Have to submit your reflective essay in a short time?

It can be quite overwhelming, right?

Learning in this fast paced education system can be challenging. Students have to submit tons of assignments and essays in a very short time period. Although, they adapt to the environment yet sometimes they might need a little assistance to complete their academic tasks.

You may mistakenly think that reflective essays are simple and easy to attempt but they can be really difficult to structure and take a lot of time. They are a critical demonstration of any life experience and need skills and guidance to compose it perfectly. 

It is a bit more personal than formal essays because it consists of real life events. Besides the fact that they demonstrate real life events, they have to be properly structured and convey the story clearly to the readers.

If you are about to write your reflective essay and don’t know how to write it then no need to worry at all. UK Academic Help is delightful to provide an expert’s guide to the students in need and help them get good grades in their reflective writing.

What Is Reflective Writing In Essay?

A reflective writing or reflective essay is the one in which the writer recalls a memory or an event occurred in the past. That event is discussed in the form of a piece of writing in which things influenced by that event and any changes in personal or professional life are explained.

It is called a reflective essay because it is a form of self- reflection. The writer recalls the past and also compares it with the present state of mind. It is often compared with narrative essays, but there is a difference between them. The main difference that set them apart is that a narrative essay is writing a specific event as it is, while in a reflective essay the writer talks about personal changes occured by that event.

You can check out how to structure a narrative essay? To know the difference.

How To Write A Reflective Essay For University In 15 Minutes 

A reflective essay structure might consume a lot of time since you may get distracted while recalling the past experience. But when you have to write it for academic reasons then you don’t have enough time and have to complete it within the deadline. Keeping that in mind, our experts have created a brief process about how to start a reflective essay that will help you write your reflective essay in just 15 mins and you won’t have to worry about missing the deadlines.

  • Choose An Event

First and foremost, you have to choose a specific event or experience that you will reflect in your essay. It is important to choose it carefully because this selection will make or break your reflective writing.

You shall have enough stuff to talk about and it shall represent some personal change you went through. So be wise and choose carefully.

  • Make An Outline

Once you know which event you are going to represent, you shall start making an outline. Write important headings and points and make an outline including introduction, body, and conclusion of your essay. 

It is not a final outline you can always make changes in your outline till you reach your desired writing.

  • Write A Draft

Without thinking much about starting the essay, go on and start writing. As it is a rough draft so you don’t need to worry about anything. Write everything that comes up in your mind and do not stop until you convert all your emotions into words.

The best reflective essays are those in which you are least conscious about the structure or format. As it is not the final copy so you don’t have to worry about anything.

  • Choose Strong Vocabulary

After you have your draft look at the vocabulary you used. If it is strong enough then leave it as it is but if not then you can replace simple vocabulary with advanced versions.

You do not have to stress about vocabulary while writing your draft; you can replace it after completing it. So go with the flow and write your essay stress free.

  • Be Specific

Be specific with your thoughts and only do one event at a time. Do not confuse yourself by talking about multiple things in one essay because it will mess it up.

So just go with one experience or event in one reflective essay to stay focused and complete it efficiently.

  • Be Honest

Being honest is very important in reflective writing. You can’t just fake any event and write your essay. It is important because the beauty that will come in writing about real events can’t be achieved in fake scenarios.

So be true to your academics and discuss only real experiences. You will definitely get good grades.

  • Edit And Make Final Copy

Now comes the final step, editing and making a final copy of your essay. Take the draft and; 

  • Read thoroughly
  • Make changes where needed
  • Skip unnecessary information 
  • Structure it properly
  • Submit and get good grades

Reflective Writing Examples

If you are going to do reflective writing for the first time then surely some examples would be very helpful for you to understand it. Here are some of the examples that can help you have a clear idea of what you are supposed to write;

  1. In my life, I have encountered many life changing events. Every experience was memorable and left something to learn from it. But, the most memorable experience was when I made my parents proud by achieving a gold medal…
  2. I could not imagine that a book could change the course of my life. Growing up I was never into reading books. I could barely read my course books and that’s it. Then a moment came in my life when my brother convinced me to read his favourite book. For his sake, I gave it a try and agreed to read it. And what happened afterwards was life changing for me…

These were just samples of what it looks like. You can take inspiration and create your own reflective essay in its own unique way.

Final Notes

The crux of the matter is, a reflective essay should represent the lessons you learn and the changes occured in your life due to a specific event. Just be honest in your writing and you will achieve excellence.

If you have your own experience but don’t know how to turn the thoughts into a worth reading reflective essay then you can contact us and get help from our amazing writers.

FAQs

  • How many references should I add in a 3000 word essay?

You shall at least cite 20 or more sources in your 3000 word essay.

  • Can I use quotations in a reflective essay?

Yes, you can certainly use quotes but it should be relevant and add meaning to the essay. Moreover, it should also be properly cited.

  • What citation style should I use in my reflective essay?

Citation styles totally depend on your university’s requirements and instructions. If you don’t have any specific instructions by your university then you can use the following styles; APA, MLA, Chicago etc. because they are standard styles accepted by many institutions.