaviors have been changed.

Consider also how your character and skills have been affected, for example: what conclusions can be drawn about your problem-solving skills? What can be concluded about your approach to specific situations? What might you do differently in similar situations in the future? What steps have you taken to consolidate everything that you have learned from your experience?

Keep in mind that your tutor will be looking out for evidence of reflection at a very high standard.

Congratulations – you now have the tools to create a thorough and accurate plan which should put you in good stead for the ultimate phase indeed of any essay, the writing process.

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How do you start off a reflective essay?

As is the case with all essays, your reflective essay must begin with an introduction that contains both a hook and a thesis statement. The point of having a ‘hook’ is to grab the attention of your audience or reader from the very beginning.

Can you say I in a reflective essay?

In your reflective essay, you should use the first person with terms like I, me, my, and mine. The essay is an account of something that actually happened to you as well as your thoughts on the event.

What is an example of a reflection?

Common examples include the reflection of light, sound, and water waves. The law of reflection says that for specular reflection the angle at which the wave is incident on the surface equals the angle at which it is reflected. Mirrors exhibit specular reflection.

How do you start the first paragraph of a reflective essay?

Describe the subject matter of the paper in more detail. Include one or two sentences after the first sentence in which you describe the basic features of whatever topic you will be discussing in your essay. Describe them in terms of your feelings, and how you felt and experienced whatever you are discussing.

How many paragraphs should a reflective essay have?

The number of paragraphs depends on the requested essay length. However, it is recommended to write at least three paragraphs in this part. In the body, present your main points, arguments, and examples. This is the part of an essay where you express all your main ideas, develop them, and express your feelings and emotions.

What are the three parts of a reflective essay?

However, some major elements go into a typical reflective essay: introduction, body, and conclusion.

How Do You Write A Reflective Essay?

To write a reflective essay, follow these steps:

  • Choose a topic: Select a specific event, experience, or concept that you want to reflect upon.
  • Brainstorm and outline: Reflect on your chosen topic and jot down key points, thoughts, and emotions associated with it. Create an outline to organize your ideas.
  • Introduction: Begin with an engaging hook to grab the reader’s attention. Provide background information and context related to the topic. End the introduction with a clear thesis statement that expresses the main insights or lessons you will discuss.
  • Body paragraphs: Each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect or experience related to your topic. Reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and observations, and support them with specific examples or evidence. Analyze the significance and impact of these experiences.
  • Use reflection techniques: Incorporate reflection techniques such as asking yourself questions, exploring the “why” behind your thoughts and emotions, and connecting your experiences to broader concepts or theories.
  • Conclusion: Summarize your key insights and reflections from the essay. Emphasize personal growth, lessons learned, or changes in perspective. Leave the reader with a thought-provoking statement or a call to action.

Which Of These Best Describes A Reflective Essay?

A reflective essay is best described as a type of academic or personal writing that allows individuals to examine and reflect upon their experiences, thoughts, and emotions. It involves introspection, self-analysis, and the exploration of lessons learned or personal growth. Reflective essays provide a platform for individuals to communicate their insights and understanding of a particular event, concept, or life experience.

What Is A Reflective Essay And Examples?

A reflective essay is a form of writing where individuals express their thoughts, feelings, and observations about a specific experience, event, or topic. It goes beyond simply describing the experience and delves into analyzing the impact, significance, and lessons learned. Reflective essays encourage self-reflection and introspection, allowing writers to gain deeper understanding and insight.

Examples of reflective essay topics include:

  • Reflecting on a life-changing travel experience and its impact on personal growth.
  • Analyzing the challenges and successes encountered during a group project and the lessons learned.
  • Reflecting on the influence of a particular book, film, or artwork and its effect on personal perspectives.
  • Examining the role of personal values and beliefs in decision-making processes.

What Are The Parts Of A Typical Reflective Essay?

A typical reflective essay consists of the following parts:

  • Introduction: It provides an engaging hook, background information, and context for the topic. The introduction ends with a clear thesis statement that states the main insights or lessons to be discussed.
  • Body paragraphs: Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect or experience related to the topic. Writers reflect on their thoughts, feelings, and observations, supporting them with examples or evidence. They analyze the significance and impact of these experiences and connect them to broader concepts or theories.
  • Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the key insights and reflections from the essay. It emphasizes personal growth, lessons learned, or changes in perspective. A thought-provoking statement or a call to action is often included to leave a lasting impression on the reader.

What Is A Goal Of The Introduction In A Reflective Essay?

The goal of the introduction in a reflective essay is to capture the reader’s attention and provide them with the necessary background information and context related to the topic. It should set the stage for the reflective journey that follows. The introduction concludes with a clear thesis statement that outlines the main insights or lessons the writer will discuss in the essay. It acts as a roadmap, guiding the reader through the writer’s reflections.

What Idea Would Most Likely Make The Best Reflective Essay?

The best idea for a reflective essay is a topic that holds personal significance and offers opportunities for introspection and deep reflection. An idea that involves a transformative experience, a significant life event, or a challenging situation often makes for a compelling reflective essay. It should be something that evokes strong emotions, prompts critical thinking, and allows for self-analysis. The best reflective essays are those that offer meaningful insights, growth, or lessons learned.

What Makes A Good Reflective Essay?

A good reflective essay possesses several key qualities:

  • Authenticity: It reflects the writer’s genuine thoughts, emotions, and observations.
  • Depth of reflection: It goes beyond surface-level descriptions and delves into meaningful analysis, exploring the “why” behind the experiences.
  • Coherence and organization: The essay is well-structured, with clear paragraphs and logical flow of ideas.
  • Use of specific examples: It supports reflections with specific examples, evidence, or anecdotes to enhance understanding and engagement.
  • Connection to broader concepts or theories: It links personal experiences to broader concepts, theories, or societal issues to demonstrate critical thinking and understanding.
  • Insight and personal growth: The essay offers meaningful insights, lessons learned, or personal growth as a result of the reflection.

By incorporating these elements, a good reflective essay effectively communicates the writer’s introspection and provides a thought-provoking reading experience.

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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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Reflective Essay Writing

Caleb S.

A Complete Guide To Writing A Reflective Essay

16 min read

Reflective Essay

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How to Create a Reflective Essay Outline | Easy Guide with Examples

Best Reflective Essay Topics For Your Paper

Thought and reflection are a major part of our inner lives. Whenever we engage with art and literature or experience anything novel, we tend to reflect on it later.

What if we write our reflections down in a structured way? That is a reflective essay. 

Among various types of essays , reflective essays stand out for being the most personal form of writing. Reflective writing lets you explore your thoughts and experiences about something and gain profound insights into yourself and the world around you.

So how can you write a great reflective essay? Read on to understand reflective essays better with examples and get useful tips.

Arrow Down

  • 1. What is a Reflective Essay?
  • 2. Types of Reflection Essays
  • 3. How To Start A Reflective Essay?
  • 4. How to Write a Reflective Essay?
  • 5. Reflective Essay Examples with Analysis 
  • 6. Reflective Essay Format
  • 7. Tips for Writing a Good Reflective Essays
  • 8. Reflective Essay Topics

What is a Reflective Essay?

A reflective essay is a type of writing where a writer explores their thoughts, feelings, and observations about a personal experience. These essays are deeply subjective, personal, and introspective. 

At its core, a reflective essay prompts you to answer the question: 

"How did a particular experience impact me?" 

Unlike narrative essays or descriptive writing , reflective essays are not just about recounting events. The goal is to analyze and interpret the event with your unique perspective and insights. 

Purpose of Writing a Reflective Essay 

Here are the primary purposes of writing a reflective essay:

  • Self-Discovery: Helps to understand your thoughts, feelings, and experiences on a deeper level.
  • Critical Thinking: Encourages analysis and evaluation of personal experiences and their impact.
  • Communication Skills: Improves ability to articulate thoughts and experiences clearly.
  • Perspective Taking: Provides an opportunity to view experiences from different angles.
  • Problem-Solving: Aids in understanding challenges and developing strategies to overcome them.
  • Goal Setting: Helps to set and refine future goals based on past experiences.
  • Academic Insight: Connects personal experiences with theoretical knowledge and academic learning.

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Types of Reflection Essays

Understanding the different types of reflection essays can help writers choose the most appropriate format for their reflective writing. Here are the main types of reflection essays:

Focus on individual experiences and personal growth. Explore emotions and reactions to life events.

Analyze learning experiences in educational settings. Connect personal insights with academic concepts.

Assess and improve job performance and professional development. Focus on workplace experiences.

Reflect on specific experiences like internships or volunteer work. Emphasize practical application of knowledge.

Analyze broader issues or phenomena. Challenge assumptions and explore different perspectives.

Less formal, written regularly. Document ongoing thoughts and learning. Continuous record of personal growth.

Combine storytelling with reflective analysis. Focus on specific events. Engaging and descriptive.

So what is that structured approach to writing a reflective essay? Read below.

How To Start A Reflective Essay?

Here is a step-by-step process to start a reflective essay:

Brainstorm and Choose a Topic

Begin by brainstorming a specific event, experience, or topic to reflect upon. It could be a personal experience, a book you've read, a class you've taken, or a significant life event.

Here are some helpful tips for choosing a topic:

  • Think about your personal experiences and select a topic that resonates with you and offers room for reflection. 
  • Consider which one is most relevant to the purpose of your reflective essay. 
  • Choose a topic that holds personal significance and allows you to explore and convey meaningful insights. You can check out our reflective essay topics blog for some ideas!
  • Once you've selected your topic, brainstorm potential titles for your essay. Make sure your essay title captures the essence of your reflection. 

Reflect Deeply & Gather Your Thoughts

Unlike other types of academic essays, reflection papers do not demand research or gathering sources. The source material for the essay can be found in your own thoughts. 

You can write down your thoughts in the form of a bulleted list, mind mapping, or other forms of note-taking. Take time to immerse yourself in the experience and consider its various aspects, including:

  • Specific details, emotions, and observations from the event or experience.
  • Your initial reactions and thoughts at the time. Recall how the experience affected you and what you learned.

You don’t have to write down complete sentences yet, you can simply note down keywords and phrases.

Make an Outline

To ensure a coherent and logical essay, organize the points you’ve gathered in an outline. A reflective essay follows the basic five-paragraph essay format. The template below shows how to structure your reflective essay: 


This is the last step of your pre-writing preparation. For more details on structuring your essay, read our reflective essay outline blog. 

With an organized outline in hand, you now have everything you need to start writing.

How to Write a Reflective Essay?

Writing a reflective essay is easier with a structured approach, helping you express insights clearly. Stick to your organization and be concise. Here's how to write each section:

Step 1. Write Down Introduction

Start your essay introduction with a powerful hook . This could be a quote, a question, or an anecdote. Next is to provide background information to give your readers a clear understanding of the experience you will be reflecting on.

Lastly, state the main idea or thesis statement of your reflection. This should outline what aspects of the experience you will be discussing and why it is significant to you.

Step 2. Develop Body Paragraphs 

Start your reflective essay with a catchy topic sentence . Provide a clear and detailed description of the experience or event you are reflecting upon. Set the stage by answering the basic questions: What, when, where, and who?

Share the most significant aspects of the experience. Consider the sensory details, the environment, the people involved, and other aspects. This will help your readers immerse themselves in the situation. 

Step 3: Reflect on the Experience

After describing your experience and emotions, take a moment to reflect further. Consider the broader implications of the experience, both personally and possibly for others. 

Explore any connections to larger themes or concepts. This deeper reflection adds depth and meaning to your essay.

