Introduce the topic.
Provide background information.
Present the thesis statement or main argument.
Have a looming deadline for your argumentative essay? Write 2x faster with Paperpal – Start now!
An argumentative essay presents a specific claim or argument and supports it with evidence and reasoning. Here’s an outline for an argumentative essay, along with examples for each section: 3
1. Introduction :
Example: “Did you know that plastic pollution is threatening marine life at an alarming rate?”
Example: “Plastic pollution has become a global environmental concern, with millions of tons of plastic waste entering our oceans yearly.”
Example: “We must take immediate action to reduce plastic usage and implement more sustainable alternatives to protect our marine ecosystem.”
2. Body Paragraphs :
Example: “The first step towards addressing the plastic pollution crisis is reducing single-use plastic consumption.”
Example: “Research shows that plastic straws alone contribute to millions of tons of plastic waste annually, and many marine animals suffer from ingestion or entanglement.”
Example: “Some argue that banning plastic straws is inconvenient for consumers, but the long-term environmental benefits far outweigh the temporary inconvenience.”
Example: “Having addressed the issue of single-use plastics, the focus must now shift to promoting sustainable alternatives.”
3. Counterargument Paragraph :
Example: “While some may argue that individual actions cannot significantly impact global plastic pollution, the cumulative effect of collective efforts must be considered.”
Example: “However, individual actions, when multiplied across millions of people, can substantially reduce plastic waste. Small changes in behavior, such as using reusable bags and containers, can have a significant positive impact.”
4. Conclusion :
Example: “In conclusion, adopting sustainable practices and reducing single-use plastic is crucial for preserving our oceans and marine life.”
Example: “It is our responsibility to make environmentally conscious choices and advocate for policies that prioritize the health of our planet. By collectively embracing sustainable alternatives, we can contribute to a cleaner and healthier future.”
A claim is a statement or proposition a writer puts forward with evidence to persuade the reader. 4 Here are some common types of argument claims, along with examples:
Understanding these argument claims can help writers construct more persuasive and well-supported arguments tailored to the specific nature of the claim.
If you’re wondering how to start an argumentative essay, here’s a step-by-step guide to help you with the argumentative essay format and writing process.
Struggling to start your argumentative essay? Paperpal can help – try now!
Here are eight strategies to craft a compelling argumentative essay:
Let’s consider a sample of argumentative essay on how social media enhances connectivity:
In the digital age, social media has emerged as a powerful tool that transcends geographical boundaries, connecting individuals from diverse backgrounds and providing a platform for an array of voices to be heard. While critics argue that social media fosters division and amplifies negativity, it is essential to recognize the positive aspects of this digital revolution and how it enhances connectivity by providing a platform for diverse voices to flourish. One of the primary benefits of social media is its ability to facilitate instant communication and connection across the globe. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram break down geographical barriers, enabling people to establish and maintain relationships regardless of physical location and fostering a sense of global community. Furthermore, social media has transformed how people stay connected with friends and family. Whether separated by miles or time zones, social media ensures that relationships remain dynamic and relevant, contributing to a more interconnected world. Moreover, social media has played a pivotal role in giving voice to social justice movements and marginalized communities. Movements such as #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, and #ClimateStrike have gained momentum through social media, allowing individuals to share their stories and advocate for change on a global scale. This digital activism can shape public opinion and hold institutions accountable. Social media platforms provide a dynamic space for open dialogue and discourse. Users can engage in discussions, share information, and challenge each other’s perspectives, fostering a culture of critical thinking. This open exchange of ideas contributes to a more informed and enlightened society where individuals can broaden their horizons and develop a nuanced understanding of complex issues. While criticisms of social media abound, it is crucial to recognize its positive impact on connectivity and the amplification of diverse voices. Social media transcends physical and cultural barriers, connecting people across the globe and providing a platform for marginalized voices to be heard. By fostering open dialogue and facilitating the exchange of ideas, social media contributes to a more interconnected and empowered society. Embracing the positive aspects of social media allows us to harness its potential for positive change and collective growth.
Writing a winning argumentative essay not only showcases your ability to critically analyze a topic but also demonstrates your skill in persuasively presenting your stance backed by evidence. Achieving this level of writing excellence can be time-consuming. This is where Paperpal, your AI academic writing assistant, steps in to revolutionize the way you approach argumentative essays. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use Paperpal to write your essay:
Paperpal not only simplifies the essay writing process but also ensures your argumentative essay is persuasive, well-structured, and academically rigorous. Sign up today and transform how you write argumentative essays.
The length of an argumentative essay can vary, but it typically falls within the range of 1,000 to 2,500 words. However, the specific requirements may depend on the guidelines provided.
You might write an argumentative essay when: 1. You want to convince others of the validity of your position. 2. There is a controversial or debatable issue that requires discussion. 3. You need to present evidence and logical reasoning to support your claims. 4. You want to explore and critically analyze different perspectives on a topic.
Argumentative Essay: Purpose : An argumentative essay aims to persuade the reader to accept or agree with a specific point of view or argument. Structure : It follows a clear structure with an introduction, thesis statement, body paragraphs presenting arguments and evidence, counterarguments and refutations, and a conclusion. Tone : The tone is formal and relies on logical reasoning, evidence, and critical analysis. Narrative/Descriptive Essay: Purpose : These aim to tell a story or describe an experience, while a descriptive essay focuses on creating a vivid picture of a person, place, or thing. Structure : They may have a more flexible structure. They often include an engaging introduction, a well-developed body that builds the story or description, and a conclusion. Tone : The tone is more personal and expressive to evoke emotions or provide sensory details.
Paperpal is a comprehensive AI writing toolkit that helps students and researchers achieve 2x the writing in half the time. It leverages 21+ years of STM experience and insights from millions of research articles to provide in-depth academic writing, language editing, and submission readiness support to help you write better, faster.
Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed. Try for free or upgrade to Paperpal Prime starting at US$19 a month to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed.
Experience the future of academic writing – Sign up to Paperpal and start writing for free!
The do’s & don’ts of using generative ai tools ethically in academia, you may also like, dissertation printing and binding | types & comparison , what is a dissertation preface definition and examples , how to write a research proposal: (with examples..., how to write your research paper in apa..., how to choose a dissertation topic, how to write a phd research proposal, how to write an academic paragraph (step-by-step guide), maintaining academic integrity with paperpal’s generative ai writing..., research funding basics: what should a grant proposal..., how to write an abstract in research papers....
Miscellaneous
You'll no doubt have to write a number of argumentative essays in both high school and college, but what, exactly, is an argumentative essay and how do you write the best one possible? Let's take a look.
A great argumentative essay always combines the same basic elements: approaching an argument from a rational perspective, researching sources, supporting your claims using facts rather than opinion, and articulating your reasoning into the most cogent and reasoned points. Argumentative essays are great building blocks for all sorts of research and rhetoric, so your teachers will expect you to master the technique before long.
But if this sounds daunting, never fear! We'll show how an argumentative essay differs from other kinds of papers, how to research and write them, how to pick an argumentative essay topic, and where to find example essays. So let's get started.
There are two basic requirements for any and all essays: to state a claim (a thesis statement) and to support that claim with evidence.
Though every essay is founded on these two ideas, there are several different types of essays, differentiated by the style of the writing, how the writer presents the thesis, and the types of evidence used to support the thesis statement.
Essays can be roughly divided into four different types:
#1: Argumentative #2: Persuasive #3: Expository #4: Analytical
So let's look at each type and what the differences are between them before we focus the rest of our time to argumentative essays.
Argumentative essays are what this article is all about, so let's talk about them first.
An argumentative essay attempts to convince a reader to agree with a particular argument (the writer's thesis statement). The writer takes a firm stand one way or another on a topic and then uses hard evidence to support that stance.
An argumentative essay seeks to prove to the reader that one argument —the writer's argument— is the factually and logically correct one. This means that an argumentative essay must use only evidence-based support to back up a claim , rather than emotional or philosophical reasoning (which is often allowed in other types of essays). Thus, an argumentative essay has a burden of substantiated proof and sources , whereas some other types of essays (namely persuasive essays) do not.
You can write an argumentative essay on any topic, so long as there's room for argument. Generally, you can use the same topics for both a persuasive essay or an argumentative one, so long as you support the argumentative essay with hard evidence.
Example topics of an argumentative essay:
The next three types of essays are not argumentative essays, but you may have written them in school. We're going to cover them so you know what not to do for your argumentative essay.
Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative essays, so it can be easy to get them confused. But knowing what makes an argumentative essay different than a persuasive essay can often mean the difference between an excellent grade and an average one.
