work ethics reflection essay

The Meaning and Importance of Work Ethic

This essay about the significance of work ethic in achieving success and fulfillment. It discusses how work ethic encompasses qualities like perseverance, dedication, and integrity, serving as a guiding principle in both personal and professional spheres. The essay emphasizes the importance of upholding work ethic not only for individual success but also for the betterment of organizations and society as a whole. It highlights how individuals with a strong work ethic contribute positively to productivity, morale, and team dynamics, while also shaping their reputation and character. Ultimately, the essay underscores the role of work ethic as a compass that steers individuals toward excellence and integrity in a competitive world.

How it works

In the fabric of professional success, one thread stands out prominently: work ethic. It’s not just about punching the clock or meeting deadlines; it’s a mindset, a philosophy that drives individuals toward excellence. Picture it as a compass guiding sailors through stormy seas, navigating the tumult of challenges with unwavering resolve and integrity. Understanding the essence and significance of work ethic is akin to unlocking the gates to a realm where perseverance meets purpose, and effort begets achievement.

At its essence, work ethic is the fuel that propels the engine of progress.

It’s the willingness to roll up one’s sleeves and dive headfirst into the task at hand, regardless of the obstacles that lie ahead. Think of it as the silent force behind every success story, the unseen hand that shapes destinies. Those who embody a strong work ethic are not just clock-watchers; they’re visionaries, sculptors of their own fate, chiseling away at the marble of potential to reveal the masterpiece within.

But the importance of work ethic transcends individual aspirations; it permeates the very fabric of society. In the bustling hive of industry, it’s the glue that holds teams together, the common language spoken by colleagues striving toward a shared vision. Businesses built on a foundation of strong work ethic are like sturdy ships navigating treacherous waters, weathering storms and emerging stronger on the other side. They understand that success is not just about talent or luck; it’s about consistency, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

Moreover, work ethic is a reflection of character, a mirror that reveals the true essence of an individual. Those who possess it are not just employees; they’re beacons of integrity, shining examples of what it means to stand tall in the face of adversity. Their reputation precedes them, earning the respect and admiration of peers and leaders alike. They understand that integrity is not just a word; it’s a way of life, a compass that guides them through the moral maze of modern-day challenges.

In essence, work ethic is more than just a concept; it’s a way of being, a philosophy that shapes attitudes and actions. It’s about embracing challenges, honoring commitments, and striving for excellence in everything we do. In a world where shortcuts abound and quick fixes are the norm, those who uphold the principles of work ethic stand out like beacons in the night, guiding others toward a brighter future.

Cite this page

The Meaning And Importance Of Work Ethic. (2024, Apr 29). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/the-meaning-and-importance-of-work-ethic/

"The Meaning And Importance Of Work Ethic." PapersOwl.com , 29 Apr 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/the-meaning-and-importance-of-work-ethic/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Meaning And Importance Of Work Ethic . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-meaning-and-importance-of-work-ethic/ [Accessed: 12 May. 2024]

"The Meaning And Importance Of Work Ethic." PapersOwl.com, Apr 29, 2024. Accessed May 12, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/the-meaning-and-importance-of-work-ethic/

"The Meaning And Importance Of Work Ethic," PapersOwl.com , 29-Apr-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-meaning-and-importance-of-work-ethic/. [Accessed: 12-May-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Meaning And Importance Of Work Ethic . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-meaning-and-importance-of-work-ethic/ [Accessed: 12-May-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

The Power of Reflection at Work

• Gretchen Gavett

Instead of doubling down, take time to stop and think.

It Does Help to Think

Reflecting on work improves job performance, working knowledge.

Very few companies give their employees time for reflection, especially when competitive pressures are escalating. Usually the imperative is to double down and work harder – don’t stop to think, just drive forward. But new research demonstrates the value of reflection in helping people do a better job. A working paper by Francesca Gino and Gary Pisano of Harvard Business School, Giada Di Stefano of HEC Paris, and Bradley Staats of the University of North Carolina shows that reflecting on what you’ve done teaches you to do it better next time. The researchers did a series of studies, all showing that reflection boosts performance. “Now more than ever we seem to be living lives where we’re busy and overworked, and our research shows that if we’d take some time out for reflection, we might be better off,” Gino tells Working Knowledge. -Andy O’Connell

• Gretchen Gavett is an associate editor at the Harvard Business Review. Follow her on Twitter @gretchenmarg .

Partner Center

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

Health & Nursing

Courses and certificates.

• Bachelor's Degrees
• View all Business Bachelor's Degrees
• Business Management – B.S. Business Administration
• Healthcare Administration – B.S.
• Human Resource Management – B.S. Business Administration
• Information Technology Management – B.S. Business Administration
• Marketing – B.S. Business Administration
• Accounting – B.S. Business Administration
• Finance – B.S.
• Supply Chain and Operations Management – B.S.
• Accelerated Information Technology Bachelor's and Master's Degree (from the School of Technology)
• Health Information Management – B.S. (from the Leavitt School of Health)

Master's Degrees

• View all Business Master's Degrees
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• MBA Information Technology Management
• MBA Healthcare Management
• Management and Leadership – M.S.
• Accounting – M.S.
• Marketing – M.S.
• Human Resource Management – M.S.
• Master of Healthcare Administration (from the Leavitt School of Health)
• Data Analytics – M.S. (from the School of Technology)
• Information Technology Management – M.S. (from the School of Technology)
• Education Technology and Instructional Design – M.Ed. (from the School of Education)

Certificates

• View all Business Degrees

Bachelor's Preparing For Licensure

• View all Education Bachelor's Degrees
• Elementary Education – B.A.
• Special Education and Elementary Education (Dual Licensure) – B.A.
• Special Education (Mild-to-Moderate) – B.A.
• Mathematics Education (Middle Grades) – B.S.
• Mathematics Education (Secondary)– B.S.
• Science Education (Middle Grades) – B.S.
• Science Education (Secondary Chemistry) – B.S.
• Science Education (Secondary Physics) – B.S.
• Science Education (Secondary Biological Sciences) – B.S.
• Science Education (Secondary Earth Science)– B.S.
• View all Education Degrees

Bachelor of Arts in Education Degrees

• Educational Studies – B.A.

