Tips on Writing a Winning Reflection Paper in College

Published on: 24 April 2018 Last Updated on: 07 October 2020

When it comes to college writing, most students quickly adapt to the rhythms of producing a fact-based paper. You visit your school’s online library, research some material, and slot it into a five-paragraph essay template, or a similar standard format. Bang! You’re done. But what happens when you are assigned a completely different type of paper that doesn’t fit neatly into the standard essay formats you learned in high school or in freshman composition class? When it comes to the personal reflection paper, many students struggle precisely because this type of essay is so different from most that they’ve written in their other classes. Fortunately, there are a few tips that will help you with this type of paper.

Before we get to the tips, it’s important to make sure we are all on the same page when it comes to what exactly a personal reflection paper is. As the name implies, a reflective essay looks back on something, and a personal reflection offers your own feelings and reactions. Typically, a personal reflection paper is intended to allow a student to share with the instructor his or her feelings about a course and how the course has impacted them. Some personal reflections, however, may examine other topics with which you have had personal experiences, such as a job or a volunteer opportunity. In most cases, the instructor is looking for you to draw connections between course material and your own experiences in order to discover how course content can be or has been relevant to your lived experience.

In order to write a terrific personal reflection essay, follow a few simple tips:

Start with simple pre-writing activities :

Before you even begin writing, make sure you have read the essay question and understand it completely. For a personal reflection, you won’t likely be doing heavy research, the next step isn’t usually a visit to the library. Instead, you should make notes about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences so you can better understand your reaction to the essay topic. By writing down your thoughts, you can begin to organize them into categories so you can structure your paper around a few key themes. Try asking yourself key questions to guide your note-taking such as:

How has the essay topic affected me personally?
How has the essay topic changed the way I think about an issue or experience?
Has the essay topic sparked any questions I want answers to?
How does the essay topic relate to other course content or content in other courses?

Begin organizing your reflections :

The exact format you use for your paper will vary depending on your instructor’s requirements and the essay question, but in general, you will adapt a standard essay format for a reflective essay. You will still have an introduction with a thesis statement and a conclusion, but the body paragraphs might be organized somewhat differently. Depending on the essay question, you may follow the standard format and offer three reflective points (one per paragraph) which you support with evidence. Or, you might have a different format, such as telling a story about your reflective journey in chronological order or exploring one particular reaction across multiple paragraphs. Whichever style you choose, try to match it to the essay question so you are sure to answer the instructor’s question.

Remember that the personal essay is, well, personal :

The biggest difference between a personal essay and an expository essay like a term paper is that it involves your own views and opinions. In this genre of writing, it’s OK to refer to yourself and to talk about your thoughts and feelings without having to phrase them in an awkward third-person format (“One often feels…”). Don’t be afraid to share your honest views, but keep your instructor in mind. Even if you had a negative reaction, avoid insulting the instructor or viciously attacking course material. Instructors are open to reasoned disagreement, but they don’t want to find out that you want to set your textbook on fire.

With these tips, writing a professional reflection paper from scratch should be an easy and refreshing change of pace from the standard academic term paper. The hardest part is getting your thoughts and feelings down on paper. Once you’ve mastered the art of sharing your feelings in written form, you’ll quickly find that these essays are quick to produce, and you’ll look forward to having time off from the more detailed research papers that take up a lot more time.

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Tips Which Guarantee Academic Success In College