Step 4. Conclude Your Reflective Essay

Being writing your essay conclusion by summarizing the main points of your reflection. Discuss how you plan to apply what you have learned from this experience in the future. Consider how it will influence your actions, decisions, or interactions moving forward.

End with a final reflection or thought, leaving the reader with something to ponder or consider.

Step 5: Proofread and Revise

After completing your first draft, take a break before revising. Returning to your essay with fresh eyes will help you identify areas for improvement. During the revision process:

  • Check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.
  • Ensure clarity and coherence in your writing.
  • Review the flow of your essay to ensure that it logically progresses from introduction to conclusion. Paragraphs should be connected to each other through transition words and phrases.
  • Trim unnecessary or repetitive content and add details or insights where needed.

By following these five steps, you'll be well on your way to crafting a well-organized and impactful reflective essay.

Reflective Essay Examples with Analysis 

Although you now know how to write a reflective essay, you should read some examples before you start writing. Reading the reflective essay samples below will help you get a feel of this type of writing. 

Reflective Essay About Life Experience Sample

Engaging in volunteer work at a local shelter has been a profoundly enriching experience for me. As I stepped into the shelter for the first time, the sight of individuals seeking refuge from life's hardships struck a chord deep within me. Their resilience and gratitude amidst adversity left a lasting impression on my heart.

Reflecting on my time at the shelter, I realized how privileged I am and how often I take basic necessities for granted. The simple act of sharing a meal with someone who lacks food security opened my eyes to the harsh realities faced by many in our community. It made me question my own values and priorities, prompting a shift in perspective.

Moreover, interacting with the shelter residents allowed me to cultivate empathy and compassion. Listening to their stories of struggle and triumph, I began to see beyond stereotypes and judgments, recognizing the inherent dignity and worth of every individual. This newfound understanding fostered deeper connections and a sense of solidarity within the community.

Through this experience, I learned the importance of service and the profound impact it can have on both individuals and communities. It challenged me to step outside my comfort zone, confront my biases, and confront my biases, and actively contribute to positive change. As I continue on my journey, I am committed to advocating for social justice and working towards a more inclusive and equitable society.

What this essay does well:

  • Engages readers with descriptive storytelling and authentic introspection.
  • Clearly articulates the impact of the experience on the author's perspective.
  • Ensures coherence and progression, guiding readers through the narrative smoothly.

How this essay could be improved:

  • Strengthen analysis by integrating academic or scholarly perspectives.
  • Enhance narrative depth with anecdotes or instances from interactions at the shelter.
  • Provide tangible goals or commitments for future engagement in volunteer or social justice endeavors.

Reflective Essay Example

Public speaking has always been a daunting task for me, fraught with nerves and self-doubt. However, as I embarked on a journey to overcome this fear, I found myself facing unexpected challenges and experiencing profound growth.

Starting with the introduction, I recall the initial apprehension before my first public speaking engagement. The anticipation of standing in front of an audience, coupled with the fear of forgetting my lines, filled me with dread. However, as I stepped onto the stage and began speaking, I discovered a newfound sense of confidence within me.

Moving on to the body paragraphs, I delve into the analysis and reflection of my experiences. I recount the moments of panic and self-doubt during presentations, but also the gradual improvement and increased comfort with each subsequent speech. Reflecting on my thoughts and feelings, I realize that each speaking opportunity, no matter how challenging, was a valuable learning experience. The feedback received from peers and mentors provided valuable insights and helped me identify areas for improvement.

In discussing the lessons learned, I acknowledge the importance of perseverance and resilience in overcoming obstacles. Each setback served as an opportunity for growth, reinforcing my determination to push past my comfort zone. I also recognize the significance of effective communication skills in both personal and professional contexts, underscoring the importance of honing this skill.

In conclusion, I reflect on the transformative nature of my public speaking journey. Despite the initial fears and challenges, I emerged stronger and more confident, equipped with valuable skills that will benefit me in various aspects of my life. Looking ahead, I am excited to continue refining my public speaking abilities and embracing new opportunities for growth.

  • The essay offers a structured reflection, progressing logically from the introduction to the conclusion.
  • The writer effectively analyzes their thoughts and feelings, showing insight into personal growth.
  • The essay presents a compelling narrative of overcoming challenges, keeping the reader engaged.
  • Adding anecdotes would clarify key points and deepen the reader's understanding.
  • Exploring how experiences impact personal and professional growth could enhance the essay's depth.
  • Strengthening the conclusion by linking back to the introduction and emphasizing growth and resilience would improve coherence.

We have also compiled some examples in the form of PDFs. Check them out and download for free: 

Reflective Essay Sample - Reflections on Reading a Book

Reflective Essay Example - A Visit to a Historical Place

Reflective Essay Writing Quiz

Reflective Essay Format

Follow the guidelines below to ensure your essay format is visually appealing and well-organized.

  • Font and Size: Use a clear font like Arial or Times New Roman, size 12.
  • Margins: Set 1-inch margins on all sides.
  • Spacing: Double-space the entire essay, including between paragraphs.
  • Alignment: Align text to the left; don't justify.
  • Title: Center a descriptive title at the top, in the title case.
  • Header: Include your name, instructor's name, course title, and date, left-aligned. Add page numbers if required, right-aligned.
  • References: Include a separate page if citing sources. Follow the citation style suggested by your course coordinator.

Tips for Writing a Good Reflective Essays

Only following the writing steps can help you write a good essay. But to make it even better, you should do something extra. Here are some writing tips that can help you polish your reflective writing.

  • Pick a Special Moment:

Choose one moment that really meant something to you. Focusing on just one thing can make your writing more powerful.

  • Use the 'What, So What, Now What' Method:

Start by describing what happened. Then, explain why it was important. Finally, think about how it will affect your future.

  • Ask Yourself Questions:

Think about what happened, how it made you feel, and why. What did you learn from it? How did it change you?

  • Mix Theory and Practice:

If it fits, connect your personal experiences with things you've learned in school or at work. This adds depth to your writing.

  • Use Reflective Words:

Use phrases like "I learned" or "This made me think" to show you're reflecting. It helps readers see how you're growing.

  • Share Your Thoughts:

Use quotes or write down what you were thinking during the moment. This makes your writing more real and helps readers understand your feelings.

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Reflective Essay Topics

Reflective essays can be written on a variety of topics. Here are some ideas you can write about: 

  • Engaging with Art: Reflect on your experience of reading a book, watching a documentary etc. 
  • A Life-Changing Journey: Reflect lessons learned from a trip or adventure.
  • Mentorship and Learning: Reflect on the influence of a particular teacher, mentor, or role model on your life. 
  • Overcoming a Challenge: Write about a challenging experience or obstacle you've faced 
  • Life Milestones: Write about a major life event, such as graduating from school, getting married, or becoming a parent, etc.
  • Career Transitions: Share your reflections on transitioning between careers or jobs. 
  • A Turning Point: Reflect on a specific moment or decision in your life that marked a turning point. 
  • Relationships: Explore the dynamics of a significant friendship or relationship.
  • Ethical Dilemmas: Discuss a moral or ethical dilemma you faced and how you navigated it. 
  • Volunteer or Community Service: Share your experiences with community service. 

Reflective essays serve as powerful instruments for self-discovery. It allows you to delve into your thoughts and experiences and share them with others in a meaningful way. 

By following the steps, tips, and, examples above, you can explore the richness of your own experiences and engage others along the way. Trying to write a reflective essay can even become another one of your amazing experiences! So, embrace authenticity, engage your readers, and inspire those who read your words.

Need help writing a reflective essay? Don’t worry!

We understand the significance of these reflective journeys, and we've expert writers to assist you. At our reflective essay writing service , our team of writing professionals is dedicated to helping you craft insightful and impactful essays that meet your custom requirements.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the parts of a typical reflective essay.

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A reflective essay typically consists of three main parts: introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction sets the stage for the reflection, the body delves into personal experiences and insights, and the conclusion summarizes key points and reflections.

How can you include references in a reflection paper?

References can be included in a reflection paper by citing sources using the appropriate citation style (e.g., APA, MLA) within the text or in a separate reference list at the end of the paper. This helps support your reflections with evidence and acknowledges the ideas of others.

How long should a reflection paper be?

A reflection paper is usually around 500 to 1000 words long, depending on the specific assignment requirements. It should be concise enough to focus on key experiences and insights while providing enough depth for meaningful reflection.

What does a reflection paper consist of?

A reflection paper consists of a description of the experience or topic being reflected upon, an analysis of thoughts and feelings related to the experience, and reflections on lessons learned and future implications. It provides a structured framework for exploring personal growth and learning.

What is the main point of a reflective essay?

The main point of a reflective essay is to introspectively explore personal experiences, emotions, and insights. It aims to foster self-awareness, growth, and learning by reflecting on past experiences and considering their implications for the future.

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2000 word reflective essay

Many people worry that they will be unable to write reflectively but chances are that you do it more than you think!  It's a common task during both work and study from appraisal and planning documents to recording observations at the end of a module. The following pages will guide you through some simple techniques for reflective writing as well as how to avoid some of the most common pitfalls.

What is reflective writing?

Writing reflectively involves critically analysing an experience, recording how it has impacted you and what you plan to do with your new knowledge. It can help you to reflect on a deeper level as the act of getting something down on paper often helps people to think an experience through.

The key to reflective writing is to be analytical rather than descriptive. Always ask why rather than just describing what happened during an experience. 

Remember...

Reflective writing is...

  • Written in the first person
  • Free flowing
  • A tool to challenge assumptions
  • A time investment

Reflective writing isn't...

  • Written in the third person
  • Descriptive
  • What you think you should write
  • A tool to ignore assumptions
  • A waste of time

Adapted from The Reflective Practice Guide: an Interdisciplinary Approach / Barbara Bassot.

You can learn more about reflective writing in this handy video from Hull University:

Created by SkillsTeamHullUni

  • Hull reflective writing video transcript (Word)
  • Hull reflective writing video transcript (PDF)

Where might you use reflective writing?

You can use reflective writing in many aspects of your work, study and even everyday life. The activities below all contain some aspect of reflective writing and are common to many people:

1. Job applications

Both preparing for and writing job applications contain elements of reflective writing. You need to think about the experience that makes you suitable for a role and this means reflection on the skills you have developed and how they might relate to the specification. When writing your application you need to expand on what you have done and explain what you have learnt and why this matters - key elements of reflective writing.

2. Appraisals

In a similar way, undertaking an appraisal is a good time to reflect back on a certain period of time in post. You might be asked to record what went well and why as well as identifying areas for improvement.

3. Written feedback

If you have made a purchase recently you are likely to have received a request for feedback. When you leave a review of a product or service online then you need to think about the pros and cons. You may also have gone into detail about why the product was so good or the service was so bad so other people know how to judge it in the future.

4. Blogging

Blogs are a place to offer your own opinion and can be a really good place to do some reflective writing. Blogger often take a view on something and use their site as a way to share it with the world. They will often talk about the reasons why they like/dislike something - classic reflective writing.

5. During the research process

When researchers are working on a project they will often think about they way they are working and how it could be improved as well as considering different approaches to achieve their research goal. They will often record this in some way such as in a lab book and this questioning approach is a form of reflective writing.

6. In academic writing

Many students will be asked to include some form of reflection in an academic assignment, for example when relating a topic to their real life circumstances. They are also often asked to think about their opinion on or reactions to texts and other research and write about this in their own work.