Master of Science in Education Degrees

• View all Education Master's Degrees
• Curriculum and Instruction – M.S.
• Educational Leadership – M.S.
• Education Technology and Instructional Design – M.Ed.

Master's Preparing for Licensure

• Teaching, Elementary Education – M.A.
• Teaching, English Education (Secondary) – M.A.
• Teaching, Mathematics Education (Middle Grades) – M.A.
• Teaching, Mathematics Education (Secondary) – M.A.
• Teaching, Science Education (Secondary) – M.A.
• Teaching, Special Education (K-12) – M.A.

Licensure Information

• State Teaching Licensure Information

Master's Degrees for Teachers

• Mathematics Education (K-6) – M.A.
• Mathematics Education (Middle Grade) – M.A.
• Mathematics Education (Secondary) – M.A.
• English Language Learning (PreK-12) – M.A.
• Endorsement Preparation Program, English Language Learning (PreK-12)
• Science Education (Middle Grades) – M.A.
• Science Education (Secondary Chemistry) – M.A.
• Science Education (Secondary Physics) – M.A.
• Science Education (Secondary Biological Sciences) – M.A.
• Science Education (Secondary Earth Science)– M.A.
• View all Technology Bachelor's Degrees
• Cloud Computing – B.S.
• Computer Science – B.S.
• Cybersecurity and Information Assurance – B.S.
• Data Analytics – B.S.
• Information Technology – B.S.
• Network Engineering and Security – B.S.
• Software Engineering – B.S.
• Accelerated Information Technology Bachelor's and Master's Degree
• Information Technology Management – B.S. Business Administration (from the School of Business)
• View all Technology Master's Degrees
• Cybersecurity and Information Assurance – M.S.
• Data Analytics – M.S.
• Information Technology Management – M.S.
• MBA Information Technology Management (from the School of Business)
• Full Stack Engineering
• Web Application Deployment and Support
• Front End Web Development
• Back End Web Development

3rd Party Certifications

• IT Certifications Included in WGU Degrees
• View all Technology Degrees
• View all Health & Nursing Bachelor's Degrees
• Nursing (RN-to-BSN online) – B.S.
• Nursing (Prelicensure) – B.S. (Available in select states)
• Health Information Management – B.S.
• Health and Human Services – B.S.
• Psychology – B.S.
• Health Science – B.S.
• Healthcare Administration – B.S. (from the School of Business)
• View all Nursing Post-Master's Certificates
• Nursing Education—Post-Master's Certificate
• Nursing Leadership and Management—Post-Master's Certificate
• Family Nurse Practitioner—Post-Master's Certificate
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner —Post-Master's Certificate
• View all Health & Nursing Degrees
• View all Nursing & Health Master's Degrees
• Nursing – Education (BSN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
• Nursing – Leadership and Management (BSN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
• Nursing – Nursing Informatics (BSN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
• Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner (BSN-to-MSN Program) – M.S. (Available in select states)
• Nursing – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (BSN-to-MSN Program) – M.S. (Available in select states)
• Nursing – Education (RN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
• Nursing – Leadership and Management (RN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
• Nursing – Nursing Informatics (RN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
• Master of Healthcare Administration
• MBA Healthcare Management (from the School of Business)
• Business Leadership (with the School of Business)
• Supply Chain (with the School of Business)
• Back End Web Development (with the School of Technology)
• Front End Web Development (with the School of Technology)
• Web Application Deployment and Support (with the School of Technology)
• Full Stack Engineering (with the School of Technology)
• Single Courses
• Course Bundles

Apply for Admission

Admission requirements.

• New Students
• WGU Returning Graduates
• WGU Readmission
• Enrollment Checklist
• Accessibility
• Accommodation Request
• School of Education Admission Requirements
• School of Business Admission Requirements
• School of Technology Admission Requirements
• Leavitt School of Health Admission Requirements

Additional Requirements

• Computer Requirements
• No Standardized Testing
• Clinical and Student Teaching Information

Transferring

• FAQs about Transferring
• Transfer to WGU
• Transferrable Certifications
• Request WGU Transcripts
• International Transfer Credit
• Tuition and Fees
• Financial Aid
• Scholarships

Other Ways to Pay for School

• Tuition—School of Business
• Tuition—School of Education
• Tuition—School of Technology
• Tuition—Leavitt School of Health
• Your Financial Obligations
• Tuition Comparison
• Applying for Financial Aid
• State Grants
• Consumer Information Guide
• Responsible Borrowing Initiative
• Higher Education Relief Fund

FAFSA Support

• Net Price Calculator
• FAFSA Simplification
• See All Scholarships
• Military Scholarships
• State Scholarships
• Scholarship FAQs

