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The Importance of Self-Reflection: How Looking Inward Can Improve Your Mental Health

Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

Dr. Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and a professor at Yeshiva University’s clinical psychology doctoral program.

Sunwoo Jung / Getty Images

Why Is Self-Reflection So Important?

When self-reflection becomes unhealthy, how to practice self-reflection, what to do if self-reflection makes you uncomfortable, incorporating self-reflection into your routine.

How well do you know yourself? Do you think about why you do the things you do? Self-reflection is a skill that can help you understand yourself better.

Self-reflection involves being present with yourself and intentionally focusing your attention inward to examine your thoughts, feelings, actions, and motivations, says Angeleena Francis , LMHC, executive director for AMFM Healthcare.

Active self-reflection can help grow your understanding of who you are , what values you believe in, and why you think and act the way you do, says Kristin Wilson , MA, LPC, CCTP, RYT, chief experience officer for Newport Healthcare.

This article explores the benefits and importance of self-reflection, as well as some strategies to help you practice it and incorporate it into your daily life. We also discuss when self-reflection can become unhealthy and suggest some coping strategies.

Self-reflection is important because it helps you form a self-concept and contributes toward self-development.

Builds Your Self-Concept

Self-reflection is critical because it contributes to your self-concept, which is an important part of your identity.

Your self-concept includes your thoughts about your traits, abilities, beliefs, values, roles, and relationships. It plays an influential role in your mood, judgment, and behavioral patterns.

Reflecting inward allows you to know yourself and continue to get to know yourself as you change and develop as a person, says Francis. It helps you understand and strengthen your self-concept as you evolve with time.

Enables Self-Development

Self-reflection also plays a key role in self-development. “It is a required skill for personal growth ,” says Wilson.

Being able to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, or what you did right or wrong, can help you identify areas for growth and improvement, so you can work on them.

For instance, say you gave a presentation at school or work that didn’t go well, despite putting in a lot of work on the project. Spending a little time on self-reflection can help you understand that even though you spent a lot of time working on the project and creating the presentation materials, you didn’t practice giving the presentation. Realizing the problem can help you correct it. So, the next time you have to give a presentation, you can practice it on your colleagues or loved ones first.

Or, say you’ve just broken up with your partner. While it’s easy to blame them for everything that went wrong, self-reflection can help you understand what behaviors of yours contributed to the split. Being mindful of these behaviors can be helpful in other relationships.

Without self-reflection, you would continue to do what you’ve always done and as a result, you may continue to face the same problems you’ve always faced.

Benefits of Self-Reflection

These are some of the benefits of self-reflection, according to the experts:

• Increased self-awareness: Spending time in self-reflection can help build greater self-awareness , says Wilson. Self-awareness is a key component of emotional intelligence. It helps you recognize and understand your own emotions, as well as the impact of your emotions on your thoughts and behaviors.
• Greater sense of control: Self-reflection involves practicing mindfulness and being present with yourself at the moment. This can help you feel more grounded and in control of yourself, says Francis.
• Improved communication skills: Self-reflection can help you improve your communication skills, which can benefit your relationships. Understanding what you’re feeling can help you express yourself clearly, honestly, and empathetically.
• Deeper alignment with core values: Self-reflection can help you understand what you believe in and why. This can help ensure that your words and actions are more aligned with your core values, Wilson explains. It can also help reduce cognitive dissonance , which is the discomfort you may experience when your behavior doesn’t align with your values, says Francis.
• Better decision-making skills: Self-reflection can help you make better decisions for yourself, says Wilson. Understanding yourself better can help you evaluate all your options and how they will impact you with more clarity. This can help you make sound decisions that you’re more comfortable with, says Francis.
• Greater accountability: Self-reflection can help you hold yourself accountable to yourself, says Francis. It can help you evaluate your actions and recognize personal responsibility. It can also help you hold yourself accountable for the goals you’re working toward.

Self-reflection is a healthy practice that is important for mental well-being. However, it can become harmful if it turns into rumination, self-criticism, self-judgment, negative self-talk , and comparison to others, says Wilson.

Here’s what that could look like:

• Rumination: Experiencing excessive and repetitive stressful or negative thoughts. Rumination is often obsessive and interferes with other types of mental activity.
• Self-judgment: Constantly judging yourself and often finding yourself lacking. 
• Negative self-talk: Allowing the voice inside your head to discourage you from doing things you want to do. Negative self-talk is often self-defeating.
• Self-criticism: Constantly criticizing your actions and decisions.
• Comparison: Endlessly comparing yourself to others and feeling inferior.

Kristin Wilson, LPC, CCTP

Looking inward may activate your inner critic, but true self-reflection comes from a place of neutrality and non-judgment.

When anxious thoughts and feelings come up in self-reflection, Wilson says it’s important to practice self-compassion and redirect your focus to actionable insights that can propel your life forward. “We all have faults and room for improvement. Reflect on the behaviors or actions you want to change and take steps to do so.”

It can help to think of what you would say to a friend in a similar situation. For instance, if your friend said they were worried about the status of their job after they gave a presentation that didn’t go well, you would probably be kind to them, tell them not to worry, and to focus on improving their presentation skills in the future. Apply the same compassion to yourself and focus on what you can control.

If you are unable to calm your mind of racing or negative thoughts, Francis recommends seeking support from a trusted person in your life or a mental health professional. “Patterns of negative self-talk, self-doubt , or criticism should be addressed through professional support, as negative cognitions of oneself can lead to symptoms of depression if not resolved.”

Wilson suggests some strategies that can help you practice self-reflection:

• Ask yourself open-ended questions: Start off by asking yourself open-ended questions that will prompt self-reflection, such as: “Am I doing what makes me happy?” “Are there things I’d like to improve about myself?” or “What could I have done differently today?” “Am I taking anything or anyone for granted?” Notice what thoughts and feelings arise within you for each question and then begin to think about why. Be curious about yourself and be open to whatever comes up.
• Keep a journal: Journaling your thoughts and responses to these questions is an excellent vehicle for self-expression. It can be helpful to look back at your responses, read how you handled things in the past, assess the outcome, and look for where you might make changes in the future.
• Try meditation: Meditation can also be a powerful tool for self-reflection and personal growth. Even if it’s only for five minutes, practice sitting in silence and paying attention to what comes up for you. Notice which thoughts are fleeting and which come up more often.
• Process major events and emotions: When something happens in your life that makes you feel especially good or bad, take the time to reflect on what occurred, how it made you feel, and either how you can get to that feeling again or what you might do differently the next time. Writing down your thoughts in a journal can help.
• Make a self-reflection board: Create a self-reflection board of positive attributes that you add to regularly. Celebrate your authentic self and the ways you stay true to who you are. Having a visual representation of self-reflection can be motivating.

You may avoid self-reflection if it brings up difficult emotions and makes you feel uncomfortable, says Francis. She recommends preparing yourself to get comfortable with the uncomfortable before you start.

Think of your time in self-reflection as a safe space within yourself. “Avoid judging yourself while you explore your inner thoughts, feelings, and motives of behavior,” says Francis. Simply notice what comes up and accept it. Instead of focusing on fears, worries, or regrets, try to look for areas of growth and improvement.

“Practice neutrality and self-compassion so that self-reflection is a positive experience that you will want to do regularly,” says Wilson.

Francis suggests some strategies that can help you incorporate self-reflection into your daily routine:

• Dedicate time to it: it’s important to dedicate time to self-reflection and build it into your routine. Find a slot that works for your schedule—it could be five minutes each morning while drinking coffee or 30 minutes sitting outside in nature once per week.
• Pick a quiet spot: It can be hard to focus inward if your environment is busy or chaotic. Choose a calm and quiet space that is free of distractions so you can hear your own thoughts.
• Pay attention to your senses: Pay attention to your senses. Sensory input is an important component of self-awareness.

Nowak A, Vallacher RR, Bartkowski W, Olson L. Integration and expression: The complementary functions of self-reflection . J Pers . 2022;10.1111/jopy.12730. doi:10.1111/jopy.12730

American Psychological Association. Self-concept .

Dishon N, Oldmeadow JA, Critchley C, Kaufman J. The effect of trait self-awareness, self-reflection, and perceptions of choice meaningfulness on indicators of social identity within a decision-making context . Front Psychol . 2017;8:2034. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02034

Drigas AS, Papoutsi C. A new layered model on emotional intelligence . Behav Sci (Basel) . 2018;8(5):45. doi:10.3390/bs8050045

American Psychological Association. Rumination .

By Sanjana Gupta Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

Self-Reflection 101: What is self-reflection? Why is reflection important? And how to reflect.

Socrates famously said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

And while this dictum is certainly true, self-reflection is not necessarily an easy thing to practice. We live in an incredibly fast-paced world. Our mobile phones are constantly buzzing, social media is infinitely calling, and Netflix always has something new to binge on.

Taking the time for reflection is a bit of a lost art. Most of us, unfortunately, are living unexamined lives.

This shouldn’t be the case. Few things are more valuable than self-reflection.

But what exactly is self-reflection? And what are some simple ways to practice it?

In this article, we’re going to break down the what, why, and how of self-reflection.

Ready? Let’s get started...

What Is Self-Reflection? A Self-Reflection Definition

Simply put, self-reflection (also known as “personal reflection”) is taking the time to think about, meditate on, evaluate, and give serious thought to your behaviors, thoughts, attitudes, motivations, and desires. It’s the process of diving deep into your thoughts and emotions and motivations and determining the great, “Why?” behind them.

Personal reflection allows you to analyze your life from both a macro and micro level. At a macro level, you can evaluate the overall trajectory of your life. You can see where you’re headed, determine whether you’re happy with the direction, and make adjustments as necessary.

At a micro level, you can evaluate your responses to particular circumstances and events. Geil Browning, Ph.D., talks about personal reflection like this:

"Reflection is a deeper form of learning that allows us to retain every aspect of any experience, be it personal or professional — why something took place, what the impact was, whether it should happen again — as opposed to just remembering that it happened. It's about tapping into every aspect of the experience, clarifying our thinking, and honing in on what really matters to us."

Practicing self-reflection takes discipline and intentionality. It requires pressing pause on the chaos of life and simply taking the time to think and ponder about your life, which is not an easy thing for many people to do. But it’s an incredibly valuable practice.

This short video captures the importance of self-reflection and introspection beautifully:

The Importance of Self-Reflection

Without self-reflection, we simply go through life without thinking, moving from one thing to the next without making time to evaluate whether things are actually going well. We don’t pause to think. To analyze. To determine what is going well and what isn’t working. The unfortunate result is that we often get stuck.

For example, a lack of personal reflection may lead us to stay in a job we don’t like or a relationship that isn’t going well.

A lack of reflection causes us to simply keep running, trying to keep up with things even if things aren’t going well. We feel like we’re simply trying to keep our heads above water. We end up doing the same things over and over again, even if those things aren’t producing the results we had hoped for.

The Benefits Of Self-Reflection

Yes, taking time for self-reflection can be difficult. It can be challenging to take the necessary time to step back and reflect on what truly matters. Nevertheless, there are numerous wonderful benefits of self-reflection and we should all make time for it.

It Allows You To Gain Perspective

Emotions can cloud your judgment and you can lose sight of what truly matters. Some things seem bigger and worse than they truly are.

Self-reflection allows you to take a step back and gain perspective on what matters and what can be ignored. It allows you to process events and achieve clarity on them.

It Helps You Respond More Effectively

Most of the time, we simply react to whatever circumstances come our way. This can lead to us saying and doing things we regret. When we’re in a reactive mode, we don’t take the necessary time to consider our actions and words.

Personal reflection allows you to consider the consequences of your words and actions. It also enables you to consider the best, most effective, most helpful way to act in a given situation.

It Promotes Learning and Understanding

When we go through life without pausing to think and reflect, we don’t learn or gain a deeper understanding of life. We simply move from one thing to the next, never pausing to consider what valuable lessons we might learn.

Self-reflection, on the other hand, enables us to evaluate and process what we’ve experienced. It allows us to think deeply and ponder the meaning of our circumstances, emotions, and motivations. It enables us to live holistic, integrated, and healthy lives.

Self-Assessment Sample

So how exactly do you perform self-reflection? How do you appropriately and helpfully reflect on yourself and your life?

One easy way to perform this self-reflection exercise is to use a journal (an online journal or print journal ). Simply write out these questions and then take your time to thoughtfully answer them. Make sure that you don’t rush. Pause and ponder. Think deeply about what truly matters to you.

First, determine the period of time you plan to look back on. Do you want to look back on the last week? Last month? Last year? Last 5 years?

Then, begin by taking stock of what actually happened during this period. If you already keep a journal, this step will be easier for you, and perhaps a solid reminder of the value of keeping a journal.

Take a look through your planner, journal, and photos, and list out the highlights and lowlights.

Stuck? Here are a few tips:

• Did you travel anywhere this year?
• Experience any personal or family milestones?
• What changed in your relationships, work, or passion projects?

Look back at your new list of highlights and lowlights try and see if there are any patterns.

Do your highlights generally involve certain people in your life? Or any specific activities?

It can be difficult to revisit lowlights, but it is also a great way to find peace and growth.

For each lowlight, ask yourself: Was this within my control?

• If yes , ask yourself what you may do differently next time.
• If no , ask yourself how you may find peace with it.

