3. How do we write reflective essays?
Understanding the assignment
Read your assignment guidelines carefully to determine which kind of reflections your lecturer wants and what they expect; and what content, such as an event, experience, reading or process, your lecturer wants you to reflect on.
Structuring your essay
A reflective essay typically follows the familiar organisational pattern: Introduction – Body Paragraphs – Conclusion. In the body paragraphs, reflective writing involves a number of formats, and this guide will sugguest a DIEP approach, that is, to describe , interpret , evaluate and plan (Boud et al., 1985).
· Introduction
o Introduce the topic and the scope (What?)
o Justify the topic (Why?)
o Present the purpose of your essay (Thesis statement)
o Give an overview of what you will cover, i.e., description, interpretation, evaluation and plan (How?)
· Body Paragraphs (DIEP)
o Describe objectively what happened
v Give the details of what happened (Include the necessary who, what, when, where, how and why. You may not need to recall the whole experience, e.g., an incident/ lecture/ reading, but just a key aspect of the experience itself.)
v Answer: “What did you do, read, see, hear, etc.?”
o Interpret what happened
v Explain why things happened in the way they did
v Answer: “What might this experience mean?”
v Answer: “How did it make you feel?”
v Answer: “How does it relate to what you know/ have learned?”
v AbswerL “What new insights have you gained from it?”
v Answer: “What are your hypothesis/ conclusions?”
o Evaluate the effectiveness of the experience
v Make judgments on whether the experience is effective for you and how beneficial and useful the experience has been
v Answer: “What is your opinion about this experience?”
Answer: “Why do you have this opinion?”
Answer: “What is the value of this experience?”
o Plan how this experience might help you in the future
v Outline a plan for how the experience may impact your thinking or behaviour in your course, programme, future career and life in general
v Answer: “How will you transfer or apply your new knowledge and insights in the future?”
v Answer
· Conclusion
o Restate your thesis statement
o Summarise the main ideas of the body paragraphs
o State your overview of the experience regarding its usefulness and effectiveness for you and your future
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A reflection paper is an essay that focuses on your personal thoughts related to an experience, topic, or behavior. It can veer toward educational as a reflection of a book you've read or something you've been studying in class. It can also take a more professional slant as you reflect on a certain profession or your experiences within that profession.
A lot of students enjoy writing this type of essay, especially if they find it easy to discuss their feelings and experiences related to a topic or profession. However, some students find this type of subjective writing to be difficult and would rather a more objective writing assignment.
Whether you're the former or the latter, for this article, we're going to look at 6 tips for writing a solid reflection paper that will help you get through the outlining and writing processes. We've also provided a sample reflection paper so you can see these tips in action.
However you choose to focus your reflection paper, if you're able to choose your own topic, choose one that is highly interesting to you or that you find important. You'll find that your paper will be much easier to outline and draft if you do. There are a range of potential topics that have been used or have the potential of turning into a great reflection paper. Here are a few suggestions:
Be sure to outline your reflection paper first before you start to write. Even though this sort of essay is written as a personal reflection, you'll still need to make sure you stay on topic and organize your writing in a clear, logical way. As with other traditional essays, there should be an introduction with a thesis statement, a body, and a conclusion. Each paragraph within your body should focus on a different sub-topic within the scope of your overall topic.
Write in first-person singular. Format the essay according to your teacher's instructions, using whatever citation style required. Your teacher will likely request that it is double-spaced, with 1" indentation in each margin, in 12 pt. font. Also keep in mind that most reflection papers will be around 750 words or less.
Avoiding adding too much description of events. This is not the kind of essay where you need to discuss a play-by-play of everything that happens. Rather, it is the kind of essay that focuses on your reflection of the topic and how you felt during these experiences.
Avoid colloquial expressions or slang—this is still an academic assignment. Also, be sure to edit your essay thoroughly for any grammar or spelling mistakes. Since a reflection paper is written in first-person point of view, it's easy to mistake it for an informal essay and skip the editing. Regardless of the type of essay you submit to your professor, it should always be edited and error-free.
If your assignment asks you to write a critical reflection paper, it is asking for your observations and evaluations regarding an experience. You'll need to provide an in-depth analysis of the subject and your experience with it in an academic context. You might also provide a summary, if the critical reflection paper is about a book or article you've read.
