Reflective Writing

What is reflective writing?

Reflective writing is:

• your response to experiences, opinions, events or new information
• your response to thoughts and feelings
• a way of thinking to explore your learning
• an opportunity to gain self-knowledge
• a way to achieve clarity and better understanding of what you are learning
• a chance to develop and reinforce writing skills
• a way of making meaning out of what you study

Reflective writing is not:

• just conveying information, instruction or argument
• pure description, though there may be descriptive elements
• straightforward decision or judgement (e.g. about whether something is right or wrong, good or bad)
• simple problem-solving
• a summary of course notes
• a standard university essay

Why are we asked to do this type of assignment?

To make connections

The idea behind reflective writing is that what you learn at university builds on your prior knowledge, whether it is formal (e.g. education) or informal (e.g. gained through experience).

Reflective writing helps you develop and clarify the connections:

• between what you already know and what you are learning
• between theory and practice
• between what you are doing and how and why you do it.

To examine your learning processes

Reflective writing encourages you to consider and comment on your learning experiences—not only WHAT you've learned, but HOW you learned it.

To clarify what you are learning

Reflecting helps you to:

• clarify what you have studied
• integrate new knowledge with previous knowledge
• identify the questions you have
• identify what you have yet to learn.

To reflect on mistakes and successes

Reflecting on mistakes can help you avoid repeating them. At the same time, reflecting on your discoveries helps identify successful principles to use again.

To become an active and aware learner

To become a reflective practitioner once you graduate and begin your professional life

Next: How do I write reflectively?

More reflective writing links

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