Write down both the highlights and lowlights in your journal, then take time to reflect. What things do you want to accomplish over the next month, year, and five years? What do you want to change about your life? What things can you improve on?

Taking the time to walk through this exercise will help bring clarity and perspective to your life.

A Guided Self-Assessment

Looking back at your chosen time period, rate yourself on a scale of -5 to +5 on each of the following six areas of your life.

After selecting a number, write what made you feel that way. Expressing the emotions and feelings that you have, is a great way to have a deeper and more meaningful reflection.

• Mind - Do you feel clear-headed, engaged, and intellectually challenged?
• Body - Does your body feel healthy, nourished, and strong?
• Soul - Do you feel at peace and connected to the world around you?
• Work - Do you feel interested in and fulfilled by your work?
• Play - Do you feel joyful? Are you engaging in activities that bring you joy?
• Love - Do you feel positive about the relationships in your life?

Don’t rush through this self-assessment. Take the necessary time to reflect on each area of your life. If you rush, you’ll miss out on the value of self-reflection.

Self-Reflection Questions to Ask Yourself (What Are Good Questions for Self-Reflection?

Self-reflection questions are powerful tools you can wield to inspire and empower you to discover your own inner truth.

Still, it’s often hard to know where to start.

Be gentle with yourself.

Question-asking is a skill to develop like anything else, and that takes time and practice.

But the more questions you ask, the easier it will get.

Here are some questions for self-reflection pulled from our Holstee Reflection Cards deck to get you started:

If you could change anything about your childhood, what would it be?

What is something creative you did when you were younger that you no longer do? Why don’t you do it anymore?

What’s your superpower?

What types of things have you collected in the past?

Use these questions as a starting point to come up with your own.

You know yourself best, and your best self-reflection questions are just under the surface, waiting for you to ask them.

When Should You Practice Self-Reflection?

There are a number of times when self-reflection is particularly helpful. First, it can be useful to do it for a few minutes each week. You don’t have to go through all of the questions or take hours to do it. Focus on what has been on your mind that particular week.

It can also be helpful to practice self-reflection as an end of month personal review and end of year personal review.

In other words, at the end of each month and year, do an in-depth personal review of your life. Look back over the previous days and months and analyze your life. This practice will provide you with a helpful perspective and ensure that you are living life to the fullest.

Don’t Live The Unexamined Life

When we fail to reflect on our lives, we lose perspective, get caught up in things that don’t matter, and often lose sight of the things that are most important. Socrates was right when he said that the unexamined life isn’t worth living.

Don’t live an unexamined life. Practice self-reflection today.

Interested in developing your reflection practice? We built Reflection.app, a free online journal that helps you capture your highlights and lowlights as they happen, and shares back your entries to your for guided reflection at the end of each month and year.

The team at Holstee also uses a similar framework for their annual Guided Reflection Journal .

Looking for self-reflection questions you can use in a group or take with you? Check out Holstee's deck of Reflection Cards .

Are you a practitioner looking to support your clients with reflection exercises? Check out Quenza and send out stunning digital activities to clients.

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How to Write a Reflective Essay: Easy Guide with Pro Tips

Defining What is a Reflective Essay: Purpose + Importance

Being present is a cornerstone of mindfulness and meditation. You must have often heard that staying in the moment helps you appreciate your surroundings, connects you with people and nature, and allows you to feel whatever emotions you must feel without anxiety. While this is helpful advice as you become more focused and avoid getting lost in thought, how can you truly appreciate the present without reflecting on your past experiences that have led you to the current moment?

We don't say that you should dwell on the past and get carried away with a constant thought process, but hey, hear us out - practice reflective thinking! Think back on your previous life events, paint a true picture of history, and make connections to your present self. This requires you to get a bit analytical and creative. So you might as well document your critical reflection on a piece of paper and give direction to your personal observations. That's when the need for reflective essays steps in!

In a reflective essay, you open up about your thoughts and emotions to uncover your mindset, personality, traits of character, and background. Your reflective essay should include a description of the experience/literature piece as well as explanations of your thoughts, feelings, and reactions. In this article, our essay writer service will share our ultimate guide on how to write a reflective essay with a clear format and reflective essay examples that will inspire you.

How to Write a Reflective Essay with a Proper Reflective Essay Outline

To give you a clear idea of structuring a reflective essay template, we broke down the essential steps below. Primarily, the organization of a reflective essay is very similar to other types of papers. However, our custom writers got more specific with the reflective essay outline to ease your writing process.

Reflective Essay Introduction

When wondering how to start a reflective essay, it is no surprise that you should begin writing your paper with an introductory paragraph. So, what's new and different with the reflection essay introduction? Let's dissect:

• Open your intro with an attention-seizing hook that engages your audience into reflective thinking with you. It can be something like: 'As I was sitting on my bed with my notebook placed on my shaky lap waiting for the letter of acceptance, I could not help but reflect, was enrolling in college the path I wanted to take in the future?'
• Provide context with a quick overview of the reflective essay topic. Don't reveal too much information at the start to prevent your audience from becoming discouraged to continue reading.
• Make a claim with a strong reflective essay thesis statement. It should be a simple explanation of the essay's main point, in this example, a specific event that had a big impact on you.

Reflective Essay Body Paragraphs

The next step is to develop the body of your essay. This section of the paper may be the most challenging because it's simple to ramble and replicate yourself both in the outline and the actual writing. Planning the body properly requires a lot of time and work, and the following advice can assist you in doing this effectively:

• Consider using a sequential strategy. This entails reviewing everything you wish to discuss in the order it occurred. This method ensures that your work is structured and cohesive.
• Make sure the body paragraph is well-rounded and employs the right amount of analysis. The body should go into the effects of the event on your life and the insights you've gained as a consequence.
• Prioritize reflecting rather than summarizing your points. In addition to giving readers insight into your personal experience, a reflective stance will also show off your personality and demonstrate your ability to handle certain challenges.

Reflective Essay Conclusion

The goal of your reflective essay conclusion should be to tie everything together by summarizing the key ideas raised throughout, as well as the lessons you were able to take away from experience.

• Don't forget to include the reasons for and the methods used to improve your beliefs and actions. Think about how your personality and skills have changed as well.
• What conclusions can you draw about your behavior in particular circumstances? What could you do differently if the conditions were the same in the future?

Remember that your instructor will be searching for clear signs of reflection.

Understanding a Reflection Paper Format

The format of reflective essay greatly differs from an argumentative or research paper. A reflective essay is more of a well-structured story or a diary entry rife with insight and reflection. You might be required to arrange your essay using the APA style or the MLA format.

And the typical reflection paper length varies between 300 and 700 words, but ask your instructor about the word length if it was assigned to you. Even though this essay is about you, try to avoid too much informal language.

If your instructor asks you to use an APA or MLA style format for reflective essay, here are a few shortcuts:

Reflective Essay in MLA Format

• Times New Roman 12pt font double spaced;
• 1" margins;
• The top right includes the last name and page number on every page;
• Titles are centered;
• The header should include your name, your professor's name, course number, and the date (dd/mm/yy);
• The last page includes a Works Cited.

Reflective Essay in APA Style

• Include a page header on the top of every page;
• Insert page number on the right;
• Your reflective essay should be divided into four parts: Title Page, Abstract, Main Body, and References.

Reflective Essay Writing Tips

You may think we've armed you with enough tips and pointers for reflective writing, but it doesn't stop here. Below we gathered some expert-approved tips for constructing uncontested reflection papers.

• Be as detailed as possible while writing. To make your reflective essay writing come to life, you should employ several tactics such as symbolism, sentence patterns, etc.
• Keep your audience in mind. The reader will become frustrated if you continue writing in the first person without taking a moment to convey something more important, even though you will likely speak about something from your own perspective.
• Put forth the effort to allow the reader to feel the situation or emotion you are attempting to explain.
• Don't preach; demonstrate. Instead of just reporting what happened, use description appropriately to paint a clear picture of the event or sensation.
• Plan the wording and structure of your reflective essay around a central emotion or subject, such as joy, pleasure, fear, or grief.
• Avoid adding dull elements that can lessen the effect of your work. Why include it if it won't enhance the emotion or understanding you wish to convey?
• There must be a constant sense of progression. Consider whether the event has transformed you or others around you.
• Remember to double-check your grammar, syntax, and spelling.

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Reflective Essay Topic Ideas

As a reflective essay should be about your own views and experiences, you generally can't use someone else's ideas. But to help you get started, here are some suggestions for writing topics:

• An experience you will never forget.
• The moment you overcame a fear.
• The most difficult choice you had to make.
• A time your beliefs were challenged.
• A time something changed your life.
• The happiest or most frightening moment of your life so far.
• Ways you think you or people can make the world a better place.
• A time you felt lost.
• An introspective look at your choices or a time you made the wrong choice.
• A moment in your life you would like to relive.

You may find it convenient to create a chart or table to keep track of your ideas. Split your chart into three parts:

• In the first column, write key experiences or your main points. You can arrange them from most important to least important.
• In the second column, list your response to the points you stated in the first column.
• In the third column, write what, from your response, you would like to share in the essay.

Meanwhile, if you're about to enroll in your dream university and your mind is constantly occupied with - 'how to write my college admissions essay?', order an academic essay on our platform to free you of unnecessary anxiety.

Reflective Essay Sample

Referring to reflective essay examples can help you a lot. A reflective essay sample can provide you with useful insight into how your essay should look like. You can also buy an essay online if you need one customized to your specific requirements.

How to Conclude a Reflective Essay

As we come to an end, it's only logical to reflect on the main points discussed above in the article. By now, you should clearly understand what is a reflective essay and that the key to writing a reflective essay is demonstrating what lessons you have taken away from your experiences and why and how these lessons have shaped you. It should also have a clear reflective essay format, with an opening, development of ideas, and resolution.

Now that you have the tools to create a thorough and accurate reflective paper, you might want to hand over other tasks like writing definition essay examples to our experienced writers. In this case, feel free to buy an essay online on our platform and reflect on your past events without worrying about future assignments!

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Table of Contents

Collaboration, information literacy, writing process, reflection essay.

• CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 by Kristen Gay

At first glance, academic and reflection can sound like contradictory concepts. Writing an academic reflection essay often involves striking a balance between a traditional, academic paper and a reflective essay. In order to find this balance, consider the terms that encompass the title of the assignment

The term “academic” suggests that the writer will be expected to observe conventions for academic writing, such as using a professional tone and crafting a thesis statement. On the other hand, the term “reflection” implies that the writer should critically reflect on their work, project, or writing process, depending on the assignment, and draw conclusions based on these observations.

In general, an academic reflection essay is a combination of these two ideas: writers should observe conventions for academic writing while critically reflecting on their experience or project. Note that the term “critically” suggests that the writing should not merely tell the reader what happened, what you did, or what you learned. Critical reflection takes the writing one step further and entails making an evaluative claim about the experience or project under discussion. Beyond telling readers what happened, critical reflection tends to discuss why it matters and how it contributed to the effectiveness of the project.

Striking the proper balance between critical reflection and academic essay is always determined by the demands of the particular writing situation, so writers should first consider their purpose for writing, their audience, and the project guidelines. While the subject matter of academic reflections is not always “academic,” the writer will usually still be expected to adapt their arguments and points to academic conventions for thesis statements, evidence, organization, style, and formatting.

Several strategies for crafting an academic reflection essay are outlined below based on three important areas: focus, evidence, and organization.

A thesis statement for an academic reflection essay is often an evaluative claim about your experiences with a process or assignment. Several strategies to consider for a thesis statement in an academic reflection essay include:

• Being Critical: It is important to ensure that the evaluative claim does not simply state the obvious, such as that you completed the assignment, or that you did or did not like it. Instead, make a critical claim about whether or not the project was effective in fulfilling its purpose, or whether the project raised new questions for you to consider and somehow changed your perspective on your topic.
• Placement: For some academic reflection essays, the thesis may not come in the introduction but at the end of the paper, once the writer has fully explained their experiences with the project. Think about where the placement of your thesis will be most effective based on your ideas and how your claim relates to them.

Consider the following example of a thesis statement in an academic reflection essay:

By changing my medium from a picture to a pop song, my message that domestic violence disproportionately affects women was more effectively communicated to an audience of my classmates because they found the message to be more memorable when it was accompanied by music.

This thesis makes a critical evaluative claim (that the change of medium was effective) about the project, and is thus a strong thesis for an academic reflection paper.

Evidence for academic reflection essays may include outside sources, but writers are also asked to support their claims by including observations from their own experience. Writers might effectively support their claims by considering the following strategies:

• Incorporating examples: What examples might help support the claims that you make? How might you expand on your points using these examples, and how might you develop this evidence in relation to your thesis?
• Personal anecdotes or observations: How might you choose relevant personal anecdotes/observations to illustrate your points and support your thesis?
• Logical explanations: How might you explain the logic behind a specific point you are making in order to make it more credible to readers?

Consider the following example for incorporating evidence in an academic reflection essay:

Claim: Changing the medium for my project from a picture to a pop song appealed to my audience of fellow classmates.

Evidence: When I performed my pop song remediation for my classmates, they paid attention to me and said that the message, once transformed into song lyrics, was very catchy and memorable. By the end of the presentation, some of them were even singing along.