Persuasive essays seek to persuade a reader to agree with the point of view of the writer, whether that point of view is based on factual evidence or not. The writer has much more flexibility in the evidence they can use, with the ability to use moral, cultural, or opinion-based reasoning as well as factual reasoning to persuade the reader to agree the writer's side of a given issue.
Instead of being forced to use "pure" reason as one would in an argumentative essay, the writer of a persuasive essay can manipulate or appeal to the reader's emotions. So long as the writer attempts to steer the readers into agreeing with the thesis statement, the writer doesn't necessarily need hard evidence in favor of the argument.
Often, you can use the same topics for both a persuasive essay or an argumentative one—the difference is all in the approach and the evidence you present.
Example topics of a persuasive essay:
An expository essay is typically a short essay in which the writer explains an idea, issue, or theme , or discusses the history of a person, place, or idea.
This is typically a fact-forward essay with little argument or opinion one way or the other.
Example topics of an expository essay:
An analytical essay seeks to delve into the deeper meaning of a text or work of art, or unpack a complicated idea . These kinds of essays closely interpret a source and look into its meaning by analyzing it at both a macro and micro level.
This type of analysis can be augmented by historical context or other expert or widely-regarded opinions on the subject, but is mainly supported directly through the original source (the piece or art or text being analyzed) .
Example topics of an analytical essay:
There are many different types of essay and, over time, you'll be able to master them all.
The average argumentative essay is between three to five pages, and will require at least three or four separate sources with which to back your claims . As for the essay topic , you'll most often be asked to write an argumentative essay in an English class on a "general" topic of your choice, ranging the gamut from science, to history, to literature.
But while the topics of an argumentative essay can span several different fields, the structure of an argumentative essay is always the same: you must support a claim—a claim that can reasonably have multiple sides—using multiple sources and using a standard essay format (which we'll talk about later on).
This is why many argumentative essay topics begin with the word "should," as in:
These topics all have at least two sides of the argument: Yes or no. And you must support the side you choose with evidence as to why your side is the correct one.
But there are also plenty of other ways to frame an argumentative essay as well:
Though these are worded differently than the first three, you're still essentially forced to pick between two sides of an issue: yes or no, for or against, benefit or detriment. Though your argument might not fall entirely into one side of the divide or another—for instance, you could claim that social media has positively impacted some aspects of modern life while being a detriment to others—your essay should still support one side of the argument above all. Your final stance would be that overall , social media is beneficial or overall , social media is harmful.
If your argument is one that is mostly text-based or backed by a single source (e.g., "How does Salinger show that Holden Caulfield is an unreliable narrator?" or "Does Gatsby personify the American Dream?"), then it's an analytical essay, rather than an argumentative essay. An argumentative essay will always be focused on more general topics so that you can use multiple sources to back up your claims.
So you know the basic idea behind an argumentative essay, but what topic should you write about?
Again, almost always, you'll be asked to write an argumentative essay on a free topic of your choice, or you'll be asked to select between a few given topics . If you're given complete free reign of topics, then it'll be up to you to find an essay topic that no only appeals to you, but that you can turn into an A+ argumentative essay.
What makes a "good" argumentative essay topic depends on both the subject matter and your personal interest —it can be hard to give your best effort on something that bores you to tears! But it can also be near impossible to write an argumentative essay on a topic that has no room for debate.
As we said earlier, a good argumentative essay topic will be one that has the potential to reasonably go in at least two directions—for or against, yes or no, and why . For example, it's pretty hard to write an argumentative essay on whether or not people should be allowed to murder one another—not a whole lot of debate there for most people!—but writing an essay for or against the death penalty has a lot more wiggle room for evidence and argument.
A good topic is also one that can be substantiated through hard evidence and relevant sources . So be sure to pick a topic that other people have studied (or at least studied elements of) so that you can use their data in your argument. For example, if you're arguing that it should be mandatory for all middle school children to play a sport, you might have to apply smaller scientific data points to the larger picture you're trying to justify. There are probably several studies you could cite on the benefits of physical activity and the positive effect structure and teamwork has on young minds, but there's probably no study you could use where a group of scientists put all middle-schoolers in one jurisdiction into a mandatory sports program (since that's probably never happened). So long as your evidence is relevant to your point and you can extrapolate from it to form a larger whole, you can use it as a part of your resource material.
And if you need ideas on where to get started, or just want to see sample argumentative essay topics, then check out these links for hundreds of potential argumentative essay topics.
101 Persuasive (or Argumentative) Essay and Speech Topics
301 Prompts for Argumentative Writing
Top 50 Ideas for Argumentative/Persuasive Essay Writing
[Note: some of these say "persuasive essay topics," but just remember that the same topic can often be used for both a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay; the difference is in your writing style and the evidence you use to support your claims.]
KO! Find that one argumentative essay topic you can absolutely conquer.
Argumentative Essays are composed of four main elements:
If you're familiar with essay writing in general, then you're also probably familiar with the five paragraph essay structure . This structure is a simple tool to show how one outlines an essay and breaks it down into its component parts, although it can be expanded into as many paragraphs as you want beyond the core five.
The standard argumentative essay is often 3-5 pages, which will usually mean a lot more than five paragraphs, but your overall structure will look the same as a much shorter essay.
An argumentative essay at its simplest structure will look like:
Now let's unpack each of these paragraph types to see how they work (with examples!), what goes into them, and why.
Your first task is to introduce the reader to the topic at hand so they'll be prepared for your claim. Give a little background information, set the scene, and give the reader some stakes so that they care about the issue you're going to discuss.
Next, you absolutely must have a position on an argument and make that position clear to the readers. It's not an argumentative essay unless you're arguing for a specific claim, and this claim will be your thesis statement.
Your thesis CANNOT be a mere statement of fact (e.g., "Washington DC is the capital of the United States"). Your thesis must instead be an opinion which can be backed up with evidence and has the potential to be argued against (e.g., "New York should be the capital of the United States").
These are your body paragraphs in which you give the reasons why your argument is the best one and back up this reasoning with concrete evidence .
The argument supporting the thesis of an argumentative essay should be one that can be supported by facts and evidence, rather than personal opinion or cultural or religious mores.
For example, if you're arguing that New York should be the new capital of the US, you would have to back up that fact by discussing the factual contrasts between New York and DC in terms of location, population, revenue, and laws. You would then have to talk about the precedents for what makes for a good capital city and why New York fits the bill more than DC does.
Your argument can't simply be that a lot of people think New York is the best city ever and that you agree.
In addition to using concrete evidence, you always want to keep the tone of your essay passionate, but impersonal . Even though you're writing your argument from a single opinion, don't use first person language—"I think," "I feel," "I believe,"—to present your claims. Doing so is repetitive, since by writing the essay you're already telling the audience what you feel, and using first person language weakens your writing voice.
For example,
"I think that Washington DC is no longer suited to be the capital city of the United States."
"Washington DC is no longer suited to be the capital city of the United States."
The second statement sounds far stronger and more analytical.
Even without a counter argument, you can make a pretty persuasive claim, but a counterargument will round out your essay into one that is much more persuasive and substantial.
By anticipating an argument against your claim and taking the initiative to counter it, you're allowing yourself to get ahead of the game. This way, you show that you've given great thought to all sides of the issue before choosing your position, and you demonstrate in multiple ways how yours is the more reasoned and supported side.
This paragraph is where you re-state your argument and summarize why it's the best claim.
Briefly touch on your supporting evidence and voila! A finished argumentative essay.
Your essay should have just as awesome a skeleton as this plesiosaur does. (In other words: a ridiculously awesome skeleton)
It always helps to have an example to learn from. I've written a full 5-paragraph argumentative essay here. Look at how I state my thesis in paragraph 1, give supporting evidence in paragraphs 2 and 3, address a counterargument in paragraph 4, and conclude in paragraph 5.
Topic: Is it possible to maintain conflicting loyalties?
Paragraph 1
It is almost impossible to go through life without encountering a situation where your loyalties to different people or causes come into conflict with each other. Maybe you have a loving relationship with your sister, but she disagrees with your decision to join the army, or you find yourself torn between your cultural beliefs and your scientific ones. These conflicting loyalties can often be maintained for a time, but as examples from both history and psychological theory illustrate, sooner or later, people have to make a choice between competing loyalties, as no one can maintain a conflicting loyalty or belief system forever.
The first two sentences set the scene and give some hypothetical examples and stakes for the reader to care about.