Payment Options

• Payment Plans
• Corporate Reimbursement
• Current Student Hardship Assistance
• Military Tuition Assistance

WGU Experience

• How You'll Learn
• Scheduling/Assessments
• Accreditation
• Student Support/Faculty
• Military Students
• Part-Time Options
• Virtual Military Education Resource Center
• Student Outcomes
• Return on Investment
• Students and Gradutes
• Career Growth
• Student Resources
• Communities
• Testimonials
• Career Guides
• Skills Guides
• Online Degrees
• All Degrees
• Explore Your Options

Admissions & Transfers

• Admissions Overview

Tuition & Financial Aid

• Student Success
• Prospective Students
• Current Students
• Military and Veterans
• Commencement
• Careers at WGU
• Advancement & Giving
• Partnering with WGU

How to Write a Personal Ethics Statement—And Why Every Professional Should

• Career Development
• See More Tags

What is a Personal Ethics Statement?

Personal ethics are your guidelines for forming relationships, overcoming challenges, and decision- making. A personal ethics statement is a one-page essay that gives a picture of your core values and what potential supervisors, colleagues, or clients can expect from working with you. It can be useful when you’re applying for school , just starting out in your career, looking for a new job, trying to expand your client base, or advancing your career.  

In this article we will discuss personal ethics—which should not be mistaken for professional ethics. Personal ethics relate to the values you hold in personal relationships and daily life, an whereas professional ethics relate to how you conduct yourself in business settings, deals, and professional relationships.  

An important part of your personal ethics statement is identifying your personal beliefs and personal values. Some code of ethics examples include integrity, selflessness, honesty, loyalty, equality, fairness, empathy, respect, and self-respect. This article is a complete resource for forming your personal ethics and transforming them into a compelling personal ethics statement.

Professional Impacts of Personal Ethics

There are many occasions your personal ethics will play a role in your behavior in professional settings. No matter your line of work, it’s important that you maintain unshakable personal ethics in your professional relationships and how you interact in the workplace.

Business Ethics

Business ethics are the practices and policies put into place to ensure people and resources are treated ethically in business dealings. While you’re making decisions in business to benefit a company, you must consider the impact of those decisions on others. Developing your personal code of conduct will help support you in upholding your company policies in the workplace, which will help you maintain personal integrity, as well as avoid potential business scandals . Learn about how to be an ethical leader in a business setting.

With a career in information technology, part of your job involves having access to private or confidential information. Your moral compass plays a significant role in keeping this type of information safe, especially since cyber-attacks—which happen every 39 seconds on average—are so prevalent in modern society. Having a career in IT immerses you in the world of cyber security , where ethical behavior and policy adherence are essential.

Healthcare Ethics

In the healthcare field, you’re responsible for human lives, so it’s no wonder that strong professional competence and integrity are important in how you carry yourself at work. There are plenty of complex issues, regulations, and compliance policies that you’ll encounter in a hospital or care facility, which demands that you seek the guidance of your personal ethics.

Teaching Ethics

Strong moral values are a necessary component of being a teacher. When your job is to sculpt young minds, you have must take responsibility for setting a strong example for them. Part of this is keeping students safe, part of this is treating all students equally and without discrimination. Part of this is creating healthy boundaries between your students and your personal life . If you build a personal ethics statement, you have a north star to look towards in this professional setting as you encounter ethical dilemmas. If you’re planning to become a teacher, you should also consider writing a teaching philosophy statement.

How Do I Write a Personal Ethics Statement?

There are five essential steps to writing—and perfecting—your personal ethics statement: 

1. Know your audience. 

The first step to writing an effective personal ethics statement is knowing and understanding the audience you’re writing for. This one-page piece of writing is supposed to influence the reader, so keeping the motivations and sentiments of your audience in mind while writing is important to completing your goal. Once you know your audience, whether it be an admissions counselor or a potential employer, then you can choose words and reference practices and policies that resonate with them and meet any guidelines in place.  

2. Choose your goals. 

There are two important types of goals to think about when building your personal ethics statement: your short-term and long-term goals. For example, your short-term goal may be getting into college, while your long-term goal is becoming a software engineer. Once you identify these, then you can phrase your personal ethics in terms of how they relate to your desired career path. To build off the previous example, if you aspire to be a software engineer, you can talk about personal ethics that relate to cyber security or the hard work required to get to your desired goal. 

3. Determine your influences. 

What influences the decisions you make? This is an essential step in determining your code of ethics because every choice you make is influenced by internal and external factors. One factor that affects everyone is personal traits. Your personality plays a crucial role in the decisions you make and how you carry yourself with others. Another factor is the people in your life who have helped in shaping who you are today. A third example is momentous events. Everyone experiences wonderful, pivotal moments in their life, as well as tragic and traumatic moments. All these factors play a role in your personal ethics, and they should be included in your personal ethics statement. 

4. Identify your beliefs and practices. 

This step is about writing down examples of how you move through the world and the core beliefs you live by. Compelling stories elicit emotional reactions from your audience and prove that you put your personal ethics into daily practice. Examples are essential to creating a strong personal ethics statement. 

5. Name your “why.”  

Why did you choose the ethical principles that you did? Confidently answering this question and providing details is essential to the authenticity of the statement. Decide why your personal ethics are important to you, how your life experiences brought you to those ethics, and how you’ll continue to keep them at the center of your decisions going forward. This step is important to making sure your audience walks away with a clear understanding of what ethical standards are important to you and why. 

What Should I Include in a Personal Ethics Statement?