In this example, the claim (that the change of medium was effective in appealing to the new audience of fellow classmates) is supported because the writer reveals their observation of the audience’s reaction. (For more about using examples and anecdotes as examples, see “Nontraditional Types of Evidence.”)

Organization

For academic reflection essays, the organizational structure may differ from traditional academic or narrative essays because you are reflecting on your own experiences or observations. Consider the following organizational structures for academic reflection essays:

• Chronological Progression: The progression of points will reflect the order of events/insights as they occurred temporally in the project.

Sample Chronological Organization for a Remediation Reflection:

Paragraph 1: Beginning of the project

Paragraph 2: Progression of the remediation process

Paragraph 3: Progression of the remediation process

Paragraph 4: Progression of the remediation process

Paragraph 5: Progression of the remediation process

Paragraph 6: Conclusion—Was the project effective. How and why? How did the process end?

• By Main Idea/Theme: The progression of points will centralize on main ideas or themes of the project.

Sample Organization By Main Idea/Theme for a Remediation Reflection:

Paragraph 1: Introduction

Paragraph 2: Discuss the message being translated

Paragraph 3: Discuss the change of medium

Paragraph 4: Discuss the change of audience

Paragraph 5: Was the change effective? Explain.

Paragraph 6: Conclusion

Remember that while these strategies are intended to help you approach an academic reflection paper with confidence, they are not meant to be prescriptive. Academic reflection essays are often unique to the writer because they ask the writer to consider their observations or reactions to an experience or project. You have distinctive ideas and observations to discuss, so it is likely that your paper will reflect this distinctiveness. With this in mind, consider how to most effectively compose your paper based on your specific project guidelines, instructor suggestions, and your experiences with the project.

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Get to know yourself through the act of self-reflection

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What is self-reflection?

Why is self-reflection important, 7 ways to practice self-reflection, self-reflection questions, keep self-reflection manageable.

You spend more time with yourself than anyone else. But how well do you know yourself?

Being confronted with who we are is often uncomfortable. It means holding ourselves accountable, admitting to weaknesses, and trying to further our personal development. Sometimes, it seems easier to ignore anything potentially negative about ourselves.

And we’re actually less self-aware than we think. Many people believe they’re self-aware, but only 10-15% of Americans actually are . 

When we understand our influences , drives, and impulses, we’ll have an easier time living a happy, fulfilling life. And the key to understanding yourself is self-reflection: the process of looking inward and examining our emotional responses and behaviors.

At its heart, self-reflection is setting aside time to think deeply and evaluate your thoughts, attitudes, motivations, and desires. It’s examining your emotions and behaviors and then asking yourself, “Why do I feel and act this way?” 

Taking the time to reflect on life might sound like an overwhelming task. We might think of this act of introspection as something that naturally occurs as we grow older, but the truth is self-reflection can and should be practiced at any age. And it can be as simple as looking back at your behavior in any scenario to ask yourself why you behaved the way you did.

Self-reflection builds self-awareness , but only through intention and dedication. This means you must regularly press “pause” on your busy life to create time and space to sit peacefully to sift through your thoughts and interactions to scrutinize them without judgment or condemnation. 

The value of self-reflection lies in its power to help identify what’s working well in your life and develop insight into what isn’t — and why. 

Without the self-discovery that comes from introspection, you can become stuck in a routine that’s neither productive nor inspiring. You may not understand why you’re dissatisfied or what you can do to improve your circumstances if you don’t know what you truly want. 

Regularly taking part in the process of self-reflection can:

1. Give you a fresh perspective. When you’re in the moment, emotion can cloud your judgment, making a bad situation seem worse than it is. Self-reflection lets you re-evaluate your circumstances calmly and rationally to process what’s happening and find a solution with greater clarity. 

2. Let you respond with intent. Instead of saying or doing something you regret, self-reflection allows you to consider the best and most effective course of action to deal with a troubling situation. With the space to safeguard your feelings and the feelings of others, you can navigate difficult circumstances with intent rather than impulse.

3. Help understand yourself. Self-reflection grants insight into your authentic self , allowing you to really grasp why you make certain choices and what makes you truly happy. When you identify your priorities, you can pursue them without doubt and confusion. You can be confident that you know what you want and what’s best for you.

4. Improve your decision-making skills. When you know what makes you tick, you’re better prepared to make the right decisions for your future. You have the clarity you need to pursue your dreams while giving you the flexibility to respond to changing circumstances. 

5. Facilitate learning. If you don’t take time to analyze a situation, particularly an uncomfortable one, you may find yourself drifting from one thing to the next without understanding or appreciating how you got there. You also risk making the same mistakes over and over again.

Self-reflection lets you evaluate the path that led to your current circumstances, allowing you to think about the feelings, desires, and motivations that have guided you to this place. If something about your journey doesn’t sit right, you know you need to change to avoid turning a misstep into a pattern.

6. Foster a sense of well-being. Understanding your priorities and values helps you establish healthy boundaries that protect your mental health and build self-esteem . When you have an intimate understanding of what inspires, upsets, and drives you, you can better prepare yourself for negative reactions and find positive motivators to spur you forward.

When setting out to discover yourself , start slowly. To grow, you need to confront both the good and bad aspects of your nature, but self-examination shouldn’t lead to anxiety , stress, or depression .

Step back and re-center if you ever find yourself overthinking and beating yourself up over things that went wrong. The point of introspection isn’t judgment and condemnation, but understanding and connecting with your sense of self .

Incorporate self-discovery into your daily, weekly, and monthly routines with some simple tips. Choose a time of day that’s typically quiet and worry-free. For some people, it's when they wake up, and others go to bed. Whatever routine you set, stick to it — you won’t see the same results if your self-reflection is inconsistent or approached without authenticity.

These are seven effective ways to approach the process of self-reflection. Start with just one, testing the techniques until you find what works for you.

1. Think: What do you want to know?

Take time to decide what questions you want to ask yourself during self-assessments. To make the most of your sessions, you need to identify where you could improve your understanding of yourself.

Questions can be as simple as “What makes me happy”’ or more specific, like “What happened this week that made me feel good about myself?” Start by identifying whatever you’d like to discover, then use it to guide your self-reflection process.

2. Practice gratitude

Sit back and review what you’re thankful for . Itemizing things that make you feel grateful is an excellent way to boost your mood and improve your outlook. Start by listing three things that made you happy during the day, and then scale backward. What are you thankful for this week? Month? Year?

3. Meditate

Meditation takes a little discipline, but it's a great way to connect with your brain's inner workings. Focus on your breathing to clear and calm your mind, then take note of what thoughts and impressions bubble up. You may identify patterns or themes worth exploring, such as lingering anxiety you can’t seem to shake.

4. Set your goals

Get specific and identify your goals . Write them down and use them as guidelines for your introspection activities. Have you reached the milestones that will bring you closer to the desired outcome? Are there any thought patterns holding you back? Is there something you need to learn to progress? These questions and more are fuel for your self-reflection journey.

5. Put it down on paper

Regularly writing your innermost thoughts in a journal is a great way to make your ideas and impressions more concrete. Putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) allows you to process feelings and reflect on past experiences from a safe emotional distance. You can also compare how far you’ve come by re-reading past entries to see what’s changed over time. 

6. Have a conversation with yourself

Hearing your thoughts out loud can generate insight in ways that merely thinking about them can’t. Self-talk forces you to clearly articulate your emotions, leading to a clearer understanding of what you’re feeling at the time. It also helps you organize your thoughts logically to communicate them clearly to others.

7. Get out into nature

If you’re having trouble getting into the frame of mind required for personal reflection, try getting out into nature. Spending time in the outdoors has a grounding effect, putting you in the moment by removing distractions and clearing your head so you can think.

It’s also a wonderful way to remove yourself from an environment, like your home or office, that may contain triggers that distract you from the self-reflection process.

Self-reflection may seem overwhelming when you’re just starting out. An excellent way to kick off your introspection routine is to ask yourself some beginner self-assessment questions . These also come in handy if you find your practice becoming stale and want to freshen up the way you approach time alone. 

Daily self-reflection questions

• What can I do to take better care of myself mentally?
• What can I do to create a positive outlook on life?
• What areas of my life do I feel satisfied with? Which ones need attention?
• Am I taking anything in my life for granted?
• What fears or worries keep me up at night?

Questions to jumpstart self-reflection

• What are my concerns about the future?
• What do I want my loved ones to remember about me?
• What matters most to me?
• When was the last time I left my comfort zone ?
• Who is the person that’s had the most significant impact on my life?
• What is an act of kindness I have received that I will never forget?
• What can I live with: failure or never trying?
• What aspect of my personality would I change, if anything?
• Do I genuinely care what others think of me?
• Is there anyone I would entrust with my life?

Self-reflection journaling prompts

• List 30 things that make you smile. 
• What have you discovered about yourself during your self-talk?
• What are the words you live by?
• Describe what unconditional love looks like for you.
• What’s the one thing you can’t imagine living without?
• What does “enough” look like to you?
• What changes have you discovered in yourself since beginning self-reflection exercises?
• What piece of advice would you give your younger self?
• What 10 words would you use to describe yourself?
• What words do you need to hear the most right now?

Yes, self-reflection see,s like an intensely personal process, but embarking on a journey of introspection practice doesn’t have to be intimidating. Simply taking five minutes in the evening to review your day and evaluate what worked for you and what didn’t can set you on the path to self-improvement. 

Making this small change to your day-to-day can improve your well-being, strengthen your relationships, make you a better leader , and help you gain traction in your personal and professional development. You have nothing to lose from settling in and starting your self-reflection journey today. 

Discover your authentic self

Kickstart your path to self-discovery and self-awareness. Our coaches can guide you to better understand yourself and your potential.

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

100 self-reflection questions to explore yourself

10 journaling apps to turn today into a better tomorrow, reflections on shift: cracking the code to people transformation in the workplace, and beyond, what i didn't know before working with a coach: the power of reflection, 5 self-actualization examples: unlock maslow’s hierarchy of needs, self-advocacy: improve your life by speaking up, learning curves: the role of self-compassion at work, building resilience part 6: what is self-efficacy, bringing your whole self to work — should you, similar articles, how to know yourself: tips for beginning your self-discovery journey, leaving a legacy: how to make a lasting impression, 35 journal prompts for mental health and self-reflection tips, tune in to the self discovery channel with 10 tips for finding yourself, what is self-awareness and how to develop it, i don’t know what to do with my life: what to do next, 50 self-discovery questions for getting to know the real you, 75 shadow work prompts for self-discovery and acceptance, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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2.6 SELF-REFLECTION: What Makes a Good Academic Research Essay?

Take a minute to think about what we have discussed in class and what you already know. Then write a paragraph to answer these questions:

What makes a good academic research essay? Describe it. What does it require?  What do you have to do? What is expected?

Synthesis Copyright © 2022 by Timothy Krause is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of self-reflection should i do for my college essay.

First, spend time reflecting on your core values and character . You can start with these questions:

• What are three words your friends or family would use to describe you, and why would they choose them?
• Whom do you admire most and why?
• What are you most proud of? Ashamed of?

However, you should do a comprehensive brainstorming session to fully understand your values. Also consider how your values and goals match your prospective university’s program and culture. Then, brainstorm stories that illustrate the fit between the two.

Frequently asked questions: College admissions essays

When writing your Common App essay , choose a prompt that sparks your interest and that you can connect to a unique personal story.

No matter which prompt you choose, admissions officers are more interested in your ability to demonstrate personal development , insight, or motivation for a certain area of study.

The Common App essay is your primary writing sample within the Common Application, a college application portal accepted by more than 900 schools. All your prospective schools that accept the Common App will read this essay to understand your character, background, and value as a potential student.

Since this essay is read by many colleges, avoid mentioning any college names or programs; instead, save tailored answers for the supplementary school-specific essays within the Common App.

Most importantly, your essay should be about you , not another person or thing. An insightful college admissions essay requires deep self-reflection, authenticity, and a balance between confidence and vulnerability.

Your essay shouldn’t be a résumé of your experiences but instead should tell a story that demonstrates your most important values and qualities.

When revising your college essay , first check for big-picture issues regarding your message and content. Then, check for flow, tone, style , and clarity. Finally, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors .

If your college essay goes over the word count limit , cut any sentences with tangents or irrelevant details. Delete unnecessary words that clutter your essay.

If you’re struggling to reach the word count for your college essay, add vivid personal stories or share your feelings and insight to give your essay more depth and authenticity.

If you’ve got to write your college essay fast , don’t panic. First, set yourself deadlines: you should spend about 10% of your remaining time on brainstorming, 10% on outlining, 40% writing, 30% revising, and 10% taking breaks in between stages.

Second, brainstorm stories and values based on your essay prompt.

Third, outline your essay based on the montage or narrative essay structure .

Fourth, write specific, personal, and unique stories that would be hard for other students to replicate.

Fifth, revise your essay and make sure it’s clearly written.

Last, if possible, get feedback from an essay coach . Scribbr essay editors can help you revise your essay in 12 hours or less.

Avoid swearing in a college essay , since admissions officers’ opinions of profanity will vary. In some cases, it might be okay to use a vulgar word, such as in dialogue or quotes that make an important point in your essay. However, it’s safest to try to make the same point without swearing.

If you have bad grades on your transcript, you may want to use your college admissions essay to explain the challenging circumstances that led to them. Make sure to avoid dwelling on the negative aspects and highlight how you overcame the situation or learned an important lesson.

