The Reflective Essay.

The Reflective Essay.

I really love to start writing my compositions with striking first lines which may captivate, ignite, fuel or stir up one's emotions. I love writing with a real passion, and I make sure it shows in every page.

When one generates a literary framework, the essay writer should carve into one's brain looking for whatever is stored into one's knowledge, in other words what you know about it. Some students who are unable to produce a well-written paper, they will buy it or copy the essay from another source, instead of doing a personal creation. I call that fact, CHEATING. Teachers certainly know that...

Let's say that I had a written assignment, a paper to write about "FREEDOM", my first lines would read: "Freedom is a worthwhile value, a virtuous essence or an abstract quality, substantially the common good, and the inner nature of all living species."

It'll be a good idea to Go to a Good Bookstore and buy books that provide teaching instructions  HOW TO WRITE ESSAYS, COMPOSITIONS, PAPERS, and so on...

Today's Lesson is about The Reflective Essay.

A reflective essay is an exercise in contemplation on any given subject. It tests your ability to think and describe, to order your ideas and to draw on your experience, imagination, and general knowledge. These writing tips and lessons are taken from my Teacher's Notes.

Types: Though reflective essays cannot be easily classified, there are two distinct groups: those which require a great deal of description as well as reflection which we may call "descriptive-reflective"; and those in which the emphasis is on reasoning rather than description which we may call "abstract."

Descriptive-Reflective: These usually take the form of one-word titles. When writing you should draw conclusions from what you describe. "Gardening", for instance, here you would not only be expected to describe gardening, but also to express your views on it.

Abstract: These may take the form of one-word titles when they refer to abstract qualities, for example, "Truth." In subjects of this kind, purely descriptive writing is of secondary importance. Your ability to reason rather than describe, your own feelings and views about the subject take first place.

Interpreting the subject. It is extremely important for you to understand what is required by the subject before you begin planning your essay. A good essay should be written with at least 800 words, or as many words as your teacher asks you to do.

A reflective essay title may often have a wide number of implications so that it is possible to interpret it in a variety of ways.

Subject-Matter. What you  have to say is quite as important as how you say it. An essay may be well written and well organized, but still lack substance.

Treatment. Two distinct processes are involved in essay-writing: analysis and synthesis. In the first instance, you break down the subject (analysis), and then put it together again (synthesis), so that it forms a complete whole. Nothing irrelevant must be included. Your essay should have unity to the extent that if any single part were excluded, it would spoil the effect of the whole. Like a painting or a piece of music, an essay is a composition.

Your work must be balanced and well proportioned. You can only achieve this if you fully understand the purpose of the paragraph. Each paragraph in your essay is a unit of thought which deals with an aspect of the main theme. In the same way, each sentence must contribute something to the central thought of each paragraph. If an essay can be defined as a group of related paragraphs, a paragraph can be defined as a group of related sentences.

Transitions from one paragraph to another should be smooth. A paragraph may often warn the reader of the approach of a new thought, time, place, or a reference to an idea that has already been considered. Each paragraph should be developed properly: a sentence or two is not enough. From the point of view of the reader, a paragraph is a logical break which allows him to collect his thoughts, as much as it is a physical break which permits him to rest his eyes.

Introduction. This is the most important paragraph in the essay as it is here that you make clear to the reader your interpretation of the subject. In other words, your introduction should lead the reader to expect certain things.

Development. In this part of the essay you should take up the points that were hinted at in the introduction. Each main point must be developed fully in a single paragraph, and all the paragraphs should be related to each other in some way. The fact that you have planned your essay should on no account be obvious to the reader.

Conclusion. This should in some way relate to the introduction and so round the essay off.

Do not end abruptly!

Illustration is especially important when you are dealing with "abstract topics." If, for instance, you are writing about a subject like "Fear", good examples will make your meaning immediately clear to the reader.

Contrast. This gives variety to your writing and makes what you have to say more interesting. If in one paragraph you have given one view of a subject, it is often wise to deal with a completely opposite view in the next. This has the effect of surprising the reader and enabling him to see the subject in a new light.

Humour. A light approach is often highly suitable in reflective essays. You may poke fun at certain beliefs and activities in a way that will not only amuse your readers, but also give them an unsual point of view.

Suitability. The style you adopt for each essay must match your approach to the subject.

The key to good writing is simplicity. It is important to realize that your writing will be simple and clear when you have something meaningful and definite to say and know what you are talking about. If you do Not know the subject, do Not talk about it...

Planning. Like a sound building, a well-constructed essay requires a full and detailed plan. You  may in the course of writing depart from your original plan, but this should be the exception rather than the rule.

FOCUS ON YOUR PLAN, AIM TO THE TARGET, and THEN...

THEN, SHOOT YOUR STORY and AMUSE YOUR READERS...

 

I HOPE YOU HAVE FUN LEARNING HOW TO WRITE WELL.

AS YOU MAY KNOW, I AM STILL LEARNING...

HAVE A BLESSED TIME!