My student teaching experience with the Master's in Education program has been a great learning opportunity. Although I was nervous at first, it didn't take long to apply lessons I have been learning in my academic program to real-world skills such as classroom management, lesson planning, and instruction.
During my first week of student teaching, I was assigned a mentor who had been teaching middle school grades for over 12 years. She assured me that middle school is one of the most difficult grades to teach and that there is a high turnover rate of teachers, which worried me. However, once the week got started and I began to meet the students, my fears abated. These young people were funny, inquisitive, and eager to begin reading the assigned book, Lord of the Flies —especially after we started with a group project scenario that included kids being stranded on an island without adults.
The first few weeks of applying classroom management skills I had read about in my Master's program were a definite learning experience. I had read enough about adolescent development to know that they were not yet at the age where they were able to control all of their impulses, so there were moments when some would yell out an answer or speak without raising their hand first. So, at my mentor's suggestion, I worked with the students to create their own classroom rules that everyone would agree to abide by. Since they played a role in coming up with these rules, I believe it helped them take more personal responsibility in following them.
When we finished that initial group project, I began to see how tasks such as lesson planning—and plans that have to be turned in to the administration weekly—can easily become overwhelming if not worked out on the front-end of the semester. My mentor explained that most seasoned teachers will work on their lesson plans over the summer, using the proper state curriculum, to have them ready with the school year begins. Having scrambled to get my lesson planning done in time during the first few weeks, I saw the value in this and agreed with her that summertime preparation makes the most logical sense. When the school year gets started, it's really a whirlwind of activities, professional development and other events that make it really difficult to find the time to plan lessons.
Once the semester got well underway and I had lesson planning worked out with as little stress as possible, I was able to focus more on instructional time, which I found to be incredibly exciting. I began to see how incorporating multiple learning styles into my lesson, including visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning styles, helped the students stay more actively engaged in the discussion. They also enjoyed it when I showed them short video clips of the movie versions of the books we were reading, as well as the free-write sessions where they were able to write a scene and perform it with their classmates.
Finally, my student teaching experience taught me that above all else, I have truly found my "calling" in teaching. Every day was something new and there was never a dull moment—not when you're teaching a group of 30 teenagers! This lack of boredom and the things I learned from the students are two of the most positive things for me that resulted from the experience, and I can't wait to have my own classroom in the fall when the school year begins again.
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
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.
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:
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:
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:
Writing a reflective essay is like deep diving into your experiences and thoughts and sharing what you've learned.
It's not your typical academic paper – it's more about exploring your personal growth and understanding. Reflective essays are about looking back on moments in your life, analyzing how they've shaped you, and expressing those insights clearly and meaningfully.
From how to start a reflective essay to what kinds of stylistic devices to use, this article will teach you how to offer readers a glimpse into the complexities of your human experience as a human being.
A reflective essay is a type of personal writing where the author delves into their thoughts, emotions, and experiences regarding a particular topic, event, or aspect of their life.
Unlike other forms of academic writing, it focuses on the writer's introspection and self-analysis, often exploring how they have been affected or changed by their experiences.
Reflective essays typically involve a structured approach in which the writer examines the significance of their experiences, considers lessons learned, and considers how they might apply these insights in the future.
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Composing a reflective essay provides a platform for individuals to explore and analyze their experiences, thoughts, and emotions in a structured manner. Through reflection, writers can gain deeper insights into themselves, their beliefs, and their actions.
Reflective essays provide opportunities for self-discovery, growth, and learning. They encourage individuals to critically examine their experiences, identify patterns, and understand how they have been shaped by various factors.
Additionally, reflective essays allow custom writers to communicate their insights and perspectives to others, fostering empathy, understanding, and connection.
