The document outlines the reflective cycle process for reflecting on experiences. The cycle involves 6 stages: 1) Description - describing what happened, 2) Feelings - exploring thoughts and emotions during the experience, 3) Evaluation - identifying what went well and what didn't, 4) Analysis - making sense of the experience from different perspectives, 5) Conclusions - observations and lessons learned, and 6) Actions - determining next steps like additional training or strategies for similar future events. Working through each stage of the cycle allows one to deeply reflect on an experience and gain understanding from it.

1. REFLECTIVE WRITING
The reflective cycle

2. The reflective cycle
Description – What
happened?
Action – what can you
do differently next
time?
Feelings – what were
you thinking and
feeling?
Evaluation – what
was good and bad
about the experience
Conclusion – what
went well, what didn’t
go so well?
Analysis – What is
your understanding of
the experience
Work step-bystep through
each stage in
the cycle
applying it to
event or
experience
that you want
to reflect
upon.

3. Description – what happened?
• The first thing to do is to
describe what
happened, note this down
along with any
observations and thoughts.
• Think about and describe
the context for the event as
well as what happened.
• Remember that you are
setting the scene.
Image by distelfliege available from Flickr

4. Feelings – what were your reactions?
• How did you respond to the
experience at the time?
• What was your emotional
response?
• It is also worth thinking about
how you felt (in terms of
physical feelings), were you
tired, not feeling too good
, cold, hot or were you
happy, positive and in a good
mood?
Image by Lori Hutchinson available from Flickr

5. Evaluation- what was good and bad about
the experience?
Think about your experience
note down:
• Any good or bad points?
• What things went well?
• What things didn’t go to go
to plan?
Image by mbgrigby available at Fickr

6. Analysis – what is your understanding?
• What sense can you make of
the event?
• Can you unpick the experience
to make it understandable
• What was going on with other
people? How were they
reacting? You should try and
consider different viewpoints
and stand back from the
experience.
• How does the experience you
have had relate to any
background information, policy
of frameworks?
Image by jcoterhals available from Flickr

7. Conclusions
• What conclusions have you come to about the experience
that you have had?
• This could include observations, for example – there
wasn’t enough time, the room was uncomfortable, I hadn’t
practised enough and so on.
• What have you learned from the experience?
• What would you change or do differently next time?

8. Actions
• Do you need additional training or support, if so what and
who from?
• What strategies could you develop to manage a similar
situation or event?
• What are you going to do next?
Image by Nocas available from Flickr

9. A note about the images
All images from Flickr Creative Commons
Slide
Image by
Licence type
Link
3
by distelfliege
available from Flickr
4
by Lorihutchinson
available from Flickr
5
by mbgrigby
available at Fickr
6
By jcoterhals
Available at Flickr
8
by nocos
Available at Flickr