Your personal ethics statement should consist of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.  

Start your personal ethics statement with a one- to two-paragraph introduction. Use the introduction to talk about the life experiences that helped form your ethical background. Maybe you had a major injury in your childhood that resulted in lifelong ability differences, and this made you an advocate for accessibility. Find a personal story that will engage your reader and provide a foundation for your statement.

In the body of your personal ethics statement—about two or three paragraphs—you should list each of the ethical principles that are central in your life. This is your opportunity to make sure the reader knows your core beliefs. If you have a personal mantra, include it here. In this section, true life examples are your friend.

What Should I not Include in a Personal Ethics Statement?

Since a personal ethics statement is a deeply personal piece of writing, it’s important to be honest and authentic. The last thing you want to do is include fake life experiences just to make a point. This also isn’t an opportunity to profess all your life’s mistakes. You are human and your personal ethics statement should reflect that, but in a positive and inspiring light.  

How to Conclude

Every personal ethics statement should have a strong conclusion. Sum it all up in a final paragraph where you explain how your core values make you a great person to have in a professional organization or an excellent candidate for an academic program.

Ready to Start Your Journey?

HEALTH & NURSING

Recommended Articles

Take a look at other articles from WGU. Our articles feature information on a wide variety of subjects, written with the help of subject matter experts and researchers who are well-versed in their industries. This allows us to provide articles with interesting, relevant, and accurate information. 

{{item.date}}

{{item.preTitleTag}}

{{item.title}}

The university, for students.

• Student Portal
• Alumni Services

Most Visited Links

• Business Programs
• Student Experience
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Student Communities

Workplace Ethical Issues Essay

Workplace ethics refers to moral principles and values governing proper behavioral conduct in the place of work (Barry & Shaw, 2013). Work ethics guide the managers as well as employees to do the right thing even if doing the wrong thing can equally be rewarding and satisfying. Therefore, workplace ethical issues involve a plethora of ethical dilemmas and ethical abuses that come into play in any job.

An ethical issue is defined as an illegal, unethical, or irresponsible act made against the employer, and it jeopardizes the employer’s business. Ethical issues arise when workers including the managers and the subordinates are given the responsibility of making decisions about alternative courses of action. This paper discusses a few ethical issues that arise in the workplace.

Harassment of the co-workers or clients is one of the major workplace ethical issues that involve violation of the employers’ workplace ethics policy. Harassment in any workplace may involve unsolicited sexual advances, interferences with work performance through intimidation, or non-compliance with the conditions of work. Sometimes illegal harassment can be based on sex, religion, age, disability, race, or color.

Johnson (2007) provides that harassment does not only involve violation of business ethics, but also involves a breach of the federal laws. Sexual harassment is the common ethical issue many workers experience at their workplaces and it is propagated by both the management and regular employees.

Basically, sexual harassment of any nature makes the workplace hostile and causes distress among the sexually abused employees. According to Bredeson and Goree (2011), the most common ethical issue within sexual harassment is a dual relationship that involves sexual relationships between employees who share professional responsibilities.

Furthermore, sexual harassment occurs when employees engage in unethical intimate relationships, which in turn affects their professional decision-making process. Consensual relationships at workplace between a senior employee and a junior employee can become dangerous.

This may happen because a senior employee has more authority to affect the working ability of the junior employee if their intimate relationship breaks.

However, if this happens, the subordinates should report the act to the relevant authorities because it is improper for any person to use his/her authority to demand favors or create a hostile work environment (Barry & Shaw, 2013). Therefore, it is advisable to avoid consensual relationships with co-workers to combat ethical dilemmas and workplace distress.

Substance abuse is another ethical issue that crops up at many workplaces. It may involve dependence on stimulating substances such as alcohol and other addictive intoxicating drugs. Addiction to any substance becomes a workplace ethical issue when either a manager or a regular employee’s work performance and productivity are impaired until they use the substance (Johnson, 2007).

Alcohol is the most abused substance, and when the employees carry alcohol to workplaces or use in the workplace, it raises serious ethical questions. Generally, substance abuse can be a serious ethical issue if not handled with care since it can create a hostile work environment, and consequently jeopardize the productivity and performance of the entire workforce.

In addition, confidentiality is a workplace ethical principle that becomes a familiar ethical issue when it is violated (Johnson, 2007). For instance, the disclosure of an employee’s personal information or the employer’s business strategy to rival organizations is a major violation of the workplace ethics.

Actually, protecting the employees from privacy invasion creates trust and perhaps increases their productivity. However, when confidentiality is violated, serious ethical implications may occur, which affect the business negatively. Work ethics require that the clients’ private information or the co-workers personal information be accessed by authorized individuals only.

Conflict of interest is another common workplace ethical issue. It refers to a situation whereby an individual’s interests affect or influence his/her workplace judgment, actions, or decisions. Conflicts of interest are virtually unethical and illegal because they negatively affect workplace performance, decision-making process, and relationships with other participants (Bredeson & Goree, 2011).

Conflict of interest is a serious ethical issue, which should be avoided or resolved immediately it appears because it may result in professional misconduct in the workplace. Despite workplace ethical issues being endless, organizations can devise moral or ethical policies to protect their employees from ethical violations.

For instance, an organization can develop a workplace policy based mission, vision and code of conduct, and ensure that each employee understands the code of ethics.

In addition, the organization can provide workplace ethics training for employees, create a legal office to deal with employees ethical issues, and research all federal and employment laws relating to whistle blowing to avoid making decisions that lead to negative ethical implications (Bredeson & Goree, 2011).