However, some college applications offer an additional information section where you can explain your bad grades, allowing you to choose another meaningful topic for your college essay.

Here’s a brief list of college essay topics that may be considered cliché:

• Extracurriculars, especially sports
• Role models
• Dealing with a personal tragedy or death in the family
• Struggling with new life situations (immigrant stories, moving homes, parents’ divorce)
• Becoming a better person after community service, traveling, or summer camp
• Overcoming a difficult class
• Using a common object as an extended metaphor

It’s easier to write a standout essay with a unique topic. However, it’s possible to make a common topic compelling with interesting story arcs, uncommon connections, and an advanced writing style.

Yes. The college application essay is less formal than other academic writing —though of course it’s not mandatory to use contractions in your essay.

In a college essay , you can be creative with your language . When writing about the past, you can use the present tense to make the reader feel as if they were there in the moment with you. But make sure to maintain consistency and when in doubt, default to the correct verb tense according to the time you’re writing about.

The college admissions essay gives admissions officers a different perspective on you beyond your academic achievements, test scores, and extracurriculars. It’s your chance to stand out from other applicants with similar academic profiles by telling a unique, personal, and specific story.

Use a standard font such as Times New Roman or Arial to avoid distracting the reader from your college essay’s content.

A college application essay is less formal than most academic writing . Instead of citing sources formally with in-text citations and a reference list, you can cite them informally in your text.

For example, “In her research paper on genetics, Quinn Roberts explores …”

There is no set number of paragraphs in a college admissions essay . College admissions essays can diverge from the traditional five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in English class. Just make sure to stay under the specified word count .

Most topics are acceptable for college essays if you can use them to demonstrate personal growth or a lesson learned. However, there are a few difficult topics for college essays that should be avoided. Avoid topics that are:

• Overly personal (e.g. graphic details of illness or injury, romantic or sexual relationships)
• Not personal enough (e.g. broad solutions to world problems, inspiring people or things)
• Too negative (e.g. an in-depth look at your flaws, put-downs of others, criticizing the need for a college essay)
• Too boring (e.g. a resume of your academic achievements and extracurriculars)
• Inappropriate for a college essay (e.g. illegal activities, offensive humor, false accounts of yourself, bragging about privilege)

To write an effective diversity essay , include vulnerable, authentic stories about your unique identity, background, or perspective. Provide insight into how your lived experience has influenced your outlook, activities, and goals. If relevant, you should also mention how your background has led you to apply for this university and why you’re a good fit.

Many universities believe a student body composed of different perspectives, beliefs, identities, and backgrounds will enhance the campus learning and community experience.

Admissions officers are interested in hearing about how your unique background, identity, beliefs, culture, or characteristics will enrich the campus community, which is why they assign a diversity essay .

In addition to your main college essay , some schools and scholarships may ask for a supplementary essay focused on an aspect of your identity or background. This is sometimes called a diversity essay .

You can use humor in a college essay , but carefully consider its purpose and use it wisely. An effective use of humor involves unexpected, keen observations of the everyday, or speaks to a deeper theme. Humor shouldn’t be the main focus of the essay, but rather a tool to improve your storytelling.

Get a second opinion from a teacher, counselor, or essay coach on whether your essay’s humor is appropriate.

Though admissions officers are interested in hearing your story, they’re also interested in how you tell it. An exceptionally written essay will differentiate you from other applicants, meaning that admissions officers will spend more time reading it.

You can use literary devices to catch your reader’s attention and enrich your storytelling; however, focus on using just a few devices well, rather than trying to use as many as possible.

To decide on a good college essay topic , spend time thoughtfully answering brainstorming questions. If you still have trouble identifying topics, try the following two strategies:

• Identify your qualities → Brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities
• Identify memorable stories → Connect your qualities to these stories

You can also ask family, friends, or mentors to help you brainstorm topics, give feedback on your potential essay topics, or recall key stories that showcase your qualities.

Yes—admissions officers don’t expect everyone to have a totally unique college essay topic . But you must differentiate your essay from others by having a surprising story arc, an interesting insight, and/or an advanced writing style .

There are no foolproof college essay topics —whatever your topic, the key is to write about it effectively. However, a good topic

• Is meaningful, specific, and personal to you
• Focuses on you and your experiences
• Reveals something beyond your test scores, grades, and extracurriculars
• Is creative and original

Unlike a five-paragraph essay, your admissions essay should not end by summarizing the points you’ve already made. It’s better to be creative and aim for a strong final impression.

You should also avoid stating the obvious (for example, saying that you hope to be accepted).

There are a few strategies you can use for a memorable ending to your college essay :

• Return to the beginning with a “full circle” structure
• Reveal the main point or insight in your story
• Look to the future
• End on an action

The best technique will depend on your topic choice, essay outline, and writing style. You can write several endings using different techniques to see which works best.

College deadlines vary depending on the schools you’re applying to and your application plan:

• For early action applications and the first round of early decision applications, the deadline is on November 1 or 15. Decisions are released by mid-December.
• For the second round of early decision applications, the deadline is January 1 or 15. Decisions are released in January or February.
• Regular decision deadlines usually fall between late November and mid-March, and decisions are released in March or April.
• Rolling admission deadlines run from July to April, and decisions are released around four to eight weeks after submission.

Depending on your prospective schools’ requirements, you may need to submit scores for the SAT or ACT as part of your college application .

Some schools now no longer require students to submit test scores; however, you should still take the SAT or ACT and aim to get a high score to strengthen your application package.

Aim to take the SAT or ACT in the spring of your junior year to give yourself enough time to retake it in the fall of your senior year if necessary.

Apply early for federal student aid and application fee waivers. You can also look for scholarships from schools, corporations, and charitable foundations.

To maximize your options, you should aim to apply to about eight schools:

• Two reach schools that might be difficult to get into
• Four match schools that you have a good chance of getting into
• Two safety schools that you feel confident you’ll get into

The college admissions essay accounts for roughly 25% of the weight of your application .

At highly selective schools, there are four qualified candidates for every spot. While your academic achievements are important, your college admissions essay can help you stand out from other applicants with similar profiles.

In general, for your college application you will need to submit all of the following:

• Your personal information
• List of extracurriculars and awards
• College application essays
• Transcripts
• Standardized test scores
• Recommendation letters.

Different colleges may have specific requirements, so make sure you check exactly what’s expected in the application guidance.

You should start thinking about your college applications the summer before your junior year to give you sufficient time for college visits, taking standardized tests, applying for financial aid , writing essays, and collecting application material.

Yes, but make sure your essay directly addresses the prompt, respects the word count , and demonstrates the organization’s values.

If you plan ahead, you can save time by writing one scholarship essay for multiple prompts with similar questions. In a scholarship tracker spreadsheet, you can group or color-code overlapping essay prompts; then, write a single essay for multiple scholarships. Sometimes, you can even reuse or adapt your main college essay .

You can start applying for scholarships as early as your junior year. Continue applying throughout your senior year.

Invest time in applying for various scholarships , especially local ones with small dollar amounts, which are likely easier to win and more reflective of your background and interests. It will be easier for you to write an authentic and compelling essay if the scholarship topic is meaningful to you.

You can find scholarships through your school counselor, community network, or an internet search.

A scholarship essay requires you to demonstrate your values and qualities while answering the prompt’s specific question.

After researching the scholarship organization, identify a personal experience that embodies its values and exemplifies how you will be a successful student.

A standout college essay has several key ingredients:

• A unique, personally meaningful topic
• A memorable introduction with vivid imagery or an intriguing hook
• Specific stories and language that show instead of telling
• Vulnerability that’s authentic but not aimed at soliciting sympathy
• Clear writing in an appropriate style and tone
• A conclusion that offers deep insight or a creative ending

While timelines will differ depending on the student, plan on spending at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing the first draft of your college admissions essay , and at least 2–4 weeks revising across multiple drafts. Don’t forget to save enough time for breaks between each writing and editing stage.

You should already begin thinking about your essay the summer before your senior year so that you have plenty of time to try out different topics and get feedback on what works.

Your college essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s weight. It may be the deciding factor in whether you’re accepted, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurricular track records.

In most cases, quoting other people isn’t a good way to start your college essay . Admissions officers want to hear your thoughts about yourself, and quotes often don’t achieve that. Unless a quote truly adds something important to your essay that it otherwise wouldn’t have, you probably shouldn’t include it.

Cliché openers in a college essay introduction are usually general and applicable to many students and situations. Most successful introductions are specific: they only work for the unique essay that follows.

The key to a strong college essay introduction is not to give too much away. Try to start with a surprising statement or image that raises questions and compels the reader to find out more.

The introduction of your college essay is the first thing admissions officers will read and therefore your most important opportunity to stand out. An excellent introduction will keep admissions officers reading, allowing you to tell them what you want them to know.

You can speed up this process by shortening and smoothing your writing with a paraphrasing tool . After that, you can use the summarizer to shorten it even more.

If you’re struggling to reach the word count for your college essay, add vivid personal stories or share your feelings and insight to give your essay more depth and authenticity.

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit to write a developed and thoughtful essay.

You should aim to stay under the specified word count limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely. However, don’t write too little, as it may seem like you are unwilling or unable to write a detailed and insightful narrative about yourself.

If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words.

In your application essay , admissions officers are looking for particular features : they want to see context on your background, positive traits that you could bring to campus, and examples of you demonstrating those qualities.

Colleges want to be able to differentiate students who seem similar on paper. In the college application essay , they’re looking for a way to understand each applicant’s unique personality and experiences.

You don’t need a title for your college admissions essay , but you can include one if you think it adds something important.

Your college essay’s format should be as simple as possible:

• Use a standard, readable font
• Use 1.5 or double spacing
• If attaching a file, save it as a PDF
• Stick to the word count
• Avoid unusual formatting and unnecessary decorative touches

There are no set rules for how to structure a college application essay , but these are two common structures that work:

• A montage structure, a series of vignettes with a common theme.
• A narrative structure, a single story that shows your personal growth or how you overcame a challenge.

Avoid the five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in high school.

Campus visits are always helpful, but if you can’t make it in person, the college website will have plenty of information for you to explore. You should look through the course catalog and even reach out to current faculty with any questions about the school.

Colleges set a “Why this college?” essay because they want to see that you’ve done your research. You must prove that you know what makes the school unique and can connect that to your own personal goals and academic interests.

Depending on your writing, you may go through several rounds of revision . Make sure to put aside your essay for a little while after each editing stage to return with a fresh perspective.

Teachers and guidance counselors can help you check your language, tone, and content . Ask for their help at least one to two months before the submission deadline, as many other students will also want their help.

Friends and family are a good resource to check for authenticity. It’s best to seek help from family members with a strong writing or English educational background, or from older siblings and cousins who have been through the college admissions process.

If possible, get help from an essay coach or editor ; they’ll have specialized knowledge of college admissions essays and be able to give objective expert feedback.

When revising your college essay , first check for big-picture issues regarding message, flow, tone, style , and clarity. Then, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors.

Include specific, personal details and use your authentic voice to shed a new perspective on a common human experience.

Through specific stories, you can weave your achievements and qualities into your essay so that it doesn’t seem like you’re bragging from a resume.

When writing about yourself , including difficult experiences or failures can be a great way to show vulnerability and authenticity, but be careful not to overshare, and focus on showing how you matured from the experience.

In a college application essay , you can occasionally bend grammatical rules if doing so adds value to the storytelling process and the essay maintains clarity.

However, use standard language rules if your stylistic choices would otherwise distract the reader from your overall narrative or could be easily interpreted as unintentional errors.

Write concisely and use the active voice to maintain a quick pace throughout your essay and make sure it’s the right length . Avoid adding definitions unless they provide necessary explanation.

Use first-person “I” statements to speak from your perspective . Use appropriate word choices that show off your vocabulary but don’t sound like you used a thesaurus. Avoid using idioms or cliché expressions by rewriting them in a creative, original way.

If you’re an international student applying to a US college and you’re comfortable using American idioms or cultural references , you can. But instead of potentially using them incorrectly, don’t be afraid to write in detail about yourself within your own culture.

Provide context for any words, customs, or places that an American admissions officer might be unfamiliar with.

College application essays are less formal than other kinds of academic writing . Use a conversational yet respectful tone , as if speaking with a teacher or mentor. Be vulnerable about your feelings, thoughts, and experiences to connect with the reader.

Aim to write in your authentic voice , with a style that sounds natural and genuine. You can be creative with your word choice, but don’t use elaborate vocabulary to impress admissions officers.

Admissions officers use college admissions essays to evaluate your character, writing skills , and ability to self-reflect . The essay is your chance to show what you will add to the academic community.

The college essay may be the deciding factor in your application , especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurriculars.

Some colleges also require supplemental essays about specific topics, such as why you chose that specific college . Scholarship essays are often required to obtain financial aid .

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Self Reflection Essay

What goes through your mind when you have to write a self reflection essay? Do you ponder on your life choices, the actions you take to get where you want to be or where you are now? If you answered yes and yes to both of the questions, you are on the right track and have some idea on what a reflection essay would look like. This article would help give you more ideas on how to write a self reflection essay , how it looks like, what to put in it and some examples for you to use. So what are you waiting for? Check these out now.

10+ Self Reflection Essay Examples

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Defining Self

A person’s self that is different from the rest. On occasions it is considered as an object of a person’s view.