Reflective essays can take various forms depending on the purpose, audience, and context. Some common types include:
Personal Reflection | This type focuses on personal experiences, feelings, and insights, allowing the writer to deeply explore their thoughts and emotions. |
---|---|
Professional Reflection | They are common in fields such as education, healthcare, and business. They involve reflecting on professional experiences, challenges, and learning outcomes, often to improve practice or decision-making. |
Academic Reflection | Are typically assigned in educational settings to encourage students to critically analyze their learning experiences, academic achievements, and areas for improvement. |
Creative Reflection | Combines personal experiences with creative expression, such as poetry, artwork, or storytelling, to convey insights and emotions uniquely and engagingly. |
Experiential Reflection | Focuses on specific experiences or events, such as internships, volunteer work, or travel experiences. This will allow the writer to reflect on what they learned and how it has impacted them. |
Critical Reflection | Involves a deeper level of analysis and evaluation, where the writer critically examines their experiences, beliefs, and assumptions, often drawing on theoretical frameworks or academic literature to support their arguments. |
Starting a reflective essay can be approached in various ways, but here are a few effective strategies to consider:
Capture your reader's attention by sharing a brief, compelling story or anecdote related to the topic you'll be reflecting on. This can set the tone for your essay and draw readers in from the start.
Start with a question that prompts readers to think deeply about the topic you'll explore in your reflection. This can create curiosity and encourage engagement right from the beginning.
Offer some background information or context about the experience or topic you'll reflect on. This will help orient your readers and give them a foundation for understanding your reflection.
Clearly state your reflective essay's main idea or thesis in the introduction. This gives readers a preview of what to expect and directs your reflection.
Begin with a relevant quotation that sets the tone for your reflection and encapsulates what you'll discuss in your essay. Make sure the quotation is meaningful and resonates with your topic.
Open with a bold statement or assertion that captures the essence of your reflection. This can be a striking observation, a personal revelation, or a philosophical insight related to your topic.
Recommended for reading: Academic Essay Guide.
Writing a reflective essay involves several key steps:
Choosing a meaningful topic is pivotal as it sets the foundation for your reflective essay. Consider moments that have left a profound impact or triggered significant growth. These can range from personal experiences and academic achievements to challenges overcome.
Selecting a topic involves considering personal experiences that have significantly impacted you. Here's how to choose a topic before writing a reflective essay:
An organized outline is a blueprint for your reflective essay, ensuring a structured and coherent narrative flow. Begin by outlining the main points you intend to explore in each section, including the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
Structure your outline logically, allowing for smooth transitions between ideas and reflections. Consider the overarching themes and insights you wish to convey, ensuring they are seamlessly integrated into your essay's framework.
Through outlining, you streamline the writing process and maintain a cohesive narrative that captivates your audience and effectively communicates your reflections.
Reflection and brainstorming are the cornerstones of a reflective essay, allowing you to delve deep into your thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Take the time to introspect on your chosen topic, exploring the nuances of your feelings, reactions, and lessons learned.
Embrace moments of vulnerability and introspection, as they can lead to genuine insights and self-awareness. Through brainstorming, jot down key moments, reflections, and realizations that have shaped your perspective.
This process enriches your writing and fosters personal growth and understanding as you navigate through the complexities of your experiences.
Crafting a compelling thesis statement is essential as it encapsulates your reflective essay's core message or insight.
Your thesis serves as a roadmap, guiding both you and your readers through the narrative journey ahead. It should concisely summarize your reflection's central theme or purpose, offering a glimpse into the key aspects of your experience and its significance.
A well-crafted thesis statement provides clarity and focus and sets the tone for the rest of your essay. It acts as a beacon, directing your efforts toward articulating your reflections cohesively while inviting readers to delve deeper into the complexities of your narrative.
Writing, reflecting, and revising are iterative processes culminating in a polished reflective essay.
Draft your essay, beginning with a compelling introduction that sets the stage for your reflection. Dive into the body paragraphs, exploring specific aspects of your experience and their implications. Incorporate personal anecdotes, observations, and reflections to enrich your narrative, fostering a deeper connection with your readers. Alternatively, you can buy an essay online to avoid having to do everything on your own.
As you write, reflect on your journey, acknowledging the growth and insights gained along the way. Finally, revise your essay for clarity, coherence, and impact, ensuring that your reflections are articulated effectively and leave a lasting impression on your audience.
Through this process, you refine your writing and deepen your understanding of yourself and others.
Before you start writing any content for your essay, it would be wise to draw up an outline of your document:
Introduction | |
---|---|
Body Paragraphs | |
Conclusion |
As we know, a reflective essay involves examining your experiences and expressing how they influenced you. Here are seven useful and practical tips to help you write an effective essay about self-reflection:
Choose a specific incident or moment that had a profound impact on you. Narrowing your focus to a single event or series of related events can make your reflection deeper and more meaningful.
