Creating A Top-Quality University-Level Reflective Essay

In reflective essays, you write from your own observations and experience. It is basically relating what you have learnt, thought about and observed. You write about your feelings, thoughts, and reflections on an event that you experienced.

Two steps are generally followed in reflective writing:

• You can apply your experiences to existing theories. Here you think through your experience and look for what applies to or can be related to academic theory.
• Secondly, you must state what you have learnt from your experience. What has changed in your thought patterns since the experience? In other words, what are you doing differently now? What have you learnt? Describe what you are now doing differently as a result of your learning experience. Also, the paper should walk the reader through the change in your thinking through the experience.

There are a few things to remember and avoid in reflective writing:

• Stating facts briefly. Reflective writing involves a process of moving from one mindset to another through experience. The whole experience needs to be written about and not just the conclusion.
• Vivid descriptions. Reflective essays take the reader through your journey. They do not just describe an event. So while the description is good, detail the process as well.
• A summary. While you have learned a lot on your journey, a summary will not fit the bill. Focus on one thing that you have learned and take the reader through the journey of learning this.

There are some guidelines that will ensure that you write a reflective essay:

• Think about your experience to discover what you have learned. As you think about it, write your thoughts down.
• Write down your feelings and thoughts concerning the experience. How did you feel about something and how do you feel now?
• Take the time to delve deeper into yourself. Reflective essays are written after a lot of self-inspection and reflection. Do this with a pen and paper so that you don’t leave out anything.
• A reflective essay should give you a more vivid picture of your learning process. Can you see clearly how you learnt over time?
• It should also show where you are now. It explores your thoughts, opinions, what you have learnt and what you will do differently as a result.

Reflective essays thus require much thought and effort on your part. Take your time in writing it. Explore your thoughts and feelings and you’ll be sure to be successful in this.