Defining Self Reflection

A self reflection is often described as taking a step back to reflect on your life. To take a break and observe how far you have become, the obstacles you have gone through and how they have affected your life, behavior and belief.

Defining Self Reflection Essay

A self- reflection essay is a type of essay that makes you express the experiences you have gone through in life based on a topic you have chosen to write about. It is a personal type of essay that you write about.  It makes you reflect on your life and journey to who you are today. The struggles, the fears, the triumphs and the actions you have taken to arrive at your current situation.

Tips on Writing a Self Reflection Essay

When writing a self reflection essay, there are some guidelines and formats to follow. But I am here to give you some tips to write a very good self reflection essay. These tips are easy to follow and they are not as complicated as some might believe them to be. Let’s begin. To write a good self reflection essay, one must first do:

• Think : Think about what you want to write. This is true for the title of your essay as well. Thinking about what to write first can save you a lot of time. After this tip, we move on to the next one which is:
• Drafting : As much as it sounds like a waste of time and effort, drafting what you are preparing to write is helpful. Just like in the first tip, drafting is a good way of writing down what you want and to add or take out what you will be writing later.
• State the purpose : Why are you writing this essay? State the purpose of the essay . As this is a self reflective essay, your purpose is to reflect on your life, the actions you did to reach this point of your life. The things you did to achieve it as well.
• Know your audience : Your self reflection essay may also depend on your audience. If you are planning on reading out loud your essay, your essay should fit your audience. If your audience is your team members, use the correct wording.
• Share your tips: This essay gives you the opportunity to share how you have achieved in life. Write down some tips for those who want to be able to achieve the same opportunity you are in right now.

How long or short can my self reflection essay be?

This depends on you. You may write a short self reflection essay, and you may also write a long one. The important thing there is stating the purpose of you writing your essay.

Writing a self reflection essay, am I allowed to write everything about my life?

The purpose of the self reflection essay is to reflect on a topic you choose and to talk about it.

Is there a limit of words to write this type of essay?

Yes, as much as possible stick to 300-700 words. But even if it may be this short, don’t forget to get creative and true in your essay.

A self reflective essay is a type of essay that people write to reflect on their lives. To reflect on a certain topic of their life and talk about it. Most of the time, this type of essay is short because this is merely to take a step back and watch your life throughout the beginning till the present time. Writing this type of essay may be a bit difficult for some as you have to dive deep into your life and remember the triumphs and the loss. The beauty of this essay though is the fact that you are able to see how far you have reached, how far you have overcome.

Self Reflection Essay Generator

Text prompt

• Instructive
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Write a Self Reflection Essay on a time you overcame a personal obstacle.

Reflect on your personal growth over the last year in your Self Reflection Essay.

Unconscious

What is self-reflection and why it matters for wellness, want to know why you do the things you do learn how to self-reflect..

Posted October 7, 2019 | Reviewed by Lybi Ma

So many of our habits, patterns of behavior, and pre-set programming are buried in our subconscious . They operate in a sort of “control room”, directing how we think, feel, and act, often times hurting our well-being (take this well-being quiz to see how you're doing). If we want to be in control, we need to see into the "control room", beyond the conscious mind, and change some of the programming we no longer benefit from. One way to access the unconscious is through self-reflection—i.e., putting a mirror up to ourselves and analyzing what we see or feel as objectively as possible so that we can better understand ourselves and how think, feel, and behave. But how do we engage in this type of deep self-reflection?

Setting the Stage for Self-Reflection

While doing research for my new book, Outsmart Your Smartphone , it became clear to me that we are super busy, distracted, and therefore, seem to have a harder time with self-reflection. That's because self-reflection requires a reasonably tranquil mind . Some self-reflectors begin with a short meditation , maybe several deep breaths, or some rhythmic breathing to quiet their thoughts. Perhaps you prefer to imagine yourself pulling on imaginary reins to quiet your prancing mind, or some other creative imagination activity appropriate to you that mellows your mind.

Of course, penetrating the unconscious can be illusive. Sometimes deep self-reflection may feel like you are trying to tame a raging sea, so talk yourself down, if that helps, and ask yourself questions to get at the heart of your matter. If answers are not forthcoming, then give it some time, and return to any thoughts or questions later when you are feeling open to learning more about yourself. Let busy thoughts fly away and focus on your goal—to know yourself better.

Identify The "What" of Self-Reflection

Once you feel calm and quiet, direct your focus inward. Choose a particular issue you want to change. Pull up a memory of an important incident.

Ask yourself:

• What impressions arise as you focus on this issue?
• What does it make you feel?
• What does it make you think?

Identify the "Why" of Self-Reflection

With your mind quieted, try to look deeper. Intend to go back to the most pivotal point related to this memory. What did you feel, think, or do? Now, go a layer deeper, and ask yourself: Why did you think, feel, or do these things?

These kinds of inner search-and-discovery missions through self-reflection can get gnarly, so take your time. Once you have opened the cork on this Genie’s bottle, the work has begun and it will most likely continue until some major issues are better understood, if not completely resolved.

Observe Yourself with This New Insight

Next, observe yourself living your life, in the present. Try to "catch yourself" when your unconscious is in control, leading you to feel, think, and act in ways that bother you. Through self-reflection your self-awareness will grow. Once you are aware of your inner programming, you are on the path to authenticity and greater control over your life .

Use Self-Reflection as a Tool for Change

The next step is to cultivate the desire to change behaviors that bother you. After identifying any problematic aspects of yourself, take the wheel and slowly shift your behavior in ways that better represent how you want to be.

If you thought “that issue” was “fixed” but it comes back, self-reflect once again to see if you missed something important. It’s not easy to change ourselves/our behavior, and it may take several attempts to get it “right”, so keep at it each time a behavior you don’t like surfaces.

Self-Reflect with Self-Compassion

Be gentle with yourself as you self-reflect. The goal is not to judge your past choices, but to reflect on them, learn from them, and make whatever changes you feel are appropriate for you in the here and now. As you build new habits through self-awareness, you can become more balanced, healthy, and happy .

Tchiki Davis, Ph.D. , is a consultant, writer, and expert on well-being technology.

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Reflective writing: What is reflection? Why do it?

What is reflection why do it.

• What does reflection involve?
• Reflective questioning
• Reflective writing for academic assessment
• Types of reflective assignments
• Differences between discursive and reflective writing
• Sources of evidence for reflective writing assignments
• Linking theory to experience
• Reflective essays
• Portfolios and learning journals, logs and diaries
• Examples of reflective writing
• Video summary
• Bibliography

On this page:

“Whether we focus on problematic experiences or positive ones, reflecting on them will provide us with opportunities for growth and development.” Bassot,  The reflective journal

To build on the definition of reflection from the previous page, it is useful to consider its purpose while you are at university. The following points are the core reasons why you may be asked to reflect (or why you may want to reflect yourself):

1) Consider the process of our own learning

Think about how you learn with the aim of improving this process. This is particularly useful for revision.

2) Critically review something

Think about a particular event or personal aspect. This could be your own behaviour, that of others or the product of behaviour.

3) Build theory from observations

Think about your experiences and observations to construct your own theories. Often we use the theories of other authors and this provides you with an opportunity to construct your own.

4) Engage in personal or self-development

Reflection is focused on producing useful outcomes from the future. It can help you becoming more self-aware and can make you a better learner, researcher, practitioner or employee.

5) Make decisions or resolve uncertainty

Thinking about previous experiences can help you make decisions about new ones

Note: While all of these reasons for reflection are valid, different disciplines place emphasis on different areas. You do not necessarily need to cover all of the above in every reflective assignment. Think about why you are being asked to reflect and make sure you focus on the most appropriate area.

Having an experience in itself is not a guarantee that learning will take place. All the major theories of reflective practice suggest that reflection on an experience provides the context for learning. It is this reflection that leads to the formulation of new concepts and ways of thinking - not the act of having an experience.  Gibbs (1988 ), for example, maintains that:  

‘It is not sufficient simply to have an experience in order to learn. Without reflecting upon this experience it may quickly be forgotten, or its learning potential lost. It is from the feelings and thoughts emerging from this reflection that generalisations or concepts can be generated. And it is generalisations that allow new situations to be tackled effectively.’

Gibbs (1988 ) in Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods

Why reflect?

A positive by-product of engaging in the reflective process is that it can help you grow in self-confidence. Some of the other areas of self-change could include:

• gaining control over your own thoughts and emotions, especially when confronted by others and new situations
• developing deeper insights
• make more informed judgements
• monitoring your own performance
• gauging not only your progress, but also your speed of change
• tapping into your true motivations for doing something (e.g. examining your commitment to others)
• establishing your learning preferences and thinking styles
• developing a realistic image of yourself.

Therefore, whether you are examining yourself or your academic work, you need the ability to stand back and see the broader picture.

Reflection is an important part of learning through experience. By reflecting on our experiences, we maximise the potential of any new learning. This is particularly important when considering positives. They are often harder to recall than the bad elements of any experience.

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• Self reflection

Self reflection is like looking into a mirror and describing what you see. It is a way of assessing yourself, your ways of working and how you study. To put it simply ‘reflection’ means to think about something. Reflecting and composing a piece of self reflective writing is becoming an increasingly important element to any form of study or learning.

Why is self reflection important?

Reflecting helps you to develop your skills and review their effectiveness, rather than just carry on doing things as you have always done them. It is about questioning, in a positive way, what you do and why you do it and then deciding whether there is a better, or more efficient, way of doing it in the future.

In any role, whether at home or at work, reflection is an important part of learning. You wouldn’t use a recipe a second time around if the dish didn’t work the first time would you? You would either adjust the recipe or find a new and, hopefully, better one. When we learn we can become stuck in a routine that may not be working effectively. Thinking about your own skills can help you identify changes you might need to make.

Reflective questions to ask yourself:

• Strengths  – What are my strengths? For example, am I well organised? Do I remember things?
• Weaknesses  – What are my weaknesses? For example, am I easily distracted? Do I need more practise with a particular skill?
• Skills  – What skills do I have and what am I good at?
• Problems  – What problems are there at work/home that may affect me? For example, responsibilities or distractions that may impact on study or work.
• Achievements  – What have I achieved?
• Happiness  – Are there things that I am unhappy with or disappointed about? What makes me happy?
• Solutions  – What could I do to improve in these areas?

Although self reflection can seem difficult at first, or even selfish or embarrassing, as it does not come naturally. you will find it becomes easier with practise and the end result could be a happier and more efficient you.

Learn more about self reflection

Learn about self awareness on the OU website, Skills for study. See  Be aware of your habits .

Find out about reflective learning in the OpenLearn unit Learning how to learn, the section on  Learning how to become a reflective learner . 

Read the OpenLearn unit looking at reflection at work in  Working life and learning . 

Further information on self reflection

Manchester University also have some useful help on  reflective learning .

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Don’t Underestimate the Power of Self-Reflection

• James R. Bailey
• Scheherazade Rehman

Focus on moments of surprise, failure, and frustration.

Research shows the habit of reflection can separate extraordinary professionals from mediocre ones. But how do you sort which experiences are most significant for your development?

• To answer this questions, the authors asked 442 executives to reflect on which experiences most advanced their professional development and had the most impact on making them better leaders.
• Three distinct themes arose through their analysis: surprise, frustration, and failure. Reflections that involved one or more or of these sentiments proved to be the most valuable in helping the leaders grow.
• Surprise, frustration, and failure. Cognitive, emotional, and behavioral. These parts of you are constantly in motion and if you don’t give them time to rest and reflect upon what you learned from them, you will surely fatigue.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

Empathy, communication, adaptability, emotional intelligence, compassion. These are all skills you need to thrive in the workplace and become a great leader. Time and again, we even hear that these capabilities are the key to making yourself indispensable — not just now but far into the future. Soft skills, after all, are what make us human, and as far as we know, can’t be performed well by technologies like artificial intelligence.

• James R. Bailey is professor and Hochberg Fellow of Leadership at George Washington University. The author of five books and more than 50 academic papers, he is a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review, The Hill, Fortune, Forbes, and Fast Company and appears on many national television and radio programs.
• Scheherazade Rehman is professor and Dean’s Professorial Fellow of International Finance. She is director of the European Union Research Center and former Director of World ExecMBA with Cybersecurity, has appeared in front of the U.S. House and Senate, and been a guest numerous times onPBS Newshour, the Colbert Report, BBC World News, CNBC, Voice of America, and C-Span.

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Structure of academic reflections

Guidance on the structure of academic reflections.

Academic reflections or reflective writing completed for assessment often require a clear structure. Contrary to some people’s belief, reflection is not just a personal diary talking about your day and your feelings.

Both the language and the structure are important for academic reflective writing. For the structure you want to mirror an academic essay closely. You want an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion.

Academic reflection will require you to both describe the context, analyse it, and make conclusions. However, there is not one set of rules for the proportion of your reflection that should be spent describing the context, and what proportion should be spent on analysing and concluding. That being said, as learning tends to happen when analysing and synthesising rather than describing, a good rule of thumb is to describe just enough such that the reader understands your context.

Example structure for academic reflections

Below is an example of how you might structure an academic reflection if you were given no other guidance and what each section might contain.  Remember this is only a suggestion and you must consider what is appropriate for the task at hand and for you yourself.

