Reflective Essay

• Reflective essay


  An analytical practice in which the writer describes a real scene, event, passing thought, memory, or interaction and adding a personal reflection on the meaning of the incident in his/her life
• Reflective essay


  • Similar to a journal entry but requires better coherence, structure, and mechanics
  • The writer primarily examines his/her life to provide a platform to recount a particular life experience and to explore how he/she has changed or learned from the said experience
  • Constitutes a critical examination of a life experience
• Reflective writing


  • Can be presented in various formats, often seen in a learning log format or diary entry
  • Diary entries are used to convey how the author's thoughts have developed and evolved over the course of a particular period
  • The format may also depend on the target audience (academic, journalistic or personal)
• Writing a reflective essay

  1. Choose the topic and study it thoroughly

  2. Write down everything you can remember about it, describing it as clearly and fully as possible using the five senses and adjectives

  3. Pick out some reflection questions to think deeper about the impact and lasting effects of the experience
• Reflection questions


  • What have you learned about yourself as a result of the experience?
  • Have you developed because of it? How?
  • Did it have any positive or negative bearing on your life?
  • Looking back, what would you have done differently?
  • Why do you think you made the particular choices that you did? Do you think these were the right choices?
  • What are your thoughts on the experience in general? Was it a useful learning experience? What specific skills or perspectives did you acquire as a result?
• Asking lots of questions is key to ensuring that you think deeply and critically about your experiences - a skill that is at the heart of writing a great reflective essay