Tips for writing a reflective essay in 5 steps
The reflection of your opinion, thoughts and analysis about a book, thesis or research has known as a reflective paper or reflective essay. Students are often assigned to write a reflection paper about fictional and non-fictional texts, science research, and even movies in the academic years.
For the candidates of psychology and studies related to living beings’ behavior, a reflection of actions can also be a part of this essay. This writing genre also includes personal subject like writing your thought, experience, or analysis of any situation and feelings.
Mostly, the questions for a reflective essay are provided relative to the central theme or study topic. The paper is not too elaborated but a summary of the text or movie and your understanding. The tips in the article may help you to understand how to start an essay and how to writing a reflective essay and summarize the subject briefly within 1000 words approximately. Since it is a rational writing style and based upon one’s thinking, all the answers are considered correct.
But there are some key points to consider while writing a reflective essay to put all essence and insight into the paper and give the reader a broader aspect of the thought process.
How to write a Reflective Essay?
Some minor points affect the quality of the overall reflective essay. It is essential to interpret the right factors of the subject and portray it in a presentable manner. The essay writing consists of 5 simple steps: the steps and the tips for each step is written below:
Step 1: Identify
The very first step is to learn about the basic theme and concept of the subject. You also need to identify the characters and plot to analyze the briefly. After watching the movie or reading the book to write a reflective essay, you must understand the messages, and material provided throughout the subject. Also, you needs to keep an eye on your thought process and feeling for the situation’s specific part. Your insights, opinion and reactions all matters for the essay.
Step 2: Mind-Map
On this stage, you start displaying your opinions through brainstorming about the material. An illustration, examples or points are added o the picture for your understanding. There is also some question about the subject to add in the essay. Your insights into those points make your writing more effective. To start the brainstorming, you can use this list of topics to include in your report:
- Write your first opinion about the subject, Affirmative, Negative or unbiased.
- Mention your idea about the impression of the presenter
- List all the effect the material has made on you about the theme
- Mention the improvement areas or the relative question which could be included in the subject
- If there are more questions close to the topic (in the subject limit or extensive), you must mention those.
- Write down the moral and educational message the subject is providing
- If you can relate any scene or situation, write the difference or similarities in your opinion or reaction from the issue.
- The above points can help put together your ideas and the conclusions to document a discerning reflection.
Step 3: Organize
The reflection needs to include not only a summary of the subject but also your insights. A reflective paper has reviewed aspects and example to clear your point of you and back up for affirmations you make. Include the information you have gathered in the mind mapping stage. Remember to summarize and organize information for reflective paper to bring up all the points briefly and precisely.
Step 4: Write
Divide your information into three parts. First include the preliminary data like author, presenter or creator name, and a quick review of your reflection paper’s theme. It must consist of the information you have gathered in the first step. Also, mention the impression the subject has made on you.
The second part of your essay may include two or more paragraphs. This part consists of the assertions, and support for your first insight. Include data like quotes, recap and examples in this paragraph with little detailing to elaborate your opinion. Also, add the reactions and thought about the subject and impact the material has made on you. You can also include relative experiences and connections between the material and the reality.
The third paragraph includes the relation of your opinion with the subject. Add support to your views and summarize all the above material and effects that the material made on you.
Step 5: Revise:
After writing the whole essay:
- Take a break.
- Read the article with a new view.
- Try to critic the paper to find space for improvement and strengthen your context.
- Proofread to remove any grammatical mistake and improvise sentence structure. You can ask for feedback from friends.
These tips are not the complete guide to writing reflection. It can help you make a good start for your essay.
Author Bios:
Grace Griffin is a member of the writer’s Team on Essays uk and Research prospect help students in their academic writing through dissertation writing services. She has bachelor’s in Law, Masters in Literature, and a PhD in Economics. she wanted to explore all the possible subjects in the world. Still, she is afraid that she couldn’t do so. Grace is a technical writer and writes research-based content. As for her hobbies, she loves reading articles, blogs, magazines, newspapers and books.
FAQ
How do I identify the topic in an essay?
The very first step is to learn about the basic theme and concept of the subject. You also need to identify the characters and plot to analyze the briefly. After watching the movie or reading the book to write a reflective essay, you must understand the messages, and material provided throughout the subject. Also, you needs to keep an eye on your thought process and feeling for the situation’s specific part. Your insights, opinion and reactions all matters for the essay.
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