Use questions to guide your reflection. For example:
Answering these questions can help you explore your thoughts and emotions more thoroughly.
If relevant, connect your personal experiences with theoretical concepts or lessons you've learned in your studies or professional life. This can add a layer of intellectual reflection to your reflective essays and demonstrate your ability to apply theory to practice.
Incorporate direct quotes or internal monologue from the experience. This adds authenticity and gives readers insight into your immediate reactions and thoughts during the event.
Employ phrases that indicate reflection, such as "I realized," "I learned," "This made me think," "I understood that," etc. This helps convey your introspective process to the reader.
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Recommended for reading: Definition Essay Examples .
Reflective essays are super important for students because they help you think about what you've learned and how you've grown. They make you reflect on your experiences, figure out what went well and what didn't, and understand how it fits into your life.
By doing this, you don't just memorize stuff for a test – you get why it matters and how it applies to real life. Plus, reflecting like this helps you improve at thinking things through, understanding yourself, and solving problems.
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What are the parts of a typical reflective essay, what is a reflective essay format.
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is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.
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A reflection paper is an essay that requires you to express your opinion on a topic. In the paper, you will analyse and reflect upon how a book, experience or academic lecture shaped your thoughts and opinions on a subject.
It is one of the only academic essays where you get to discuss your own opinion and, the best part is, there is no wrong answer.
There are two main types of reflection papers. The first type is experiential – which is an analysis of a personal experience or observation. In the paper, you will summarise and highlight underlying principles that support your analysis of the experience.
The second type is textual. This type of paper analyses a written text, which can be an article, essay or book. Your opinion, analysis and interpretation of the material will be backed up using specific quotations.
Choose an interesting topic.
Having an interesting topic is important for both you and the reader. Having an interest in what you are writing about will make the paper more enjoyable for you to write. An interesting topic will also make the paper more engaging for the reader.
An example of a reflection paper theme is: how my views on pop music have changed over time.
Typically, reflection papers are between 250 and 800 words long, and because of the short length it is important to only include relevant information. Avoid tangents and lengthy summaries to ensure you get your points across in the allotted word count.
Although you will be talking about your thoughts and opinions, it is important to remember that writing a reflection paper requires you to use a professional tone suitable for an academic environment.
Before you can begin writing, it is important to understand how to start a reflection paper. These simple steps will take you from beginning to end through careful planning and thorough analysis.
To begin your reflection paper, you must first decide on the topic you want to write about. Once you have done this, write a short summary about what you have learned from your experience with the topic. This can include memorable information or specific quotes, pre-existing thoughts and feelings and ways in which it has influenced you.
Once you have chosen a topic, you need to review and analyse the material. This will allow you to form coherent themes by looking deeper into the meaning and thought behind the text.
Some good questions to ask yourself when reviewing and analysing material are:
These questions will help to streamline your thoughts and opinions of your subject. They will also ensure that your reflection paper flows and is well organised.
After analysing the material, you can use what you found to select a main theme for your paper. To do so, you should find common points and arguments that incited strong opinions from your analysis.
Choosing an interesting main theme is important as it will set the tone for your paper and will also make it more engaging for the reader.
To give your reflection paper a coherent structure, you should make connections between our opinions. Doing so will give you a clear outline of what to include in the body paragraphs and will ensure your paper flows well.
The last thing you will need to do is write the paper. This should be done in three sections: an introduction, the body paragraphs and a conclusion.
Express your opinions in a concise and academic manner and remember to proofread multiple times to avoid factual and grammatical errors.
Despite unlimited subject options, the typical format of a reflection paper is the same for every essay.
The introduction of your reflection paper will contain the purpose and topic of the essay. You will state the thesis of the paper and give the reader an insight into the reasoning behind your choice of topic.
The main purpose of a reflection paper is to discuss your thoughts and opinions, so make sure you clearly state your feelings towards your subject. This must be done in a professional manner.
In the introduction you can include a brief summary of the book, article or experience you are analysing and the themes and topics you are going to explore.
The body paragraphs are where you will present an in-depth analysis of your thesis statement. In them you can include direct quotations and references, examples and supporting arguments.
If you are reflecting on an experience, use the body paragraphs to introduce the experience, talk about how it has influenced you and what you have learned from it.