The third sentence finishes off the intro with the thesis statement, making very clear how the author stands on the issue ("people have to make a choice between competing loyalties, as no one can maintain a conflicting loyalty or belief system forever." )
Paragraphs 2 and 3
Psychological theory states that human beings are not equipped to maintain conflicting loyalties indefinitely and that attempting to do so leads to a state called "cognitive dissonance." Cognitive dissonance theory is the psychological idea that people undergo tremendous mental stress or anxiety when holding contradictory beliefs, values, or loyalties (Festinger, 1957). Even if human beings initially hold a conflicting loyalty, they will do their best to find a mental equilibrium by making a choice between those loyalties—stay stalwart to a belief system or change their beliefs. One of the earliest formal examples of cognitive dissonance theory comes from Leon Festinger's When Prophesy Fails . Members of an apocalyptic cult are told that the end of the world will occur on a specific date and that they alone will be spared the Earth's destruction. When that day comes and goes with no apocalypse, the cult members face a cognitive dissonance between what they see and what they've been led to believe (Festinger, 1956). Some choose to believe that the cult's beliefs are still correct, but that the Earth was simply spared from destruction by mercy, while others choose to believe that they were lied to and that the cult was fraudulent all along. Both beliefs cannot be correct at the same time, and so the cult members are forced to make their choice.
But even when conflicting loyalties can lead to potentially physical, rather than just mental, consequences, people will always make a choice to fall on one side or other of a dividing line. Take, for instance, Nicolaus Copernicus, a man born and raised in Catholic Poland (and educated in Catholic Italy). Though the Catholic church dictated specific scientific teachings, Copernicus' loyalty to his own observations and scientific evidence won out over his loyalty to his country's government and belief system. When he published his heliocentric model of the solar system--in opposition to the geocentric model that had been widely accepted for hundreds of years (Hannam, 2011)-- Copernicus was making a choice between his loyalties. In an attempt t o maintain his fealty both to the established system and to what he believed, h e sat on his findings for a number of years (Fantoli, 1994). But, ultimately, Copernicus made the choice to side with his beliefs and observations above all and published his work for the world to see (even though, in doing so, he risked both his reputation and personal freedoms).
These two paragraphs provide the reasons why the author supports the main argument and uses substantiated sources to back those reasons.
The paragraph on cognitive dissonance theory gives both broad supporting evidence and more narrow, detailed supporting evidence to show why the thesis statement is correct not just anecdotally but also scientifically and psychologically. First, we see why people in general have a difficult time accepting conflicting loyalties and desires and then how this applies to individuals through the example of the cult members from the Dr. Festinger's research.
The next paragraph continues to use more detailed examples from history to provide further evidence of why the thesis that people cannot indefinitely maintain conflicting loyalties is true.
Paragraph 4
Some will claim that it is possible to maintain conflicting beliefs or loyalties permanently, but this is often more a matter of people deluding themselves and still making a choice for one side or the other, rather than truly maintaining loyalty to both sides equally. For example, Lancelot du Lac typifies a person who claims to maintain a balanced loyalty between to two parties, but his attempt to do so fails (as all attempts to permanently maintain conflicting loyalties must). Lancelot tells himself and others that he is equally devoted to both King Arthur and his court and to being Queen Guinevere's knight (Malory, 2008). But he can neither be in two places at once to protect both the king and queen, nor can he help but let his romantic feelings for the queen to interfere with his duties to the king and the kingdom. Ultimately, he and Queen Guinevere give into their feelings for one another and Lancelot—though he denies it—chooses his loyalty to her over his loyalty to Arthur. This decision plunges the kingdom into a civil war, ages Lancelot prematurely, and ultimately leads to Camelot's ruin (Raabe, 1987). Though Lancelot claimed to have been loyal to both the king and the queen, this loyalty was ultimately in conflict, and he could not maintain it.
Here we have the acknowledgement of a potential counter-argument and the evidence as to why it isn't true.
The argument is that some people (or literary characters) have asserted that they give equal weight to their conflicting loyalties. The refutation is that, though some may claim to be able to maintain conflicting loyalties, they're either lying to others or deceiving themselves. The paragraph shows why this is true by providing an example of this in action.
Paragraph 5
Whether it be through literature or history, time and time again, people demonstrate the challenges of trying to manage conflicting loyalties and the inevitable consequences of doing so. Though belief systems are malleable and will often change over time, it is not possible to maintain two mutually exclusive loyalties or beliefs at once. In the end, people always make a choice, and loyalty for one party or one side of an issue will always trump loyalty to the other.
The concluding paragraph summarizes the essay, touches on the evidence presented, and re-states the thesis statement.
Writing the best argumentative essay is all about the preparation, so let's talk steps:
If you have the option to pick your own argumentative essay topic (which you most likely will), then choose one or two topics you find the most intriguing or that you have a vested interest in and do some preliminary research on both sides of the debate.
Do an open internet search just to see what the general chatter is on the topic and what the research trends are.
Did your preliminary reading influence you to pick a side or change your side? Without diving into all the scholarly articles at length, do you believe there's enough evidence to support your claim? Have there been scientific studies? Experiments? Does a noted scholar in the field agree with you? If not, you may need to pick another topic or side of the argument to support.
Now's the time to pick the side of the argument you feel you can support the best and summarize your main point into your thesis statement.
Your thesis will be the basis of your entire essay, so make sure you know which side you're on, that you've stated it clearly, and that you stick by your argument throughout the entire essay .
You've taken a gander at what the internet at large has to say on your argument, but now's the time to actually read those sources and take notes.
Check scholarly journals online at Google Scholar , the Directory of Open Access Journals , or JStor . You can also search individual university or school libraries and websites to see what kinds of academic articles you can access for free. Keep track of your important quotes and page numbers and put them somewhere that's easy to find later.
And don't forget to check your school or local libraries as well!
Follow the five-paragraph outline structure from the previous section.
Fill in your topic, your reasons, and your supporting evidence into each of the categories.
Before you begin to flesh out the essay, take a look at what you've got. Is your thesis statement in the first paragraph? Is it clear? Is your argument logical? Does your supporting evidence support your reasoning?
By outlining your essay, you streamline your process and take care of any logic gaps before you dive headfirst into the writing. This will save you a lot of grief later on if you need to change your sources or your structure, so don't get too trigger-happy and skip this step.
Now that you've laid out exactly what you'll need for your essay and where, it's time to fill in all the gaps by writing it out.
Take it one step at a time and expand your ideas into complete sentences and substantiated claims. It may feel daunting to turn an outline into a complete draft, but just remember that you've already laid out all the groundwork; now you're just filling in the gaps.
If you have the time before deadline, give yourself a day or two (or even just an hour!) away from your essay . Looking it over with fresh eyes will allow you to see errors, both minor and major, that you likely would have missed had you tried to edit when it was still raw.
Take a first pass over the entire essay and try your best to ignore any minor spelling or grammar mistakes—you're just looking at the big picture right now. Does it make sense as a whole? Did the essay succeed in making an argument and backing that argument up logically? (Do you feel persuaded?)
If not, go back and make notes so that you can fix it for your final draft.
Once you've made your revisions to the overall structure, mark all your small errors and grammar problems so you can fix them in the next draft.
Use the notes you made on the rough draft and go in and hack and smooth away until you're satisfied with the final result.
A checklist for your final draft:
Once you've brought that final draft to a perfect polish and turned in your assignment, you're done! Go you!
Be prepared and ♪ you'll never go hungry again ♪, *cough*, or struggle with your argumentative essay-writing again. (Walt Disney Studios)
Theory is all well and good, but examples are key. Just to get you started on what a fully-fleshed out argumentative essay looks like, let's see some examples in action.
Check out these two argumentative essay examples on the use of landmines and freons (and note the excellent use of concrete sources to back up their arguments!).
The Use of Landmines
A Shattered Sky
At first, writing an argumentative essay may seem like a monstrous hurdle to overcome, but with the proper preparation and understanding, you'll be able to knock yours out of the park.
Remember the differences between a persuasive essay and an argumentative one, make sure your thesis is clear, and double-check that your supporting evidence is both relevant to your point and well-sourced . Pick your topic, do your research, make your outline, and fill in the gaps. Before you know it, you'll have yourself an A+ argumentative essay there, my friend.
Now you know the ins and outs of an argumentative essay, but how comfortable are you writing in other styles? Learn more about the four writing styles and when it makes sense to use each .
Understand how to make an argument, but still having trouble organizing your thoughts? Check out our guide to three popular essay formats and choose which one is right for you.
Ready to make your case, but not sure what to write about? We've created a list of 50 potential argumentative essay topics to spark your imagination.
How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League
How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA
How to Write an Amazing College Essay
What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?
ACT vs. SAT: Which Test Should You Take?
When should you take the SAT or ACT?