Introduction

Identifies and introduces your experience or learning

• This can be a critical incident
• This can be the reflective prompt you were given
• A particular learning you have gained

When structuring your academic reflections it might make sense to start with what you have learned and then use the main body to evidence that learning, using specific experiences and events. Alternatively, start with the event and build up your argument. This is a question of personal preference – if you aren’t given explicit guidance you can ask the assessor if they have a preference, however both can work.

Highlights why it was important

• This can be suggesting why this event was important for the learning you gained
• This can be why the learning you gained will benefit you or why you appreciate it in your context

You might find that it is not natural to highlight the importance of an event before you have developed your argument for what you gained from it. It can be okay not to explicitly state the importance in the introduction, but leave it to develop throughout your reflection.

Outline key themes that will appear in the reflection (optional – but particularly relevant when answering a reflective prompt or essay)

• This can be an introduction to your argument, introducing the elements that you will explore, or that builds to the learning you have already gained.

This might not make sense if you are reflecting on a particular experience, but is extremely valuable if you are answering a reflective prompt or writing an essay that includes multiple learning points. A type of prompt or question that could particularly benefit from this would be ‘Reflect on how the skills and theory within this course have helped you meet the benchmark statements of your degree’

It can be helpful to explore one theme/learning per paragraph.

Explore experiences

• You should highlight and explore the experience you introduced in the introduction
• If you are building toward answering a reflective prompt, explore each relevant experience.

As reflection is centred around an individual’s personal experience, it is very important to make experiences a main component of reflection. This does not mean that the majority of the reflective piece should be on describing an event – in fact you should only describe enough such that the reader can follow your analysis.

Analyse and synthesise

• You should analyse each of your experiences and from them synthesise new learning

Depending on the requirements of the assessment, you may need to use theoretical literature in your analysis. Theoretical literature is a part of perspective taking which is relevant for reflection, and will happen as a part of your analysis.  

Restate or state your learning

• Make a conclusion based on your analysis and synthesis.
• If you have many themes in your reflection, it can be helpful to restate them here.

Plan for the future

• Highlight and discuss how your new-found learnings will influence your future practice

Answer the question or prompt (if applicable)

• If you are answering an essay question or reflective prompt, make sure that your conclusion provides a succinct response using your main body as evidence.  

Using a reflective model to structure academic reflections

You might recognise that most reflective models mirror this structure; that is why a lot of the reflective models can be really useful to structure reflective assignments. Models are naturally structured to focus on a single experience – if the assignment requires you to focus on multiple experiences, it can be helpful to simply repeat each step of a model for each experience.

One difference between the structure of reflective writing and the structure of models is that sometimes you may choose to present your learning in the introduction of a piece of writing, whereas models (given that they support working through the reflective process) will have learning appearing at later stages.

However, generally structuring a piece of academic writing around a reflective model will ensure that it involves the correct components, reads coherently and logically, as well as having an appropriate structure.

Reflective journals/diaries/blogs and other pieces of assessed reflection

The example structure above works particularly well for formal assignments such as reflective essays and reports.  Reflective journal/blogs and other pieces of assessed reflections tend to be less formal both in language and structure, however you can easily adapt the structure for journals and other reflective assignments if you find that helpful.

That is, if you are asked to produce a reflective journal with multiple entries it will most often (always check with the person who issued the assignment) be a successful journal if each entry mirrors the structure above and the language highlighted in the section on academic language. However, often you can be less concerned with form when producing reflective journals/diaries.

When producing reflective journals, it is often okay to include your original reflection as long as you are comfortable with sharing the content with others, and that the information included is not too personal for an assessor to read.

Developed from:

Ryan, M., 2011. Improving reflective writing in higher education: a social semiotic perspective. Teaching in Higher Education, 16(1), 99-111.

University of Portsmouth, Department for Curriculum and Quality Enhancement (date unavailable). Reflective Writing: a basic introduction [online].  Portsmouth: University of Portsmouth.

Queen Margaret University, Effective Learning Service (date unavailable).  Reflection. [online].  Edinburgh: Queen Margaret University.

Self-Reflection: Why It’s Important for Your Career

Is the glare on your computer screen the closest you’ve ever gotten to self-reflection? You may be missing out on an opportunity to stretch your management skills in a critical way.  

Self-reflection is an important building block of self-awareness, a critical management skill , career experts and tech executives said.

It’s a skill that shouldn’t be underplayed but often is — initially.

“I remember working with a group of engineers as a leadership development facilitator. They were very cynical about the elements of the program that had self-reflection in them in the beginning, but by the end of the program, they told me some of the most helpful stuff we did was self-reflection,” Julia Carden, director of Carden Consulting, told Built In.

How do you define self-reflection?

In fact, Carden wishes someone had taught her how to thoughtfully self-reflect so she could have incorporated those practices in her early twenties during the beginning of her career.

“I would have started journaling and reflecting on seeing myself as a leader, asking myself questions like: Who are you as a leader? What’s your purpose as a leader? What legacy do you want to leave behind as a leader?” Carden said. 

More on Leadership 11 Essential Leadership Qualities for the Future of Work

Self-Reflection in Practice

Self-reflection is more than looking at your image on the surface of a clear lake. It’s looking below the surface and analyzing why you behave the way you do.

“Self-reflection really helps us connect to ourselves and really think about ourselves and how we’re showing up to others. That enables us to connect with others,” said Carden.

Self-reflection also needs constant practice to develop over time and is different than being self-aware

“You can say, ‘I know exactly who I am and I’m not going to think about it anymore.’ That’s someone who is self-aware but no longer self-reflective,” said Andrew Brodsky, assistant professor of management at the University of Texas at Austin.

But in order to become self-aware, you need to first be self-reflective, said experts. Self-reflection comes with asking yourself questions about your behavior and decisions and reflecting on your answers. You’ll start to recognize different patterns and begin to think about how you want to act with this new self-awareness, Brodsky explained. 

Self-reflection also serves as a building block for self-awareness , said Allan Church, co-founder and managing partner of Maestro Consulting and former senior vice president of global talent management at PepsiCo. And self-awareness, in turn, is an important component of emotional intelligence and also learning agility, both desirable traits in managers and leaders , he said.

How Self-Reflection Can Make You a Better Leader

“Individuals who are unable to reflect on their strengths and opportunities tend to be overconfident and inflate their own perceptions of themselves as leaders which can be disastrous to their careers and the organizations in which they work,” Church said, referencing work on incompetent leaders by psychologist and author Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic. 

Data bears out the importance of self-reflection, given its critical role in self-awareness.

Poorly performing companies had 20 percent more employees with self-awareness blindspots than higher performing companies, according to a 2013 report by The Korn/Ferry Institute , the research arm of talent management firm Korn/Ferry International. Blind spots are situations where an employee has a higher assessment of themselves than what others give them, such areas, in areas involving developing talent, building effective teams or managing conflict.

“Individuals who are unable to reflect on their strengths and opportunities tend to be overconfident and inflate their own perceptions of themselves as leaders which can be disastrous to their careers and the organizations in which they work.”

Tech executives give greater insight into why these stats bear out. 

Abbas Raza, vice president of engineering and human capital management at Atlas, asks his managers, direct reports, and colleagues to give him feedback and then actively reflects on his actions and takes notes to monitor his progress of making change in the areas he needs to work on. 

Rich Hua, global head of EPIC leadership for Amazon Web Services (AWS), also makes a large concerted effort to engage in mindful self-reflection , he told Built In.

“This is key because we can’t internalize any insights if we don’t self-reflect,” he said.

Laura Edwards-Lassner, senior director of talent management at BeyondTrust , also regularly practices self-reflection. It gives her an opportunity to continually grow as a person and a professional by asking herself harder questions.

If Edwards-Lassner is surprised by the way she is reacting in a given situation, she will ask herself such questions as why she is presenting herself in that manner and what triggers may have been activated.

Engineers have gained noticeably more resilience and greater tolerance and patience because of their self-reflection work as part of the leadership program, Carden said.

More on Leadership Skills Essential Interpersonal Skills Everyone Should Develop

Strategies to Practice Self-Reflection

A number of engineers Carden works with have never practiced self-reflection prior to taking her program. She starts them on this path by asking them to think of a time or event that was uncomfortable and reflect on that with her. This discussion might kickstart their journaling, meditation or mindfulness as they begin their self-reflective journey, she said.

One way to begin meditation, journaling or mindfulness is by slowing down, which entails turning off your cell phone, email and other devices, Carden said.

“You turn your thoughts inward towards you rather than being distracted with devices,” she said, adding that most people practice meditation and mindfulness every day and some research has shown there is merit to frequent practicing.

However, self-reflection is about “being” rather than “doing,” and daily meditation and journaling may seem paradoxical. Carden suggested journaling or meditating only when something happens that is worth taking a pause to think about it.

“When one of your direct reports says something that’s upsetting , or maybe one of your direct reports announces they are leaving, you may think this is the time that’s worth pausing,” she explained.

For Edwards-Lassner, her entry into meditation began with 10-minute guided meditation tapes. Meditation helped her understand the things that were surrounding her that impacted her feelings. 

Edwards-Lassner realized she couldn’t change what was happening, but could change the way she reacted to external forces, she said. 

Journaling also is a common step with self-reflection. You pause, become introspective, and write down what went well and what didn’t, Brodsky said, adding, “You’re actually forcing yourself to take the time to think about it.”

More on Self Reflection The Power of Self-Reflection in Leadership

What Are the Challenges of Self-Reflection?

Building and maintaining a habit into your regular routine is tough. Especially when the practice is new. Remember, everyone will have a different experience and process when it comes to self-reflection.

“People who have high anxiety tend to attribute everything that goes wrong to themselves, even when it’s not their fault,” Brodsky said. “On the other extreme, people have overly inflated views of themselves. So, instead of engaging in self-reflection to figure things out, they think they know exactly what they’re doing.”

“On the other extreme, people have overly inflated views of themselves. So, instead of engaging in self-reflection to figure things out, they think they know exactly what they’re doing.”

Many people tend to avoid reflecting on their own performance because it’s uncomfortable or are sensitive about evaluating areas where they fail, said Anita Williams Woolley, associate professor of organizational behavior and theory at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business. . 

“It’s a human tendency to avoid thinking about or talking about situations that make us feel uncomfortable,” Woolley said, offering this workaround, “Instead, you can sort of think about it as a means to an end, right?” 

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Exploring whether (and how) self-reflection can improve practice as a teacher educator

Konstantinos c. fragkos.

1 Medical School

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended.

The present essay describes a model under which a method of self-improvement of teacher-educator practice can be implemented by analyzing personal practices. I will focus my argument on investigating self-reflection and the subject under investigation will be the educator: how can they self-reflect in order to enhance their learning and hence their practice. The first step of the model is self-reflection. The second step will be self-study. The final step will be self-research techniques (such as autoethnography). This final step will provide the validity for improving personal practice in a possibly reliable way such that practices of narcissism and self-replicating redundancies or errors are avoided. By acknowledging the multiple identities a teacher assumes in their professional practice allows them to analyze them systematically and eventually improve on them.

Introduction

One of the problems in teaching is that teachers tend to act before they even have an understanding of how things work or how things have developed ( Koster and van den Berg 2014 ).

It is not unreasonable to state that teaching is what an educator’s professional purpose is. It is their daily practice, through which they will pursue students’ learning. Their tools are their formal knowledge, obtained through formal education, but also their experience, which emerges from practicing teaching. Hence, their own practice becomes a means to learn as they progress professionally ( Day et al. 2006 ; Lamote and Engels 2010 ). Teaching and learning thus become convoluted concepts for an educator who essentially acts both. Schön (1983 , 1987 ) based his epistemology of practice on the educator’s need to learn through their practice. He believed that the existing epistemology in education was not enough to explain professional artistry, which arose through situations, normally not taught about, but learned though professional practice. Thereupon, his theoretical model of reflection was born, which currently permeates all educational levels and holds an important role in adult learning, alongside other important theoreticians ( Fragkos 2016 ; Mann et al. 2009 ; Norrie et al. 2012 ; Williams 2001 ).

I am confused. As a person, I learn. But I also teach in my professional practice. Can I teach and learn at the same time? Maybe yes. Can I teach others how to learn? Maybe yes. Can I teach? Can I learn? Can I teach how to learn? Can I learn how to teach? Can I teach how to teach? Can I learn how to learn?

Anonymous teacher

Under the prism of convoluted teaching and learning, reflecting on an educator’s identity can get disconcerting since the identities of the learner and teacher start to coalesce ( Dinkelman 2011 ; Izadinia 2014 ). More so, since an educator likely has a view that they have already learnt and know. Joseph C. Senese (2005) provides some thoughts on this:

.. I recognize that who I am, not only as a teacher but also as a person, influences my teaching and ultimately my students’ learning. Conversely, because I identify myself as a learner in my high school English classes, I recognize that interactions and relationships with students influence who I am ( Senese 2005 ).

Hence, defining teacher identity becomes challenging, seeming all the more like a modern ouroboros: which element comes first, teaching or learning? Gee (2000) models identity under four perspectives:

..Four interrelated ways of thinking about what and who we are: nature (identity by nature), institutional (identity by the positions we hold), discursive (identity by what we have done and in dialogue with others) and affinity (identity by allegiance to practices and perspectives of group affiliation) ( Dinkelman 2011 ).

