You have probably heard it before but the idea is timeless: there is no limit to perfection. Even if you consider your reflective paper to be flawless, there are still some things that can bring it to the next level. The good news is that these things are relatively easy to do. You will not have to start the project from scratch. Just use these steps as guidelines for turning your piece into something outstanding.
Before we get to the list of useful tips, it is worth mentioning the two types of this assignment. You might need to work on an experiential reflection or a reading reflection. The first one requires you to rely on personal (professional) experience to discuss some of the theoretical ideas and approaches. In other words, your task is to explain how they work in practice. You can mention some of the advantages and disadvantages of each theory or write about the common approach to the topic in general. The second type has a specific purpose of providing your unique point of view on the ideas described in a specific source of information. The practical element is absent here.
7 Tips
- Don’t write the paper just for the sake of writing it. Without a doubt, you need to cope with this assignment to pass a course. However, it does not mean that you need to treat it like an obligatory task that annoys you. If you can turn it into something useful and exciting, you can even enjoy spending time working on this project. How can you do it? Start by choosing a topic that you find to be inspiring. Who knows, maybe while doing a research study and learning more about the things that you care about you are going to find something extremely interesting. Then, this assignment will make a smooth transition from being a burden to an opportunity.
- Include the material discussed in class. The chances are you did not get this assignment out of the blue. You’ve probably discussed some topics related to it in class. Do not miss the opportunity to show off your hard work by taking notes and including some of the ideas in your project. By doing so, you will prove that you’ve been listening attentively to your teacher. Moreover, you know the right way to combine the results of your research study with the conclusions you’ve come to during class conversations. Do not stop here, though. Make one more step and include the personal experience to illustrate a logical conclusion.
- Do not necessarily agree with other authors. Some students think that to get a good grade they need to agree with the ideas of other scholars. On one hand, it makes sense as those scholars are more experienced and have dedicated a lot of time to studying this particular subject. On the other hand, you might have a completely different opinion. It does not mean that you have to neglect your perception of the topic. Include your ideas and the argument you have generated to support them. Remember that every thought is important. Even if it might not match the findings of other people.
- Underline the significance of the analysis you’ve made. Once again, it will be beneficial for you to demonstrate a serious attitude towards this assignment by highlighting its significance. You can do so by writing about the points of this paper that have changed your overview. Have they made you rethink some of the approaches to your personal and professional development? If so, do not forget to include this short paragraph as well. After all, your goal is to come up with a fresh perspective to look at the discussed topic.
- Structure your ideas. Remember that your paper should not look like a collection of random thoughts that are slightly relevant to the topic. Your task is to make sure there is a smooth transition between paragraphs. Every point should lead to the next one naturally. Write down all the points you would like to include and look at them objectively. Do all of them need to be present in your project? Just answer this question honestly. Also, think about the first and last paragraphs. As a rule, you do not need to make them look massive. Two-three sentences at the beginning and the end will suffice.
- Avoid excessive detailing. Even though the idea of this assignment is to reflect on a particular book/interview/movie/etc., it does not mean that you need to discuss every single detail. Focus on the most significant takeout that you can combine with personal experience and the material discussed in class. Being too meticulous about minor details does not show your expertise. The majority of them might be completely irrelevant to the topic of your paper. Therefore, focus on the quality of content instead of quantity. The rule that says the more the better might not be applicable in this particular case.
- Make sure there are no grammar mistakes. No matter how exciting and revelatory the content of your reflective paper might be, you will not impress anyone if there are many typos and mistakes in it. What you can do is proofread your piece carefully several times. Also, it is always a good idea to use a proofreading app that will underline the misspelled words. However, if you want to get a 100% guarantee that your paper is free from all kinds of errors, you can hire an experienced writer to do this work for you. The easiest way to do it is to turn to a research paper writing service. Most companies provide their clients with numerous guarantees and cooperate only with qualified experts.
Finalizing Thoughts
The assignment does not seem to be so overwhelming when you know exactly what to do. Apart from taking all of the above-mentioned tips into consideration, you should not forget about your teacher’s instructions as well. On top of that, do not forget about the general guidelines of your educational institution. No matter how boring and confusing the formatting rules may seem, you still need to follow all of them to score high.