Structuring the essay

1. Examine the essay question

2. Read the marking criteria
3. Identify the event or experience on which you wi refect
!. Ensure you maintain anonymity " confidentiaity of patients and institutions invoved
#. $ind answers to what% where% when% who% how% why to set the scene
&. 'ote the main issues you have (een a(e to identify in reation to the experience
). *hink of ways you can reate these main issues to the iterature +sources,
-. .ot down further notes to demonstrate your understanding and insights gained
+compare and contrast% cause and effect etc,
/. Reate your insights to iterature
10.1ake notes as to how you wi make the connection (etween theory and practice cear
11. 'ote down how you wi discuss your persona and professiona earning needs
SECTION DESIGN DESCRIPTION
Introduction 2rovide a (rief summary. 3rite a
narrative of your experience with the
topic upon which you are refecting.
4etai factua information% as we as
your feeings and impressions.
3hat the essay is a(out
3hat exacty the essay focuses on
3hy it is important to anay5e this
6ow it wi (e deveoped +definitions%
refective mode,
7ody 8ompare your experience with your
prior knowedge. Introduce any ideas
that you had encountered. 2oint out
why you fee the concept pertains to
the experience. $or instance% if you
are refecting on a esson pan you had
taught% you coud discuss artices that
you have read on writing and teaching
esson pans. 1ake sure you deveop
a the ideas of the introductory
paragraph.
4escription of the event9experience
and your feeings at the time
Evauation of the event9experience
+what was good or (ad a(out it,
:naysis of the event9experience
+cause and effect% compare and
contrast,
Impications :nay5e your experience according to
the theoretica concept. Iustrate the
ways in which your experience
diverged from what the theory expects
as we as how cosey it conformed to
theoretica expectations. 4iscuss why
you fee the theory either descri(ed or
did not descri(e your experiences.
:re the impications for you% your
coeagues;
3hat needs to happen to ater the
situation;
3hat are you going to do a(out the
situation;
3hat happens if you decide not to
ater anything;
3hat might you do differenty if faced
with a simiar situation again;
3hat information do you need to face
a simiar situation again;
3hat are your (est ways of getting
further information a(out the situation
shoud it arise again;
8oncusion Edit your refection paper. <ook for the
thesis of your paper. :d=ust your paper
to keep a consistent focus on that
thesis. 8heck for grammatica and
styistic errors
2rovide a summary of the issues
expored
Remind the reader of the purpose of
the essay
Suggest an appropriate course of
action in reation to the needs
identified in the (ody of the essay