- Reflective writing should be both descriptive, and analytical.
- As well describing what happened, you should also explain aspects such as:
- how you felt about it,
- why you think it happened that way, and
- what could have been done differently.
Structuring your writing
If you haven’t been given a structure to follow, the frameworks described below can help you structure your writing.
What? So what? Now what?
Adapted from: Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D., Jasper, M. (2001). Critical reflection in nursing and the helping professions: a user’s guide. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
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What?
What happened? Describe the experience in detail, including:
- when, where, how and why it happened;
- who was involved;
- how it affected each of the people involved.
For example:
Half-way through our group project, it became clear that there were strong differences of opinion about how best to complete the project. I also realised that we had not agreed on firm deadlines for group members to complete the parts of the project. In the end, we did not get as much completed as we’d originally planned.
So what?
What does it mean? Describe why this experience was significant. This usually requires input from other people, or reference to research or theories that help put the situation in context.
For example:
I now recognise some of the important dynamics that contribute to the success of a project, including goal setting, planning, time management and formative feedback. As Jones (2018) explains, setting a clearly defined goal is the most important part of any project, as it allows you to accurately measure how successfully you’ve achieved your aims.
Now what?
How will it change what you do in future? Describe what you plan to change as a result of this experience and the reflection you’ve done, or what you would do differently if a similar situation were to occur again in the future.
For example:
As a result of my experience on this project, I am now able to apply useful tools and strategies to accomplish specific targets. In particular, I will use the SMART goal approach in any future projects to ensure that I have a clear idea about what I want to achieve and how I plan to achieve it.
The Gibbs Reflective Model
Adapted from: Gibbs G. (1988). Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Further Education Unit. Oxford Polytechnic: Oxford
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Description
What happened?
When and where?
Who else was involved?
What did you do?
What did other people do?
What was the outcome?
Feelings
What were you feeling during the situation?
What do you think other people were feeling about the situation?
How do you feel about the situation now?
Evaluation
What went well?
What didn’t go well?
What positive or negative things did you (or other people) contribute to the situation?
Analysis
Why did (or didn’t) things go well?
What theories or research can help you better understand the situation?
Conclusions
What did you learn from this situation?
If this situation happened again, what would you do differently?
Action Plan
What skills do you need to develop to handle a situation like this better?
How will you develop the skills you need?
Example Reflective Writing Task
Please click on arrows to see examples
Retelling (What?)
In our group work assignment, two of us did most of the work and the other two students hardly did any of the work. The two of us who did most of the work came up with all the ideas ourselves, and even decided who would be responsible for which sections. My friend, who had also done lots of work on this assignment, was not comfortable confronting them about it, so I emailed the other two group members and told them that I was going to complain about them to the teacher.After I sent the email to the two students, one of them responded angrily, saying that me and my friend had taken control of the project and had not allowed the other two to get involved in any of the decision making. The other student indicated that he was experiencing a great deal of stress as his mother had been very ill.
Relating (So what?)
In hindsight, my response to this situation was not very effective. As Smith (2019) states, the first step when dealing with non-contributors in a group project should be to ask them if they are experiencing any issues that may be preventing them from fully contributing to the project. This would have allowed them to express any concerns or problems they had, which, as Lopez (2017) indicates, is a better starting point for a productive dialogue than starting with blame and anger. According to the McCloud Model of effective group work (2012), it is important at the beginning of any group project to encourage each member of the group to contribute ideas, and to allow people the opportunity to choose which parts of the project best match their skills. If my friend and I had asked the other two what their strengths were, and given them the opportunity to choose which parts of the project they wanted to work on, this may have led to them feeling more committed to the project and therefore putting in more effort. If we had taken more time at the beginning of the project to build trust between the group members, he may have felt more comfortable to tell us about this situation earlier in the project, and we may have been able to find a suitable solution. This is supported by Rogers & Lee (2011), who state that trust between group members is essential to ensure effective communication throughout any project.
Reflecting (Now what?)
In future group projects, I will ensure that in our first meeting we decide together as a group on the basic rules that our group will follow in terms of communication and decision-making. I would also suggest some sort of fun ice-breaking activity that allows the group members to get to know each other better to help build trust. This would hopefully allow group members to feel safe to express any concerns they have during the project. Also, if things were not going well during the project, instead of accusing or blaming anyone, I would ask the group members if everything was alright, and ask whether there is anything I could do to help them with their part of the project. If the group members do not feel criticised, they would hopefully feel more motivated to put effort into the project. Overall, reflecting on this group project has been extremely beneficial as it has allowed me to better understand why the group did not work very well together, and has given me some insights into how I could improve the group’s performance in any future projects.
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