For many people, going to college or university opens a whole new chapter in their lives. They can enjoy the opportunity to advance their education and improve their career prospects. They can also look forward to meeting new people, enjoying new experiences. This also comes along developing their independence when living away from home. Of course, no matter how exciting life at college might be, you need to stay grounded and ensure you focus on your studies. Finding ways to help your performance while at college can be a big help. Whether in terms of boosting your chances of educational success or gaining better social skills. Let's look at a few of the ways in which you can boost your performance when you are studying at a college or university. Tips To Help Boost Your Performance With regular parties and social events, it is all too easy to let things slide when you go to college. However, some simple steps can help to ensure you stay on track, all the while enjoying it all. These days, students can also benefit from access to a wide range of resources and tools to help them out. This includes everything from sites that offer biology homework answers and help with other subjects to textbook rental services online. These tools and resources, like Studocu, can prove very helpful to students. Plus, there are also a few ways in which you can help yourself when it comes to college performance. Eating Healthily One thing you need to do when you are studying at college is to make sure you eat healthily. It is amazing what a difference a healthy diet can make when it comes to your ability to focus and absorbing information, which is what you need to do when studying at college. You should make sure you avoid skipping meals and that you eat balanced, healthy meals. This will also have a positive impact on your overall health and energy levels, as well as your concentration. Getting Proper Sleep Getting proper sleep is vital when it comes to your general health as well as your ability to focus on your studies. A lot of students fail to get a proper night’s sleep on a regular basis because they are enjoying college social events all the time or stay up all night studying to try and catch up. Lack of sleep can have a profound effect on many areas of your health. In addition, you will wake up feeling groggy, drained, and unable to focus on the subject at hand. Structuring Your Studies Haphazard studying is not conducive to success when it comes to performing well at college. Therefore, you should try to get some structure, which is something you can do by creating a study timetable. You can go online to gain access to templates or apps that will help you create a study schedule that suits your needs. With these tips, getting through college and performing well will be far easier. How To Improve Academic Success As Someone with ADHD It’s hard enough to concentrate in college, but when you have ADHD, it can sometimes be even more difficult. There is so much going on between parties, social activities, and meeting new people that you can get lost in the whirlwind and forget that the reason you’re at school is for your education. Fear not! Here are some tips for managing ADHD and still doing well academically. Find Your Own Routine Do you find it impossible to sit down and study? You’re not alone. Many students with ADHD find it hard to concentrate. The solution is to create a study routine that works for you. Instead of trying to focus for long periods of time, break your study sessions into short, manageable blocks and then reward yourself with a quick break. With time, you’ll come to see your new routine as less of a chore and more as second nature. Get Organized With The Right Tools Does it look like a tornado hit your desk? Are you always losing assignments in that black hole known as your backpack? Then, you need to get organized. Keeping your space neat and relying on tools such as planners or apps will help ensure you never miss an assignment. You can also use different colors for subjects or types of tasks to make finding what you need easier. Being organized will save you from the stress of missed due dates or forgotten tests. Keep Moving - While Studying Are you always on the go? Don’t fight it. Instead, put that energy to work for you. Keep moving as you study. Pace back and forth; use a standing desk or chair. You know, whatever works! You can also build physical activity into your study breaks by taking a walk around the block. These techniques will help you stay more connected to what you’re learning, increase your focus, and improve your results. Go Straight To The Experts Have you talked to your professors about your ADHD? Some students don’t realize that some professors can give accommodations or different ways of doing assignments. If it’s taking longer time to spend on tests to a quieter room to do work in, don’t be afraid to ask for it! Professors want you to succeed, so the more open and forthcoming you can be with this, the better off you will be in college. College comes with its challenges for everyone but especially when dealing with ADHD. Stay organized and understand what works best for yourself, and good grades should follow. Just make sure to have fun along the way! Read Also: Tips On Writing A Winning Reflection Paper In College The Many Benefits Of Online Education 7 Reasons Why Online Education Is Very Popular

Comic Relief for College Students

Far from being a distraction to the overall learning process, the simple act of laughing is a great way to relieve the tension and stress that comes along with the whole college experience. A recent phenomenon has seen very popular comedians refuse to perform on college campuses due to the “safe space” culture that has taken hold, so where can students go to have a laugh? The internet, of course, and this short guide will discuss a few of the more popular college humor websites to visit and waste countless hours on. CollegeHumor.com Let’s just get this one out of the way fairly quickly. You probably already know about it, and it is almost certain that a bunch of your Facebook friends has sent you links to it, but it needs to be mentioned in this list anyway. Cracked.com This website has been around for a while and has stood the test of time by continuing to produce funny and original articles from a variety or contributors. For example, while you are taking a break from studying or trying to get past a hangover, you could learn from pieces of wisdom such as “Why the laws of robotics would defeat Robocop”, and other gems including “Why we'll definitely insult aliens when we meet them”. Okay, so you may not be getting any smarter by reading this website, but you will probably find something to laugh about. Oddee.com Weird things can be funny, and that is what Oddee is all about. Have you ever been involved in a heated debate among friends over which Wikipedia page is the sexiest of all? Then have no fear, as you now have an answer in the form of “8 Sexiest Wikipedia Entries”. All of this and more of the mysteries of life come under the microscope in what usually ends up being a fun way to waste a bit of time while you wait for a bus or what have you. TheOnion.com Another giant in the fields of comedy and satire, The Onion brings you news stories that aren't really real... but you could have sworn what you just read could have actually happened. Of course, you don't need to be a college student to enjoy things like this, but the intelligence that goes into crafting these satirical news stories is something that you will surely appreciate. FunnyOrDie.com If you're really tired, stressed out, and you just want to sit back and have a laugh then perhaps the idea of reading funny articles does not appeal to you. That's where the Funny Or Die website comes in, with plenty of videos that often feature famous celebrities. The topics are generally taken from current events, TV shows, and movies. This is really just scratching the surface when it comes to the number of funny websites online that cater to the college-age crowd. If you're still looking for another option after checking out these websites then just ask around in your circle of friends, or pay attention to what they're posting on social media to see the newest funny stuff. Read More: Free Student Guide To Help You Achieve Exam Success Can A School Be Legally Responsible For A Student’s Suicide? Best MBA Colleges In India Attracting The Best Of Best Among Students