Think about ... When you reflect

Think about all of the activities you do on a daily basis. Do any of these contain elements of reflective writing? Make a list of all the times you have written something reflective over the last month - it will be longer than you think!

Reflective terminology

A common mistake people make when writing reflectively is to focus too much on describing their experience. Think about some of the phrases below and try to use them when writing reflectively to help you avoid this problem:

  • The most important thing was...
  • At the time I felt...
  • This was likely due to...
  • After thinking about it...
  • I learned that...
  • I need to know more about...
  • Later I realised...
  • This was because...
  • This was like...
  • I wonder what would happen if...
  • I'm still unsure about...
  • My next steps are...

Always try and write in the first person when writing reflectively. This will help you to focus on your thoughts/feelings/experiences rather than just a description of the experience.

Using reflective writing in your academic work

Man writing in a notebook at a desk with laptop

Many courses will also expect you to reflect on your own learning as you progress through a particular programme. You may be asked to keep some type of reflective journal or diary. Depending on the needs of your course this may or may not be assessed but if you are using one it's important to write reflectively. This can help you to look back and see how your thinking has evolved over time - something useful for job applications in the future. Students at all levels may also be asked to reflect on the work of others, either as part of a group project or through peer review of their work. This requires a slightly different approach to reflection as you are not focused on your own work but again this is a useful skill to develop for the workplace.

You can see some useful examples of reflective writing in academia from Monash University ,  UNSW (the University of New South Wales) and Sage . Several of these examples also include feedback from tutors which you can use to inform your own work.

Laptop/computer/broswer/research by StockSnap via Pixabay licenced under CC0.

Now that you have a better idea of what reflective writing is and how it can be used it's time to practice some techniques.

This page has given you an understanding of what reflective writing is and where it can be used in both work and study. Now that you have a better idea of how reflective writing works the next two pages will guide you through some activities you can use to get started.

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Reflective essays

Reflective essays are academic essays; what makes an essay "good" will work for a reflective essay. What is different about a reflective essay is that the essay is about you and your thinking. However, you will need evidence from your course to back up your reflections.

You should structure a reflective essay as an essay, that is write to persuade your reader of your key reflections (or argument). The diagram above, details how to stucture your reflections through the essay. To find out more see the section on essay writing .

Business example

The following example comes from business. Thanks to Dr Colleen Hayes for the three samples.

Students were asked to write a reflective essay on their learning in the course by responding to the following question:

What key thing have you learned about corporate social responsibility in the course?

Example 1: Retelling

This writing is (1) descriptive/listing of content, not reflective and (2) not properly referenced (the definition of stakeholders is directly copied from Freeman in the lecture slides.

Example 2: Relating

One of the most important things I have learned so far is the stakeholder view of the firm. I was very interested to learn that Australia is more of a shareholder-oriented country (similar to UK/US). I come from country X, and I believe that it is also very shareholder-oriented. For example the company I used to work for did not seem to have much concern for its stakeholders. As staff, we were worked extremely hard in poor conditions without overtime pay or paid leave (employees are a stakeholder group), and the company did not care at all about its impact on the environment. The company was just so concerned with cutting costs and making more profit for shareholders - usually at the expense of other stakeholders.

This writing involves relating to personal experience and has some integration of course concepts (stakeholders).

Example 3: Reflecting

The notion of the stakeholder challenged many of the assumptions I have about the role of corporations in society. I hope to run my own business one day, and the distinction between stakeholders and shareholders really makes me think about what responsible leadership might look like. What I appreciate about Friedman's view is its simplicity - the idea that companies pursuing their own profits creates the best outcomes for society (ref included). Adopting a stakeholder orientation (consistent with Freidman), and managing multifarious accountabilities and balancing trade-offs between them, would seem to be much more complex and a far greater challenge for leaders to navigate. However, today's internet age allows stakeholders to have global reach and a powerful voice, so I'm not sure that it would be so easy to silence or ignore them in pursuit of profit. 

More reflective (forward-looking), better citation and integration of multiple course concepts, and reflection that links with personal experience.

An anthropology marking rubric

For this assessment, students were required to write a 1500-1800 word essay building on the themes of the course to address the question "We are all pirates". Attached under reference documents is the rubric used to mark the essay (thanks to Dr Caroline Schuster). Notice that it requires both the reflection (reflect, relate and retell) as well as the poor traditional requirements of an essay (Writing and organisation, Supporting claims with scholarly sources).

Reflective writing

Learning journals

Reference Documents

  • Sample rubric from Anthropology (PDF, 243.24 KB)

Use contact details to request an alternative file format.

  • ANU Library Academic Skills
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How to write a reflective essay

Published September 27, 2020. Updated May 19, 2022.

Reflective Essay Definition

A reflective essay is a type of writing that examines an experience from the past by looking through the lens of the present.

Overview of reflective Essay

The purpose of a reflective essay is to explore an impression you had, looking into the reasons for that impression.  A reflective essay is not writing about an experience. It is writing about your reaction to that experience. A reflective essay is not learning from doing. It is about learning from thinking about what you did. A reflective essay is not about trying to influence anyone of anything. It is about drawing the meaning from your own experience. A reflective essay is not about being correct. It is about being honest. A reflective essay is actually designed to help you improve how you think and learn.

Key takeaways

  • A reflective essay examines an experience from the past looking through the lens of the present.
  • The purpose of a reflective essay is to explore an impression you had, looking into reasons for that impression.
  • A reflective essay is very personal: the topic isn’t so much the experience but how YOU felt ABOUT the experience.

What is a reflective essay?

Sometimes it’s easier to explain what something is NOT.

  • A reflective essay is not writing about an experience. It’s writing about your reaction to that experience.
  • A reflective essay is not learning from doing. It’s about learning from thinking about what you did.
  • A reflective essay is not about trying to convince anyone of anything. It’s about drawing meaning from your own experience.
  • A reflective essay is not about being correct. It’s about being honest.

Think about the word “reflection.” What you see in the mirror is not you; it is a reflection of you.

Do you realize that you can never really see yourself? You can only see a reflection of yourself.

Every life experience is like that. You never really see the experience as it’s happening. You only see it and learn from it when you see it through reflection.

Also, you cannot see your reflection if you are too close to the mirror. You need to step back in order to see yourself clearly.

Reflective writing is like that.

A reflective essay is a way of writing where you, as the writer, take a step back from your experience and write about it with some distance.

It is a way of writing about the past from the perspective of the present.

You are no longer going through an experience. Rather, you are reflecting on it to see it more clearly.

Worried about your writing? Submit your paper for a Chegg Writing essay check , or for an Expert Check proofreading . Both can help you find and fix potential writing issues.

Purpose of a reflective essay

Regardless of how you feel about writing essays, most essays are designed to help you improve how you write. A reflective essay is actually designed to help you improve how you think and learn.

The reflective essay can be very helpful because writing it helps you process whatever you are writing about. That act of processing leads to deeper understanding.

John Dewey, an American scholar, said: “We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.”

Difference between a personal essay and a reflective essay

More than other essays, a reflection is about YOU. Unlike a personal essay, however, a reflective essay requires you to take a step back from an experience and write about it from a distance.

Where a personal essay might say, “Here is something I did,” a reflective essay would try to answer, “Why did I do what I did?”

A reflective essay is a good place to explore questions like, “How did I feel before and after I did that?”, “If I encountered a similar experience, would I do the same thing again?”, and “What did I learn from this experience?”

As you can see, all of the questions are personal: they are not asking about the experience itself, they are asking how YOU felt ABOUT the experience.

Don’t worry about finding the “right” answer. There is no such thing. Every person’s experience and interpretation is unique, and you are writing about your own. You don’t need to compare it to anyone else’s.

Make sure you write the essay in the first person.

Possible topics for a reflective essay

When choosing your topic for a reflective essay, think about whether it caused an impression on you.  Remember that the topic you write about isn’t the focus – the focus is your interpretation of it.

  • A teacher who believed in you
  • A friend who betrayed you
  • A family member
  • A place in nature where you feel most comfortable
  • The house you grew up in
  • A place you visited for the first time, that felt “familiar”
  • Going somewhere very foreign
  • A new experience
  • Failing or succeeding at something
  • Learning something new
  • Something you’ve done before, but this time something was different

Questions to ask about your topic

Since you want to go deeper with your understanding of the topic, the questions that you ask yourself as you write are important.

  • How did I feel, and why did I feel this way?
  • How did I react, and why did I react like this?
  • Did this change me? Why or why not?
  • Would I do something differently next time?
  • Was this experience positive or negative for me?
  • What does this mean in my life?
  • What did I learn from this experience?

Parts of an essay

Every essay you write, including reflective essays, should have three parts: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The reflective essay should have those parts as well.

However, the way a reflective essay is organized might be a little different.

Let’s go through each of those parts for a reflective essay. Each part will include a sample.

Introduction

You want to begin your essay with a hook. A hook is an interesting opening that “catches” your readers and makes them want to read more. Your hook is usually the first sentence.

After you’ve hooked the readers, you want to give some context, or background information. In a reflective essay, use the introduction to mention the experience that you will be writing about. Think of each sentence in your intro as a stepping point. Each sentence brings you closer to your thesis statement.

Once you’ve given some context, write a thesis statement, which tells the readers exactly what they’re going to read about. For a reflective essay, the thesis statement should give the readers an idea of the impression the experience made on you. Think of it like a map to the rest of your essay.

Sample introduction

Can you identify the hook, background information, and thesis statement in this sample?

I had seen pictures of the Mona Lisa my whole life. Last summer, I went to Paris and got to see the original painting in the Louvre Museum. As I stood looking at the Mona Lisa, I really was seeing her for the first time. What I found surprising is that I felt the woman in the painting was seeing me as well. I actually felt a connection to the painting.

A typical essay will have from one to three body paragraphs, though you can write as many as you need (or as many as your teacher assigns you). Regardless of how many body paragraphs you have, they will all be organized in a similar manner.

Start with a topic sentence to show your reader what is coming up. This is a general sentence that gives an overview of that paragraph. Since your thesis statement should be about the impression your experience made on you, each topic sentence should be a reason for that impression.

The body paragraph should explain the reason for your impression in depth.

End a body paragraph with a sentence that summarizes what you wrote or that leads into the next paragraph.

Sample body paragraphs

Can you identify the topic sentences? Do the body paragraphs discuss the reasons in depth

I first felt a connection because of the Mona Lisa’s expression. Her face looks calm and seems to give nothing away. Every time I had seen the picture before, I felt like her expression was empty, with nothing behind it. As if the subject was a rich, carefree woman who was just sitting to have her portrait painted. When I stood in front of the original masterpiece, though, her expression opened up. At the time, all I knew was that I was seeing something I hadn’t seen before. Now I know that I saw a woman trying to get through life while feeling like she didn’t know what she was doing. I have often felt the same way. I may look calm to the outside world, but I am trying to hide anxiety. Now I recognize that the Mona Lisa was doing the same thing.

The second reason I felt a connection was because of the Mona Lisa’s posture. The subject looks like she’s sitting in a chair. Her body is facing to the left, but her face is looking at the viewer. It seems as if she wants to go in one direction but is forced to face another. I have felt that way. Like when my parents suggest which future would be better for me. Like when my friends want to do something I’m not comfortable doing. Like when I want to stay home and read but my boyfriend wants us to go to a party. Which way should I go?