In summary, ethical issues exist in almost every workplace because workers often face situations, which involve ethical dilemmas. Moreover, when ethical issues are not resolved in time, they result in a hostile work environment making it harder for the employees to give their maximum potential.

Thus, it is imperative for employers to respond appropriately to every ethical issue that arises in the workplace to make the workplace safe and friendly.

Barry, V., & Shaw, W. (2013). Moral Issues in Business (12th Ed.). Wadsworth: Cenage Learning.

Bredeson, D. & Goree, K. (2011). Ethics in the workplace (3 rd Ed). New York: Cengage Learning.

Johnson, C. (2007). Ethics in the workplace: tools and Tactics for organizational Transformation . London: Sage Publications.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, October 30). Workplace Ethical Issues Essay. https://ivypanda.com/essays/workplace-ethical-issues/

"Workplace Ethical Issues Essay." IvyPanda , 30 Oct. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/workplace-ethical-issues/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Workplace Ethical Issues Essay'. 30 October.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Workplace Ethical Issues Essay." October 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/workplace-ethical-issues/.

1. IvyPanda . "Workplace Ethical Issues Essay." October 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/workplace-ethical-issues/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Workplace Ethical Issues Essay." October 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/workplace-ethical-issues/.

• Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Two Basic Theories
• Chad vale ICT Workforce Professional Development Plan
• Sexual Harassment: Issue Analysis
• The Contribution of Corporate Social Responsibility
• Corporations and Communities: Learning How to Be Responsible
• Consideration for Ethics and Diversity Proposal
• Moral Issues in Business
• When a Multinational Corporation Should Violate or Respect Local Cultural Norms

We’re reviewing our resources this spring (May-August 2024). We will do our best to minimize disruption, but you might notice changes over the next few months as we correct errors & delete redundant resources. 

Critical Reflection

A Critical Reflection (also called a reflective essay) is a process of identifying, questioning, and assessing our deeply-held assumptions – about our knowledge, the way we perceive events and issues, our beliefs, feelings, and actions. When you reflect critically, you use course material (lectures, readings, discussions, etc.) to examine our biases, compare theories with current actions, search for causes and triggers, and identify problems at their core.   Critical reflection is   not   a reading assignment, a summary of an activity, or an emotional outlet.   Rather,   the goal is   to change your thinking about a subject, and thus change your behaviour.

Tip: Critical reflections are common in coursework across all disciplines, but they can take very different forms. Your instructor may ask you to develop a formal essay, produce weekly blog entries, or provide short paragraph answers to a set of questions. Read the assignment guidelines before you begin.

How to Critically Reflect

Writing a critical reflection happens in two phases.

• Analyze:   In the first phase, analyze the issue and your role by asking critical questions. Use free writing as a way to develop good ideas. Don’t worry about organized paragraphs or good grammar at this stage.
• Articulate:   In the second phase, use your analysis to develop a clear argument about what you learned. Organize your ideas so they are clear for your reader.

First phase: Analyze

A popular method for analyzing is the three stage model: What? So What? Now what?

In the  What?  stage, describe the issue, including your role, observations, and reactions. The   what?   stage helps you make initial observations about what you feel and think. At this point, there’s no need to look at your course notes or readings.

Use the questions below to guide your writing during this stage.

• What happened?
• What did you do?
• What did you expect?
• What was different?
• What was your reaction?
• What did you learn?

In the second  So What?   stage, try to understand on a deeper level why the issue is significant or relevant. Use information from your first stage, your course materials (readings, lectures, discussions) -- as well as previous experience and knowledge to help you think through the issue from a variety of perspectives.

Tip:  Since you’ll be using more course resources in this step, review your readings and course notes before you begin writing.

Below are three perspectives you can consider:

• Academic perspective: How did the experience enhance your understanding of a concept/theory/skill? Did the experience confirm your understanding or challenge it? Did you identify strengths or gaps in your knowledge?
• Personal perspective:   Why does the experience matter? What are the consequences? Were your previous expectations/assumptions confirmed or refuted? What surprised you and why?
• Systems perspective:   What were the sources of power and who benefited/who was harmed? What changes would you suggest? How does this experience help you understand the organization or system?

In the third   Now what?   stage, explore how the experience will shape your future thinking and behaviour.

Use the following questions to guide your thinking and writing:

• What are you going to do as a result of your experiences?
• What will you do differently?
• How will you apply what you learned?

Second phase: Articulate

After completing the analysis stage, you probably have a lot of writing, but it is not yet organized into a coherent story. You need to build an organized and clear argument about what you learned and how you changed. To do so,   develop a thesis statement , make an   outline ,   write , and   revise.

Develop a thesis statement

Develop a clear argument to help your reader understand what you learned. This argument should pull together different themes from your analysis into a main idea. You can see an example of a thesis statement in the sample reflection essay at the end of this resource.

Tip: For more help on developing thesis statements, see our   Thesis statements  resource

Make an outline

Once you have a clear thesis statement for your essay, build an outline. Below is a straightforward method to organize your essay.

• Background/Context of reflection
• Thesis statement
• Introduce theme A
• Writer's past position/thinking
• Moment of learning/change
• Writer's current/new position
• Introduce theme B
• Introduce theme C
• Summarize learning
• Discuss significance of learning for self and others
• Discuss future actions/behaviour

Write and revise

Time to get writing! Work from your outline and give yourself enough time for a first draft and revisions.

