The document provides information about reflective essays, including what they are, their purpose, and how to structure them. It defines a reflective essay as exploring a topic using personal thoughts and experiences. It recommends organizing a group reflective essay by combining individual reflections in an organized manner following the essay format. It provides guidelines for writing thesis statements, topic sentences, body paragraphs, and conclusions. Examples of an introduction and graphic organizer are also included to illustrate the concepts.

1. The Reflective
Essay
Created by: Prof. I. Cortés
Center for Language Development Across the Disciplines

3. What is an Essay?
An ESSAY is a “short piece of writing on a particular
subject” (Broukal 2010).
Such essay could be:
 Argumentative
 Analytical
 Expository
 Reflective

4. What is a
Reflective
Essay?

5. What is a Reflective Essay?
“A reflective essay is
an exploration of a
topic using personal
thought and
experience”
(Farleigh).

6. Reflective Essay: As a Group
Objectives:
Combine reflections in an organized manner
following the essay format.
Showcase the group’s:
1. thoughts about the topic As a group,
2. experience/group interaction you may
combine
throughout the activity
1 and 2.

7. Reflective Essay: Language
Write the essay as a group!
Individual opinions
Pronouns Subjects Name: Grimilda,
1st person plural “the group” Miguel Verde
(we, us, our, “the team” 3rd person singular
ourselves) “Pedro and I” (he, she)
Example: “We chose this topic because… However, Sandra
explains that… She then realized…”

8. Organizing the Reflective Essay

9. Break it into Pieces!

10. Break it into Pieces!
Body
• General • Summary of
statements • Three to five (3-5) main points
• Thesis paragraphs • Concluding
statement • Three to five (3-5) Statement
topic sentences
Introduction Conclusion

11. Break it into Pieces!
• Is the main idea of the • Is the main idea of a
essay. paragraph (body).
• Helps develop the topic • Connects the supporting
sentences. sentences and the transition.
• Goes hand in hand with • Is connected to the Thesis
concluding statement. Statement.
Thesis
Topic Sentence
Statement

12. Oh no… Do I have
Yes! write a Thesis
to Do not be scared;
it is just a sentence.
Statement?

13. Thesis Statement
…is a sentence which is the main idea of the essay.

14. Thesis Statement
…is the main idea of the essay.
• Example: Upon researching on stem
Implied Thesis cells, the group agreed that such
topic was very controversial and, as
“The main points
such, there were differences of
are not stated.”
opinion among teammates.

15. Thesis Statement
…is the main idea of the essay.
Stated • Example: Upon writing about stem cell
Thesis research, there were differences of
opinion among group members because
“The main half the team thought it was beneficial
points are
while the rest believed it was unethical.
clearly stated.”

16. Thesis Statement
Avoid these…
Too vague: Scientists should understand stem cells are bad.
Too broad: Scientists should understand everything about
stem cell research.
Too narrow: Scientists should understand stem cells research
is bad because such cells are extracted from fetuses.
-
Strong Thesis: As a group, we believe stem cell
research has both positive and negative aspects
when used in the development of medicine.

17. Thesis Statement
Topic sentence #1:
positive aspects
Thesis
Statement: Topic sentence #2: Concluding
“Stem cell research negative aspects Statement
has both…”
Topic sentence #3:
positive or negative
BodyParagraphs

18. The Conceptual Map of a Reflective
Essay
a.k.a. Graphic Organizer

19. The Conceptual Map in Groups: Essay
Quote1:
According to
Body 2 Quote 2:
Topic S = Topic Blake (2004)… Topic S Smith (2008)
explains…
Sentence
Body 1 Body 3
Introduction
Topic S Topic S
As a group, we Thesis Statement
believe stem cell
research has both
positive and negative
Conclusion
aspects when used in
medicine.

20. The Conceptual Map: Body Paragraph
Quote 1
Supp 1
Topic Sentence #1
Quote 2
Supp 2 Two members of the Supp 3
group believe stem cell
research is beneficial.
Supp =
SupportingSenten Transition
ces

21. The Conceptual Map: Body Paragraph
The supporting sentences
develop the topic sentence. They
give the reader:
•Reasons
•Examples
•Details
All supporting
sentences must
be related to the
topic of the
paragraph.

22. Conclusion

23. Conclusion: Final Paragraph
Concluding statement:
1. Sums up the main points
2. Restates the main idea in
a different way
—Broukal 2010

24. Conclusion: Final Paragraph
• As a group, we believe stem cell research
Thesis
has both positive and negative aspects
Statement when used in the development of medicine.
• Even if we disagree whether stem cell
Concluding research is negative or positive, we cannot
Statement deny that it has been important in the
development of medicine.

25. Examples

26. Sample Introduction: Math
According to Sullivan (2001), pre-calculus provides the
background for the mathematical concepts, problems and
techniques that mathematicians confront (25). Although true, this
definition makes it sound as if the only importance of pre-calculus
is to lay a foundation for mathematics. On the other hand, Blake
(2005) explains that “math and medicine have had a long affair”
(2). Upon researching and presenting on the importance of
mathematics in medicine, half of the group agrees that pre-
calculus is essential in medical research while the rest believes
that it is only useful to mathematicians.

27. Activity
As a group, work on a graphic organizer in which
you include:
1. One (1) clear thesis statement (complete sentence)
2. Three (3) topic sentences, one for each of the three
body paragraphs
3. One (1) concluding statement (complete sentence)

28. References
Broukal, Milada. Weaving it Together: Connecting Reading and Writing, Third
Edition. Boston: Heinle, 2010.
Folse, Keith, Vestri, Elena and David Clabeaux. From Great Paragraphs to
Great Essays. Boston: Heinle, 2001.
Folse, Keith, Vestri, Elena and April Muchmore-Vokoun. Great Paragraphs.
Boston: Heinle, 2004.
http//: owl.english.purdue.edu
“Reflection.” Oxford English Dictionary. NY: Oxford UP, 2002.
Strausser, Jeffrey. Painless Writing. NY: Barron’s, 2001.
Strumpf, Michael. The Grammar Bible. NY: Owl Books, 2004.
Strunk, William and E.B. White. The Elements of Style. NY: Longman, 2000.

29. Questions? Comments?
Barat Norte 223 (BN 223)
787-728-1515 ext. 2294
E-mail:lad@sagrado.edu
Web: http://www.sagrado.edu/lad