Lastly, I felt a connection to the background in the painting. Behind the Mona Lisa is a natural vista with a road and mountains and a lake. The landscape itself seems improbable. Why is there a road when there is no other sign of life? There are no buildings or people in the background. Having the Mona Lisa placed in such a strange background adds to the feeling of anxiety and uncertainty. Again, it seems like the Mona Lisa is talking to me: “Do you ever feel like you don’t know where you are? Or where you belong?” Yes, I feel that way a lot.

Before you turn in that paper, don’t forget to cite your sources in APA format , MLA format , or a style of your choice.

This is how your essay ends and includes the last impression your reader takes away.

In a reflective essay, you may use your conclusion to give closure to the experience you’re writing about.

Add any insights to explain your reasons for your impression.

Finally, remember that a reflection is a way to write about the past from the perspective of the present. Make a clear connection from the past to the present.

Sample conclusion

Does this conclusion give a sense of closure? Does it add any insights? Does it make a connection between past and present?

That summer in Paris was supposed to be an exciting trip for me, but it was actually a difficult time in my life. I was trying to decide what university to go to, what major I should choose, and whether my boyfriend and I should break up or try a long-distance relationship. I had questions brewing in my head and it was difficult to appreciate the beauty of Paris. Seeing the Mona Lisa at that time in my life made me feel at peace. Now I understand what I saw in her that made me feel connected: I saw someone else with doubt and uncertainty, but I knew she would be okay in the end, and so will I. 

Example reflective essay on the Mona Lisa

Example reflective essay on environmental troubles.

By Halina Stolar. Halina has a master’s degree in teaching and taught English as a second language and writing for almost 15 years overseas. She now works as a freelance writer, and geeks out over grammar for fun.

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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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Effect of Historical Events on Criminal Justice System The United States of America has a long history of racial and ethnic minorities being discriminated against by the ruling majority. Genocide of the Indigenous tribes, enslavement of African Americans, fugitive slave laws, Jim Crow laws, and the War on Drugs, among...

Four Seasons: Multicultural Team’s Challenges

Introduction The high competition in the global market has forced most companies to invent different coping mechanisms. Failure to counter completion can push an organisation out of local and international market. Currently, most organisations focus on improving the quality of their products and implementing advanced technology to ensure operational efficiency....

Integrated Marketing Communication and Promotion

Introduction Marketing is a fundamental element that is incorporated as a means of communication between customers and an organisation. The objective of advertisement is to manipulate changes in the behavioural characteristics exhibited by clients. Vital promotion campaigns allow institutions to establish processes through efficient communication that is skewed towards attaining...

Burberry Corporation: Job Opportunities and Increasing Income

Executive Summary Burberry is a multinational corporation that specializes in the production of apparel, accessories, and cosmetics. The company is famous for the manufacture and distribution of trench coats. Burberry has outlets in the United States, Asia, Europe, Australia, and Africa. It runs a promotional campaign dubbed “Burberry Bespoke”, which...

Nissan Motor Company’s Business Environment

Introduction Major changes in the global business environment have led to the decline of major players in many industry segments. The automotive industry, for instance, is experiencing a major disruption associated with the increase in demand for electric vehicles (E.V.s) and the entry of new participants, such as Tesla Inc....

Fanon Frantz on Revolution Leaders and Masses

Introduction Revolutions are an integral aspect of political evolution in the society. The success or failure of such a movement is dependent on the conduct and capabilities of the leaders and the masses.1 To this end, it is important to analyze the roles of these two parties with respect to...

  • Globalization
  • Business Planning

The Impact of Globalization on Labor Market and Trade

Abstract Globalization refers to the coming together of the international markets. It contributes to the forming of trade blocks. Globalization has opened the international market to developing states and countries that can now trade freely. On the other hand, it poses a significant threat to the growth of local industries,...

Gun Control Issues and Solution in the US

Sandy Hook, Las Vegas, Columbine, and Virginia Tech are some of the cities that have witnessed mass shootings attributed to poor gun control measures. Every time an incidence of mass shooting arises, Americans take different positions regarding gun ownership (Fox & DeLateur, 2014). Some citizens demand the enactment of stringent...

Disaster and People Behavior Changes

Disasters have continuously occurred In the world causing adverse effects not only to the physical environment and the people affected physically by that disaster but also to the future generations of the place. These disasters, whether man-induced or natural have to lead to changes in the ecosystem. The Tsunami, the...

Leisure in Victoria Britain

Growth of Popular Leisure Activities during the Period 1860-1910 Leisure may be viewed as an important aspect of human life as it gives an individual the privilege of relaxing after putting a lot of effort and time into work. In simple terms, leisure may be described as the spare time...

Social Trinity: Interpreting Christian Doctrine

Social Trinity is an interpretation with regard to the Christian doctrine on trinity. The main and central idea lies in the fact that this concept of trinity comprises of three persons whose relationship constitutes its very nature. Over the last three decades, there have been increased outpouring of the writings...

Movies Based on J. Austen’s Books Review

Introduction Both movies Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen are adaptations of the author’s novels. The films aim to describe the history of England, where women possessed numerous issues of oppression and inequality. The movies also illustrate how greed and financial gains shape cultural norms and...

Identity and Social Hatred. Diversity and Identity

A person’s sense of identity plays an essential purpose in establishing one’s role in society. It always goes in conjunction with the degree of cultural diversity, which cannot be fully appreciated without valuing an individual’s identity. However, these terms can be opposed by various forms of social injustice, such as...

The Role of Diet and Exercising in Healthy Aging

Introduction Aging is an issue that has attracted several researchers in the past, who have defined it differently. Da Costa et al. (2016) described aging as breaking down a self-organized system, causing a reduced ability to adjust to the environment. Lemoine (2020) considered it as a progressive accumulation of changes...

Fintech Startup Curve Analysis

Curve is a UK-based startup that aims at changing the way people deal with their card payments. The purpose of this startup is to reduce the number of credit and debit cards in a wallet to just one. The idea and its realization appeared to be innovative and, combined with...

Best Practices in Addiction Treatment

How an Understanding of Trauma Informs the Development of the Interventions Most soldiers suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to the exposure to traumatic incidences during the course of dispensing their mandate. Studies have established a great connection between PTSD and addiction. This assertion holds because most soldiers...

  • Nursing Theory
  • Comparative Literature
  • Discrimination

Financial and Management Accounting

Financial ratios Group one The first group contains the returns on capital employed. It is a fundamental ratio that is used to assess the financial health of an institution. Return on capital employed is obtained by dividing operating profit and capital employed. It is a suitable measure of the profitability...

Issues with Modern Technology in Airport Security

The threats of terrorism, drug trafficking and violence are forcing governments and businesses to tighten control and security measures in crowded places. Even at concerts or in schools, one can see metal detectors that check visitors to find dangerous items for society. Airports and planes are areas of increased risk,...

Communicable Diseases: The Epidemiological Potential of HIV

Introduction The problem of HIV as a severe communicable disease that significantly affects the population of the United States could hardly be overlooked. As it is stated on the HIV.gov website, an estimated 1 million people in the country are currently infected with HIV. Also, one out of every seven...

Bank of Credit and Commerce International Case

Introduction When the branch offices of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) in seven countries were raided and taken control of by the law enforcing agencies in the respective countries in early July 1991 one of the major bank scams involving billions of dollars was brought to light....

Infant Baptism in the First Five Centuries

Introduction Infant baptism refers to the practice of baptizing children few days after they are born. The question of necessity and purpose of baptizing infants has been of interest to theologians since the first century. Theologians have been keen to show justification for infant baptism while others especially in evangelical...

Church History: Egeria and the Crusades

Introduction The starting point of the present research should be the justification of the actuality and necessity of it. It is evident that in the study of historical events the primary role is always played by the study and analysis of the primary sources (documents, letters, etc.) as they the...

Supply Chain Management: Office Products Company

Introduction “The global credit and economic crunch has put more pressure on strategic supply chain management Blanchard” (2007 p.48) and (Rousel, & Cohen, 2005 p.123). In this regards, Supply chain managers and practitioners should ensure all suppliers come out of the downturn and are able to help them capitalize on...

CYC Sales and Business Strategy

Executive Summary Charge-Your-Car (CYC) innovative charging devices disrupt the market and promise a competitive advantage for the start-up. Nonetheless, the need for rapid revenue margin growth encourages the company to focus on the less traditional market of electric vehicle consumers. The core strategic proposal is to supply the rural regions...

Continuous Professional Development in Contemporary Nursing Practice

Introduction This essay focuses on such a concept as Continuous Professional Development and its importance for contemporary nursing practice. It should be noted that the modern world is marked by technological innovations, which have served to improve the form of care provided. In addition, treatment procedures are constantly being improved...

Wealth, Poverty, and Systems of Economic Class

Introduction In economics, poverty, wealth, and society’s economic stratification are interrelated concepts linked to racial, gender, and regional inequalities. Disparities in income and wealth distribution contribute to societal stratification and the emergence of social classes. In a capitalist economy such as the United States, the conflict arising from competition for...

Societal and Gender Construction Affecting Incidents of Domestic Violence

Introduction The recent surge in incidences of domestic violence has continued to baffle policymakers and scholars alike. However, some theories have been advanced by scholars to attempt to explain this latest scenario. A feminist perspective, however, offers a bottomless understanding of domestic violence by examining how social and gender constructions...

Consumers’ Buying Behavior and Social Media

Introduction Individuals contribute item reviews, information about a service, food or wellness advice, admonitions regarding things, instructions on how to use certain items, and more aspects as customers. The purpose of this work is to investigate the impact of social networks on the decision-making activities of customers. The use of...

Organizational Behavior in the “Up in the Air” Film

Welcome to our Up in the Air organizational behavior sample analysis. Learn more about management, negotiation, and ethical issues in the movie. Get some ideas on how to write your organizational behavior movie analysis! Organizational Behavior Movie Analysis Introduction There are a lot of books and movies showing the stories...

Professional Performance Characteristics and Workplace Effectiveness

The effects of personality and emotion on individual behavior and performance at work Nowadays, it becomes increasingly clear to many managers that, unlike what it happened to be the case with non-human mechanistic systems, the dynamics within human systems (e.g. collectives of employees) do not solely concern the qualitative specifications...

The Boeing Company’s Stakeholder Analysis

Introduction In the wake of concern for citizens’ safety and security, the recent accidents that occurred to Boeing planes, particularly, the 737 model, put the company in an extraordinarily difficult position. Boeing owes a tremendous amount of responsibility to its key stakeholders, passengers’ safety being the key area of the...

“The White Book” Novel by Han Kang

The White Book is a novel written in 2016 by a South Korean writer, Han Kang. The unique and unconventional way of narration that is usually used by the author ensures the popularity of her books that are recognizable in different parts of the world (Hartanto 265). In 2018, the...

Avast Software: Company Analysis

Executive Summary Avast Software is a globally recognized multinational company and leader in the area of providing cybersecurity solutions for individual customers and businesses. The company, which serves users in Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa, has been demonstrating stable financial growth. As the leader among its competitors, Avast is...

Toyota Company’s Total Quality Management

Introduction In the industry of auto manufacturing, Toyota is considered as one of the most admired and highly emulated. In Asia, Toyota ranks as the biggest car manufacturer. The cars that Toyota produced have encompassed almost all the regions in the world. Toyota has successfully competed with car companies in...

United States Embargo Against Cuba

Introduction The United States of America has been in the past put several sanctions and embargoes against several countries, particularly those nations that it believes are sponsoring terrorism. Such embargoes are mainly liked to effecting restrictions on finances and economic assistances. Countries that have suffered this fate include Sudan, North...

