A COMPLETE GUIDE FOR WRITING A REFLECTIVE ESSAY

A COMPLETE GUIDE FOR WRITING A REFLECTIVE ESSAY

With its own guidelines and customs essay, writing is difficult. This is why the reflective essay, which is different even in academic compositions, may be difficult to understand. Students are given the task of being honest about themselves and examining the thoughts and emotions they feel in comparison with the external world or subject. So here is an example of an internal analysis in a reflective essay. The sample illustrates the reflective essay. We use traditional analytical analysis in the academic field that is independent, as well as a kind of diary, reports or, at times, subjective. We will look at how the objective and subjective components are interconnected. The next step is to figure out the impact of our experiences on our behaviour and the lessons we've learned, and then how we can change our behaviour. In the end, lessons were learned.

SO NEAR, BUT YET SO FAR

It is interesting to note that the subject of self-reflection can be a difficult subject to study. It is so intimate to yourself that it is difficult to look at yourself from a distance in a sense. However, you are the only source of information on your personal experiences. In this case, we are not able to visit the library to get a scholarly edition of the subject - as we'd do for every other essay. Does this leave us with the illogical issue of how do I study myself?

Here's a sequence of steps which can provide help:

  • Getting Started: Blank Page Anxiety-

  • "How?" And "Why? "

  • Breaking it All Down

  • The Mind Dump

  • Now Started, Where Next?

  • Needle and Thread

GETTING STARTED: BLANK PAGE ANXIETY

The beginning is often the most difficult period. For students who are just starting their academic adventure, the blank screen is hardly the most attractive companion.

As a result, you should not look at it. Turn off your laptop. Put your notepad away. This may seem a little odd; however, it is a good idea, by the way—get started saying something to yourself. Think about: what was I doing? Why? What was the feeling like?

"HOW" AND "WHY"

The crucial questions are "how" and "why." They will assist you in traversing even the most difficult terrain. Assume, for instance, that your reflective essay, like the preceding example, is on fieldwork experience. The first inquiry should be, "What did I do?" Using the same illustration, you might say, "I interviewed elite slum residents and Rwandan leaders." Why? "To learn about how urban policies effect slum dwellers." How did you find it? So, here's where things become a little more complicated...

It is important to be open and honest while dealing with your emotions. By allowing the reader to experience your emotions - but only when necessary to relay the content - you are taking them on an educational adventure.

The writer writes in the example essay that "although it was a mostly nice experience, I did make numerous blunders along the process." This is an excellent example of how objectivity and subjectivity may coexist. We know that the writer had a (subjectively) enjoyable time performing the study, but they admit that (objectively) mistakes were made in the process.

These two points may seem unconnected at first glance, but they are not. "I made sure that I was conversant with the issue so that I could easily build a natural relationship with the responders," the writer says. Building rapport is critical to the writer's process since they are doing face-to-face interviews. The writer's feelings about the people being interviewed come first. As a result, the outcome and the amount and quality of data collected are likely to be affected by how much the communication process is enjoyed and how comfortable people feel.

BREAKING IT ALL DOWN

So, let's talk about "how" and "why" again. How did you come across it? Why is it "fun"? "Because I got to know the people in the study on a personal level." We can now go deeper into this case by asking how and why I made this connection. When you know the answers to these questions, you can ask "How?" and "Why?" again to find the next set of answers, and so on. Continue until you think there are too many details.

Stop. Breathe in deeply. Congratulations. You have just finished arguing. You have also used top-down reasoning (inductive reasoning). And it all happened in one sitting.

THE MIND DUMPS

After you've become comfortable talking to yourself and possibly gaining insights through these conversations, the head will likely be awash with thoughts and ideas. Now, the goal is to put all the thoughts that come from your mind onto paper; it's a "mind dump", as it is known.

Do not waste a single second; get your laptop back and open your notepad again. Write down everything you can think of. Then let everything out. Everything you've told yourself and every new idea that comes to you while you're writing (and things will happen).

NOW STARTED, WHAT'S NEXT?

Once the conceptual portion of the essay has been completed, the most challenging part is done. The next step will be to arrange all the data. The most important thing to bear in mind is that we're writing an academic essay. So, we will require an opening as well as an argument body and conclusion. All of them must be organised in a coherent and clear method.

At a minimum, you'll have one or two pages of notes, most likely with "How" and "Why" questions. Then you'll be able to make broader observations that will form the basis for the initial portion of the essay. Specific ideas are likely to, in logical terms, make up the middle portion. Everything that comes at the beginning of the middle piece is, naturally, best put toward the conclusion of the work.

NEEDLE AND THREAD

Now you should be able to envision the task, a series of possibly quick-written, but linked thoughts and discussions. The next step is to connect these pieces to make them fit together with elegance and clarity in a written and analytically rigorous way. This means you're prepared for the next stage of writing the final draft. 

Essay Writing Tutor

Essay writing can be a challenging task for many students, as not everyone has a natural talent for writing or a strong grasp of the rules of grammar and structure. That’s why seeking help from an essay writing tutor can be incredibly beneficial. A writing tutor can help a student improve their writing skills and confidence by providing personalized guidance and feedback. Tutors often work with students on areas such as developing strong thesis statements, organizing thoughts and ideas, and improving sentence structure and grammar. With the help of a tutor, students can become more confident in their abilities and produce higher quality essays, which can ultimately lead to better grades and academic success.

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