Get Your Free
Find Your Target SAT Score
Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests
Score 800 on SAT Math
Score 800 on SAT Reading and Writing
Score 600 on SAT Math
Score 600 on SAT Reading and Writing
Find Your Target ACT Score
Complete Official Free ACT Practice Tests
Get a 36 on ACT English
Get a 36 on ACT Math
Get a 36 on ACT Reading
Get a 36 on ACT Science
Get a 24 on ACT English
Get a 24 on ACT Math
Get a 24 on ACT Reading
Get a 24 on ACT Science
Stay Informed
Get the latest articles and test prep tips!
Courtney scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT in high school and went on to graduate from Stanford University with a degree in Cultural and Social Anthropology. She is passionate about bringing education and the tools to succeed to students from all backgrounds and walks of life, as she believes open education is one of the great societal equalizers. She has years of tutoring experience and writes creative works in her free time.
Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!
(Last updated: 3 June 2024)
We have helped 10,000s of undergraduate, Masters and PhD students to maximise their grades in essays, dissertations, model-exam answers, applications and other materials. If you would like a free chat about your project with one of our UK staff, then please just reach out on one of the methods below.
“The overwhelming burden of writing my first ever reflective essay loomed over me as I sat as still as a statue, as my fingers nervously poised over the intimidating buttons on my laptop keyboard. Where would I begin? Where would I end? Nerve wracking thoughts filled my mind as I fretted over the seemingly impossible journey on which I was about to embark.”
Reflective essays may seem simple on the surface, but they can be a real stumbling block if you're not quite sure how to go about them. In simple terms, reflective essays constitute a critical examination of a life experience and, with the right guidance, they're not too challenging to put together. A reflective essay is similar to other essays in that it needs to be easily understood and well structured, but the content is more akin to something personal like a diary entry.
In this guide, we explore in detail how to write a great reflective essay , including what makes a good structure and some advice on the writing process. We’ve even thrown in an example reflective essay to inspire you too, making this the ultimate guide for anyone needing reflective essay help.
There are several types of reflective papers, each serving a unique purpose. Educational reflection papers focus on your learning experiences, such as a course or a lecture, and how they have impacted your understanding. Professional reflection papers often relate to work experiences, discussing what you have learned in a professional setting and how it has shaped your skills and perspectives. Personal reflection papers delve into personal experiences and their influence on your personal growth and development.
Each of these requires a slightly different approach, but all aim to provide insight into your thoughts and experiences, demonstrating your ability to analyse and learn from them. Understanding the specific requirements of each type can help you tailor your writing to effectively convey your reflections.
In a reflective essay, a writer primarily examines his or her life experiences, hence the term ‘reflective’. The purpose of writing a reflective essay is to provide a platform for the author to not only recount a particular life experience, but to also explore how he or she has changed or learned from those experiences. Reflective writing can be presented in various formats, but you’ll most often see it in a learning log format or diary entry. Diary entries in particular are used to convey how the author’s thoughts have developed and evolved over the course of a particular period.
The format of a reflective essay may change depending on the target audience. Reflective essays can be academic, or may feature more broadly as a part of a general piece of writing for a magazine, for instance. For class assignments, while the presentation format can vary, the purpose generally remains the same: tutors aim to inspire students to think deeply and critically about a particular learning experience or set of experiences. Here are some typical examples of reflective essay formats that you may have to write:
A type of reflective essay often used by tutors as a strategy for helping students to learn how to analyse their personal life experiences to promote emotional growth and development. The essay gives the student a better understanding of both themselves and their behaviours.
This kind of essay requires students to provide a summary of the literature, after which it is applied to the student’s own life experiences.
As you go about deciding on the content of your essay, you need to keep in mind that a reflective essay is highly personal and aimed at engaging the reader or target audience. And there’s much more to a reflective essay than just recounting a story. You need to be able to reflect (more on this later) on your experience by showing how it influenced your subsequent behaviours and how your life has been particularly changed as a result.
As a starting point, you might want to think about some important experiences in your life that have really impacted you, either positively, negatively, or both. Some typical reflection essay topics include: a real-life experience, an imagined experience, a special object or place, a person who had an influence on you, or something you have watched or read. If you are writing a reflective essay as part of an academic exercise, chances are your tutor will ask you to focus on a particular episode – such as a time when you had to make an important decision – and reflect on what the outcomes were. Note also, that the aftermath of the experience is especially important in a reflective essay; miss this out and you will simply be storytelling.
It sounds obvious, but the reflective process forms the core of writing this type of essay, so it’s important you get it right from the outset. You need to really think about how the personal experience you have chosen to focus on impacted or changed you. Use your memories and feelings of the experience to determine the implications for you on a personal level.
Once you’ve chosen the topic of your essay, it’s really important you study it thoroughly and spend a lot of time trying to think about it vividly. Write down everything you can remember about it, describing it as clearly and fully as you can. Keep your five senses in mind as you do this, and be sure to use adjectives to describe your experience. At this stage, you can simply make notes using short phrases, but you need to ensure that you’re recording your responses, perceptions, and your experience of the event(s).
Once you’ve successfully emptied the contents of your memory, you need to start reflecting. A great way to do this is to pick out some reflection questions which will help you think deeper about the impact and lasting effects of your experience. Here are some useful questions that you can consider:
These signpost questions should help kick-start your reflective process. Remember, asking yourself lots of questions is key to ensuring that you think deeply and critically about your experiences – a skill that is at the heart of writing a great reflective essay.
Consider using models of reflection (like the Gibbs or Kolb cycles) before, during, and after the learning process to ensure that you maintain a high standard of analysis. For example, before you really get stuck into the process, consider questions such as: what might happen (regarding the experience)? Are there any possible challenges to keep in mind? What knowledge is needed to be best prepared to approach the experience? Then, as you’re planning and writing, these questions may be useful: what is happening within the learning process? Is the process working out as expected? Am I dealing with the accompanying challenges successfully? Is there anything that needs to be done additionally to ensure that the learning process is successful? What am I learning from this? By adopting such a framework, you’ll be ensuring that you are keeping tabs on the reflective process that should underpin your work.
Here’s a very useful tip: although you may feel well prepared with all that time spent reflecting in your arsenal, do not, start writing your essay until you have worked out a comprehensive, well-rounded plan . Your writing will be so much more coherent, your ideas conveyed with structure and clarity, and your essay will likely achieve higher marks.
This is an especially important step when you’re tackling a reflective essay – there can be a tendency for people to get a little ‘lost’ or disorganised as they recount their life experiences in an erratic and often unsystematic manner as it is a topic so close to their hearts. But if you develop a thorough outline (this is the same as a ‘plan’) and ensure you stick to it like Christopher Columbus to a map, you should do just fine as you embark on the ultimate step of writing your essay. If you need further convincing on how important planning is, we’ve summarised the key benefits of creating a detailed essay outline below:
Now you’re familiar with the benefits of using an outline for your reflective essay, it is essential that you know how to craft one. It can be considerably different from other typical essay outlines, mostly because of the varying subjects. But what remains the same, is that you need to start your outline by drafting the introduction, body and conclusion. More on this below.
As is the case with all essays, your reflective essay must begin within an introduction that contains both a hook and a thesis statement. The point of having a ‘hook’ is to grab the attention of your audience or reader from the very beginning. You must portray the exciting aspects of your story in the initial paragraph so that you stand the best chances of holding your reader’s interest. Refer back to the opening quote of this article – did it grab your attention and encourage you to read more? The thesis statement is a brief summary of the focus of the essay, which in this case is a particular experience that influenced you significantly. Remember to give a quick overview of your experience – don’t give too much information away or you risk your reader becoming disinterested.
Next up is planning the body of your essay. This can be the hardest part of the entire paper; it’s easy to waffle and repeat yourself both in the plan and in the actual writing. Have you ever tried recounting a story to a friend only for them to tell you to ‘cut the long story short’? They key here is to put plenty of time and effort into planning the body, and you can draw on the following tips to help you do this well:
Try adopting a chronological approach. This means working through everything you want to touch upon as it happened in time. This kind of approach will ensure that your work is systematic and coherent. Keep in mind that a reflective essay doesn’t necessarily have to be linear, but working chronologically will prevent you from providing a haphazard recollection of your experience. Lay out the important elements of your experience in a timeline – this will then help you clearly see how to piece your narrative together.
Ensure the body of your reflective essay is well focused and contains appropriate critique and reflection. The body should not only summarise your experience, it should explore the impact that the experience has had on your life, as well as the lessons that you have learned as a result. The emphasis should generally be on reflection as opposed to summation. A reflective posture will not only provide readers with insight on your experience, it’ll highlight your personality and your ability to deal with or adapt to particular situations.