Homeless War Veterans in America

Introduction Many of the citizens of this great country have served this country in times of war. However, the kind of treatment they get afterwards is worrying as many of them suffer in the hands of hopelessness for them to look for better places to stay. This situation has caused...

  • Photography
  • Agile Project Management
  • Cybersecurity
  • Organizational Behavior

Chris Anderson: Digitization of Music

In an influential article titled The Long Tail that was published in 2004, Chris Anderson asserts that we should forget about making about making a few mega hits in the charts. He claims that the future of entertainment lies in the niche markets that are not captured by the much...

The Copyright Act of 1968 Overview and Analysis

Introduction Work of art, music, writing, film making, symbols, names and slogans among many others categories all have a creator behind them (Giannakas 82); for this reason, individual’s creative expressions and innovations are very valuable and therefore there is need to protect this kind of work in order to prevent...

Remote Work Impact Immigrant’s Chances of Working for the US

Introduction Remote working is the new trend amongst large businesses operating at a global level. Remote working allows professionals to conveniently work outside the normal office environment. Employees can work from wherever they are and at their most convenient time of the day. In the United States, more companies and...

Benefits of Cloud Computing for Businesses

Introduction Cloud computing is an emerging concept that is recently creating a buzz across industries. Many companies today have deployed cloud computing due to the benefits it offers. According to Scott (2021), some of the world’s leading employers in such industries as power, including ENEL SpA and Siemens, have all...

Erich Maria Remarque’s ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ – Anti-War Classic

Introduction “All Quiet on the Western Front” is an opposition book set throughout World Conflict I that draws on Remarque’s own experiences in the war to portray the era’s more considerable disenchantment. William Pfeiler is a critique who thinks that this novel is a world sensation (Pfeiler). The book is...

Digital Technologies: Use, Benefits, Implications, and Future

The Use of Digital Technologies Digital technologies have given room for meaningful interaction between users from various backgrounds, leading to a resolute social existence. The greatest output of this existence is seen in massive generation of information which offers users desirable service. However, one of the dangers of such information...

Walt Disney Company: Change Management

Company Background The Walt Disney Company is known around the world for its unique projects, which are loved by children all over the world. Everyone of any age has heard of this company, as well as the name of its creator. No wonder, because the firm Walt Disney has existed...

Management: Teamwork Issues Resolution

Introduction Team development is the process of upgrading the skills of the team members, improving the interaction between them, and enhancing the overall working conditions of the team to increase the effectiveness of their work. Thus, team leaders must be able to identify, shape, support, motivate, lead, and inspire their...

The CareCo Ltd Company’s Annotated Meeting

Interview Managing Director: Hello members, welcome to our 20th CareCo Ltd Directors meeting. Thank you, all directors, for the ambitious efforts to make this organization match the level it has reached today. As we all know, CareCo Ltd is an organization that provides personal care and in-home support to aged...

Technologies Importance in Nursing Documentation

Introduction Prior to technology adoption, nurses would pass down information to each other verbally. Most documentation was defensive; it focused on protected the nurse or care institution from litigation, slow and difficult to access. However, with the use of computerized systems to record nursing information, it is now possible for...

  • Entrepreneurship

Epidemiological Features of Ebola

Introduction Dangerous communicable diseases have ceased to carry a big fear for both doctors and patients over the past few decades. The fact is that the developments of healthcare and progress in this sphere have caused quite strong protection of the population against possible severe ailments. However, even today, some...

Adidas Corporation’s Organizational Justice

Introduction Organisations are entities whose functionality depends on their constituents such as individual employees, departments, units and policies. There is a need to develop policies in a system that ensures harmony and a fair interaction of the constituents. The manner, in which the organisational resources are shared in the departments...

Managing Organizational Changes

Introduction Organizations should inherently adapt and change consistently to remain competitive and effective. In the modern economy, shaped by global factors and shareholder vision, organizations are often driven to change by environmental and external factors. These may vary, ranging from new technologies and practices to shifts in political and economic...

Hobbes’ State of Nature and Absolute Sovereignty

Introduction Thomas Hobbes’ discussion of the state of nature prompted responses from a multitude of other philosophers and scholars. The author’s principal argument is that, without governmental control, people would always remain in their natural state, which is “a condition of war of every one against every one” (Hobbes 1660,...

Sugar Processing: Term Definition

Introduction Sugarcane is a fleshy, tall perennial grass crop that grows fast infertile tropical soils (Sheridan, 2000). Physical and climatic factors such as temperature, soil, rainfall, and other factors largely affect its growth (Sheridan, 2000). The crop’s origin can be traced to South Asia and Southeast Asia, where it was...

E-Government and Its Challenges

Introduction E-Government is the usage of internet technology in the delivery of government services. It is not uncommon to come across tedious processes used by governments in the accomplishment of very simple tasks. The bureaucratic nature of government makes the whole undertaking a nightmare due to the long time taken...

Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age Perception in “The Great Gatsby”

Introduction Great works of literature remain in history for a variety of reasons. Some of them represent a particular era masterfully, leaving the reader with strong, vivid impressions. This objective is attained through accurate use of specific symbols, strengthening the work’s relation to a particular epoch, and contributing to its...

The Importance of Data Recovery Plan

Introduction The issue of information security and privacy is very critical in every establishment. However, important information may be lost through natural disasters and other processes. This can lead to significant inefficiencies in an organization. For example, loss of patients’ health records can have adverse impacts on them. For instance,...

Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Cause-Specific Mortality in Black and White Adults

Study Summary In the article titled, “Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Cause-Specific Mortality in Black and White Adults in the Southern Community Cohort Study,” Matthews et al. (2014) strived to understand the causality between physical activities and adult mortality among male adults from two ethnic groups (African-Americans and Whites). The...

Diverse Sexual Expression: Collection of Artifacts

Attitudes Toward Sex Positivity Several months ago, I attended a play party at the invitation of a friend of mine. The meeting aimed to popularize the idea of sex positivity and overcome complexes through entertaining conversations and quizzes. At this party, all those present were gifted with the same T-shirts...

  • Criminology
  • Crime Investigation
  • Immigration

Literary Theory: Perspectives and Approaches

The study of literary texts always involves the problem of multiple meanings because of interpretations. One need only think of any of the movies, books, or even songs whose familiarity was shared with a friend. In this case, even close friends, who usually have similar worldviews and interests, will see...

The Role of Social Seclusion and Economic Marginalization in Crime

Introduction High rates of crimes and violent activities are becoming a dire threat to the population worldwide. With rapid population growth and challenging economic times in society, criminologists have difficulty controlling crimes leading to extensive studies on the significant causes of crimes. Crime causative factors include social seclusion, economic marginalization,...

The US Film Industry’s History and Competitiveness

Introduction The US film industry has gained global recognition and dominance, with its films being watched all over the globe. With annual revenue of $5 billion, a 27% decline from the previous year, it shows that the US is a major player in this industry (Escandon, 2020). The US film...

The History of Basketball

It is interesting to know that a Canadian invented the game of basketball. Great games are supposed to originate in Europe, in exotic countries, or perhaps in the great cities of the United States of America. But no one will consider a Canadian as the originator for something that is...

Injustice in Shelley’s Frankenstein and Milton’s Paradise Lost

“Th’ infernal Serpent; he it was, whose guile Stird up with Envy and Revenge, deceiv’d 35 The Mother of Mankinde, what time his Pride Had cast him out from Heav’n” (Milton Lines: 34-37) The monster created by Mary Shelley in Frankenstein (henceforth mentioned as Frankenstein) and the character of Satan...

Dubai Television Matrix Company’s Business Plan

Executive Summary Dubai Television Matrix is an entertainment company that consists of a network of television services that provide online on-demand access to television content in Dubai, both domestic and foreign. Dubai Television Matrix is located in Dubai. The company was established in 2016. It currently aims to expand its...

Globalization’s Impact on Banks in Canada

Introduction In the face of the globalization forces, not even the Canadian banking industry has been spared. Thanks to the current trends in capital mobility, the banking system has heavily suffered at the hands of globalization. It is no doubt that the financial markets of today have a characteristic high...

Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia

Introduction Panic disorder is a chronic a psychiatric condition that can be treated. This condition is normally found in young adults, and it has been estimated that about sixty percent of patients who suffer from panic disorder also have agoraphobia. Agoraphobia often coincides with Panic Disorder. Agoraphobia is defined as...

Corporate Financial Analysis of Gap, Inc

Industry: Apparel Stores Gap, Inc. Date: 01/09/14 Ticker Symbol: GPS – NYSE Recommendation: Hold Current price: $46.15 Price Target: $46.03 Earnings per Share Ratio 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Earnings per share 1.58 1.88 1.56 2.33 2.74 Price/earnings ratio 14.8 12.3 10.7 15.2 14.0 Highlights The company reported an increase...

Pacifism and Nonviolence Approaches to War and Peace

Introduction Individuals, countries, and regions have different beliefs and ideologies, making conflicts inevitable. The way conflicting parties approach their differences plays a significant role in determining whether a skirmish will occur or not. There has been concern about the use of force or war to influence changes or accomplish desired...

  • Macroeconomics
  • Mental Health
  • International Relations

Construction Project Management and Communication

Issues and Constraints Effective construction communication needs the engagement of all the stakeholders to design a plan for building a piece of property. As a project manager, I will communicate with the necessary stakeholders and develop a construction project for the client who purchased the property five years ago. I...

Criminal Behaviour as Result of Free Will

Even the ancient Greeks tried to find a logical explanation for why people commit crimes. In the theory of guilt, the question of free will emerged because the circumstances of the time demanded it; besides, the cleverest philosophers could not resolve the dispute. Within philosophy, there were two schools of...

Project Management of Ottawa Wheels

Introduction “Ottawa Wheels” organization is aimed to provide car owners with high-quality repair services. By using the latest innovations and mechanisms, professional workers of the company make customers satisfied and constantly receive positive feedback. The website has an easy interface that attracts new potential clients, and many people mention that...

Digital Society in Black Mirror’s Episode Nosedive

Introduction Charlie Brooker is the creator of one of the most successful British sci-fi television series Black Mirror. The show is highly acclaimed, yet controversy surrounds how it depicts the modern and potential realities of human societies in Western countries. Despite having specific differences, they are all dystopias that emerged...

Ethics of Computer Technology in the London Riots

​Introduction Information Technology is closely associated with computer and communication. Instigating from fiscal 1990, the fields of information technology and communication were combined to form information and communication technology (ICT). This has led to the creation of electric products which are merged devices that can multitask. For example, a cellphone...

Healthcare Finance: The Budgeting Implications of the Issue

Introduction This paper chooses a particular healthcare accounting issue or problem, the disposition of which requires special skills of healthcare leaders. The issue is contained in the article entitled “US city budgets stable – but decisions loom” by Marks, Alexandra (2007). The paper will also discuss the budgeting or accounting...

Social Policy Analysis: Stopping the Opioid Crisis in Veteran Population

Introduction The problem of the opioid epidemic in the USA has been at the center of an ongoing discussion for several years. Despite its growing relevance to multiple population groups across the nation, evidence shows that veteran populations are twice as likely to die of opioid overdose as average citizens,...

Personal Nursing Philosophy: Metaparadigms and Practice-Specific Concepts

Nursing Autobiography In the account of developing this personal nursing philosophy paper, my personal professional resume was critical in evaluating my deep intuitions about the nursing profession. Educationally, I possess a Bachelor’s degree in nursing that I acquired in 2011 and I have been a Registered Nurse (RN) from 2005-2009,...

