# Welcome to SMIRK Unit
6 - Reflective writing

- What is it?
- An example
- A possible structure
- More on structure
- Description
- Outcome
- Gibbs' model
- Data protection
- Back to main index

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SMIRK - Reflective writing by Martin Hampton, ASK, University of Portsmouth modified by Marion Kelt, GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/studentsupport/ask/resources/handouts/writtenassignments/filetodownload,73259,en.pdf.

# What is it?

Many courses ask students to write reflectively. There are many different models of reflection and it is vital that you follow any guidelines given by your tutors. Reflective writing is evidence of reflective thinking. In an academic context, reflective thinking usually involves:

- Looking back at something (often an event, but it could also be an idea or object).
- Analysing the event or idea (thinking in depth and from different perspectives, and trying to explain, often with reference to a model or theory from your subject).
- Thinking carefully about what the event or idea means for you and your ongoing progress as a learner or practising professional.

Reflective writing is more personal than other kinds of academic writing. We all think reflectively in everyday life, but perhaps not to the same depth as that expected in good reflective writing at university level.

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SMIRK - Reflective writing by Martin Hampton, ASK, University of Portsmouth modified by Marion Kelt, GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/studentsupport/ask/resources/handouts/writtenassignments/filetodownload,73259,en.pdf

# An example

#### An example of basic reflective writing

Specific tasks were shared out amongst members of my team. Initially, however, the tasks were not seen as equally difficult by all team members. Cooperation between group members was at risk because of this perception of unfairness. Social interdependence theory recognises a type of group interaction called ‘positive interdependence’, meaning cooperation (Johnson & Johnson, 1993, cited by Maughan & Webb, 2001), and many studies have demonstrated that “cooperative learning experiences encourage higher achievement” (Maughan & Webb, 2001). Ultimately, our group achieved a successful outcome, but to improve the process, we perhaps needed a chairperson to help encourage cooperation when tasks were being shared out. In future group work, on the course and at work, I would probably suggest this.

###### Reference
Maughan, C., & Webb, J. (2001). Small group learning and assessment. Retrieved August 01, 2007, from the Higher Education Academy website: www.ukcle.ac.uk/resources/temp/assessment.html

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SMIRK - Reflective writing by Martin Hampton, ASK, University of Portsmouth modified by Marion Kelt, GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/studentsupport/ask/resources/handouts/writtenassignments/filetodownload,73259,en.pdf

# A possible structure

Reflective thinking - especially if done in discussion with others - can be very free and unstructured and still be very useful. Even reflective writing can be unstructured, for example when it is done in a personal diary. In assignments that require reflective writing tutors normally expect to see carefully structured writing. The example of basic reflective writing on the previous page can be broken down into three parts:

- description
- interpretation
- outcome

Description (keep this bit short!) What happened? What is being examined? | Specific tasks were shared out amongst members of my team. Initially, however, the tasks were not seen as equally difficult by all team members.
Interpretation What is most important or interesting or useful or relevant about the object, event or idea? How can it be explained, for example, with theory? How is it similar to and different from others? | Cooperation between group members was at risk because of this perception of unfairness. Social interdependence theory recognises a type of group interaction called ‘positive interdependence’, meaning cooperation (Johnson & Johnson, 1993, cited by Maughan & Webb, 2001), and many studies have demonstrated that “cooperative learning experiences encourage higher achievement” (Maughan & Webb, 2001).
Outcome What have I learned from this? What does this mean for my future? | Ultimately, our group achieved a successful outcome, but to improve our achievement, we perhaps needed a chairperson to help encourage cooperation when tasks were being shared out. In future group work (on the course and at work), I would probably suggest this.

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SMIRK - Reflective writing by Martin Hampton, ASK, University of Portsmouth modified by Marion Kelt, GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/studentsupport/ask/resources/handouts/writtenassignments/filetodownload,73259,en.pdf

# More on structure

This is just one way of structuring reflective writing. There are others and you may be required to follow a particular model (for example, GIbbs). Whichever approach to reflection you use, try to bear in mind the following four key points (all of which were made by course tutors who set and mark reflective work):

- Reflection is an exploration and an explanation of events – not just a description of them.
- Genuinely reflective writing often involves ‘revealing’ anxieties, errors and weaknesses, as well as strengths and successes. This is fine (in fact it’s often essential!), as long as you show some understanding of possible causes, and explain how you plan to improve.
- It is normally necessary to select just the most significant parts of the event or idea on which you’re reflecting. If you try to ‘tell the whole story’ you’re likely to use up your words on description rather than interpretation.
- It is often useful to ‘reflect forward’ to the future as well as ‘reflecting back’ on the past.

The next pages have a few suggestions for words and phrases that might be useful in reflective writing. However, using any of them will not in itself make you a good reflective writer! The vocabulary aid is structured according to the three-part analysis on the previous page.