Even though you are writing about your personal experience and learning, your audience may still be an academic one. Consult the assignment guidelines or ask your instructor to find out whether your writing should be formal or informal.

Sample Critical Reflection

Below are sample annotated paragraphs from one student’s critical reflection for a course on society and privilege.

Introduction

Background/context of reflection : I became aware of privileged positions in society only in recent years. I was lucky enough, privileged enough, to be ignorant of such phenomena, but for some, privilege is a daily lesson of how they do not fit into mainstream culture. In the past, I defined oppression as only that which is obvious and intentional. I never realized the part I played. However, during a class field study to investigate privileged positions in everyday environments, I learned otherwise.   Thesis:   Without meaning to, I caused harm by participating in a system where I gained from others’ subtle oppression. In one of these spaces, the local mall, everything from advertisements to food to products, to the locations of doorways, bathrooms and other public necessities, made clear my privilege as a white, heterosexual male.

Body paragraph

Topic sentence : Peggy McIntosh describes privilege as an invisible knapsack of tools and advantages. This description crystalized for me when I shopped for a greeting card at the stationary store. There, as a white, heterosexual male, I felt comfortable and empowered to roam about the store as I pleased. I freely asked the clerk about a mother’s day card.   Writer’s past position:   Previously, I never considered that a store did anything but sell products. However, when I asked the sales clerk for same sex greeting cards, she paused for a few seconds and gave me a look that made me feel instantly uncomfortable. Some customers stopped to look at me. I felt a heat move over my face. I felt, for a moment, wrong for being in that store.  I quickly clarified that I was only doing a report for school, implying that I was not in fact homosexual.   Writer’s current position:   The clerk’s demeanor changed. I was free to check, she said.  It was the only time during the field study that I had felt the need to explain what I was doing to anyone. I could get out of the situation with a simple clarification. But what if I really was a member of the homosexual community? The looks and the silence taught me that I should be feared.  I realized that, along with its products, the store was selling an image of normal. But my “normality” was another person’s “abnormality.”  After I walked out of the store I felt guilty for having denied being homosexual.

Summary of learning:   At the mall I realized how much we indirectly shame nonprivileged groups, even in seemingly welcoming spaces. That shame is supported every time I or any other privileged individual fails to question our advantage. And it leads to a different kind of shame carried by privileged individuals, too.   Value for self and others:   All of this, as Brown (2003) documents, is exacerbated by silence. Thus, the next step for me is to not only question privilege internally, but to publicly question covert bias and oppression. If I do, I may very well be shamed for speaking out. But my actions might just encourage other people to speak up as well.

Sample paragraphs adapted from James C. Olsen's Teaching Portfolio from Georgetown University .

• Undergraduate
• High School
• Architecture
• American History
• Asian History
• Antique Literature
• American Literature
• Asian Literature
• Classic English Literature
• World Literature
• Creative Writing
• Linguistics
• Criminal Justice
• Legal Issues
• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Political Science
• World Affairs
• African-American Studies
• East European Studies
• Latin-American Studies
• Native-American Studies
• West European Studies
• Family and Consumer Science
• Social Issues
• Women and Gender Studies
• Social Work
• Natural Sciences
• Pharmacology
• Earth science
• Agriculture
• Agricultural Studies
• Computer Science
• IT Management
• Mathematics
• Investments
• Engineering and Technology
• Engineering
• Aeronautics
• Medicine and Health
• Alternative Medicine
• Communications and Media
• Advertising
• Communication Strategies
• Public Relations
• Educational Theories
• Teacher's Career
• Chicago/Turabian
• Company Analysis
• Education Theories
• Shakespeare
• Canadian Studies
• Food Safety
• Relation of Global Warming and Extreme Weather Condition
• Movie Review
• Admission Essay
• Annotated Bibliography
• Application Essay
• Article Critique
• Article Review
• Article Writing
• Book Review
• Business Plan
• Business Proposal
• Capstone Project
• Cover Letter
• Creative Essay
• Dissertation
• Dissertation - Abstract
• Dissertation - Conclusion
• Dissertation - Discussion
• Dissertation - Hypothesis
• Dissertation - Introduction
• Dissertation - Literature
• Dissertation - Methodology
• Dissertation - Results
• GCSE Coursework
• Grant Proposal
• Marketing Plan
• Multiple Choice Quiz
• Personal Statement
• Power Point Presentation
• Power Point Presentation With Speaker Notes
• Questionnaire
• Reaction Paper
• Research Paper
• Research Proposal
• SWOT analysis
• Thesis Paper
• Online Quiz
• Literature Review
• Movie Analysis
• Statistics problem
• Math Problem
• All papers examples
• How It Works
• Money Back Policy
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• We Are Hiring

Ethics Reflection Paper, Essay Example

Pages: 2

Words: 612

Hire a Writer for Custom Essay

Use 10% Off Discount: "custom10" in 1 Click 👇

You are free to use it as an inspiration or a source for your own work.

Introduction

In general terms the concept of ethics relates to how we conduct ourselves from a moralistic, obligatory and virtuous standpoint. Whereas personal ethics are more in keeping with our personal values and commitments to others, professional /business ethics tends to be more holistic by nature and relates to those standards we uphold in our professional lives. In certain professions these can be very serious and have life threatening consequences i.e. Doctors, Lawyers, Bankers, etc.