Each body paragraph should introduce a new idea. It is best practice to start each paragraph with a topic sentence. This ensures your paper will have good flow and organisation.
Your conclusion should summarise the ideas and opinions you have described in the body paragraphs. You should describe what you have learned through your analysis of the experience or text and areas for further learning.
It is important to never introduce new ideas in the conclusion of a reflection paper. This section should only be used to restate your original thesis statement.
If you include quotes or information from secondary sources, you will need to correctly reference them at the end of your reflection paper. This list will need to be formatted accurately to your university/organisation standard.
Writing a reflection paper can be a common part of your university experience. If you are an international student looking to study a degree in the UK, Royal Holloway International Study Centre has a range of pathway programmes to prepare you for university study. As well as pathway programmes, you can also study our introductory Prepare for Success programme to further develop your study skills.
Including references in a reflection paper is not mandatory. However, if you want to support your arguments using secondary sources you can do so by citing them correctly within the reflection paper text and including a reference list at the end of the essay.
Typically, a reflection paper is around 250-800 words. However, the length can vary depending on your level of study and what you are studying.
The format of a reflection paper consists of three parts. These are:
Guidance on the structure of academic reflections.
Term | How it is being used |
---|---|
Academic/professional reflection | Any kind of reflection that is expected to be presented for assessment in an academic, professional, or skill development context. Academic reflection will be used primarily, but refer to all three areas. |
Private reflection | Reflection you do where you are the only intended audience. |
Academic reflections or reflective writing completed for assessment often require a clear structure. Contrary to some people’s belief, reflection is not just a personal diary talking about your day and your feelings.
Both the language and the structure are important for academic reflective writing. For the structure you want to mirror an academic essay closely. You want an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion.
Academic reflection will require you to both describe the context, analyse it, and make conclusions. However, there is not one set of rules for the proportion of your reflection that should be spent describing the context, and what proportion should be spent on analysing and concluding. That being said, as learning tends to happen when analysing and synthesising rather than describing, a good rule of thumb is to describe just enough such that the reader understands your context.
Below is an example of how you might structure an academic reflection if you were given no other guidance and what each section might contain. Remember this is only a suggestion and you must consider what is appropriate for the task at hand and for you yourself.
Identifies and introduces your experience or learning
When structuring your academic reflections it might make sense to start with what you have learned and then use the main body to evidence that learning, using specific experiences and events. Alternatively, start with the event and build up your argument. This is a question of personal preference – if you aren’t given explicit guidance you can ask the assessor if they have a preference, however both can work.
Highlights why it was important
You might find that it is not natural to highlight the importance of an event before you have developed your argument for what you gained from it. It can be okay not to explicitly state the importance in the introduction, but leave it to develop throughout your reflection.
Outline key themes that will appear in the reflection (optional – but particularly relevant when answering a reflective prompt or essay)
This might not make sense if you are reflecting on a particular experience, but is extremely valuable if you are answering a reflective prompt or writing an essay that includes multiple learning points. A type of prompt or question that could particularly benefit from this would be ‘Reflect on how the skills and theory within this course have helped you meet the benchmark statements of your degree’
It can be helpful to explore one theme/learning per paragraph.
Explore experiences
As reflection is centred around an individual’s personal experience, it is very important to make experiences a main component of reflection. This does not mean that the majority of the reflective piece should be on describing an event – in fact you should only describe enough such that the reader can follow your analysis.
Analyse and synthesise
Depending on the requirements of the assessment, you may need to use theoretical literature in your analysis. Theoretical literature is a part of perspective taking which is relevant for reflection, and will happen as a part of your analysis.
Restate or state your learning
Plan for the future
Answer the question or prompt (if applicable)
You might recognise that most reflective models mirror this structure; that is why a lot of the reflective models can be really useful to structure reflective assignments. Models are naturally structured to focus on a single experience – if the assignment requires you to focus on multiple experiences, it can be helpful to simply repeat each step of a model for each experience.
One difference between the structure of reflective writing and the structure of models is that sometimes you may choose to present your learning in the introduction of a piece of writing, whereas models (given that they support working through the reflective process) will have learning appearing at later stages.
However, generally structuring a piece of academic writing around a reflective model will ensure that it involves the correct components, reads coherently and logically, as well as having an appropriate structure.
