Reflecting On Your Writing Process

What You Already Know Reflect: What do you already know about reflection? How have you used reflection so far in this class?

Defining Reflection Jennifer Moon’s comprehensive definition: “…reflection is a mental process with purpose and/or outcome… a mental process that seems to be related to thinking and to learning”(5). from Reflection in Learning and Professional Development (1999). Reflection literally means “to bend back on,” so we’re looking back on experiences, choices, thought processes, and then using what we find for some purpose related to learning.

Why is this important? It is important to engage in the metacognitive process of reflection if you want to change and grow. Metacognition is thinking about thinking. It empowers you to know what you know and know what you don’t know. Once you engage in this type of reflection about your own thinking, you can be deliberate and focused in your planning. The metacognitive process helps us move toward evaluating what we currently think and move beyond it. … It is an agent for deliberate and strategic change. Text from an Instructional Design workshop (2002)

Strategy #1—Reflect “In The Moment” Think of a time recently when you were writing for this particular class.

Reflecting “In the Moment”—Try it Out! Write reflectively about that particular experience. Engage your 5 senses! Answer questions in writing— –Where were you? –What were you working on? –How did you feel about what you were doing at the time? –What other things were going on around you? –How did you experience the activity?

Reflecting “In the Moment”— Why Is This Important? You can more easily analyze a complex process by first focusing very specifically on a recent experience of that process (writing, for example). You are taking an “up close” look at your own process and habits, making them conscious.

Strategy #2—Take a New, Larger Perspective After writing about a particular time when you were writing (“In the Moment”), broaden your reflecting to think about your writing in the context of your class (the Course Learning Outcomes) and/or your semester so far (other courses?). This is a chance for you to make connections between a concrete time/space and ideas and concepts.

Take a New, Larger Perspective— Try it Out! Write reflectively about how your writing process is developing. Answer questions in writing— –How does your in-the-moment writing connect to CLOs? –Where did you start with your writing process at the beginning of the semester? –How are your writing skills changing or developing? –How is your development (and reflecting upon it) building a good foundation for this class? –Where can you make your process better?

Taking a New, Larger Perspective— Why Is This Important? Taking a larger perspective gives a context for— –Measuring development –Setting goals –Making plans

Strategy #3—Looking Forward Finally, after reflecting about writing “in the moment” and reflecting in a “new, larger perspective,” think about your writing process in the future.

Looking Forward—Try it Out! Write reflectively about how you will continue to work on writing, and what your plans are for improving your process next semester (and beyond). Answer questions in writing — –What can you learn from reflecting about your writing processes? –How will you use this kind of reflective work to develop your writing processes in the future? –How can you use what you’ve learned in reflecting to build a good writing foundation? –What specific goals will you set for improving your writing next semester? –How can you use reflecting in other situations or contexts?

Looking Forward—Why Is This Important? –Looking forward puts reflecting to good use. –Looking forward helps you build confidence in your process and increases your expertise. –Looking forward will help you see ways you can use your skills as a writer academic, career, and personal contexts.

Application: Your Reflective Argument Course Learning Objectives On the syllabus Guidelines for an “A” paper…or portfolio