Reflective Essay Questions

While the content for each students' reflective essays likely will vary as much as the individuals processes themselves, there are a number of basic questions that enable focused and effective consideration of outcomes. As you plan and draft your essay, please select and respond to only two or three of the following:

• Patterns - As you flip through the pages of your notes, drafts and documents, what patterns do you notice? What seems to happen frequently or stand out to you? For instance, you might notice that you always begin your drafts the same way, or you ended up writing about a different subject than you initially intended to, or you got better at organizing your drafts and/or using significant details.

• Reflective Writing - As you look only at the public writing you've done in the discussion board forums throughout this module, what do you notice? What do you think you have learned about writing, reading and inquiry based on your replies to various discussion threads?

• Change Over Time - How did you describe your writing process (and/or reading process) at the beginning of this module? How would you describe it now? If it has changed, why and how?

• Writing Principles - List a few principles about writing that you have learned in this module. In other words, what are the most important things you've learned about writing, reading and inquiry in this module--or what strategies for writing and reading will you take with you into other modules, courses or writing situations?

• Revision - Focusing exclusively upon the essays you've submitted as part of this post-test portfolio, what would you do differently if you had the time and/or opportunity for further revisions?

• Writing Processes - Focusing exclusively upon the essays you've submitted as part of this post-test portfolio, describe the writing and thinking process that led to the final product. Emphasize the most important changes you made and why you made them.

• Most and Least Effective Writing - Which component of your post-test portfolio do you consider the strongest? Which do you consider your weakest? Why?

• Showing What You've Learned - What does your portfolio demonstrate about you as a writer, a student, a reader, a researcher? How? Be as specific as possible.

• What's Missing - What is not reflected in your portfolio that you believe is important for your instructor to know?

• Expectations - How does your portfolio meet the expectations for effective writing defined in this module?

• Applying the Module Concepts - How have you applied module concepts in the writing of each essay?

• Personal Challenge - In what ways did you challenge yourself in this module?

As with any essay, you'll want to take this one through several drafts/revisions and get feedback from readers before you include in the portfolio. After doing some free writing on a few of the preceding questions, you likely are in good shape to compose a first draft of your reflective essay. Keep in mind who your audience is--your teacher, teachers unknown to you and/or your peers--and address what that audience expects. Be as specific as possible, citing examples from your work, drawing on the terms and principles discussed in this module and highlighted in assigned readings.

Typical Problems in Reflective Essays

Particularly if reflective writing is somewhat new to you, there are several potential pitfalls to acknowledge and avoid as you begin drafting, revising and submitting a short essay reflecting on your recent writing processes in this module. In particular, any/all of the following shortcomings usually will detract from a reflective essay's success:

• Use of overly general and vague comments - Whenever possible, try to identify and use the specific language/terminologies enlisted within the module content itself.

• Not enough specific details - Be sure to provide concrete, particular references and/or examples from your own writing when referring to your work.

• Giving the teacher only what you think he or she wants, whether it's true or not - In most cases, frank and sincere reflection will prove more successful and purposeful than inaccurate or incomplete descriptions of process.

• Critiquing the course or module - This particular essay must focus upon your own writing processes and efforts. Usually, evaluations of the overall course or module are reserved for end-of-term assessments that remain confidential and anonymous. Besides, it's sometimes unwise to risk criticizing the person who is evaluating you.

• Comments that suggest you don't take the assignment seriously - Avoid creating the perception in readers that this module, its content or its processes are unimportant to you or unworthy of your full attentions or effort. Even in the reflective essay, your ethos is an element vital your document's overall success.

Submission/Return Instructions

Once satisfied with your reflective essay, simply "save" your document as an MS-Word (.doc or .rtf) file and upload/submit it by clicking the assignment title above

NOTE: This component comprises 20 percent of the overall score for the Post-test Portfolio and a minimum cumulative module score of 80 percent is required in order to earn credit for this module. Within 24-48 hours of submission, students will be able to access/review a critiqued, scored copy of this component via the BlackboardGrade Center, including suggestions for revision, if warranted. If you do not receive a critiqued, scored draft of your assignment within 48 hours of submission, please contact your instructor for further details.