The example structure above works particularly well for formal assignments such as reflective essays and reports. Reflective journal/blogs and other pieces of assessed reflections tend to be less formal both in language and structure, however you can easily adapt the structure for journals and other reflective assignments if you find that helpful.
That is, if you are asked to produce a reflective journal with multiple entries it will most often (always check with the person who issued the assignment) be a successful journal if each entry mirrors the structure above and the language highlighted in the section on academic language. However, often you can be less concerned with form when producing reflective journals/diaries.
When producing reflective journals, it is often okay to include your original reflection as long as you are comfortable with sharing the content with others, and that the information included is not too personal for an assessor to read.
Developed from:
Ryan, M., 2011. Improving reflective writing in higher education: a social semiotic perspective. Teaching in Higher Education, 16(1), 99-111.
University of Portsmouth, Department for Curriculum and Quality Enhancement (date unavailable). Reflective Writing: a basic introduction [online]. Portsmouth: University of Portsmouth.
Queen Margaret University, Effective Learning Service (date unavailable). Reflection. [online]. Edinburgh: Queen Margaret University.
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JERUSALEM — Three hundred and thirty-two days after Hersh Goldberg-Polin danced in the courtyard next to his Jerusalem synagogue on the holiday of Simchat Torah, more than a thousand people gathered there in grief and prayer to mourn his murder by Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
During the Sunday night vigil, the courtyard railings were lined with oversized yellow ribbons to symbolize advocacy for the hostages, Hapoel Jerusalem soccer flags — the 23-year-old’s favorite team — and posters that read, “We love you, stay strong, survive,” a mantra coined by his mother, Rachel Goldberg-Polin.
Just hours earlier, one of the posters had been hanging over the balcony of the home of Shira Ben-Sasson, a leader of Hakhel, the Goldberg-Polins’ egalitarian congregation in the Baka neighborhood of Jerusalem.
“We were sure we would take it down when he came home,” Ben-Sasson said.
The community wanted to unite while respecting the Goldberg-Polins’ desire for privacy, she said, prompting them to organize the prayer gathering.
“But it’s like a Band-Aid or giving first aid, it’s what you do in an emergency. I don’t know how we go on after this,” she said.
A covered courtyard at the Hakhel congregation was filled with mourners the day after Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose family are prominent members, was found to have been killed in Gaza. Hundreds of other people crowded outside the gates, Sept. 1, 2024. (Deborah Danan)
She added that the community, which has a large contingent of English-speaking immigrants, was not prepared for the High Holidays, which begin in about a month. She said, “Seeing his empty seat is hard.”
For Ben-Sasson, who wore a T-shirt bearing the Talmudic dictum “There is no greater mitzvah than the redeeming of captives,” the tragedy is especially painful because, she said, it could have been avoided with a ceasefire agreement that freed hostages.
“Hersh was alive 48 hours ago. We think a deal could have saved him. There is no military solution to this,” she said.
That feeling of bereavement, often mixed with betrayal, pervaded gatherings across Israel on Sunday, as the country struggled with the news that six hostages who may have been freed in an agreement were now dead as negotiations continue to stall. Speakers at protests in Tel Aviv blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who himself apologized for not getting the hostages out alive but blamed Hamas for obstructing a deal. The country’s labor union, the Histadrut, has called a national strike on Monday to demand a deal.
A rare early September rain lashed parts of Israel on Sunday, leading to a widespread interpretation: God, too, was weeping.
Some at the Jerusalem gathering, including the relative of another former hostage, said Netanyahu had chosen defeating Hamas over freeing the captives.
Josef Avi Yair Engel’s grandson Ofir was released from Hamas captivity in November. He paid tribute to Hersh Goldberg-Polin, murdered in captivity, in Jerusalem, Sept. 1, 2024. (Deborah Danan)
Josef Avi Yair Engel, whose grandson Ofir, 18, was released from Hamas captivity in November during that month’s ceasefire deal, expressed shock over Hersh’s murder but said he was not surprised, given the wartime policies of Netanyahu’s government.
“We knew months ago this was going to happen. Bibi’s formula, to dismantle Hamas and return the hostages, wasn’t logical. It’s an either/or situation,” Engel said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. “He’s tearing the country apart. I’m afraid that in the coming months there won’t be a state at all.”