So, the issues of self and reflection are crucial here, influenced by different states of agency, emotion, narrative, and discourse alongside extrinsic factors ( Beauchamp and Thomas 2009 ; Lamote and Engels 2010 ). It has been said that the teacher educator teaches but is also learning. I will advocate in the present essay that teacher learning can be achieved with self-reflection of their own practice. I will focus my argument on investigating self-reflection and the subject under investigation will be the educator: how can they self-reflect in order to enhance their learning and hence their practice. I will provide an exemplary context which pertains to this question.

Contextual example

Doctors in the UK currently have many roles in their professional posts. It will usually be a combination of clinical duties alongside research and educational activities. For the clinical part, this can seemingly involve ward rounds, outpatient clinics, interventional procedures, and multidisciplinary team meetings. Research-wise, duties involve clinical observations, conducting clinical trials, data collection and analysis. Finally, educational activities involve teaching undergraduate medical students in lectures or by-the-bedside, teaching postgraduate students, supervising projects; also clinical supervision of junior doctors.

As part of their practice, reflection is imperative either in training where it is needed with annual review of clinical progress or once fully trained for revalidation and continuing professional development ( Bernard et al. 2012 ; Koole et al. 2011 ; Ng et al. 2015 ; Wald 2015 ). In their acting, however they do so under multiple identities ( Day et al. 2006 ):

• 1. Medical trainee and professional identity. This identity has to do with professional conduct and relates to undergraduate education in medicine, postgraduate education in medicine as well as current medical practice.
• 2. Teacher as educator identity: this relates to how teaching practice is perceived in relation to students, colleagues and all related education practices.
• 3. Teacher as student identity: this relates to how being a teacher is learnt. This is an identity assumed when being educated as to how to improve practice as an educator.

This essay will focus on the identity as teacher and in particular the identity as teacher who will try to learn through their practice (hence educator and student teacher). Although reflection is very much linked with healthcare education already ( Buckley et al. 2009 ; Chaffey et al. 2012 ; Chen and Forbes 2014 ; Crowe and O’Malley 2006 ; Epp 2008 ; Fragkos 2016 ; Jayatilleke and Mackie 2013 ; Kuiper and Pesut 2004 ; Lethbridge et al. 2011 ; Mann et al. 2009 ; McGillivray et al. 2015 ; Miraglia and Asselin 2015 ; Ng et al. 2015 ; Nguyen et al. 2014 ; Norrie et al. 2012 ; Prasko et al. 2012 ; Rushmer et al. 2004 ; Tsingos et al. 2015a ; Tsingos et al. 2015b ; Van Roy et al. 2015 ; Williams 2001 ), I will try to focus on self-reflection which will improve personal practice as a teacher educator.

Overall, a model will be suggested under which an efficacious method of self-improvement of teacher-educator practice can be implemented by analysing personal practices. I will suggest the first step is self-reflection; the necessary theory for reflection is given in the first section of the literature review. The second step will be self-study. The necessary theory will also be presented in the literature review. The final step will be self-research techniques (such as autoethnography). This final step will provide the validity for improving personal practice in a possibly reliable way such that practices of narcissism and self-replicating redundancies or errors are avoided. I will conclude the essay with a summary of suggestions. The method for suggesting this model will be a literature review of techniques that enhance self-reflection. This literature review will not be systematic but it will be as comprehensive as possible and will be relevant.

Self-reflection and reflective practice in healthcare education: how many type of reflections are there?

Reflective practice in healthcare education has been an intriguing topic for quite a few decades now ( Argyris and Schön 1978 ; Boyd and Fales 1983 ; Dewey 1933 ; Glazer 1974 ; Kolb 1984 ; Polanyi 1966 ; Schön 1983 ; Sosa 2011 ; Van Manen 1977 ). Although it ranges and affects the whole domain of education and professional practice, I will focus on its aspects related healthcare education. In healthcare, there is a constant debate of accountability. Accountability towards society, accountability towards patients and accountability towards any possible stakeholder ( Crowe and O’Malley 2006 ). The history of healthcare sciences is filled with examples where re-evaluation of existing ideas or paradigms was forced by ongoing problematic and problematizing areas. Healthcare education is all the more important in this context ( Fragkos 2016 ; Frenk et al. 2010 ).

Theories of healthcare education have largely focused on the inadequacies of current education systems which focuses on producing graduates who satisfy pre-determined criteria but might not necessarily believe them, live with them or act upon them. In other words, there has been an observed disparity between learning and then professional practice. Frenk et al. (2010) have demonstrated that there is a mismatch between professional competencies and patient and population priorities, resulting from fragmentary, outdated, and static curricula that produce ill-equipped graduates from underfinanced institutions ( Fragkos 2016 ).

The question of senior educators internationally has been how to ensure learning that will affect genuinely educators’ future actions. Reflection has emerged as one of the ways to achieve this ( Larrivee 2000 ). Hence, a full range of reflections has stemmed from this notion: reflection during education, reflection during practice, reflection as part of professional progress. For example, appraisals (with reflective interviews with appraisers) have been chosen as the way to ensure ongoing competence for registration as a healthcare professional. This is quite prominent in the UK with bodies such as the General Nursing Council or the General Medical Council requiring annual or every five years appraisals to allow you to register for a license to practice ( Archer and de Bere 2013 ; Bolsin et al. 2015 ; Dawda 2013 ; Murphy et al. 2012 ; Wright et al. 2016 ).

The development of reflective theory has generated explanations regarding the development of knowledge and learning process during our daily practice leading reflection to be considered a cornerstone of all established education practices. When one starts to think about reflection, you can easily grasp that it involves thinking because you think about actions or facts that have taken place. However, you quickly understand that this definition is lacking in that reflection also involves changing actions and practices. And then you can easily discern that emotions play an important part. And finally, is it static or dynamic; does it happen as a once-off procedure or does it need repetition? In other words is it a process? Hence, how best to define reflection?

Focusing on the healthcare sciences, a recent umbrella review concluded that the recent definition by Nguyen et al. (2014) was concise but very generic as well: they propose a conceptual model for reflection that identified five core components of reflective practice categorised with respect to content (thoughts and actions), process (attentive, critical, exploratory and iterative process), or both (underlying conceptual frame and the view on change and the self). Their analysis is summarised in this definition:

Reflection is the process of engaging the self in attentive, critical, exploratory, and iterative interactions with one’s thoughts and actions, and their underlying conceptual frame, with a view to changing them and with a view on the change itself ( Nguyen et al. 2014 ).

This definition also took into account the trigger and context of reflection as extrinsic elements to complete the reflection model. (e.g. experience and timing). This broad but accurate definition encompasses elements from multiple definitions from theorists of reflective practice (e.g. Dewey (1933) ; Kolb (1984) ; Mezirow (1991) ; Schön ( 1983 , 1987 )) intensifying the iterative process and the vertical dimension of reflection. For example they curly relate to the iterative scheme by Schön (1983) : knowing-in-action; surprise; reflection-in-action; experimentation; and reflection-on-action or the one by Boud et al. (1985) : returning to experience; attending to feelings; re-evaluation of experience; and outcome/resolution ( Mann et al. 2009 ).

Williams (2001) separates critical reflection from self-reflection in his now famous definition:

Professional education scholars concur that specialized knowledge is clearly essential for professional practice; however, they also suggest that self-consciousness (reflection) and continual self-critique (critical reflection) are crucial to continued competence. [..] Reflection is an examination of the content or description of an issue or problem and involves checking on the problem solving strategies that are being used-[..] an examination of ‘What?’ and ‘How?’. [..] Critical reflection is stimulated by perceived discrepancies between a learner’s beliefs, values, or assumptions and new information, knowledge, understanding, or insight, [..] a dialogue journal which describes the learner’s self-analysis and the educator’s or fellow learner’s responses is one strategy for stimulating critical reflection.

Based on the ambitious theoretical underpinnings by Donald Schön, John Dewy, Jack Mezirow and others, many practitioner sand researchers have sought out to apply and quantify reflective activities. In doing so, an epistemological paradox has emerged: reflection appears to be influenced more by a reductionist approach aligned with dominant epistemological positions in medicine, such as evidence-based medicine, than by the historically critical (artistic) philosophical underpinnings ( Fragkos 2016 ; Koole et al. 2011 ; Ng et al. 2015 ). This problematic area is currently under discourse and will not be explored in depth in the present essay.

Based on these models and theories, various techniques for reflection have been tested in healthcare education during design and evaluation. Summative reflective technique methods include portfolios (paper or electronic), reflective diaries/autobiographical stories (paper or electronic), critical incident reports/essays and seminar presentations while formative reflective techniques include class exercises, facilitation, and self-reflection guided by critical friends, supervisors, mentors, preceptors or peer observation. Other authors have invariable examined reflective journals, portfolios, logs, blogs, questionnaires, videos, and diaries ( Buckley et al. 2009 ; Miraglia and Asselin 2015 ). Important aspects of this techniques usually involve reflecting on daily practice or reflecting on goal oriented tasks. Despite their shortcomings in knowledge production, they appear to have an effect on changing attitudes, values, beliefs, and assumptions of individual participants increasing their sense of self-efficacy and purpose.

However, reflection has problematic areas of practice and research and issues that remain under investigation. The most important issue is the epistemological oxymoron since theory seems to contradict application. Until this is resolved or a consistent stance is adopted by researchers, educators and practitioners, this will be an important point of critique ( Ng et al. 2015 ). The next issue remains whether reflection truly enhances learning, self-understanding and improvement in practitioner skills or it simply has a positive effect on behaviour and mood. ( Mann et al. 2009 ; Prasko et al. 2012 ; Tsingos et al. 2015a )

Koster and van den Berg (2014) define self-study as the study of one’s own practice by the systematic exploration of what is happening, what participants think about their own practice, and what they want to change in their practice (p. 86). It has become popular in recent years and is in line with action research tradition followed by education. It is considered beneficiary for improving one’s own practice ( Loughran 2004 ; Pinnegar and Hamilton 2009d ; Tidwell et al. 2009 ). This is the general definition followed but depending on the filed under investigation, self-study tends to relate to moral purpose, professional value and self-understanding within one’s own profession ( Lunenberg and Hamilton 2008 ; Lunenberg et al. 2010 ). Vicki Kubler LaBoskey phrased the concept of self-study and personal motivation quite eloquently in 2004 by saying:

Our motivation in adopting a self-study stems also from the acknowledgement that we are as limited by our own personal histories and cultural identities as are our students, we cannot expand their horizons if we do not expand our own. Similarly, we cannot help them to detect and interrogate their biases if we do not detect and interrogate ours ( LaBoskey 2004 : 840).

It is clearly related to self-reflection with obvious similarities to theoretical underpinnings described in the previous section and its origins within the reflection scholarship ( Lunenberg et al. 2010 ), but it remains quite different from it. As Allard and Gallant (2012) describe it, self-study aims to systematize pedagogical reflection, but reflection meaning both as the motivation for self-study and as a means to be perform self-reflection and critical reflection as defined above ( Dinkelman 2003 ). If we think about it, this sort of reflection needed for self-study is something that will be subjected to scrutiny similar to that that we would scrutinize a research dataset of when reviewing a paper. This type of reflection is more strictly defined in a sense that because it will be studied and presented, it will need to be well defined and have rigor. As mentioned above, self-study is meant to be shared with your peers to improve your own practice. Hence, one quickly understands how self-study takes self-reflection from an abstract meaning to something more concrete meant to be analyzed and interpreted.

The dangers with self-study remain with issues of reliability. When studying one’s own self and practices, the teacher educator must be able to separate his personal feelings from the issue under investigation. Self-studies have been alleged to be frequently narcissistic and idiosyncratic lacking generazibility other qualitative research offers. The issue under investigation is part of his identity and in a sense defines the person. Hence, the teacher educator might come up with the issue of having to question his own actions or values that led him to them. In this context he needs to remain genuine and objective as possible acknowledging the subjective nature of the activity he is performing.

From the literature, a few methods have been used for self-study and are very closely related to reflective techniques. One important distinction is individual self-study and collaborative or group self-study; the second is considered to offer slightly more objectivity since more voices are participating and eventually heard, but some authors have argued that this is related to the goals of self-study and the professional or moral values underpinning the whole exercise ( Allard and Gallant 2012 ; Koster and van den Berg 2014 ). Invariably, biographies, core reflection, Socratic dialogue, and video-stimulated recall have been quite popular techniques, with the use of video been quite widespread over the last 20 years ( Gaudin and Chaliès 2015 ; Greenwalt 2008 ; Hamilton 2012 ). John Lyle defines video-stimulated recall “an introspection procedure in which (normally) videotaped passages of behaviour are replayed to individuals to stimulate recall of their concurrent cognitive activity” ( Lyle 2003 : 861). Its implementation can vary significantly, with individual analysis or collaborative analysis and goal-purposed interpretation or reflexive dialogue (either alone or with peers) ( Samaras et al. 2016 ).

Self-research

My abhorrence of neoliberalism helps to explain my legitimate anger when I speak of the injustices to which the ragpickers among humanity are condemned. It also explains my total lack of interest in any pretension of impartiality, I am not impartial, or objective .. [this] does not prevent me from holding always a rigorously ethical position ( Freire 1998 : 22).