In the conclusion of your reflective essay, you should focus on bringing your piece together by providing a summary of both the points made throughout, and what you have learned as a result. Try to include a few points on why and how your attitudes and behaviours have been changed. Consider also how your character and skills have been affected, for example: what conclusions can be drawn about your problem-solving skills? What can be concluded about your approach to specific situations? What might you do differently in similar situations in the future? What steps have you taken to consolidate everything that you have learned from your experience? Keep in mind that your tutor will be looking out for evidence of reflection at a very high standard.
Congratulations – you now have the tools to create a thorough and accurate plan which should put you in good stead for the ultimate phase indeed of any essay, the writing process.
As with all written assignments, sitting down to put pen to paper (or more likely fingers to keyboard) can be daunting. But if you have put in the time and effort fleshing out a thorough plan, you should be well prepared, which will make the writing process as smooth as possible. The following points should also help ease the writing process:
Although a reflective piece of writing is focused on personal experience, it’s important you draw on other sources to demonstrate your understanding of your experience from a theoretical perspective. It’ll show a level of analysis – and a standard of reliability in what you’re claiming – if you’re also able to validate your work against other perspectives that you find. Think about possible sources, like newspapers, surveys, books and even journal articles. Generally, the additional sources you decide to include in your work are highly dependent on your field of study. Analysing a wide range of sources, will show that you have read widely on your subject area, that you have nuanced insight into the available literature on the subject of your essay, and that you have considered the broader implications of the literature for your essay. The incorporation of other sources into your essay also helps to show that you are aware of the multi-dimensional nature of both the learning and problem-solving process.
If you want some inspiration for writing, take a look at our example of a short reflective essay , which can serve as a useful starting point for you when you set out to write your own.
To recap, the key to writing a reflective essay is demonstrating what lessons you have taken away from your experiences, and why and how you have been shaped by these lessons.
The reflective thinking process begins with you – you must consciously make an effort to identify and examine your own thoughts in relation to a particular experience. Don’t hesitate to explore any prior knowledge or experience of the topic, which will help you identify why you have formed certain opinions on the subject. Remember that central to reflective essay writing is the examination of your attitudes, assumptions and values, so be upfront about how you feel. Reflective writing can be quite therapeutic, helping you identify and clarify your strengths and weaknesses, particularly in terms of any knowledge gaps that you may have. It’s a pretty good way of improving your critical thinking skills, too. It enables you to adopt an introspective posture in analysing your experiences and how you learn/make sense of them.
If you are still having difficulties with starting the writing process, why not try mind-mapping which will help you to structure your thinking and ideas, enabling you to produce a coherent piece. Creating a mind map will ensure that your argument is written in a very systematic way that will be easy for your tutor to follow. Here’s a recap of the contents of this article, which also serves as a way to create a mind map:
1. Identify the topic you will be writing on.
2. Note down any ideas that are related to the topic and if you want to, try drawing a diagram to link together any topics, theories, and ideas.
3. Allow your ideas to flow freely, knowing that you will always have time to edit your reflective essay .
4. Consider how your ideas are connected to each other, then begin the writing process.
And finally, keep in mind that although there are descriptive elements in a reflective essay, we can’t emphasise enough how crucial it is that your work is critical, analytical, and adopts a reflective posture in terms of your experience and the lessons you have learned from it.
Cryptocurrency payments.
Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts
This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.
Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.
Reflective writing is a common genre in classrooms across disciplines. Reflections often take the form of narrative essays that summarize an experience or express changes in thinking over time. Initially, reflective writing may seem pretty straightforward; but since reflective writing summarizes personal experience, reflections can easily lose their structure and resemble stream-of-consciousness journals capturing disjointed musings focused on only the self or the past.
Critical reflection still requires a writer to consider the self and the past but adopts an argumentative structure supported by readings, theories, discussions, demonstrated changes in material conditions, and resources like post-collaboration assessments, testimonial evidence, or other data recorded during the collaboration . Common arguments in critical reflections present evidence to demonstrate learning, contextualize an experience, and evaluate impact. While critical reflections still require authors to reflect inwardly, critical reflection go es beyond the self and examine s any relevant contexts that informed the experience. Then, writers should determine how effectively their project addressed these contexts. In other words, critical reflection considers the “impact” of their project: How did it impact the writer? How did it impact others? Why is the project meaningful on a local, historical, global, and/or societal level? H ow can that impact be assessed?
In short: reflection and critical reflection both identify the facts of an experience and consider how it impacts the self. Critical reflection goes beyond this to conceive of the project’s impact at numerous levels and establish an argument for the project’s efficacy. In addition, critical reflection encourages self-assessment—we critically reflect to change our actions, strategies, and approaches and potentially consider these alternative methods.
Double-entry journaling is a helpful strategy for you to document data, observations, and analysis throughout the entire course of a community-based project. It is a useful practice for projects involving primary research, secondary research, or a combination of both. In its most basic form, a double-entry journal is a form of notetaking where a writer can keep track of any useful sources, notes on those sources, observations, thoughts, and feelings—all in one place.
For community-based projects, this might involve:
This allows you to document both your data and your analysis of that data throughout the life of the project. This activity can act as a blueprint for your critical reflection by providing you with a thorough account of how your thinking developed throughout the life of a project.
The format of a double-entry journal is meant to be flexible, tailored to both your unique notetaking practice and your specific project. It can be used to analyze readings from class, observations from research, or even quantitative data relevant to your project.
Getting started is often the hardest part in writing. To get your critical reflection started, you can identify the What , So What , and Now What? of your project. The table below presents questions that can guide your inquiry . If you’re currently drafting, we have a freewriting activity below to help you develop content.
| |
| |
|
Freewrite your answers to these questions; that is, respond to these questions without worrying about grammar, sentence structure, or even the quality of your ideas. At this stage, your primary concern is getting something on the page. Once you’re ready to begin drafting your critical reflection, you can return to these ideas and refine them.
Below are some additional prompts you can use to begin your freewriting. These reflection stems can organize the ideas that you developed while freewriting and place them in a more formal context.
Y our critical reflection is a space to make an argument about the impact of your project . This means your primary objective is to determine what kind of impact your project had on you and the world around you. Impact can be defined as the material changes, either positive or negative, that result from an intervention , program , or initiative . Impact can be considered at three different reflective levels: inward, outward, and exploratory.
Inward reflection requires the writer to examine how the project affected the self. Outward reflection explores the impact the project had on others. Additionally, you can conceptualize your project’s impact in relation to a specific organization or society overall, depending on the project’s scope. Finally, exploratory reflection asks writers to consider how impact is measured and assessed in the context of their project to ultimately determine: What does impact look like for the work that I’m doing? How do I evaluate this? How do we store, archive, or catalog this work for institutional memory? And what are the next steps?
This process is cyclical in nature; in other words, it’s unlikely you will start with inward reflection, move to outward reflection, and finish with exploratory reflection. As you conceptualize impact and consider it at each level, you will find areas of overlap between each reflective level.
Finally, if you’re having trouble conceptualizing impact or determining how your project impacted you and the world around you, ask yourself:
These questions can guide additional freewriting about your project. Once you’ve finished freewriting responses to these questions, spend some time away from the document and return to it later. Then, analyze your freewriting for useful pieces of information that could be incorporated into a draft.
Now that you have determined the “What, So What, Now What” of your project and explored its impact at different reflective levels, you are ready to begin drafting your critical reflection.
If you’re stuck or find yourself struggling to structure your critical reflection, the OWL’s “ Writing Process ” [embe ded link ] resource may offer additional places to start. That said, another drafting strategy is centering the argument you intend to make.
Your critical reflection is an argument for the impact your project has made at multiple levels; as such, much of your critical reflections will include pieces of evidence to support this argument. To begin identifying these pieces of evidence, return to your “reflection stem” responses . Your evidence might include :
As you compile this evidence, you will ulti mately be compiling ways to support an argument about your project’s efficacy and impact .
Reflective writing and critical reflections are academic genres that offer value to the discourse of any field. Oftentimes, these reflective texts are composed for the classroom, but there are other venues for your critical reflections, too.
For example, Purdue University is home to the Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement ( PJSL ) which publishes student reflective texts and reflections with research components. Although PJSL only accepts submissions from Purdue students, other journals like this one may exist at your campus. Other venues like the Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Impact publish reflective essays from scholars across institutions, and journals in your chosen discipline may also have interest in reflective writing.
Document explaining the theories, concepts, literature, strategies that informed the creation of this content page.
Writing a reflective essay is like deep diving into your experiences and thoughts and sharing what you've learned.