Engel said he felt a close bond with Hersh’s father Jon Polin, not only because of their joint activism in the hostage families’ tent outside the Prime Minister’s Residence, but also because of their shared identity as Jerusalemites.
“There aren’t many of us in the hostage circle,” he said. “We’re like family.”
Sarah Mann, who did not know the family personally, said the weekend’s tragedy reminded her of Oct. 7.
“This day has sparks of the seventh, which created numbness and an inability to talk. Just complete shock,” she said.
Mourners left notes at a gathering at Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s family synagogue in Jerusalem. Many of the messages used the Hebrew word for “sorry.” (Deborah Danan)
Part of the reason for that, Mann said, was Rachel, who she described as a “force of faith.” Goldberg-Polin’s mother emerged as the most prominent advocate for the hostages globally and became a symbol in her own right as she crisscrossed the world calling for her son’s freedom.
“Millions of people around the world held onto her. Once that was cut, people’s ability to hold onto faith was knocked out today. But even though this has shattered us, we need to keep holding onto God,” Mann said.
For Susi Döring Preston, the day called to mind was not Oct. 7 but Yom Kippur, and its communal solemnity.
She said she usually steers clear of similar war-related events because they are too overwhelming for her.
“Before I avoided stuff like this because I guess I still had hope. But now is the time to just give in to needing to be around people because you can’t hold your own self up any more,” she said, tears rolling down her face. “You need to feel the humanity and hang onto that.”
Like so many others, Döring Preston paid tribute to the Goldberg-Polins’ tireless activism. “They needed everyone else’s strength but we drew so much strength from them and their efforts, “she said. “You felt it could change the outcome. But war is more evil than good. I think that’s the crushing thing. You can do everything right, but the outcome is still devastating.”
Guy Gordon, with his daughter Maya, added a broken heart to the piece of tape he has worn daily to mark the number of days since the hostage crisis began, Sept. 1, 2024. (Deborah Danan)
Guy Gordon, a member of Hakhel who moved to Israel from Dublin, Ireland, in the mid-1990s, said the efforts towards ensuring Hersh’s safe return have been an anchor for the community during the war. The community knew him as the family described him in its announcement of his funeral on Tuesday, as “a child of light, love and peace” who enjoyed exploring the world and coming home to his family, including his parents and younger sisters, Leebie and Orly.
“It gave us something to hope for, and pray for and to demonstrate for,” he said. “We had no choice but to be unreasonably optimistic. Tragically it transpired that he survived until the very end.”
Gordon, like many others in the crowd, wore a piece of duct tape marked with the number of days since Oct. 7 — a gesture initiated by Goldberg-Polin’s mother. Unlike on previous days, though, his tape also featured a broken red heart beside the number.
Nadia Levene, a family friend, also reflected on the improbability of Hersh’s survival.
“He did exactly what his parents begged him to do. He was strong. He did survive. And look what happened,” Levene said.
She hailed Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s “unwavering strength and belief in God,” adding, “There were times I lost faith. I suppose I was angry with God. But she just kept inspiring us all to pray, pray, pray.”
Leah Silver of Jerusalem examined stickers showing Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s mantra for her son Hersh, who was murdered in captivity in Gaza, at a gathering after Hersh’s death, Sept. 1, 2024. (Deborah Danan)
Jerusalem resident Leah Silver rejected politicizing the hostages’ deaths.
“Everything turns political so quickly. I came here because I felt that before all the protests, we need to just mourn for a moment and to pray. And show respect for each other,” she said. “We’ve become confused about who the enemy is. It’s very sad.”
But not everyone at the gathering joined in to sing Israel’s national anthem at the closing of the prayer gathering.
“I’m sorry, I can’t sing ‘Hatikvah,'” Reza Green, a Baka resident who did not know the Goldberg-Polins personally, said. “I’m too angry. We shouldn’t be here.”
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Never write the whole essay at once. Space out the time slots when you work on your reflection paper to at least a day apart. This will allow your brain to generate new thoughts and reflections. Short and Sweet - Most reflection papers are between 250 and 750 words. Don't go off on tangents.
1 Choose a tone. Before you begin to write your reflective essay, choose a tone. Because a reflective essay is more personal than an academic essay, you don't need to use a strict, formal tone. You can also use personal pronouns like I and me in your essay because this essay is about your personal experiences.
