Reflective Essay Writing

A reflective essay is a sort of personal writing that is centered on the writer’s feelings and ideas on a certain place, person, or event. Because it is a mirror of the writer’s point of view, it is intended to encourage the reader to have the same experience.To do this, the writer must explain the incident and how it affected their life experiences and ideas. Students sometimes confuse it with a narrative essay since it requires a thorough narrative.

Below is a reflective essay format.

Introduction

• Give an overview of the topic
• Include a thesis statement

Main Body

• Provide examples to support your main topic

Conclusion

• Wrap up the entire essay
• Restate the thesis statement

Following are the steps you should follow to start your essay well.

1. 1. Start Early
   Do not wait to work on your essay the night before. You may think that you will be able to get your essay right but this will not help you get an A on your essay. To have ample time, start your essay well before the deadline.
2. 2. Brainstorm the Topics
   A good topic is integral to a good essay. If your teacher has not given the essay topic, then it is a good opportunity to write about your favorite event or personal life experience. Note down the main topic or subject that you want to write about and make a mind map of all the related essay topics.
   Research online and see what kind of topics are trending. This will help you in forming a good topic for writing this type of essay.
3. 3. Research and Gather the Information
   Once you are done with the topic, it is time that you research and gather all the relevant information and data about it. We know that a reflective essay does not need much research, but it is always better to back your claims, or ideas, with some credible sources
   Doing so will build your credibility and your teacher will know that you are not making empty claims.
4. 4. Organize the Researched Material
   Organize all the research material that you have gathered for your essay. Instead of just adding them to your essay, see which sources are relevant to your essay material and stick to them.
   However, use them to support your claims only.
5. 5. Create an Outline
   Before you start writing, create a detailed outline of the essay. Add the important points that you want to add to each of the sections. Instead of adding too much detail, stick to some more important and closely related ideas and points.
   Creating an essay outline will limit your train of thought and keep you focused and mindful of the essay’s word limit.

Below are the steps that you need to follow to write a great reflective essay.

1. Writing the Reflective Essay Introduction

‘What should I include in the start of my essay?’ Many students are concerned about how to begin a reflective essay introduction. Because it is the beginning, it must be forceful and intriguing for the reader. When writing your essay beginning, include some background information regarding the major topic, as well as the key event or experience that you will discuss in your essay.

2. Write the Reflective Essay Thesis Statement

A thesis statement for a reflective essay often consists of a few lines in which you must explain the major concept of your essay. It is the major point of an essay, and the reader will read it to determine whether or not to continue reading.

3. Create the Body Paragraphs

The major body of your essay is the meat of it. It covers all of your essay’s essential facts and concepts. It usually comprises three paragraphs, although you can expand the number depending on your word restriction and the topic of your essay.

Begin each paragraph with a theme phrase or the aspects of your life that you are describing in the essay, and limit yourself to one concept each paragraph. Putting many concepts in the same paragraph can confuse your readers and disturb the structure of your essay.

4. Draft the Conclusion

The conclusion of an essay is just as vital as the introduction. When writing the conclusion, keep the thesis statement and important elements of your essay in mind. However, keep it brief and avoid adding any new information here.

5. Provide References

This is a must-have in scholarly writings. Without an exhaustive list of references, your mentioned content will be regarded as plagiarism, which you do not want. Check that you have included all of the citations and have not overlooked anything.

6. Proofread

Before submitting your essay, proofread and revise it. This way, you can be certain that your essay is of the highest quality. You may also submit the essay for editing online. This will assist you in ensuring that your essay is error-free.

Reflective Essay Outline

The format of a reflective essay differs from those of other sorts of essays. Reflective essays appear to be simple to write, but once you get started, you may discover the assignment to be really difficult.

The format of your reflective essay is also determined by your intended audience. If you’re writing a reflective essay for class, make sure to stick to the format your professor assigned.

The forms listed here are the most often used formats for organizing your thoughts and ideas.

• APA format
• MLA format
• Chicago style

Aside from the structure, you must consider the outline to choose what you want to include in your essay. Here are the items you should include in your reflective essay outline to make the writing process go much more smoothly.

• Choose a topic
• Gather information
• Create an outline
• Write the introduction
• Body paragraphs
• Conclusion
• Edit and proofread your essay