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SMIRK - Reflective writing by Martin Hampton, ASK, University of Portsmouth modified by Marion Kelt, GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/studentsupport/ask/resources/handouts/writtenassignments/filetodownload,73259,en.pdf

# Description

Description (the short bit!)
We are not suggesting specific vocabulary for any descriptive elements of your reflective writing, because the range of possible events, ideas or objects is so great. Remember that if describing an idea, such as a theory or model, it is usually best to use the present tense, for example ‘Social interdependence theory recognises…’ (not ‘recognised’). Events are nearly always described using the past tense.

Interpretation (probably the most important bit)

|  |  | aspect(s) |
|  | element(s) |
|  | meaningful | experience(s) |
| significant | issue(s) |
For me, the (most) | important | idea(s) |
| relevant |  |
| useful |  |  |  | arose from ...
|  |  | learning | happened when..
|  |  |  | resulted from ...

Previously, |  |  |  | thought (did not think) ...
At the time, |  | felt (did not feel) ...
At first, | I | knew (did not know) ...
Initially, |  | noticed (did not notice) ...
Subsequently, |  | questioned (did not question) ...
Later, |  | realised (did not realise) ...

|  |  | might be |  | because of ...
[Alternatively] | This | is perhaps | due to ...
[Equally] |  | could be | explained by ...
|  | is probably | related to ...

This |  | is similar to ... | because ...
| is unlike ... |

[Un]like | this |  | reveals ...
|  | demonstrates ...

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SMIRK - Reflective writing by Martin Hampton, ASK, University of Portsmouth modified by Marion Kelt, GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/studentsupport/ask/resources/handouts/writtenassignments/filetodownload,73259,en.pdf

# Outcome

|  | read ... |  |  | feel ...
| experienced ... | think ...
Having | applied ... | realise ...
| discussed ... | I now | wonder ...
| analysed ... |  | question ... |
| learned ... |  | know ...

[Additionally,] |  |
[Furthermore,] | I have learned that ...
[Most importantly,] |

I have | significantly |  |  |  |  | my skills in ...
| slightly |  | developed | my understanding of...
|  | improved | my knowledge of ...
However, I have not [sufficiently] |  |  | my ability to ...

| This means that ... |
| This makes me feel ...

This

knowledge |  | is |  | essential |  | to me as a learner [because ... ]
understanding | could be | important | to me as a practitoner [because ... ]
skill | will be | useful |

|  | did not ... |
| have not yet ... |
Because I | am not yet certain about ... | I will now need to ...
| am not yet confident about ... |
| do not yet know ... |
| do not yet understand ... |

As a next step, I need to ...

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SMIRK - Reflective writing by Martin Hampton, ASK, University of Portsmouth modified by Marion Kelt, GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/studentsupport/ask/resources/handouts/writtenassignments/filetodownload,73259,en.pdf

# Gibbs' model

When assessing your reflective writing your tutor will be expecting more than a superficial review of your experience, they will be seeking evidence of deeper reflection. This means moving beyond the descriptive, and subjecting your experience to greater scrutiny.
In Learning by Doing, Gibbs (1988) outlines the stages for a ‘Structured Debriefing’, which are based on Kolb’s (1984) Experiential Learning Cycle and which encourage deeper reflection:

Description: | What is the stimulant for reflection? (incident, event, theoretical idea). What are you going to reflect on?
Feelings: | What were your reactions and feelings?
Evaluation: | What was good and bad about the experience? Make value judgements.
Analysis: | What sense can you make of the situation? Bring in ideas from outside the experience to help you. What was really going on?
Conclusions (general): | What can be concluded, in a general sense, from these experiences and the analyses you have undertaken?
Conclusions (specific): | What can be concluded about your own specific, unique, personal situation or ways of working?
Personal Action plans: | What are you going to do differently in this type of situation next time? What steps are you going to take on the basis of what you have learnt?

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SMIRK - Reflective writing by Pete Watton, Jane Collings, and Jenny Moon, Exeter University and material produced by Dr Jane McKay, SHLS, modified by Marion Kelt, GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/fch/work-experience/reflective-writing-guidance.pdf.

# Data protection

The Data Protection Act (1988) forbids the use of patients’ names or any other information that could identify them from being used. So, when referring to a patient in a reflective piece of writing, take care not to use patient related data that could allow the reader to identify who they are. The patient must remain anonymous or be given a false name (pseudonym). You should always ask the patient’s permission before writing about an experience that involved them.

Good luck!

###### References:

###### Gibbs, G, 1988, Learning by Doing. A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods. FEU

###### Kolb, D. 1984, Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development, Prentice Hall, New Jersey

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SMIRK - Reflective writing by Pete Watton, Jane Collings, and Jenny Moon, Exeter University and material produced by Dr Jane McKay, SHLS, modified by Marion Kelt, GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/fch/work-experience/reflective-writing-guidance.pdf.