Being a morale person is to be guided by a sense of personal ethical standards and to live within the confines of the law and your religion. This means respecting the rights of others and being equitable in your affairs with people. Success often is born from opposite morale values like bending the legal framework to your own advantage (manipulative) and disregarding the rights or concerns of others putting your own self-interests first. Obtaining personal ethics is really to define who you are as a person i.e. one of substance and integrity or self-centered and manipulative. Establishing your ethical framework may be obtained at an early age by becoming involved with social clubs, communities, sporting events etc. It is good to be competitive provided you retain a sense of personal balance and you do not become obsessive about it. Life offers many other facets that are equally rewarding, nurses being an example of people who find a great deal of satisfaction by helping others whilst retaining a healthy ambition to succeed at their job. (Newton, L.H. 2003)

Role of Ethics in Strategic Planning

It was Peter Druker who addressed the considerations of ethics in strategic planning by framing the question – “first ask what business we are in?” (Schulman, M. 2013). There are three main ethical pillars that impact the formulation of strategic planning:-

? What does the business represent?

? The purpose of the business?

? What values does the business have?

The ethical statement of the business should underpin the mission statement of the business. The stakeholders want to see a business that obeys the rule of law, they want the business to be open and transparent in the way it conducts business and finally for the company to manage its finances in an honest and responsible way so as to protect the interests of investors and shareholders. The stakeholders want to see that the CEO and Board of Directors have a strong moral compass and that this projects downwards into the organization and reflected in the business operations. (Gebler, D. 2013).

Personal Ethical Perspectives

It is fair to say that everybody, leastwise in Western democracies, has both freedom of expression and the right of choice. As such this can be morally bad or good. In theory we are all bound by the law of the land and as such our interpretation and application of these laws will vary according to our own moral standards. If you are an educated person with a relatively affluent upbringing you are more likely to respect and uphold the law. In this case the laws seem much more pertinent to your position and role in life. If you are a poor person with no education and forced to survive in the streets of a City, then your ethics are much likely to be tuned more towards survivalism as opposed to upholding the common law.

In general terms my ethical perspectives have increased in recognising how important this subject is in the efficient management of corporate enterprises.

Gebler, D. (2013, 1 25). Business Ethics and Social Responsibility . Retrieved from Free library: http://managementhelp.org/businessethics/index.htm

Newton, L. H. (2003). Ethics in America, 2nd Edition. New York: Prentice Hall.

Schulman, M. (2013, 1 25). Incorporating Ethics into the Organization’s Strategic Plan . Retrieved from Santa Clara University, CA: http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/business/strategic-plan.html

Stuck with your Essay?

Get in touch with one of our experts for instant help!

Tort Law, Essay Example

Mid-Term Long Essay Example

Time is precious

don’t waste it!

Plagiarism-free guarantee

Privacy guarantee

Secure checkout

Money back guarantee

Related Essay Samples & Examples

Voting as a civic responsibility, essay example.

Pages: 1

Words: 287

Utilitarianism and Its Applications, Essay Example

Words: 356

The Age-Related Changes of the Older Person, Essay Example

Words: 448

The Problems ESOL Teachers Face, Essay Example

Pages: 8

Words: 2293

Should English Be the Primary Language? Essay Example

Pages: 4

Words: 999

The Term “Social Construction of Reality”, Essay Example

Words: 371

Home — Essay Samples — Philosophy — Utilitarianism — Reflection On Ethical Theories: Utilitarianism And Deontology

Reflection on Ethical Theories: Utilitarianism and Deontology

• Categories: Deontology Utilitarianism

About this sample

Words: 1395 |

Published: Dec 16, 2021

Words: 1395 | Pages: 3 | 7 min read

• Geuras, D., & Garofalo, C. (2011). Practical ethics in public administration. Vienna, VA: Management Concepts.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr. Karlyna PhD

Verified writer

• Expert in: Philosophy

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 1013 words

2 pages / 1122 words

3 pages / 1419 words

1 pages / 389 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Utilitarianism

At what point does it become ethically sanctioned to take an innocent person’s life? To what extent do people’s moral institutions compose their apprehension of what is right or wrong? This paper will evaluate how the “trolley [...]

BBC. (2014). Ethics. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/biography/David-Ross

Consequentialism is an ethical theory based on whether or not a decision made or an act carried out is deemed right or wrong based on the outcome has a positive end result. Utilitarianism and Hedonism are types of [...]

Utilitarianism is a philosophical theory that suggests that the best course of action is the one that maximizes overall happiness or pleasure and minimizes pain or suffering. In the context of nursing, utilitarianism can be [...]

It is widely accepted that Utilitarianism, as a discipline, is not as unifying or as straightforward a moral theory as it might at first appear; as Crisp highlights, there are, in fact, 'many variations, some of them subtle, [...]

This essay is a persuasive essay on Bentham's utilitarianism, a theory spread by Jeremy Bentham in the 18th century and clarified by his student John Stuart Mill in the 19th century. Utilitarianism posits that morality [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

CUNY York, MSPAS

Ethics Reflection Essay

       This essay is a reflection on the Ethics course, a part of York PA program curriculum, and it includes aspects I foresee as central to my clinical practice as well as ethical frameworks I am looking to implement to achieve their accomplishment.

        My desire to become a Physician Assistant stemmed from interactions with a few very inspiring people who dedicated themselves to helping others, not only at their workplace, but everywhere they went, without expecting anything in return. I believe it is the ultimate higher purpose that I want to dedicate myself to and becoming a Physician Assistant helps me fulfill it. We meet clinicians at the worst times of our lives, and the ability to be a person others turn to in times of distress is a big honor.  