1. Keep it short and sweet. A typical reflection paper is between 300 and 700 words long. Verify whether or not your instructor specified a word count for the paper instead of merely following this average. If your instructor demands a word count outside of this range, meet your instructor's requirements. 2.
Use these 5 tips to write a thoughtful and insightful reflection paper. 1. Answer key questions. To write a reflection paper, you need to be able to observe your own thoughts and reactions to the material you've been given. A good way to start is by answering a series of key questions. For example:
arned? Introduction 1. First, identify and briefly expl. t. e text or experience. 2. The next step would be to indicate your reaction. t. e text or experience. 3. Finally, you will e. d with a thesis statement. Your purpose for writing the reflection shoul. be clear to your readers. For more information on how to create a strong thesi.
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 ...
1. 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.
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.
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 ...
In general, an academic reflection essay is a combination of these two ideas: writers should observe conventions for academic writing while critically reflecting on their experience or project. Note that the term "critically" suggests that the writing should not merely tell the reader what happened, what you did, or what you learned.
A reflection is an essay, so provide full, thoughtful responses to the questions in your instructor's prompt. 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.
Step 6: Create an introduction of your reflection paper. Step 7: Think what you will include in the main body of your text. Start writing your body paragraphs. Step 8: Diversify your text with all the necessary details to make your readers see a clear picture of the environment in your story.
If you have to write a reflective essay, here are some tips to follow. References should be listed on the final page of the writing. In the essay, try to avoid using the same phrase multiple times. Give your take on the topic in the writing. Verify that you have explained everything that was previously unclear.
Reflective essays are more formal pieces of writing that analyze personal experiences in depth. They require a structured approach to reflection, often including theories or models to frame the reflection. Example: Reflecting on my leadership role during the group project, I applied Tuckman's stages of group development to understand the ...
A reflective essay typically follows the familiar organisational pattern: Introduction - Body Paragraphs - Conclusion. In the body paragraphs, reflective writing involves a number of formats, and this guide will sugguest a DIEP approach, that is, to describe, interpret, evaluate and plan (Boud et al., 1985). · Introduction.
Tip #3—Write in first-person singular. Write in first-person singular. Format the essay according to your teacher's instructions, using whatever citation style required. Your teacher will likely request that it is double-spaced, with 1" indentation in each margin, in 12 pt. font. Also keep in mind that most reflection papers will be around ...
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.
Sample Reflective Essay. My senior project, "designing a senior party donor marketing campaign", was very relevant. to my career goal in business. I plan to attend SOU next year and study business, but, prior to this project, I was unsure what direction in business I would take, as I have found both marketing and accounting attractive.
Reflect and Brainstorm. Reflection and brainstorming are the cornerstones of a reflective essay, allowing you to delve deep into your thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Take the time to introspect on your chosen topic, exploring the nuances of your feelings, reactions, and lessons learned. Embrace moments of vulnerability and introspection ...
Reflective essays are essays in which the writer looks back on, or reflects upon, his or her experiences and how they caused personal change. Reflective essays involve self-reflection. Reflective ...
Your essay should be 500 to 750 words. • Use the reflective essay to communicate specifics about your improved understanding and use of library services, resources, and collections as they applied to your paper or project. • Explain what advancements you see in your library research and what skills, techniques or strategies you have learned.
Reflection paper format. Despite unlimited subject options, the typical format of a reflection paper is the same for every essay. Introduction. The introduction of your reflection paper will contain the purpose and topic of the essay. You will state the thesis of the paper and give the reader an insight into the reasoning behind your choice of ...
Both the language and the structure are important for academic reflective writing. For the structure you want to mirror an academic essay closely. You want an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion. Academic reflection will require you to both describe the context, analyse it, and make conclusions. However, there is not one set of rules ...
Reflection Essay gathering, and in-depth analysis. This knowledge, coupled with my ability to connect business objectives with project deliverables, has allowed me to effectively deliver projects aligned with organizational goals. The comprehensive toolkit acquired through the curriculum has prepared me to oversee more complex projects and teams. The coursework emphasized key soft skills ...
Josef Avi Yair Engel, whose grandson Ofir, 18, was released from Hamas captivity in November during that month's ceasefire deal, expressed shock over Hersh's murder but said he was not ...