ASJ
Reflective Writing
We reflect quite naturally in our day to day life, thinking about things that have happened, why
they happened, whether we handled them well and so on. So, reflection is an exploration and an
explanation of events- not just a description of them. It is more of an analytical approach.
Reflective writing can be free or unstructured when we write personal diaries, but for academic
purpose, this kind of writing follows certain format, although the content is mostly about personal
observation, feelings and opinion.
Reflective writing is evidence of reflective thinking. It includes:
1. Looking back at something (often an event, i.e. something that happened) and describing it
2. Analyzing the event (thinking in depth and from different perspectives and trying to explain)
3. Thinking carefully about what the event means for you (realization, learning from the event)
and its importance in your life.
Description
What
happened?
Action Plan Feelings
If it arose What were
again what you thinking
would you do? and feeling?
Conclusion Evaluation
What else What was
could you good and
have done? bad about the
experience?
Analysis
What sense
can you make
of the
situation?
ASJ
I Survived a Writing Class
Writing is one of the things I used to hate the most. I hate it when teachers would ask us to pass an
essay. I hate it when I have to compete in writing, contests because teachers asked me to.
Nevertheless, winning in those contests boosted my self confidence. I thought I hate writing but I
am good at it so I started to like it a bit. Things changed when I had two writing classes in college.
I realized I was not good at writing.
The first writing class I had to attend in college was all about writing different types of essays.
The teacher would group us into four or five. We would read each other's essay and give
comments afterwards. I was confident with my first essay but the people in my group are great
critics. My confidence started to melt like an ice cream in a summer day. However, the grades
given by our teacher for those essays saved some of the ice cream. I, nonetheless, enjoyed most
days in that writing class except the part where I have to sit with the group. I realized that I,
including my confidence, should not be affected by criticisms especially not by comments from
fellow students who were there to learn just like me.
I passed the first writing class so I am confident for the second. The papers are a lot harder to write.
We had to write four papers within the semester and a final paper before it ends. I am excited,
curious and nervous at the same time when it is time to check the grades but those feelings would
be quickly altered by disappointment. I got failing grades on all four papers but I thought this
should not affect my confidence. Before writing the final paper, I went through all those four
papers and looked where I went wrong. Keeping the corrections and comments in mind, I wrote
the final paper and I was very happy when I received a passing grade.
From these writing classes, I realized that how we love or hate writing does not determine our
skills. There is always a room for improvement if we are bad at something. We would receive
negative feedbacks and failing grades sometimes but we would also receive passing grades or
medals other times. What is important is we keep on learning and improving.