Performance [auto]ethnography is the future of ethnography, and ethnography’s future is the seventh moment. In the seventh moment the dividing line between [auto]ethnography and ethnography disappears. The reflexive ethnographer becomes the guiding presence in the ethnographic text. In the seventh moment critical social science comes of age and becomes a force to be reckoned with in political and cultural arenas ( Denzin 2003 : 259).

The final step in the proposed model is how to analyze effectively the outcomes of self-study and self-reflection. The process of self-study is largely based on qualitative data and hence any analysis should be based on theory of qualitative research. Since many of the outcomes are related to following’ someone’s life (the teacher educators themselves), it needs to have an ethnographic narrative and because it relates to the self, autoethnography appears the most attractive ( Denzin 2003 ).

Autoethnography is a subtype of ethnography in which an author uses self-reflection and writing to explore their personal experience and connect this autobiographical story to wider cultural, political, and social meanings and understandings ( Ellis 2004 ; Mills et al. 2010 ). The presence of autoethnography in research literature in education is strong. Maréchal (2010) defines autoethnography as “a form or method of research that involves self-observation and reflexive investigation in the context of ethnographic field work and writing” (p. 43) while Ellis (2004) defines it as “research, writing, story, and method that connect the autobiographical and personal to the cultural, social, and political” (p. xix). However, a consensus on the term’s definition is far from certain: autoethnography was initially described as insider ethnography, however a more inclusive definition is currently given by Adams et al. (2015) :

Autoethnography is a research method that uses a researcher’s personal experience to describe and critique cultural beliefs, practices, and experiences. Acknowledges and values a researcher’s relationships with others.. Shows people in the process of figuring out what to do, how to live, and the meaning of their struggles.. Social life is messy, uncertain, and emotional. If our desire to research social life, then we must embrace a research method that, to the best of its/our ability, acknowledges and accommodates mess and chaos, uncertainty and emotion ( Adams et al. 2015 ).

Traditionally five factors are used when assessing narrative papers that include analysis of both evaluative and constructive validity techniques. The criteria are given by Ellis (2004) and Richardson (2000) :

• • Substantive contribution. Does the piece contribute to our understanding of social life? ( Ellis 2004 ; Richardson 2000 )
• • Aesthetic merit. Does this piece succeed aesthetically? Is the text artistically shaped, satisfyingly complex, and not boring? ( Ellis 2004 ; Richardson 2000 )
• • Reflexivity. How did the author come to write this text? How has the author’s subjectivity been both a producer and a product of this text? ( Ellis 2004 ; Richardson 2000 )
• • Impactfullness. Does this affect me emotionally and/or intellectually? Does it generate new questions or move me to action? ( Ellis 2004 ; Richardson 2000 )
• • Expresses a reality. Does this text embody a fleshed out sense of lived experience? ( Ellis 2004 ; Richardson 2000 )

However a proper theoretical stance is needed: the teacher educator needs to define whether he will follow phenomenology, grounded theory or another interpretive stance such a reflexivity, narrative inquiry or critical pedagogies. Considering that the objects of analysis are written texts or audio-visual materials, an issue of coding comes into place as well ( Adams et al. 2015 ; Denzin 2003 ; Ellis 2004 ).

Springer’s Book Series Self-Study of Teaching and Teacher Education Practices offers an insightful series of volumes which explore the research nature of self-study and how to proceed. Self-study is considered as a genre of qualitative research and as such it should be researched under that umbrella. Trustworthiness and being trustworthy during practice, data collection and data interpretation is necessary. Next triangulation with other sources is needed to establish the strength of a result. Finally the need for pragmatic but also theoretic conclusions is stressed ( Pinnegar and Hamilton 2009a, b, c ).

An interest aspect is given in another book of this series Research Methods for the Self-study of Practice ( Fitzgerald et al. 2009 ). Since self-study is happening in a collaborative manner, co/autoethnography is becoming prevalent, in a sense that interpersonal relationships, cultural beliefs and more abstract principles that relate with the interplay of many people cooperating together on a certain research issue, affect the outcome of the analysis ( Coia and Taylor 2009 ).

Epilogue and Discussion

In the present essay it has been advocated that a chain of self-reflection, followed by self-study and eventually by self-research may lead to improvement of teacher educator practice. This continuous cycle is depicted in Figure 1 . Some general comments that I think are quite important in achieving the improvement of teacher educator practice are given below.

The teacher educator needs to understand his identities and question them. Each identity is associated with various other concepts, which could be values, professionalism, personal beliefs, cultural beliefs and so on, an all this comes into effect when your identity is investigated. Hence, self-understanding of one’s identity is imperative for this kind of improvement. The self-critiquing stance that in essence applies subjectivity and constructivism to your beliefs is more close to critical pedagogical approaches compared to behaviorist positivist approaches in education.

The next thing the teacher educator should understand is reflection. There are many types of reflection but reflection remains the cornerstone of improvement. However, reflection should be deep and not superficial, coming about as a mere dictation from a regulation body that suggests this to ensure professional registration. This reflection requires a reflexive stance where improvement is your aim through constant inquiry and also questioning of your existing beliefs. The quotation by Paulo Freire (1998) presented in the Self-research section and the article by qualitative researcher Norman Denzin (2003) are enlightening towards this path of inquiry. Reflection is currently suffering from its own paradoxes in that although it could belong (and maybe should) to critical pedagogical approaches, it is being adapted (and adopted) by utilitarian reductionist practitioners, possibly eschewing it from its original conceptions by Donald Schön, John Dewey and Jack Mezirow.

Next important step is familiarization with self-study. Self-study is largely based on reflection theory and techniques but it something new altogether. In my eyes, it is the introduction of a new field, that proposes that systematic analysis of one’s own practice can lead to improvement of his own practice. Issues that come up and are related to self-research and need to questioned and clarified are data collection techniques, data analysis and ensuring trustworthiness (reliability). Research should be ethical, non-narcissistic and non-idiosyncratic. However, this self-improvement stance could also be challenged as a difficult one because it essentially expects anyone who realizes his/her identity as a teacher educator to become literally a researcher. However, if one excludes the final step of self-research/self-study, personal practice can be improved through various techniques of self-reflection. Another point to contest is the possibility of building-up the teacher educator ego since their own practice becomes their mode of operation, depriving them from a perspective on others’ views.

That previous comment brings highlights the importance of individual versus collaborative self-reflection/self-study/self-research. Collaborative self-reflection along with the impact it has on study and research, can deal with the some of the shortcomings posed by individual self-study. Narcissism and idiosyncrasy tend to become obsolete when working in the presence of a team.

In conclusion, this present essay has suggested a model of improving teacher educator practices by acknowledging the multiple identities a teacher assumes in daily practice. This requires a self-critiquing stance of personal actions and the development of new skills in teaching practice.

Notes On Contributors

Konstantinos C. Fragkos is with UCL Medical School and University College London Hospital. He finished his studies at the National University of Athens, Greece and is a qualified physician. His research interests include systematic reviews, meta-analysis, education, reflective practice, and clinical nutrition with several publications in these areas.

Acknowledgments

This study received no funding.

[version 1; peer review: This article was migrated, the article was marked as recommended]

Declarations

The author has declared that there are no conflicts of interest.

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• Version 1. MedEdPublish (2016). 2018; 7: 67.

Reviewer response for version 1

Trevor gibbs.

This review has been migrated. The reviewer awarded 4 stars out of 5 An interesting paper to read and one that provides a very useful reference list. I would have liked to see the author complete the Take Home Messages section because I feel that it would focus a little more of what the main messages were.The paper gave support to the need to develop the educator and that they are not just borneI would recommend this paper to all those about to embark upon any aspect of medical education.

Reviewer Expertise:

No decision status is available

Stewart Hazelton

1 Bond University

This review has been migrated. The reviewer awarded 3 stars out of 5 Strengths of PaperThe paper chosen gave a very broad analysis of the components and theory behind self-reflection by educators to improve their craft. The author provided a comprehensive deconstruction of self-reflection through literary review. Poignant acknowledgements of having a balance between foundations in theory and real-world experience underpinned the direction of the article. Moreover recognises inherent biases in the self-reflection profess that may impede an appropriate self-evaluation. The graphic representation of the overarching points disgusted provided an easily consumable method of tying salient points components together. Weakness of PaperThe paper is highly technical and philosophical. This was ironic to me, as self-reflection is a very practical ‘everyday skill’, that’s carried out in seconds, hours, or days, in order to self-correct and improve. The language and technical approach employed perhaps detracted away from its useability to the layperson. Confining it’s understanding to those who academically specialise in this area. Thus this very practical and vital skill was analyses and philosophised to a level of impracticality to everyday thought. A suggested improvement for a revised edition could be to include a section that translates this highly theoretical and philosophical paper into a practical methodology that can be employed by the everyday clinician. Flavour of Interest (***)Given the above, I would imagine this paper is more appropriately directed towards the educator specialising in the ‘theory of self-reflection’. Key points to then be distilled and disseminated to those who will use this everyday method of self-correction. For students or clinicians that primarily teach by the bedside with incidental student encounters, this article is probably too theory heavy.

Anthony David.M

This review has been migrated. The reviewer awarded 4 stars out of 5 An enjoyable read. The concept of Reflection aiding one's development as a Medical Educator is very valid. The cycle proposed is a do-able one and which many of us can follow. This concept I feel is very useful for some uf us who double up as Teacher Educators taking active part in Faculty Development programs.

Subha Ramani

1 Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital

This review has been migrated. The reviewer awarded 5 stars out of 5 I thoroughly enjoyed reading this essay and agree with all the aspects of 'self' in this model for medical teachers. It is important for teachers to reflect on their actions, do a self-study of effective and ineffective strategies and develop commitment to change. I also believe the recommendations and proposed model will help teachers in this journey of self-exploration.There are some challenges to this process that must be discussed. First, the world of medical education has assumed that all graduates will just begin to teach spontaneously. It is gratifying that more and more teachers are stimulated to participate in staff development activities. Second, clinicians who teach face increasingly full professional plates (platters) and where is the time to reflect? If educational leaders believe that this voyage of self is important, they must establish explicit expectations and provide time and space to reflect. Lastly, there are research reports that indicate that professionals do not always accurately calibrate their strengths and weaknesses. This might initiate an erroneous chain of self-reflection. Perhaps, peer observation and facilitated reflection can be of enormous value.All those who teach in health professions education will find this paper to be of value in guiding how they approach their teaching.In Ronald Harden's 3-circle Dundee model, reflection can be placed at the highest circle- "the right person doing it".Most enjoyable and I will be using this essay to continue to grow as a teacher.

Sunday, April 14

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From p-sets to papers: a reflection on my path to Declaration Day

Outside view of McCosh Hall

Ammaar alam / the daily princetonian.

On March 31, 2024, my friend and I realized that we had not officially declared our majors on TigerHub. We headed back to their room and settled into the cozy common room. It was incredibly anticlimatic as we both had expected a confetti graphic to appear. They were officially Neuroscience, and I was officially English. While their academic plans had slightly shifted, declaring Neuroscience had been their plan for a long time, whereas we both knew what declaring English had meant for me. 

While the declaration process was simple and straightforward, my path to declaring English was anything but. I applied to Princeton for chemistry and I spent my first three semesters completing the prerequisites. Adjusting to college and Princeton was difficult as a first-generation, low-income student, but I told myself that it was supposed to be hard, and that I would thank myself later. I was miserable in most of my STEM classes and struggled with belonging. I finished my freshman year exhausted and ready to do anything but chemistry during break. I spent the summer in Tallinn, Estonia for eight weeks, studying Russian through Princeton. While I was excited to return to Princeton and see my friends again, I dreaded the p-set packed schedule and anxiety-inducing semester. 

My sophomore fall semester was one of my worst semesters. I had friends and different communities on campus that I had lacked the year before, but I was completely burnt out and often too exhausted to even see them. In addition to my incredibly low energy levels, my anxiety levels were also the highest that they had ever been. Nothing was helping. One night, when neither my medication nor grounding techniques were calming a massive anxiety attack, I called my parents and asked them to take me home. Once we were home, my parents sat me down and expressed their concerns for my health. I remember my mom telling me that Princeton was like a toxic boyfriend to me, and that I should reconsider how I was spending my time here. That night, I realized that something had to change.

I knew that a small part of me had always wanted to study literature, but I had convinced myself that I would never be able to get a job with a humanities degree. I was also deterred by shame. I was worried that my friends and my peers would view me as a failure, as someone who wasn’t smart enough to be a STEM student. There is, undeniably, a widely spread bias that surrounds the humanities. I also felt that I was letting down other women in STEM. It took many conversations with friends to realize that irrational fears were holding me back from what I genuinely wanted to do. 

This semester I was able to take classes that I wanted to take for the first time. My interest reflected in my class attendance and the effort I put in my work. Next semester, instead of battling through p-sets, I’m excited to become engrossed in a novel in a class like 19th Century Fiction and have a sense of belonging and joy in my academic experience. 

Donaji Mendieta-Silva (she/they) is a member of the Class of 2026 and is a contributing for The Prospect at the ‘Prince.’ They can be reached at dm4466[at]princeton.edu or on Instagram [at]donaji_ms.

Chebbi, Johnson, and Ugwonali advance to YAT general election

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NJ AI Summit addresses University's role in expanding AI statewide

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Projects Board funding runs dry for Spring semester, student groups frustrated

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