Reflection

Reflection

A reflection paper is truly a paper from the heart. To write one, you will be recounting, or reflecting upon, experiences you have had during a specific event. If you were an intern, it would be a paper about how you enjoyed it and what you learned. Reflection papers serve to encourage a student to reflect on a specific topic such as a presentation, a reading assignment, an experience, or a concept. Reflection papers are generally between 300-700 words. What is wanted is that you demonstrate that you understand whatever issue is at hand and that you can respond to it in writing by connecting it to your own observation, previous experience, or recent learning. 
 Make an outline of your reflection paper. Decide what you want to write about and how many paragraphs the entire paper will be. Number each planned paragraph and write a one-sentence description of what the paragraph will talk about (i.e., Paragraph #3 -- The role of suicide in "The Catcher in the Rye"). Compile a short list of any assigned reading, textbooks or online resources you want to use to back up the claims and opinions you write about in your reflection paper. 
Start your introduction with an informative statement about the topic to get the reader interested in your paper. Make the statement specific to what you will be talking about in the rest of your paper and avoid making general or vague statements. For example, instead of writing "'The Catcher in the Rye' is one of the most controversial books written in the twentieth century," write something along the lines of "Since J.D. Salinger's novel 'The Catcher in the Rye' was first published in 1951, it has been surrounded by controversy due to the so-called 'offensive' material presented in the book, including alcohol abuse, premarital sex and adult language." Such an introduction lets your reader know that your overall paper is about "The Catcher in the Rye" but also that you will be writing specifically about the controversies and debates...

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