How to Write a Reflection Paper on an Article

Students need to learn how to write a reflection paper on an article. It is one of the most common essay types that students are required to write at any given time. When you are unsure, hiring the services of My Homework Writers pitch it as the best online essay help service comes in handy. No matter what subject students enroll for, they may need to express their opinions about a subject matter in an essay. Students should master this skill. Fortunately, it is easy and straightforward, as will be explained in this article.

Knowing how to write a self-reflection essay is useful for academic and personal purposes. More emphasis goes to learning how to write a reflection paper on an article. First, these essays need to have an academic tone. They also must be subjective or personal. Focus on reflecting and recording the impacts of different academic subjects, articles, or experiences on your thoughts and perceptions. There are certain things you need to know about these articles, as described below.

What is a Reflection Essay

Before getting started on how to write a reflection paper on an article, you must understand what the essay means. Simply put, this article requires students to write about their opinions on a given topic. It should then be supported by evidence from observations as well as personal experiences. Everything you write in this paper stems from a personal point. Students get the opportunity to write about their viewpoints.

Hacking how to write a reflection paper on an article lies in having the ability to express your thought process clearly. It should be in a way that all readers who come across your essay will understand. Mostly, topics have endless ranges, and it is possible to move back and forth without necessarily expressing a clear point. Clarity rules when learning how to write a reflection on a project as it provides focus and perspective. The article’s general flow is crucial.

Understanding the topic on how to write a reflection paper on an article and picking a focus point is crucial. As already mentioned, topics can be wide and endless.

Example

Write on your Favourite TV shows or on whether or not aliens exist. Such topics are not restrictive. Students can decide to explore and practically write about anything that comes to mind. The catch is to ensure that the content flows naturally.

You should understand that there are three types of reflection essays, all of which are separated by tones.

The first kind is the educational reflective paper. It requires you to document your feedback about a book, an article, or other academic materials that you read. It can also include seminars that you attended or the movies you watched.

The second kind of reflective paper is professional paper. Targeted audiences are people working or studying in the education of psychology sectors. Common types are reflections on people’s behaviours.

The final type of reflective essay is personal reflections. Here, writers are expected to explore their thoughts and feelings regarding a particular topic.

Reflective Writing Structure and Format

Regardless of the type of reflection essay you are writing, choose the right reflection paper outline. The outline will help you align your thoughts logically. This is an important requirement always to note when learning how to write a reflection paper on an article. While there are no specific formats for this kind of essay, content must flow logically.

More often than not, professors and assessors will leave you to handle the content on how to write a reflection paper on an article. Make sure that you express your personal opinions and thoughts. Write your ideas without constraints. However, pay attention to any specific formats and criteria defined by your professor. The most common formats used when writing these kinds of essays include:

• Using double space for the entire text
• Indenting the first word in each paragraph
• Using single inch margin at the top, bottom, and sides
• Applying a white 8 and a half by 11 inches page

Getting Started

Now that you have a few pointers on how this essay should look like, proceed to write it. First, make sure you are familiar with the content of the article you need to reflect on. What this means is that you must read the article thoroughly, severally, if you need to. It does not matter if you reflect on a newspaper article, an academic essay, or even a book. Read through the content and highlight the crucial points you need to remember.

Always start by understanding the requirements of you in your reflection paper assignment. Proceed to write a summary of what you have understood. You have to do this, especially when learning how to write a reflection paper on an interview. It will help you take note of the content that your audience may want to know. As part of the key concepts that need noting, you may include diagrams, drawings, and charts that display information. Legibly present your content.

Once you have read and understood, and even highlighted crucial points, you should move into the brainstorming session. It may differ from one person to the next. However, answering a few questions could help you brainstorm better. You need to ask how the article affected you. If it catches the reader’s attention, or if it changed your mind about something. Did it make certain critical issues visible, and does it relates to your previous readings? You should also establish if it agrees with your past readings.

Why Use Questions?

The above questions will help you reflect and come up with an organization plan that works. Alternatively, use the column format to brainstorm. Your first column should contain the main points, whereas the second one has a brief description and a summary of the main points. Examples, reactions, and article reflections appear in the third column.

Remember that the outcome of this brainstorming session should also feature in your essay under the content outlines. Do not skip this since it guides the direction and flow of the entire essay. If you want to organize your paper properly, ensure that your content is properly thought-out before commencing.

