Reflective writing

When you’re asked to write a reflection, you’re being asked to explore a topic in subjective detail. In other words, it’s a chance for you to reflect on how the topic (which could be anything from a specific reading to a practical experience, or even all of your course content) relates to you and your lived experiences. In this way, reflections are different from traditional research papers; instead of trying to convince the reader of a particular viewpoint as with an argumentative paper, the goal of a reflective paper is to reveal to the reader the evolution of your thinking on a topic or experience. Since reflections are specific to particular courses, it is important to follow the assignment instructions.

Though there are many ways to structure a reflection, one of the clearest ways that we recommend at Writing Services is the “What, So What, Now What” model. If you’re used to writing research papers, you can think of each section as the introduction (what), body paragraphs (so what?), and conclusion (now what?). This model ensures that the reader can understand the topic you’re reflecting on, recognize your perspective on how your ideas are evolving, and see how you might apply this knowledge in the future. There are usually very few rules regarding what you must include in each section, so here are some ideas that might inspire you: 

“What?”

The “what” section is your opportunity to summarize the event, reading, experience, etc. that you are being asked to reflect on. You can think about this as the “past tense,” focusing on what has already happened. This section should also include your immediate response to the experience or the topic. Usually, this is structured with the summary first and then your responses. 

Must Cover:

• What is the event/article/etc. you are reflecting on?
  • Should be a critical summary of the main points of interest.
• What was your initial reaction?
  • Was there anything particularly surprising? What emotions were you feeling?

Could Cover (any combination of the following, as many or as few are appropriate):

• What did you experience?
• What happened in the past (before/while you were reading/experiencing the thing you are reflecting on)?
• What is a statement of purpose for this reflection?
  • Similar to a thesis, this sentence will clearly outline for the reader the focus of the paper.
  • With many different models of writing reflections, this may or may not be necessary. Be sure to consult your assignment instructions for the guidelines of what is most relevant to you. 

“So What?” 

The “so what” section is your opportunity to critically analyze and organize your thoughts and feelings about the topic. This section will usually take up the most space in the reflection. You can see it as the “present tense:” you’ve had some time to think about your experience or the knowledge you learned, so what are you thinking about it now? If you are required to apply course knowledge or outside research to your experiences (for example, if you have a minimum number of sources you must use), that information typically appears in this section. However, be sure to remember that this isn’t a research paper. Your experiences should still be at the forefront of this section, not hidden behind other research.

Must Cover:

• So what does this have to do with your life/the world at large/the course content?
  • Look at the assignment instructions to see what you are reflecting on.
• So what do you think about it on further reflection?

 Could Cover (any combination of the following, as many or as few are appropriate):

• So what does this experience/text teach you about the context of the course?
• So what makes this topic important (to you or in general?)
• So what have you experienced that supports or contradicts this experience/text?
• So what makes you feel differently after the experience/text?
• So what does this remind you of in course content or other research?

“Now What?”

The “now what” section is an opportunity to put your ideas into action. You can see it as the “future tense:” you’ve reflected on what you’re thinking in more detail, now what are you going to do about it in the future? This can seem intimidating, especially if you’re reflecting on a very broad or very specific topic. However, you can make it easier by thinking about the little actions you will change or keep the same about the topic, or by thinking about how you’ll further reflect on the topic in the future. 

Must Cover:

• Now what will we do about it now (you personally or the field at large)?
  • Will you research more? Change your attitudes? Implement theories into practice?
  • If you’re reflecting on an experience, how will you approach a similar experience in the future now that you’ve reflected on it?
  • Alternatively, what things will you continue to do?

Could Cover (any combination of the following, as many or as few are appropriate):

• Now what about your beliefs have changed?
• Now what do you want to know more about in the topic?
• Now what will you do differently in your career based on the experiences you’ve had?
• Now what are the next steps in your research?
• Now what practical changes will you make to address the topic in your own life? 

Considering that reflections are often very personal, the most important part of these assignments is to make sure that your paper shows the evolution of your thinking. For more information about the “What, So What, Now What” structure as well as other reflective writing templates, consult the reflective writing module on writeonline.ca.