         Analyzing some of the clinical practice I have had and thinking ahead  about what the future will hold,  I believe aspects such as continuous education, patient-centered care, transparency, shared decision making and ensuring patient autonomy will be central to my practice since in the place where I grew up those components of health care were almost absent. I was raised in a small town in Ukraine where access to healthcare was very limited and its quality was poor due to lack of financing. Both of my grandparents died at a young age at the hospital due to completely preventable causes and I have promised myself that the way I will practice medicine is going to be the way I would have wanted for them to be treated.

       Beneficence is a principle based on the practice of providing benefit, which can mean either “preventing/ removing harm or directly producing a good” 2 . Interesting thing about beneficence is that it means not only to mean good, but to actually result in good produced. If the clinician means good but simply does not possess enough expertise to provide the best treatment possible, he or she has a moral obligation to refer the patient to another provider who does, that is why adapting to emerging changes in demand by continuous education is one of the key hallmarks of an advanced practice.

       Beneficence runs parallel to non-maleficence which means minimizing harm. Minimizing harm requires thinking ahead. Defining goals of care of every shareholder is a good place to start. What might be a goal of care for the clinician or a family member, might not necessarily reflect patient’s desires and, from the patient’s perspective, produce more harm than good. According to Kirk, beneficence is producing an outcome that is consistent with patient’s goal of care. For example, a clinician may think the cancer patient would want an advanced aggressive treatment that has promising outcomes, but patient’s priority may be to spend as much time as they can at home with people they love and die in peace. A family member of an adult with a decision-making capacity may insist on futile treatments where the patient him/herself might not want them. In that case, opting out of treatments that would not align with patient’s goals of care would mean a practice of non-maleficence.  Thus, knowing patient’s priorities and being able to attend to them is eminent to a successful patient-centered practice.

         So how do we define “good” and who dictates it? The answer is simple: every shareholder is taken into consideration, but patient’s desires overrides everyone else’s if patient has decision making capacity (or unless proven otherwise) and is acting truly autonomously.

         Patient centered care and shared decision-making employ ensuring patient Autonomy. It has many different aspects, all equally important. Autonomy as free action is ability to do what one wishes to do and not being forced to do what one does not want to 1 .  Since my experience and main interest is mostly in radiation oncology, issues of patient autonomy in my practice may arise very often. When patient is diagnosed with cancer, his/her decisions affect not only them but everyone around them, of which they are very well aware. This pressure may at times cloud patient’s judgement when making decisions regards treatment. It is my direct responsibility to recognize and ensure every aspect of patient autonomy throughout every step of our interaction.

       Cancer is a very multifaceted disease, different approaches to treatment of which may produce different outcomes. Defining goals of care for the patient making sure the priorities are established properly should be the first step of agreeing on a treatment strategy.  In order to do that, a complete transparency and proper enforcement of every aspect of informed consent would need to take place.  By giving the patient all the options, including opting out of treatment with proper explanation of harms and benefits that come with them and time to ponder on their decision, I would ensure Autonomy as Free action as well as Autonomy as Effective Deliberation that has to do with the rationality of a person’s thought process as well as ensuring that the action chosen is consistent with the outcome desired 1 . That transparency makes sure patient’s thought process is not compromised by a lack of information and that patient has all the tools to make decisions autonomously.

       One of the reasons I chose to become a PA over any other profession is because PAs are able to spend more time with patients than the physicians are, thus getting to know their patients and their moral character. Prolonged sickness can affect a patient in many different ways including making them act out of character. Being a steward of Autonomy as Authenticity making sure my patients’ decisions and behaviors are in check with their moral values is a great honor.

         Sometimes patient’s goal of care gets lost in a sea of voices of people who care for them which may result in patient agreeing to a treatment they don’t truly want, just to keep their significant other/son/daughter happy. In some cultures, if the patient is a married woman, decisions about her healthcare may be made by her husband or father. Same often happens with the elderly – they give up their right to make decisions to their loved ones because the culture/religion dictates that.  It is my job to help patient analyze whether values guiding their action have been freely and deliberately chosen or they have been adopted unconsciously and uncritically 1 , thus upholding the tenets Autonomy as moral reflection which requires that type of self-assessment. Only by establishing a trusting relationship can that type of advisement take place and I’m looking forward to refining those skills in order to become the best version of myself and a proud representative of the Physician Assistant profession.

        This essay briefly summarized some of the key aspects of my future clinical practice and their support by ethical principles of beneficence, non-maleficence and Autonomy as well as their application and analysis. Ethics course provided some clarity on ways to become a better provider and think critically in difficult situations.

        Works cited

1 Yeo, M et al. (2010).  Autonomy   [selections]. In M Yeo et al. (eds.).  Concepts and Cases in Nursing  Ethics. [3rd edition] Ontario: Broadview Press, pp. 91-97, 103-109.

2 Yeo, Michael et al. (2010).  Beneficence  . In M Yeo et al. (eds.).  Concepts and Cases in Nursing Ethics.  [3rd edition] Ontario: Broadview Press, pp. 103-116.

3 T. Kirk, HPPA 514: Building Arguments in Health Care Ethics Cases  , p.2.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Need help with the Commons?

Email us at [email protected] so we can respond to your questions and requests. Please email from your CUNY email address if possible. Or visit our help site for more information:

• Terms of Service
• Accessibility
• Creative Commons (CC) license unless otherwise noted