Self-Consciousness in Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit

The Phenomenology of Spirit is a philosophical work by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, first published in 1807. The result of this paper is a systematic attempt to chart the development of human consciousness as it moves from naivety and unconsciousness through various stages of self-awareness until it finally reaches a...

Taiwan as a Country for International Business

Executive Summary A large Canadian company is considering expanding its foreign operations to include Taiwan. It has an approximate size of 36,200 square kilometers. As a result, this country is an attractive market due to its large population of 23.5 million people. In this market, the Canadian company is expected...

  • Information Technology

Maternity Nursing: Breastfeeding Initiation and Continuation

Introduction The improvement of maternity care quality and the reduction of infant morbidity are the main concerns of maternity nursing. It has been broadly addressed in professional literature, research findings, and statistical data that the health of a newborn child vastly depends on breastfeeding initiation. The World Health Organization (2018)...

Specific Racism Against Chinese Americans

Introduction Racism has got varying meanings depending on the opinion of a person. Allen de Benoist defines racism based on the UNESCO’s 1978 “Declaration on Race” as a theoretical observation in which a person sees himself or herself as belonging to a racial or cultural grouping that is intrinsically superior...

Living With Disability: Medical and Social Models Application

The Medical Model of disability According to Scambler (2008:43), numerous medical analysts perceive this model as an antecedent of the social model of disability. This model exemplifies disability as a disease or a state of abnormality. This means a person lacks the normal features, which characterize other human beings. In...

Federation and Liberation in Australia

Introduction The transition from colonial rule is characterized by fundamental policy changes that define a nation’s autonomy. In Australia, the Federation in 1901 was a turning point in the nation’s identity. It entailed the unification of the six different colonies to form a central government. Analyzing the driving forces for...

Travelodge Hotel’s Strategic Advantage

Introduction Some conditions offer different companies the advantages of manufacturing goods and services at relatively low prices for their customers. Strategic advantages allow companies to generate more revenue in a competitive environment (Lestari et al. 365). The rationale is that they are positioned to provide their clients with goods and...

Motivation Techniques at Workplace

In the business environment, motivation can be defined as the internal state that activates behavior and energizes individuals to goal-oriented behavior. It is a composition of design beliefs that directs these needs me to take action. Motivation can include things such as inspiration, encouragement, and support. Motivating factors are the...

The Effects of Globalization to Employment and International Trade

Abstract Globalization refers to the growing interconnectedness among global societies, economies, and cultures, primarily due to increased trade in goods and services, foreign investment, exchange of knowledge and information, and immigration. This phenomenon has affected employment and trade significantly. It has increased wage inequality and destroyed jobs, especially in manufacturing....

Exploring Patterns and Relationships in Mathematics

Abstract This paper proposes solutions for three learning problems: each of the proposed problems was solved using concrete, that is, taking into account the manipulation of real objects, and abstract, that is, by adopting a mathematical symbolic language, approaches. Polya’s approach of conceptualizing and fragmenting the overall problem was used...

China’s and Hong Kong’s Cross-Border E-Commerce

Abstract The enforcement of a policy to control the import of commodities via the CBE platform affects the Chinese economy significantly. The taxation provisions of the policy established recently imply that consumers experience both fair and unattractive prices of commodities they purchase via the CBE system. Thus, the policy fails...

Process Improvement and Its Role in Organizations

Introduction Process improvement (PI) is most popular among researchers and practitioners nowadays (Veldman et al. 2014), and in this paper, an attempt at explaining this phenomenon is made. In particular, process management and its types, including PI, are defined, and PI is described in detail. The paper includes a discussion...

Free Essays by Words

2000 Word Essay Examples & Topic Ideas

How meth affects women and their children.

  • Subjects: Health & Medicine Healthcare Research
  • Words: 2001

The History Of The Republican George Herbert Walker Bush

  • Subjects: American Ex-Presidents History
  • Words: 2066

Foundations of Earth Science

  • Subjects: Astronomy Sciences
  • Words: 2005

Components of the original IDEA

  • Subjects: Approach to Learning Education
  • Words: 2050

Medicine in Ancient Rome

  • Subjects: Ancient History History
  • Words: 2051

Cezanne’s Sense of Color

  • Subjects: Art Artists
  • Words: 2053

Fashion and Appearance

  • Subjects: Design Fashion
  • Words: 2073

Structural Issues That Stem From the Merger of Two Organisations

  • Subjects: Business Management

Economic Uncertainty Requires More Flexible Budgeting Systems

  • Subjects: Economic Systems & Principles Economics
  • Words: 2099

The Picture of Arabic Feminist

  • Subjects: History Women Studies
  • Words: 2054

Impact of National Culture on Entrepreneurial Activity

  • Subjects: Business Employees Management
  • Words: 2017

Growth of China’s Economy

  • Words: 2016

How useful is the term ‘fascism’ when applied generically to describe the far right in interwar Europe?

  • Subjects: History Western Europe
  • Words: 2082

Global Warming and Coral Reefs

  • Subjects: Environment Global Warming
  • Words: 2026

Advertisement Description: Critical/Contextual Analysis

  • Subjects: Advertising Entertainment & Media
  • Words: 2096

Foucault on the Way Formal Institutions Regulate, Discipline or Train Us to Become Certain Kinds of Persons (Subjects)

  • Subjects: Education Education Theories

Portrayal of the Characters in the Original Text

  • Subjects: American Literature Literature
  • Words: 2088

HR and Sustainability: Australian Tourism and Hospitality

  • Subjects: Business Organizational Planning
  • Words: 2018

Bureaucracy is the Best Way to Deliver Change and Innovation in an Organization

  • Words: 2031

Relativism Definition in Philosophy

  • Subjects: Cultural Issues Culture
  • Words: 2023

The Place of Media in the Public Sphere

  • Subjects: Entertainment & Media Media Influences
  • Words: 2013

Elviswald Code of Ethics

  • Subjects: Business Business Ethics
  • Words: 2093

Senior Leadership Team and Its Characteristics

  • Words: 2047

Facilities Management & Design

  • Words: 2004

Medical Laboratory Quality Systems and Accreditation

  • Subjects: Administration and Regulation Health & Medicine
  • Words: 2056

The design and implementation of sets of ‘strategic’ human resource practices continues to lack coherence and consistency

  • Words: 2055

Human Capital Management in the US’s Healthcare Industry

  • Words: 2032

Locative Media and Communication by Physical Implementation

  • Subjects: Other Technology Tech & Engineering

A matter of cost cutting measures

  • Subjects: Business Case Study
  • Words: 2022

Management: Information Technology – Information Assurance

  • Words: 2049

Decision Making

  • Words: 2100

“Glory ” a American War Movie by Edward Zwick

  • Subjects: Art Film Studies
  • Words: 2000

Culture Clash as a Great Conflict

  • Subjects: Sociological Issues Sociology
  • Words: 2046

Project Hope International

  • Words: 2008

Performance Management in McDonald’s

  • Subjects: Brand Management Business
  • Words: 2079

R&B and Hip-Hop Effect Western Music

  • Subjects: Art Singers
  • Words: 2015

Assessment of effective critical analysis of PR and RM to successful promotion of an international event

  • Words: 2095

Effectiveness of Public Relations & Relationship Marketing to the Successful Promotion of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

  • Subjects: Business Impact of Business Issues
  • Words: 2045

Veterans Health Administration System Development Lifecycle

  • Subjects: Project Management Tech & Engineering
  • Words: 2029

What kind of Canada did the stores help to create?

  • Subjects: Canada History

Capabilities of Market-Driven Organizations

Turning points in the history of the middle east.

  • Subjects: Asia History

Youth Antisocial Behaviour: Britain

Critical/contextual analysis, the strategy experience: the lab for students, the movie “into the storm”.

  • Subjects: Historical Figures History

The Global Political Economy

  • Subjects: Economics Political Economy Processes

Marketing Plan for an Elderly Home

  • Subjects: Business Strategy
  • Words: 2007

Recruitment and Selection Strategies Recommendations

Process and change management: ducab manufacturing company.

  • Words: 2074

The Representation of Valuable or Treasured Objects in Fantasy Novels

  • Subjects: Literature Poems

Total Rewards Program Development

Dalai lama and buddhism tradition.

  • Subjects: Religion Religion, Culture & Society

The Impact of the Arabian Spring on the Citizens’ Decision

  • Subjects: International Relations Politics & Government
  • Words: 2042

Strategic Management Case Analysis: Glenmark

Pros and cons of waterfall model.

  • Subjects: Programming Tech & Engineering

Trendr Information Technology Strategic Plan

G20 and g2 unions versus european union.

  • Subjects: International Organizations Politics & Government
  • Words: 2076

Collaboration Technology and Innovation

  • Subjects: Business Marketing
  • Words: 2002

Learning of Environment Sustainability in Education

  • Subjects: Environment Environmental Processes
  • Words: 2094

Importance of Managing Cultural Diversity in the Hospitality Industry

  • Subjects: Business Corporate Culture

The Strategic Competencies of Delivering Gifts

  • Words: 2048

Genetically Modified Foods Projects

  • Subjects: Genetics Sciences

Franchising in Kazakhstan

  • Words: 2033

The Effects of the US Army Corp Engineers Lock and Dam System on Recreation

  • Subjects: Environment Environmental Studies
  • Words: 2003

Managing Students With Disabilities

  • Subjects: Education Special Education
  • Words: 2087

College Writing Skills Summary

  • Subjects: Education Writing & Assignments
  • Words: 2041

The Traditional and Modern Myths

  • Subjects: Literature Mythology
  • Words: 2097

Cultural Conflict Between Christian Western Countries and Islamic Countries of the East

Disobedient customers and employee turnover intentions.

  • Subjects: Consumer Science Economics

Interpretation of Hebrews 12:6-14

  • Subjects: Religion Religious Education

Challenges for Management in 21st Century

  • Subjects: Business Managerial Duties
  • Words: 2038

Historical Political Event: The Marshall Plan

  • Subjects: History World History

Gender and Sex Tourism

  • Subjects: Tourism World Tourism

Compare and contrast Germon’s account of intersex in ‘dangerous desires: intersex

  • Subjects: Gender Studies Sociology

Library Information System Improvement

Bantu education in south africa, international opportunities for small firms.

  • Subjects: Business International Marketing

Dyslexia: Definition, Causes, Characteristics

  • Subjects: Health & Medicine Neurology

Australian System of Employment Relations

  • Subjects: Business Employee Relationships

Leadership and Influence

Operational management problem faced by chick-fil-a, person-centered approach vs. cognitive-behavioral approach.

  • Subjects: Cognition and Perception Psychology

Influence Physical Environment on Human Psychology

  • Subjects: Psychological Principles Psychology
  • Words: 2036

Social and Organisational Issues in Project Management

The korean march first movement.

  • Words: 2009

Language and Culture Interaction in English Language Teaching

  • Subjects: Literature World Literature
  • Words: 2061

Maternal Mortality: Situations, Policies and Programs

Thinking critically and making judgments.

  • Subjects: Religion Theology

John Rawls’ A Theory of Justice

  • Subjects: Philosophical Theories Philosophy
  • Words: 2063

Labor migration and remittances in the middle east

  • Subjects: Immigration Sociology
  • Words: 2068

Torture in China: Then and Now

Big business in america.

  • Subjects: History United States
  • Words: 2014

Popular Culture and Daily Life. Electric Shadows by Xiao Jiang

Biotechnology development and the u.s. economic hegemony.