How to Reduce the Cost of College Textbooks

Textbooks are a painful purchase for any student. Year after year, prices continue to rise, often resulting in textbook fees being added to the pile of crippling student loan debt facing the nation. Fortunately, there are some ways that you can reduce the cost of your books. College Textbooks can make things simple for a student. There is almost never a need to buy a brand new textbook at full price, so explore your options before you commit to anything. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t plan on buying all of your books in one transaction because purchasing them individually will net the most savings. Forget the Campus Bookstore Unless you are bound by a tuition stipend or other financial means to purchase your books at the campus bookstore, stay away. This is the guaranteed way to pay the highest prices for textbooks, even when buying used. The bookstore used to be the source for students, but thanks to technology, there are plenty of other ways to get the books that you need for a lot less. The exception here is for research purposes; in most cases, the campus store is going to have the highest prices. However, there may be a rare occasion where they don’t. Feel free to call or visit and get a list of prices for the books that you need, just for the sake of comparison when you go online to shop around. Always Buy Used Unless there is a specific text you will keep forever or absolutely need the brand new edition of for some reason, buy your books used. These are at least ⅓ less than the cost of brand new books, and offer the same information on the pages. Some are in better condition than others, but most used resellers will provide condition information and pictures of the book you are purchasing so that you can see what you are actually getting. You can find thousands of used copies online at prices that you can afford. When you are buying used books, check out their resale value and the return policy of the seller you purchase from. Reselling your books after the semester is over is a great way to recoup some money that can go towards next semester’s books. Or, you can take the money and treat yourself for saving hundreds on your textbooks by buying used in the first place. The return policy is important because if a book arrives in unusable condition, you need to be able to send it back. Your class won’t be nearly as informative with a partial textbook, after all. Rent or Borrow Books The school or public library might have books that you need for classes. Before you spend a dime, look into these sources for common texts, literature books, and other texts available for you to borrow. Libraries are a great resource that often gets overlooked. The downside here is that you may only be able to borrow a book for a part of the semester. Ask about their renewal policies when considering this option. College Textbooks can make your life easier by all means. There is an increasing market in the campus bookstore realm for textbook rentals. This is another exception to the “avoid the bookstore” rule, of course. The most expensive texts are usually available for rental from your campus store, which might be the best financial option. Before you rent, though, make sure that you know what you are signing up for. Take extra good care of the books so that you aren’t charged for damage upon their return, or forced to purchase them outright (which is what you were trying to avoid in the first place). You can also rent textbooks online, or download ebook versions of the texts that you need for your college classes. Sell Your Old Books You can reduce the cost of your next semester’s textbook bill by selling your old books. Don’t sell them back to the campus bookstore, because they usually don’t offer much. Plus, you might only get credit to use in the store. Instead, consider selling them online or through community marketplaces. Advertise them around campus for other students, too. When you sell textbooks online, you can often choose the price and compare what others are selling. That gives you a better idea of how much you can actually earn. Feel free to look around and get a few different quotes before you commit. Most re-seller websites that buy college texts will allow you to enter the ISBN and get an estimate of how much you will get for the books you are selling. See where you can get the most money for your books, even if you have to sell them in a few different places. A Little Research Goes a Long Way Your college book purchases don’t have to break the bank. Whether you need to reduce the cost on the front end or just make up the difference and sell textbooks to help cut the costs, there are plenty of options available. Just give yourself a little time to explore your options. An extra hour of your time could save you hundreds, no matter what degree you are studying. Read Also: 5 Ways College Students Can Minimize Back To School Stress 5 Tips For College Students On How To Begin Investing Using Their Saved Pocket Money The Importance Of Writing Business Reports In College

Tips on Writing a Winning Reflection Paper in College

Start with simple pre-writing activities :

Begin organizing your reflections :

Remember that the personal essay is, well, personal :

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Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

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Tips Which Guarantee Academic Success In College

Comic Relief for College Students

How to Reduce the Cost of College Textbooks

Tips on Writing a Winning Reflection Paper in College

Start with simple pre-writing activities :

Begin organizing your reflections :

Remember that the personal essay is, well, personal :

Share this Article

Transform Portals Of Learning

How To Choose The Right Rock Climbing School

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

Leave a Reply

Popular

Follow Us

Recent

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