Writing the Outline

Seeing that the outline is an important step on how to write reflection paper, start correctly from the beginning. The outline will be as follows:

Introduction

This encompasses the specific points you will be reflecting upon. A reader is introduced to the idea at this point. Your thesis should make it possible for the reader to feel your general position or take on the subject matter. Analyze the lecture, passage, interview, article, or experience first. Roughly summarize your thoughts and finally write a thesis statement on how the subject affected you. Thus, the thesis should start with statements such as, ‘‘After reading this passage, I….’’ Note that you are writing from a personal point of view.

Body Paragraphs

A great introduction will then flow into the body of the essay. Explain your stand in details, and with practical personal examples. For instance, when dealing with an academic paper, your content and examples should include quotes and references from the book. Describe your feelings after reading the content, and feel free to be as expressive as possible

Conclusion

The conclusion of a reflective essay is not any different from other essay conclusions. Write a summary of your experience from the reading. You should describe to the reader how the newly-found knowledge has impacted you. Note all resulting changes in thought process. Mention the overall lesson learnt from your experience or reading. Skillfully tie the information in your introduction and body paragraphs in a way that generalizes the major insights. Restate the thesis statement as it represents your conclusions. Remember that the conclusion is your final impression on the reader, and you want to make sure that you leave a lasting one.

How to Write a Reflection Paper on an Article Step by Step

Whether you want to learn how to write a reflection paper in MLA format or not, steps are crucial. You may choose to outsource writing services such as My Homework Writers for your graduate course reflection paper 0 $0.00 0 because you are busy and unable to attend to it immediately. Even at that, knowing what should be included in the paper is crucial. Writers need to know the following basic rules about reflective essay on writing skills to impress their professors.

Creating the Main Theme

When learning how to write a reflection paper on an article, get this part right. Part of writing the theme includes choosing topics and writing summaries of your findings and conclusions after reading. Be honest as your readers will most likely identify with your opinion or perspective of it when expressed honestly. Pay attention as this helps readers understand your overall reflection.

For example, you could say, ‘’after attending the seminar on Gender-Based Violence, I was able to appreciate the challenges that both men and women go through in abusive environments.’’

Brainstorming

This step on how to write a reflection paper on an article includes deeply thinking about your experiences in relation to the topic. Formulate ideas that will make the bulk of your discussion. Note all the memorable things that may have influenced your opinions and conclusions. Be personal and simple when explaining your statements. Great examples of points to include in your brainstorming section include:

• Many people are of the opinion that starchy foods make them gain weight
• I kept off any starchy food when I struggled to shed off some weight a while back
• Science describes that carbs are not entirely to be blamed for weight gain
• People around me highly influenced my perceptions of weight gain and loss
• I changed my mind on certain things after extensive research

From the above points, it is easy to see the buildup of ideas from the start to end. Reading the said article changed the writer’s mind on a subject that he or she already had an opinion on.

Analysis of How the Ideas have Affected your Interpretation of the Theme

Pick a theme or an idea discussed above and explore it further. Write and explain your reasoning behind it, mentioning whether or not you agree.

For or instance, you can analyze the idea of having grown up knowing that carbs are responsible for weight gain. The final analysis will be that most people conclude that carbohydrates are behind their weight gain. They blame their increase in weight to breakfast cereals, sugar, and bread. I chose to believe the misconception below which, lead to me eliminating all carbohydrates on my diet. My blood sugar dropped significantly, prompting me to do comprehensive research on the matter. After my findings, I settled on doing everything in moderation.

From the analysis above, the writer has already formed personalized opinions after experiencing something related to the subject.

Connect the Observations, Experiences, and Opinions

Connect the ideas, insights, and conclusions described above cohesively to form a clear picture of the happenings. You can also point out the breakdown of assumptions that you will then challenge at a later stage of your discussion. Take note of how you discuss these issues, depending on the type of reflection paper you are doing.

For books are involved, start by writing out the author’s information on the subject in a summary form. Be careful not to reveal the conclusions you will be making at the end of your write-up. Revealing a bit of the plot without disclosing all details at a go will keep your readers interested. Capture the main characters, ideas, and themes mentioned in the book. Once you write in-depth summaries of what the books say, conclude with your own opinions. Reveal your personal reflections towards the end of the write-up.

What happens When It is a course?

