In reflective essays, one needs to show their emotions and thoughts about certain phenomena and events. Writing these types of essays provides solid training. They sharpen one’s critical thinking skills and one’s ability to express and build opinions about a particular theme or topic. This topic can either be chosen by you, or your instructor can choose them.
Below are the steps in which one can use for writing a reflective essay:
The first step to coming up with a reflective essay is thinking about a phenomenon or event that you think could be your essay topic. Once you have thought about a topic and selected it, ask yourself, “how do I feel about this topic?”, “how has this topic affected my life, and for what reasons?” This kind of question will assist you in finding a thesis for your essay. It will also provide a focal point for your essay.
Create a mind map. Jot down the thesis that you have created. Now, this is the part where one identifies main ideas and arguments. It will help the reader to keep up with how one’s experiences and thoughts. Groups these thoughts into paragraphs while you’re doing this; it will help one know the essay’s entire structure.
Ensure that you write a very strong opening into your paragraph. The introduction you write must be eye-catching and so pleasing for the reader to read your essay. It will help the reader to get engaged while reading your essay.
The fourth step you should follow is to jot down ideas, arguments, and examples that are supportive. Focus on only a point together with the reflections that are on it.
At the beginning of the sentence, in conclusion, summarize thoughts. Go through what you think you have learned and how one’s experiences are useful to other students. When writing a conclusion, one can ask a rhetorical question that the reader can answer, and in turn, it will help them know how they would behave in that same situation.
Do’s and Don’ts
- When writing this kind of essay, one is not supposed to personalize the story. You should write an academic essay, not just a letter to someone like a friend though your essay may be from personal experience.
- Make sure your ideas are written descriptively. State your thoughts clearly, such as when someone is reading your work and can understand whatever they are reading. And they will be able to get what the writer is trying to communicate.
- Don’t in any way try to get all your experiences so accurately and scribble them down in your essay. At least select the main and essential experiences.
- Remember: Your essay is an academic paper; always try to keep it formal, although it is reflective.
- Make sure you don’t jot down every experience at once.
- Follow a certain formal structure of writing an essay, which is:
- Introduction
- Body
- Conclusion
- Do not make your essay a kind of essay that is a free-flowing analysis, including your unstructured thoughts.
Make sure that one writes his essay based on personal experiences and thoughts and uses some factual materials.
Conclusion
When writing reflective essays, one can get overwhelmed and write almost everything about themselves. Remember to stick to important information.