It's not your typical academic paper – it's more about exploring your personal growth and understanding. Reflective essays are about looking back on moments in your life, analyzing how they've shaped you, and expressing those insights clearly and meaningfully.
From how to start a reflective essay to what kinds of stylistic devices to use, this article will teach you how to offer readers a glimpse into the complexities of your human experience as a human being.
A reflective essay is a type of personal writing where the author delves into their thoughts, emotions, and experiences regarding a particular topic, event, or aspect of their life.
Unlike other forms of academic writing, it focuses on the writer's introspection and self-analysis, often exploring how they have been affected or changed by their experiences.
Reflective essays typically involve a structured approach in which the writer examines the significance of their experiences, considers lessons learned, and considers how they might apply these insights in the future.
Should you need urgent help with this assignment, use our essay writing service without hesitation.
Composing a reflective essay provides a platform for individuals to explore and analyze their experiences, thoughts, and emotions in a structured manner. Through reflection, writers can gain deeper insights into themselves, their beliefs, and their actions.
Reflective essays provide opportunities for self-discovery, growth, and learning. They encourage individuals to critically examine their experiences, identify patterns, and understand how they have been shaped by various factors.
Additionally, reflective essays allow custom writers to communicate their insights and perspectives to others, fostering empathy, understanding, and connection.
Reflective essays can take various forms depending on the purpose, audience, and context. Some common types include:
Personal Reflection | This type focuses on personal experiences, feelings, and insights, allowing the writer to deeply explore their thoughts and emotions. |
---|---|
Professional Reflection | They are common in fields such as education, healthcare, and business. They involve reflecting on professional experiences, challenges, and learning outcomes, often to improve practice or decision-making. |
Academic Reflection | Are typically assigned in educational settings to encourage students to critically analyze their learning experiences, academic achievements, and areas for improvement. |
Creative Reflection | Combines personal experiences with creative expression, such as poetry, artwork, or storytelling, to convey insights and emotions uniquely and engagingly. |
Experiential Reflection | Focuses on specific experiences or events, such as internships, volunteer work, or travel experiences. This will allow the writer to reflect on what they learned and how it has impacted them. |
Critical Reflection | Involves a deeper level of analysis and evaluation, where the writer critically examines their experiences, beliefs, and assumptions, often drawing on theoretical frameworks or academic literature to support their arguments. |
Starting a reflective essay can be approached in various ways, but here are a few effective strategies to consider:
Capture your reader's attention by sharing a brief, compelling story or anecdote related to the topic you'll be reflecting on. This can set the tone for your essay and draw readers in from the start.
Start with a question that prompts readers to think deeply about the topic you'll explore in your reflection. This can create curiosity and encourage engagement right from the beginning.
Offer some background information or context about the experience or topic you'll reflect on. This will help orient your readers and give them a foundation for understanding your reflection.
Clearly state your reflective essay's main idea or thesis in the introduction. This gives readers a preview of what to expect and directs your reflection.
Begin with a relevant quotation that sets the tone for your reflection and encapsulates what you'll discuss in your essay. Make sure the quotation is meaningful and resonates with your topic.
Open with a bold statement or assertion that captures the essence of your reflection. This can be a striking observation, a personal revelation, or a philosophical insight related to your topic.
Recommended for reading: Academic Essay Guide.
Writing a reflective essay involves several key steps:
Choosing a meaningful topic is pivotal as it sets the foundation for your reflective essay. Consider moments that have left a profound impact or triggered significant growth. These can range from personal experiences and academic achievements to challenges overcome.
Selecting a topic involves considering personal experiences that have significantly impacted you. Here's how to choose a topic before writing a reflective essay:
An organized outline is a blueprint for your reflective essay, ensuring a structured and coherent narrative flow. Begin by outlining the main points you intend to explore in each section, including the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
Structure your outline logically, allowing for smooth transitions between ideas and reflections. Consider the overarching themes and insights you wish to convey, ensuring they are seamlessly integrated into your essay's framework.
Through outlining, you streamline the writing process and maintain a cohesive narrative that captivates your audience and effectively communicates your reflections.
Reflection and brainstorming are the cornerstones of a reflective essay, allowing you to delve deep into your thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Take the time to introspect on your chosen topic, exploring the nuances of your feelings, reactions, and lessons learned.
Embrace moments of vulnerability and introspection, as they can lead to genuine insights and self-awareness. Through brainstorming, jot down key moments, reflections, and realizations that have shaped your perspective.
This process enriches your writing and fosters personal growth and understanding as you navigate through the complexities of your experiences.
Crafting a compelling thesis statement is essential as it encapsulates your reflective essay's core message or insight.
Your thesis serves as a roadmap, guiding both you and your readers through the narrative journey ahead. It should concisely summarize your reflection's central theme or purpose, offering a glimpse into the key aspects of your experience and its significance.
A well-crafted thesis statement provides clarity and focus and sets the tone for the rest of your essay. It acts as a beacon, directing your efforts toward articulating your reflections cohesively while inviting readers to delve deeper into the complexities of your narrative.
Writing, reflecting, and revising are iterative processes culminating in a polished reflective essay.
Draft your essay, beginning with a compelling introduction that sets the stage for your reflection. Dive into the body paragraphs, exploring specific aspects of your experience and their implications. Incorporate personal anecdotes, observations, and reflections to enrich your narrative, fostering a deeper connection with your readers. Alternatively, you can buy an essay online to avoid having to do everything on your own.
As you write, reflect on your journey, acknowledging the growth and insights gained along the way. Finally, revise your essay for clarity, coherence, and impact, ensuring that your reflections are articulated effectively and leave a lasting impression on your audience.
Through this process, you refine your writing and deepen your understanding of yourself and others.
Before you start writing any content for your essay, it would be wise to draw up an outline of your document:
Introduction | |
---|---|
Body Paragraphs | |
Conclusion |
As we know, a reflective essay involves examining your experiences and expressing how they influenced you. Here are seven useful and practical tips to help you write an effective essay about self-reflection:
Choose a specific incident or moment that had a profound impact on you. Narrowing your focus to a single event or series of related events can make your reflection deeper and more meaningful.
Use questions to guide your reflection. For example:
Answering these questions can help you explore your thoughts and emotions more thoroughly.
If relevant, connect your personal experiences with theoretical concepts or lessons you've learned in your studies or professional life. This can add a layer of intellectual reflection to your reflective essays and demonstrate your ability to apply theory to practice.
Incorporate direct quotes or internal monologue from the experience. This adds authenticity and gives readers insight into your immediate reactions and thoughts during the event.
Employ phrases that indicate reflection, such as "I realized," "I learned," "This made me think," "I understood that," etc. This helps convey your introspective process to the reader.
Think outside the box – use a professional writing service!
Recommended for reading: Definition Essay Examples .
Reflective essays are super important for students because they help you think about what you've learned and how you've grown. They make you reflect on your experiences, figure out what went well and what didn't, and understand how it fits into your life.
By doing this, you don't just memorize stuff for a test – you get why it matters and how it applies to real life. Plus, reflecting like this helps you improve at thinking things through, understanding yourself, and solving problems.
Count on the support of our professional writers for a top-notch academic paper
What are the parts of a typical reflective essay, what is a reflective essay format.
Daniel Parker
is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.
is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.
The structure of a persuasive essay, cc attribution, an argument is a reasoned opinion supported and explained by evidence, on a debatable subject..
Very often, the idea of an argument c onjures up images of two people yelling and screaming in anger.
In writing, however, an argument is very different. The purpose of argument or persuasion in writing is to convince, motivate, or move readers toward a certain point of view, or opinion. The act of trying to persuade automatically implies that more than one opinion on the subject can be argued.
Written arguments often fail when they employ ranting rather than reasoning.
Most of us feel inclined to try to win the arguments we enter. On some level, we all want to be right, and we want others to see the error of their ways. More times than not, however, arguments in which both sides try to win end up producing losers all around. The more productive approach is to persuade your audience to consider your opinion as a valid one, not simply the right one.
The following five features make up the structure of a persuasive essay:
3.7 Rhetorical Modes of Writing Copyright © 2022 by Kathryn Crowther; Lauren Curtright; Nancy Gilbert; Barbara Hall; Tracienne Ravita; Kirk Swenson; Ann Inoshita; Karyl Garland; Kate Sims; Jeanne K. Tsutsui Keuma; Tasha Williams; Susan Wood; and Terri Pantuso. Accessed August 19, 2024. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License .
1st Edition: A Guide to Rhetoric, Genre, and Success in First-Year Writing (No Longer Updated) by Melanie Gagich & Emilie Zickel. Accessed August 19, 2024. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
50 best reflective essay examples (+topic samples).