Start by giving the course name and describing it in detail. You can then further explain the course flow, your motivations for taking the course. Finally, tell the readers about the lessons you picked form the course. Remember that it is about your reflections and that your readers must clearly understand your opinion on the matter. Back it up with examples that are not only real but relatable.

Projects

You can also write a reflective essay on a project. The structure resembles the one on courses with a few additions on pros and cons. As you master how to write a reflection paper on an article, with projects as a bias, a few differences come up. Apart from including the merits and demerits, it is advisable to point out changes you may want to see. After all, you aim to show the relevance of such changes in your real life.

Interviews

For interviews, a slight difference occurs at the beginning of the discussion. Introduce the person or people and then explain in summary what the interview is all about. Once done, proceed to point out things that stand out. This could be controversial aspects, as well as opinions you may have formed about the person.

Tips on How to Write a Reflection Paper on an Article

As mentioned earlier, reflective essays are some of the most liberal papers with no strict formats and structures. People will write differently as long as they express their personal opinions as intended. Nonetheless, there are basic tips on how to write a reflection paper on an article that all writers should consider incorporating in their write-ups to have a comprehensive essay done.

Gauge the overall expectation by reading a few examples of other papers done on the same subject. A great tip will be to pick something unique, and if possible, unusual for a topic. Memorable topics will have your readers hooked immediately, and that is what you are going for. A great way to come up with an excellent reflective essay is to slot time for each section. Resist the urge to pen it all down at once.

The risk of doing the article in one sitting is repeating yourself or missing out on ideas because you did not think it through properly. Your brain needs time to come up with new ideas when dealing with a reflective essay, and this will take time. Meanwhile, consider the following tips when writing.

Keep it Short and Sweet

What this means is that you should always go straight to the point. Depending on what your professor requires, most reflection essays will have a length ranging from 250 to 750 words. However, this is not restrictive as some essays could be longer. In case you have limits, then stick to them and only discuss relevant information. Avoid including unnecessary details that will only end up as fluff and not constructive.

Clarity is Key

When you learn how to write a reflection paper on an article, clarity is important. Your essay should be as clear as possible. Leave no room for doubts or second-guessing. Always start with a very strong thesis, as this will give your paper strength throughout.

Use a consistent and Professional Tone

This is one of the most important lessons on how to write a reflection paper on an article. Avoid mixing up tones as this will be confusing and unprofessional. When writing an academic paper such as this, professionalism is necessary. It does not matter that the article is about your personal opinions and views.

Citation is Crucial

You are always advised to use authoritative sources to cite content. Do not infringe on copyrights by failing to properly cite used sources. Content will also appear more authentic when you back up your personal opinions with well-respected experts in the field.

Proofread and Edit

Before submitting your essay for review, read through it, and consider changing a few sentences that may be off. This is a basic instruction on how to write a reflection paper on an article. Also, check that there are no grammatical or spelling errors that may bring down the article’s quality. Have a second pair of eyes check it for you just for good measure.

How to Write a Reflection Example

An example makes it easy to understand the above points. Here is how to write a reflection paper on an article. The sample captures a summary of the above discussion

The seminar began with a new quote I had never heard before: “If we can conquer space, we can conquer world hunger” — Buzz Aldrin. This peculiar quote activated my interest in the subject in a way I had never thought of before. Man has achieved great things in space already considering that man and animal have already gone up there. The mere fact that they overcame the infinite vacuum, yet there are millions of people on earth struggling to survive, is ironic.

My attention went to the fact that man is preoccupied with conquering new planets but ignores the basics of human survival. I immediately became empathetic to people in different parts of the world whose wish is to get a single meal. It will help them survive and fight for another day. After listening to the guest speaker at the seminar, I became interested. I desire to help my fellow humans eat even before thinking of greater and almost impossible feats. While moon-landing is great, it is despicable that resources are channeled to this when hunger remains a huge problem globally.

The Bottom Line

From the example and steps discussed above on how to write a reflection paper on an article, anyone can write a great reflective essay. All they need to do is to pen down their experiences from lectures, interviews, books, and even articles. Read, come up with a strong thesis, state your opinions with examples from your experiences, and cite properly. Any students can write an excellent reflective essay if they stick to the suggestions given above.

Learning how to write a reflection paper on an article is the easiest thing to do. Get the format write, arrange your thoughts, and give it time for your paper to flow.