  • Subjects: Engineering Tech & Engineering

Innovating Lean Production in Portakabin

  • Subjects: Business Industry

Supernova Stars

Aurelius, marcus. the meditations, bric opportunities, risks and strategies for nz firms, domestic violence against south asian women.

  • Subjects: Sociology Violence

How Proxemics Supports the Nonverbal Expectancy Violations Theory

  • Subjects: Communications Sociology

Raising a Child With High Self Esteem

  • Subjects: Child Psychology Psychology

Stages of a Married Woman with Children

  • Subjects: Psychological Issues Psychology

Streaming in/for the New Economy (Sociology of Education)

  • Subjects: Aspects of Education Education
  • Words: 2034

Designing a Just Socio-Economic System

  • Subjects: Ethics Sociology

Childhood in the Multimedia Age

United russia and dominant parties.

  • Subjects: Government Politics & Government
  • Words: 2086

Is Bruce a Competent Manager?

  • Subjects: Business Business Controversies

Effectiveness of the Group Minds

  • Subjects: Applications of Psychology Psychology
  • Words: 2030

Women in management

  • Words: 2069

Ethics of Death Penalty

  • Subjects: Criminal Law Law
  • Words: 2035

Jane Austen and Convention of the Gothic

  • Subjects: British Literature Literature

United States War on Terror Policy

  • Subjects: Terrorism Prevention Warfare

Ethics and Moral Reasoning

  • Words: 2020

Aggression Studies in Modern World

  • Subjects: Behavior Psychology

Impacts of Economic Globalisation in Australia since The 1980s

  • Subjects: Economics Globalization

Management theories

Racial diversity in the united states.

  • Subjects: Cultural Diversity Culture

Organizational Effectiveness

Outcome and session evaluation in psychotherapy.

Writing a 2000-word essay may seem overwhelming at first, especially if you’ve dealt with smaller tasks before. However, writing such a paper is the next step in your educational process. Two thousand words length is typical for critical writing assignments, movie reports and reviews, book reviews, reports of all kinds, and research papers.

You may face the need to compose a 2000-word task at any moment and in any class. Here are the basics of writing a paper of this length with hot, relevant, and interesting topics you may cover. And if you’re looking for more inspiring samples, check the page with free essays online for students !

  • 🏆 Best Topics for 2024
  • 📝 Research Paper Examples
  • 💡 Report Topic Ideas
  • 👫 Peer Pressure Essay Examples

✏️ How to Write a 2000 Words Essay

  • 📃 Essay on Integrity: Examples
  • 📣 Persuasive Essay Prompts
  • ✅ Argumentative Essay Examples
  • 🌎 Globalization Essay Samples

🏆 Best 2000 Words Paper Topics for 2024

Here are a couple of 2000-word essay topics you may borrow or tweak a bit to present an interesting, well-researched, and thought-provoking paper.

  • The promise and failure of multicultural education.
  • Pros and cons of religious education at schools.
  • Misinformation and lack of access to data about climate change.
  • Can households play a role in air pollution decrease?
  • The contribution of social media to medical care quality.
  • Psychology and physiology of living with allergy.
  • Pros and cons of a vegetarian diet for a child.
  • The medication addiction epidemic in the USA.
  • Alternatives to animal testing.
  • Ethics behind placebo treatment.
  • Pros and cons of child vaccination.
  • The role of standardized testing in public education.
  • Ethical and legal concerns of metal detector setup at schools.
  • Social media and peer communication at schools.
  • Modern technologies for educating blind and deaf children.
  • Alternatives to paper usage for tree protection.
  • The real magnitude of deforestation.
  • The science behind GMO products’ impact on human health.
  • The ethical problem of beauty contests.
  • Long-term impact of violent games on children’s temperament.

📝 2000 Word Research Paper Examples

  • Flooding Problem in Philippines Flooding affects every region of the Philippines neighborhood, and several low-lying regions in the Manila City, such as Espino, Taft, Malabo, and Valenzuela, are usually among the worst hit in every series of flooding that […]
  • Greek and Roman Theatre Differences The design was further involved in the seat arrangement that ensured that the actors were clearly heard by the people on the uppermost semicircular bench of the theater.
  • I Have a Dream Speech Analysis The speech has become a symbol of a new era of freedom and symbol of the American civil rights movement.”I Have a Dream” is a representation of the “America Dream” about a free and equal […]
  • Tesla Globalization: A Strategic Marketing Plan + Expansion Strategy First, it is worth mentioning that, according to the company’s website, the mission of the business is to manufacture and promote a product that would allow for a more sustainable use of the natural environment.
  • Pros and Cons of Hosting the World Cup Considering that grants would be obtained from FIFA to partly support the preparation, the revenue body in the state would benefit from such grant and the developments that will be carried out with the support […]
  • “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” Symbolism In the context of the “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, the pentangle brings together the influence of “the five virtues, the five wounds of Christ, the five senses, the five joys of Mary the […]
  • PepsiCo Leadership Style: Indra Nooyi Leadership Style Indra Nooyi ensures the long-term sustainable performance of PepsiCo with her leadership approach that is focused on collaboration and is considered to be extremely significant for the whole company.

💡 Topic Ideas for a 2000 Word Report

If you’re tasked to write a 2000 words essay, sample topics in the following list can help you out. They are suitable for lab report-type writing on a variety of subjects.

  • Straw panel manufacturing for eco-friendly housing.
  • Alternative energy source use in your location.
  • New statistical applications in medicine.
  • Exploring plant photosynthesis on the example of kale.
  • Preventing unauthorized access: lab report in cybersecurity.
  • Blood sugar regulation.
  • In-vitro antimicrobial activity of rosemary.
  • Hematological parameters of malaria patients.
  • Microbial analysis of expired bread.
  • Water quality analysis.
  • Impact of local spices and herbs on community health.
  • Correlates of yeast cell absorption speed.
  • Emotional regulation in children.
  • Environmental pollution: local parameters.
  • Dehydration of cyclohexanol .
  • Wind engine use: a case study of local practices.
  • Impact of noise level on the nervous system’s resilience.
  • Quality of detergents.
  • Computer modeling of gait.
  • Caffeine levels in tea and coffee.

👫 2000 Words Peer Pressure Essay Examples

  • Friends’ Influence and Peer Pressure in Adolescents The list of physical and emotional transformations happening to the young people during adolescence is universal; the processes are the same for all teenagers.
  • The Influence of Peer Groups on Youth Crime The impact of youth crime on the community is profound, and so is the influence of criminal behavior on the lives of adolescents.
  • Online Peer Support Groups for Depression and Anxiety Disorder The main objective of peer support groups is connecting people with the same life experiences and challenges to share and support each other in healing and recovery.
  • A Peer Intervention Program to Reduce Smoking Rates Among LGBTQ Therefore, the presumed results of the project are its introduction into the health care system, which will promote a healthy lifestyle and diminish the level of smoking among LGBTQ people in the SESLHD.
  • Bullying and Peer Abuse Especially at work, targets fear coming to work and this will have an adverse result in the efficiency of the staff in the hospital.

Overall, a 2000-word essay doesn’t differ from other essay types. It should also have an introductory part, a particular number of body paragraphs, and a concluding section with major insights you’ve derived from research. Since this essay type can be 7-8 pages long, it makes sense to divide the content into sections and cover each of them in several paragraphs.

The picture displays the elements of 2000-word essay structure.

2000-Word Essay Structure

The structure of your 2000-word essay will largely depend on the professor’s prompt. If the tutor requires a more structured paper, you can divide the content into several sections and dwell on every aspect in a couple of paragraphs each. It is not typical for 2000-word essays to have a separate literature review – you may have one in a report or research paper, but essays usually favor a more integrated presentation of literature in the body of the paper. Thus, overall, the essay should have an introduction with a thesis statement, body paragraphs, and a conclusion with main findings and inferences. As the intro and conclusion take 10% of the word count each, you should expect the body of the paper to have around 1500-1600 words, which translates into 10-15 body paragraphs.

Consider using the outline generator if a 2000-word essay structure is challenging for you.

2000-Word Essay Introduction

The essay’s introduction usually takes 10% of the paper’s length, but short essays may have even 20% taken by the introductory section. When we’re talking about a 2000-word essay, 7-10% will be totally fine to cover the broad context, background, and thesis statement of the paper after introducing the essay’s main subject. This way, you should allocate 150-200 words to the introduction of this essay.

Try the thesis statement tool if you’re stuck making a thesis statement. And check our research introduction maker and hook sentence generator if you want to prepare your introduction in no time.

2000-Word Essay Conclusion

Similar to the introduction, a 2000-word essay’s conclusion may also take 150-200 words, which equals 7-10% of the essay’s length. It should summarize the key points you have discussed and derive the main takeaways from every argument or body section you’ve had in the essay.

Check our closing sentence generator to formulate a closing paragraph for your essay.

How Many References Should I Use in a 2000 Word Paper?

It depends on the specific task your supervisor has set and the academic level at which you’re studying. A rule of thumb is to have 8-12 references for every 1,000 words of text. Thus, your 2000-word essay should have around 20 unique sources to comply with the professor’s requirements and academic standards.

📃 Examples of 2000-word Essay on Integrity

  • Media Law and Ethics: Integrity in Media Broadcasting The concept of integrity makes one earn the respect of the society, while the opposite draws insolence and ridicule from the members of the community.
  • Corruption and Integrity in Modern World The difference in the levels of corruption in these countries is a result of different parameters and at the same time, the effects are diverse.
  • Corruption and Corporate and Personal Integrity Bribery, embezzlement of funds and illegitimate procurement always impose extra and unjustified costs to the cost of acquiring public services and damages the credibility of those institutions that are involved in the vice.
  • Academic Integrity: Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty Some of the most significant issues he highlights include the following: The quality of information on the web varies significantly While internet search may help to narrow down on a topic, it may erode the […]

📣 2000 Words Persuasive Essay Prompts

Here are a couple of prompts that can help you craft a 2000 words example essay for a high grade. Feel free to use them or tweak the prompts so that they match your individual task.

Time Management Essay 2000 Words

Discuss the concept of time management and analyze its significance for people’s education, employment, and attainment of life goals. Give examples of the positive impact of good time management on people’s quality of life across domains. Focus on one or several time management techniques, explain their basis and principles, and give instructions for adopting better time management habits.

Essay about Social Networking 2000 Words

Discuss the existing social networks and their history of emergence and mass adoption. Analyze research findings about the pros and cons of reliance on social media and evaluate the arguments of opponents and proponents. Talk about the negative impact of social media on academic achievement and the potential implications of blocking social media use at schools. Consider several cases of teachers’ social media image scandals, such as inappropriate behavior and dressing in social media posts.

2000 Word Essay on Accountability in the Army

Examine the concept of accountability as such and apply it to a narrower field – army service. Talk about the variety of officers’ accountability obligations during army service, covering their duty to treat army property, documents, and funds with due care. Examine various shades of meaning of army officers’ accountability – in civil service and on the battlefield (e.g., joint action and decision-making). Evaluate the importance of accountability in the army and discuss the organs and entities keeping those duties under control.

A Dangerous Experience Essay 2000 Words

Discuss the importance of challenging oneself and leaving the comfort zone for the sake of personal development and growth from the viewpoint of viewing these experiences as dangerous. Give a personal example of leaving the comfort zone and feeling fear and danger in the face of the unknown. Examine the psychological motivations of people agreeing to withstand danger for the sake of moving forward and the justifications of those who avoid danger and never move ahead.

