Various academic courses usually will require you to do a reflective essay on a range of events or experience, such as a reflection of a theatrical play you have watched, recent issues you have heard in the country, a university event you have just attended, and life-altering events and other impactful experiences you have encountered. Here, you have to look back at what you have learned from this and reflect your learning, understanding, and thoughts on paper. However, exactly how to write a reflective essay? If you are still confused and need to up your knowledge regarding this matter, read the guidelines below.
Guidelines on How to Write a Reflective Essay
Choose Your Topic
Some professors usually do not give topics for your reflective essay. In this case, you have to do research or reflect on a good topic first. Good topics can be a real experience, interesting things you have imagined or thought, A special place or object, and things you have watched, touched, smelled, read, seen, tasted, or heard. If you have finalized your topic, the next thing you can do is to plan your reflective essay format.
Study Your Subject and Brainstorming
If you have a topic in mind and settled an appropriate format, you have to figure out how to write a reflective essay effectively. Since it is a personal experience, you have to remember all the details you have encountered in that particular event. If you are uncertain of some details, you can gather information by asking the people you’ve been with during those times. Next, you have to list down or write the things you can think about your topic. Try to describe your subject as clearly as possible. For instance, if your topic is about the place you have been before, think about some adjectives you can remember about that experience, like the smell, noise, scenery, and other sensory experiences. Write down as many descriptions or statements as you can, and later on, you can turn these into paragraphs.
Choose Reflection Questions and Answer Them
There are many reflection questions you can search on the internet, choose a couple of questions, and push yourself to answer everything. This will help you as you go along with your reflection paper. Some of the questions you can ask are what you have noticed; what did you feel about it; why did you feel that way; how is your experience unique and why; how did that experience change you; what is the meaning of that experience in your life; how can you apply this in your life; how did that experience change the way you think. Next, read your selected reflection questions and then answer them. You do not have to make it formal or complete perfect sentences as your aim is to get as many ideas as possible.
Start and End Your Paper Perfectly
The key to writing a reflective essay perfectly not only depends on your reflection but also on how you organize/arrange your thoughts. First, make a draft about what you have written down/brainstormed and make a thesis statement that will be your paper’s central point. Your introduction should include a general impression you have of your subject. The body should include all the detailed impressions, feelings, thoughts, and ideas your subject has imprinted on you and why. You can speculate as there is no right or wrong answer in a reflective essay. For the conclusion, mention your thesis statement and highlight the focal explanations you have given in the body. Wrap everything up with a final powerful thought about your subject and end it with an insightful statement that will leave your reader think as well.
These tips on how to write a reflective essay excellently are things you need to grasp carefully. Know that this is a way to exercise your mind as you are doing both extrospection and introspection. For other details, you can delve deeper by looking at other informative sources.