✅ Argumentative Essay 2000 Words Examples

  • Music Effects on the Brain However, listening to music has the ability to inspire the hormones and raise the levels of these elements to equilibrium, making the brain to work optimally.
  • Efficiency and Effectiveness Pursuit of Management Relevance of efficiency and effectiveness to enhance the performance of organisations The assumption of maximising profits through focusing on mechanisms that enhance efficiency and effectiveness of organisations as the main goal of an organisation rather […]
  • Educational Applications of Nursing Informatics The application of informatics implies the incorporation of information technology in the process of direct healthcare provision, establishment of efficient administrative systems, management and education delivery as well as supporting nursing research.
  • The Effects of Television on the Way People Understand Themselves This is because, despite the fact that the advocates of political correctness encourage citizens to believe that the specifics of one’s racial affiliation are not being reflective of his or her tendency to commit crimes, […]
  • Addressing the Income Inequality in the People’s Republic of China It is obvious that the mentioned issues are among the most relevant reasons for II; eliminating them should lead to the improvement of II situation in the world.
  • The Primary Causes of Terrorist Political Violence In a clash between the religious beliefs and those of the state or a foreign power, the religious beliefs are likely to triumph and garner the support of the majority.
  • Sustainable Tourism and Market Economy According to Billington, Carter and Husain Whole Place Development refers to the dynamic process of creating public as well as private spaces by utilizing the input of the stakeholders who are the community to develop […]
  • Employment Relations in Modern Australian Workplaces Nevertheless, continued involvement of the state in employment relations led to changes in the employment relations that saw employers exploit their employees.
  • Counselling Theory of Freudian Psychoanalysis Even though that from a Christian point of view, there is indeed a number of discursive controversies to the theory of psychoanalysis, there can be little doubt as to the fact that it was specifically […]

🌎 Globalization Essay: 2000 Words Samples

  • Globalization: Concept, Advantages and Disadvantages The lecture provokes the interest to the evaluation of the consequences of globalization. The accumulation of the first experience has started with watching the different documentary and feature movies about the global and cultural integration […]
  • Anti-Globalization Movement’s Goals and Power The movement works with the destruction of the legal status of “legal entities,” the disappearance of commercial fundamentalism liberated, and the necessary actions of economic privatization by the World Bank, the Foundation International Monetary Fund, […]
  • Globalization as Growth Driver for Society and Economy From the start, Levitt argues that the globalization of markets is a phenomenon like never seen before, where the international market becomes one whole and there is a demand for modern, popular, standardized products which […]
  • The Economic Aspects of Globalization This trend is active in the most developed countries such as the United States of America and even in the developing countries in Africa and Asia.
  • Strategic Marketing Plan for Globalization Move The company’s strong position in the domestic market and the availability of resources to enter the Chinese market allow for the decisive transition of the company to international marketing.
  • Globalization and Inequity in Global Maternal Mortality Globalization has led to the transition of existing threats to collective and individual health to a new qualitative level and to the emergence of new threats.
  • Tendencies That Were Caused by Globalization Krishnamurthy’s article was published in 2004, and it contributed to drawing the public’s attention to the question of outsourcing in contexts of the information exchange and economic growth. In 2006, Michael Palm responded to the […]
  • Impact of Globalization and Neoliberalism on Crime and Criminal Justice Globalization entails the conception of principles, perpetuated by both governments and organizations that have altered the way nations perceive the obligation for a criminal justice system and the ability of the governments to control crime […]
  • The Era of Globalization in Canada: Employment Standards The purpose of the act was to set minimum standards legislation in order to create regulatory framework for wages, hours of work, overtime, and vacations with pay, for the majority of workers in the province.
  • Healthcare System: Future Prospects in the Era of Globalization Nevertheless, there is another concern that we should worry about; and that is the worsening of health services or hindering in the flourishing of health services in the future.

📌 2000 Word Essay: Answers to the Most Pressing Questions

📌 how many pages is 2000 words double spaced.

How many pages is 2000 words of academic text? According to the guidelines of all the key citation styles, one page should contain approximately 250 words (12-point Times New Roman, double-spaced). If you follow these guidelines, your 2000-word essay will be 8 pages. If you make it single-spaced, it will take 4 pages.

📌 How Much Is 2000 Words in Paragraphs?

How much is 2000 words in paragraphs? A typical academic paragraph contains 100 to 150 words. So, a 2000-word essay will consist of 14-17 paragraphs.

📌 How Many Sentences Is 2000 Words?

How many sentences is a 2000-word essay? A typical sentence in academic writing consists of 15-20 words. So, 2000 words are not less than 100-103 sentences.

📌 How to Outline a 2000-Word Essay?

An academic paper of 2000 words is not always an essay. A text of this length is more likely to be a research paper, term paper, or extended essay. An outline for such an assignment is more complicated than that for a standard essay. In addition to the usual parts (introduction, body, and conclusion), you’ll probably need to include other elements like an abstract and methodology. The details will depend on the exact requirements.

📌 How Long Does It Take to Write 2000 Words?

How long does it take to write a 2000-word essay? It will take you 40-80 minutes to type 2000 words on your keyboard (the total time will depend on your typing speed). Writing an academic paper will take more time because you’ll have to research, make an outline, write, format, and edit your text. It would be best if you planned to spend a little over 6 and a half hours for a 2000-word paper.

📌 How Many Body Paragraphs Are in a 2000 Word Essay?

A typical 2000 words essay consists of 17 to 19 paragraphs. Each of the paragraphs should contain 75-150 words.

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  1. How to Write a 2000 Word Essay and How Long Is It? Structure, Length, & Examples

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  2. 50 Best Reflective Essay Examples (+Topic Samples) ᐅ TemplateLab

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  4. A Reflective Essay Example

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  1. 50 Best Reflective Essay Examples (+Topic Samples)

    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.

  2. How to Write a Reflective Essay

    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.

  3. How to Write a Reflective Essay With Sample Essays

    Writing a reflective essay, also known as a reflective paper or reflection paper, is as easy as following the step-by-step instructions below. 1. Choose a Topic Idea. If you haven't been assigned a topic and don't have a topic in mind, check the list of topics above for inspiration. If those aren't enough, take a look at these 100 reflection ...

  4. How to Write a Reflective Essay

    Structuring a Reflective Essay. While reflective essays vary depending upon topic and subject area, most share a basic overall structure. Unless you are told otherwise, then, your essay should include the following: Introduction - A brief outline of what your essay is about. Main Body - The main part of your essay will be a description of ...

  5. Writing a Reflective Essay: A Complete Guide

    Understanding Reflective Essays. ... In academic settings, they typically range from 500 to 2000 words. This length allows for a thorough exploration of the topic while maintaining focus and clarity. It's enough space to describe experiences, reflect on them, and draw conclusions. Always adhere to any specific word count requirements provided ...

  6. A complete guide to writing a reflective essay

    Identify the topic you will be writing on. 2. Note down any ideas that are related to the topic and if you want to, try drawing a diagram to link together any topics, theories, and ideas. 3. Allow your ideas to flow freely, knowing that you will always have time to edit your reflective essay. 4.

  7. The Writing Center

    The style and tone of your reflective essay should match the purpose of the overall assignment. This is a personal essay meant to showcase what you learned from the text, event, or experience that you are writing about. You can use the pronouns "I," "me," and "mine.". Describe the text, event, or experience fully, using plenty of ...

  8. 8 Tips For Writing A Great Reflective Essay (With Examples)

    4. Learn how to structure your essay. In terms of length, it all depends on your assignment, but usually, the reflective essay has between 300 and 700 words. It has a rather informal structure and the use of language. After all, you're drilling into your personal experiences, and often, this requires a poetic turn of the phrase.

  9. Ultimate Guide To Writing A Reflective Essay

    4. Writing the Body. Write the body of your essay, which should include the personal reflection, description of the experience, analysis of the experience, evaluation of the experience, identification of key learning, and planning for future action. Make sure to use specific examples and details to support your reflection. 5.

  10. How to Write A Reflective Essay

    1. Choose Your Topic Carefully. If you are given the freedom to choose a topic and don't have any idea regarding it, the best way is to brainstorm and research some trending and good topic ideas. Unfortunately, a common mistake when writing a reflective essay is to choose a topic that is too broad or too narrow. 2.

  11. Reflective Essay: Introduction, Structure, Topics, Examples For University

    An Example of a Reflective Essay on "My Little Brother". Essay example reflecting on the arrival of a younger sibling, written at a middle or high school level. "There have been many life-changing experiences in my short life. Every new experience has been the first experience at one point in time.

  12. A great example of a reflective essay

    A great example of a reflective essay (Last updated: 12 May 2021) Since 2006, Oxbridge Essays has been the UK's leading paid essay-writing and dissertation service. We have helped 10,000s of undergraduate, Masters and PhD students to maximise their grades in essays, dissertations, model-exam answers, applications and other materials.

  13. How to Write a Reflective Essay: Definition, Steps & Example

    Step 1. Write Down Introduction. Start your essay introduction with a powerful hook. This could be a quote, a question, or an anecdote. Next is to provide background information to give your readers a clear understanding of the experience you will be reflecting on.

  14. Reflective writing

    1. Job applications. Both preparing for and writing job applications contain elements of reflective writing. You need to think about the experience that makes you suitable for a role and this means reflection on the skills you have developed and how they might relate to the specification.

  15. Reflective essays

    Reflective essays are academic essays; what makes an essay "good" will work for a reflective essay. What is different about a reflective essay is that the essay is about you and your thinking. ... For this assessment, students were required to write a 1500-1800 word essay building on the themes of the course to address the question "We are all ...

  16. Reflective Essay Examples

    Seeing reflective essay examples can help you understand how to accomplish a reflective essay writing assignment. View examples of reflective essays.

  17. How to Write a Reflective Essay

    In a reflective essay, you may use your conclusion to give closure to the experience you're writing about. Add any insights to explain your reasons for your impression. Finally, remember that a reflection is a way to write about the past from the perspective of the present. Make a clear connection from the past to the present.

  18. Writing a Reflective Paper

    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.

  19. 2000-Word Essay Samples: A+ Paper Examples for Free

    Free 2000-Word Essay Samples. 762 samples of this type. A 2000-word essay is a standard undergraduate college assignment. You might need to write an essay of such a length on almost any discipline: psychology, philosophy, science and technology, linguistics, political science, etc. While writing a paper of 2000 to 2100 words, you will need to ...

  20. 2000 Word Essay Examples + Topics for 2000 Words Papers

    Here are a couple of 2000-word essay topics you may borrow or tweak a bit to present an interesting, well-researched, and thought-provoking paper. The promise and failure of multicultural education. Pros and cons of religious education at schools. Misinformation and lack of access to data about climate change.

  21. Critical Reflection and Evaluation Essay

    Assessment title. Critical Reflection and Evaluation Essay. You are expected to write a 2000-word critical reflection/evaluation which appraises and explores the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to ensure the provision of safe and compassionate care when undertaking advancing nursing skills.

  22. Gibbs Reflective Cycle Analysis

    Gibbs Reflective Cycle Analysis. Better Essays. 2000 Words. 8 Pages. Open Document. Introduction. The overall objective of this essay is to choose an event and reflect on the dignity of the patient and how dignity was maintained throughout the event. According to Kozier, Harvey and Morgan-Samuel (2011) dignity is treating an individual with ...

  23. References in a 2000-word essay: A Guide to Finding the Right ...

    When determining the appropriate number of references for a 2000-word essay, it's imperative to prioritize quality over quantity. According to experts at Native Assignment Help, a leading ...