If you have ever read reflective essay examples, you would know that these types of written works examine the writer’s life experiences . When you write a reflective paper example, you write about your own experiences and explore how you’ve changed, grown or developed because of those experiences. There’s no standard format for this essay as it may vary depending on the target audience.
Table of Contents
A reflective essay is a type of written work which reflects your own self. Since it’s about yourself, you already have a topic to write about. For reflective essay examples, readers expect you to evaluate a specific part of your life. To do this, you may reflect on emotions, memories, and feelings you’ve experienced at that time.
Since you’re writing reflection essay samples about yourself, make sure that they’re interesting and exciting. This is very important so that your readers don’t get bored with what you’ve written. Reflective essays are very personal thus, they’re a special type of essay. As you write one, you need to reflect, think, and explain.
In the essay, you should demonstrate and describe different feelings or emotions which you’ve felt in the past. These statements breathe life into your essay as your readers start picturing what you’ve written in their minds. Reflective essays are very honest, personal, and emotional, especially those which describe painful experiences.
As aforementioned, reflective essay examples don’t have a standard format. They seem easy enough to write but once you’ve sat down to start writing, you may suddenly find the task very challenging! Besides the format, you must think about the life experience you want to write about and remember everything about it.
A reflective paper example is a lot like a personal journal or diary. Of course, the difference is that other people will read your essay. Therefore, you must write it with good structure and coherence. In this regard, reflective essays are a lot like the other types of essays too.
When writing a reflective essay, you will have to examine your own life experiences. The purpose of writing such an essay is to provide yourself with a platform to share your most meaningful life experiences with other people. You can also use it as a way to explore how your experiences have changed you as a person.
You can present reflective writing in different formats. Most of the time though, people use a learning log or a diary entry format. You can use these formats and others. Just make sure that your essay has a good flow and that it’s easy for other readers to understand.
The format to use for your reflection essay samples would depend on your target audience. You can make an academic reflective essay or you can make it as a general and informal piece of writing. If you need to write the essay for a class assignment, follow the format given to you by your teacher.
No matter what format you choose, you may write an essay which:
Before you write your reflective essay examples, you must create an outline for them. Although you’d write about your own life, creating an outline gives structure to your essay to serve as a guide for what you want to write about.
Whether you need to write an essay for school, for a magazine or for any other reason, creating an outline is the very first step. With a good outline, you have a better idea of how your essay will flow from one paragraph to the next all the way to the conclusion.
When creating the outline of your reflective paper example, keep it organized. Develop the outline gradually and put a lot of thought into it. In doing this, you make the writing process much easier. Here is a rundown of the steps involved in the essay-writing process:
As you think about the content of your reflection essay samples, remember that the important thing is that such an essay must be highly personal but also engaging to readers. There’s so much more to reflective essays than just writing your story. You must also reflect on your experiences to engage your audiences.
For your starting point, think about the most significant experiences you had in your life. Those which had either a negative or a positive impact on you as a person. If the reflective essay is a school assignment, your professor would probably specify what you must write about. Here are some tips for you for writing your reflective paper example:
Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.
Published on September 4, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.
An essay is a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays.
Argumentative and expository essays are focused on conveying information and making clear points, while narrative and descriptive essays are about exercising creativity and writing in an interesting way. At university level, argumentative essays are the most common type.
Essay type | Skills tested | Example prompt |
---|---|---|
Has the rise of the internet had a positive or negative impact on education? | ||
Explain how the invention of the printing press changed European society in the 15th century. | ||
Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself. | ||
Describe an object that has sentimental value for you. |
In high school and college, you will also often have to write textual analysis essays, which test your skills in close reading and interpretation.
Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes
Argumentative essays, expository essays, narrative essays, descriptive essays, textual analysis essays, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about types of essays.
An argumentative essay presents an extended, evidence-based argument. It requires a strong thesis statement —a clearly defined stance on your topic. Your aim is to convince the reader of your thesis using evidence (such as quotations ) and analysis.
Argumentative essays test your ability to research and present your own position on a topic. This is the most common type of essay at college level—most papers you write will involve some kind of argumentation.
The essay is divided into an introduction, body, and conclusion:
The example below is a paragraph from the body of an argumentative essay about the effects of the internet on education. Mouse over it to learn more.
A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.
An expository essay provides a clear, focused explanation of a topic. It doesn’t require an original argument, just a balanced and well-organized view of the topic.
Expository essays test your familiarity with a topic and your ability to organize and convey information. They are commonly assigned at high school or in exam questions at college level.
The introduction of an expository essay states your topic and provides some general background, the body presents the details, and the conclusion summarizes the information presented.
A typical body paragraph from an expository essay about the invention of the printing press is shown below. Mouse over it to learn more.
The invention of the printing press in 1440 changed this situation dramatically. Johannes Gutenberg, who had worked as a goldsmith, used his knowledge of metals in the design of the press. He made his type from an alloy of lead, tin, and antimony, whose durability allowed for the reliable production of high-quality books. This new technology allowed texts to be reproduced and disseminated on a much larger scale than was previously possible. The Gutenberg Bible appeared in the 1450s, and a large number of printing presses sprang up across the continent in the following decades. Gutenberg’s invention rapidly transformed cultural production in Europe; among other things, it would lead to the Protestant Reformation.
A narrative essay is one that tells a story. This is usually a story about a personal experience you had, but it may also be an imaginative exploration of something you have not experienced.
Narrative essays test your ability to build up a narrative in an engaging, well-structured way. They are much more personal and creative than other kinds of academic writing . Writing a personal statement for an application requires the same skills as a narrative essay.
A narrative essay isn’t strictly divided into introduction, body, and conclusion, but it should still begin by setting up the narrative and finish by expressing the point of the story—what you learned from your experience, or why it made an impression on you.
Mouse over the example below, a short narrative essay responding to the prompt “Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself,” to explore its structure.
Since elementary school, I have always favored subjects like science and math over the humanities. My instinct was always to think of these subjects as more solid and serious than classes like English. If there was no right answer, I thought, why bother? But recently I had an experience that taught me my academic interests are more flexible than I had thought: I took my first philosophy class.
Before I entered the classroom, I was skeptical. I waited outside with the other students and wondered what exactly philosophy would involve—I really had no idea. I imagined something pretty abstract: long, stilted conversations pondering the meaning of life. But what I got was something quite different.
A young man in jeans, Mr. Jones—“but you can call me Rob”—was far from the white-haired, buttoned-up old man I had half-expected. And rather than pulling us into pedantic arguments about obscure philosophical points, Rob engaged us on our level. To talk free will, we looked at our own choices. To talk ethics, we looked at dilemmas we had faced ourselves. By the end of class, I’d discovered that questions with no right answer can turn out to be the most interesting ones.
The experience has taught me to look at things a little more “philosophically”—and not just because it was a philosophy class! I learned that if I let go of my preconceptions, I can actually get a lot out of subjects I was previously dismissive of. The class taught me—in more ways than one—to look at things with an open mind.
A descriptive essay provides a detailed sensory description of something. Like narrative essays, they allow you to be more creative than most academic writing, but they are more tightly focused than narrative essays. You might describe a specific place or object, rather than telling a whole story.
Descriptive essays test your ability to use language creatively, making striking word choices to convey a memorable picture of what you’re describing.
A descriptive essay can be quite loosely structured, though it should usually begin by introducing the object of your description and end by drawing an overall picture of it. The important thing is to use careful word choices and figurative language to create an original description of your object.
Mouse over the example below, a response to the prompt “Describe a place you love to spend time in,” to learn more about descriptive essays.
On Sunday afternoons I like to spend my time in the garden behind my house. The garden is narrow but long, a corridor of green extending from the back of the house, and I sit on a lawn chair at the far end to read and relax. I am in my small peaceful paradise: the shade of the tree, the feel of the grass on my feet, the gentle activity of the fish in the pond beside me.
My cat crosses the garden nimbly and leaps onto the fence to survey it from above. From his perch he can watch over his little kingdom and keep an eye on the neighbours. He does this until the barking of next door’s dog scares him from his post and he bolts for the cat flap to govern from the safety of the kitchen.
With that, I am left alone with the fish, whose whole world is the pond by my feet. The fish explore the pond every day as if for the first time, prodding and inspecting every stone. I sometimes feel the same about sitting here in the garden; I know the place better than anyone, but whenever I return I still feel compelled to pay attention to all its details and novelties—a new bird perched in the tree, the growth of the grass, and the movement of the insects it shelters…
Sitting out in the garden, I feel serene. I feel at home. And yet I always feel there is more to discover. The bounds of my garden may be small, but there is a whole world contained within it, and it is one I will never get tired of inhabiting.
Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:
See an example
Though every essay type tests your writing skills, some essays also test your ability to read carefully and critically. In a textual analysis essay, you don’t just present information on a topic, but closely analyze a text to explain how it achieves certain effects.
A rhetorical analysis looks at a persuasive text (e.g. a speech, an essay, a political cartoon) in terms of the rhetorical devices it uses, and evaluates their effectiveness.
The goal is not to state whether you agree with the author’s argument but to look at how they have constructed it.
The introduction of a rhetorical analysis presents the text, some background information, and your thesis statement; the body comprises the analysis itself; and the conclusion wraps up your analysis of the text, emphasizing its relevance to broader concerns.
The example below is from a rhetorical analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech . Mouse over it to learn more.
King’s speech is infused with prophetic language throughout. Even before the famous “dream” part of the speech, King’s language consistently strikes a prophetic tone. He refers to the Lincoln Memorial as a “hallowed spot” and speaks of rising “from the dark and desolate valley of segregation” to “make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” The assumption of this prophetic voice constitutes the text’s strongest ethical appeal; after linking himself with political figures like Lincoln and the Founding Fathers, King’s ethos adopts a distinctly religious tone, recalling Biblical prophets and preachers of change from across history. This adds significant force to his words; standing before an audience of hundreds of thousands, he states not just what the future should be, but what it will be: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This warning is almost apocalyptic in tone, though it concludes with the positive image of the “bright day of justice.” The power of King’s rhetoric thus stems not only from the pathos of his vision of a brighter future, but from the ethos of the prophetic voice he adopts in expressing this vision.
A literary analysis essay presents a close reading of a work of literature—e.g. a poem or novel—to explore the choices made by the author and how they help to convey the text’s theme. It is not simply a book report or a review, but an in-depth interpretation of the text.
Literary analysis looks at things like setting, characters, themes, and figurative language. The goal is to closely analyze what the author conveys and how.
The introduction of a literary analysis essay presents the text and background, and provides your thesis statement; the body consists of close readings of the text with quotations and analysis in support of your argument; and the conclusion emphasizes what your approach tells us about the text.
Mouse over the example below, the introduction to a literary analysis essay on Frankenstein , to learn more.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, protagonist Victor Frankenstein is a stable representation of the callous ambition of modern science throughout the novel. This essay, however, argues that far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as. This essay begins by exploring the positive portrayal of Frankenstein in the first volume, then moves on to the creature’s perception of him, and finally discusses the third volume’s narrative shift toward viewing Frankenstein as the creature views him.
If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!
College essays
(AI) Tools
At high school and in composition classes at university, you’ll often be told to write a specific type of essay , but you might also just be given prompts.
Look for keywords in these prompts that suggest a certain approach: The word “explain” suggests you should write an expository essay , while the word “describe” implies a descriptive essay . An argumentative essay might be prompted with the word “assess” or “argue.”
The vast majority of essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Almost all academic writing involves building up an argument, though other types of essay might be assigned in composition classes.
Essays can present arguments about all kinds of different topics. For example:
An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.
An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.
The key difference is that a narrative essay is designed to tell a complete story, while a descriptive essay is meant to convey an intense description of a particular place, object, or concept.
Narrative and descriptive essays both allow you to write more personally and creatively than other kinds of essays , and similar writing skills can apply to both.
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). The Four Main Types of Essay | Quick Guide with Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved August 21, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/essay-types/
Other students also liked, how to write an argumentative essay | examples & tips, how to write an expository essay, how to write an essay outline | guidelines & examples, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".
I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”
1564 Accesses
13 Citations
7 Altmetric
Explore all metrics
Why do we formulate arguments? Usually, things such as persuading opponents, finding consensus, and justifying knowledge are listed as functions of arguments. But arguments can also be used to stimulate reflection on one’s own reasoning. Since this cognitive function of arguments should be important to improve the quality of people’s arguments and reasoning, for learning processes, for coping with “wicked problems,” and for the resolution of conflicts, it deserves to be studied in its own right. This contribution develops first steps towards a theory of reflective argumentation. It provides a definition of reflective argumentation, justifies its importance, delineates it from other cognitive functions of argumentation in a new classification of argument functions, and it discusses how reflection on one’s own reasoning can be stimulated by arguments.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Subscribe and save.
Price includes VAT (Russian Federation)
Instant access to the full article PDF.
Rent this article via DeepDyve
Institutional subscriptions
Explore related subjects.
See for different classifications of argument functions along these lines, but with varying terminology, Wenzel ( 1979 ), Walton ( 1989 , pp. 3–10), Tindale ( 1999 , pp. 1–6), and Lumer ( 2005b ). A longer list of seven “uses of argument” has been provided by Blair ( 2004 , pp. 139–141). Focusing on “The Uses of Argument in Communicative Contexts,” Pinto ( 2010 ) provided a detailed overview “of the main categories of effect which arguments can have, and the main sub-types within each category” (p. 227). In Sect. 3 of this paper I will re-organize all these approaches in a new classification of argument functions or uses.
I am grateful to Martin Eppler who pointed out in personal communication that finding out which beliefs and values one perceives as important or which value differences can lead to disagreements could also be a function of reflective argumentation.
Note that my view that intentions are necessary for arguments is not shared by David Hitchcock. In personal communication he pointed out that my view implies that arguments are tokens, not types. But this should not pose any problem since we can refer to the same token when we talk about an argument, or if we interpret two arguments as being identical, we can say these are tokens of the same type.
Alternatively, as Goddu ( 2009 , p. 10) suggests, the definition of argument could be extended by allowing that premises can be both assertives and what he calls “suppositives,” i.e., propositions that are just supposed, hypothesized, or pretended.
This is indeed the position Van Eemeren et al. ( 2014 ) hold in their Handbook of Argumentation Theory: “In our usage … a communicative activity that is not aimed at resolving a difference of opinion is not considered as argumentation” (p. 2, Fn. 1).
My thanks go to an anonymous reviewer for this example.
Elsewhere, I show how such an approach to stimulate a change of perspective with regard to wicked problems can be realized in ethics education (Hoffmann and Borenstein 2014 ).
See, for example, Bar-Tal ( 2007 ). Earlier versions of the following considerations have been published in Hoffmann ( 2008 ), particularly pp. 4–10, and Hoffmann ( 2011a ), pp. 141–147.
There is a huge and ever growing literature in cognitive science and related disciplines on “diagrammatic” or “model-based reasoning,” and in educational sciences on the role of representations for learning. Since it would be impossible to discuss all this here, I limit myself to a few ideas that are central to my approach to reflective argumentation. These ideas go back to what Peirce developed more than a hundred years ago.
Lawson himself provides as an example Paul Loewi’s discovery that the neuronal stimulation of muscles is triggered by chemical, not electrical signals (Lawson 2006 , pp. 111–113). A more comprehensive representation of Loewi’s reasoning pattern than the one provided by Lawson is developed in Hoffmann ( 2014a ); see also Hoffmann ( 2014b ). Additionally, Hoffmann ( 2014c ) provides a template for the testing of hypotheses in biomedical research in general. It includes also things such as the justification of appropriate sample sizes in experiments.
This argument is presented in more detail in an argument map that is part of the supplementary material to this article (Online Resource 2).
Andriessen, J.E.B., M. Baker, and D.D. Suthers (eds.). 2003a. Arguing to learn. Confronting cognitions in computer-supported collaborative learning environments . Dordrecht: Kluwer.
Google Scholar
Andriessen, J.E.B., G. Erkens, C.V.D. Laak, N. Peters, and P. Coirier. 2003b. Argumentation as negotiation in electronic collaborative writing. In Arguing to learn. Confronting cognitions in computer-supported collaborative learning environments , ed. J.E.B. Andriessen, M. Baker, and D.D. Suthers, 79–115. Dordrecht: Kluwer.
Arnauld, A., and P. Nicole. 1996 <1683>. Logic, or, the art of thinking: Containing, besides common rules, several new observations appropriate for forming judgment, 5th ed., rev. and newly augmented . Trans. J. V. Buroker. Cambridge; New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Baker, M. 2003. Computer-mediated argumentative interactions for the co-elaboration of scientific notions. In Arguing to learn. Confronting cognitions in computer-supported collaborative learning environments , ed. J. Andriessen, M. Baker, and D.D. Suthers, 47–78. Dordrecht: Kluwer.
Bar-Tal, D. 2007. Sociopsychological foundations of intractable conflicts. American Behavioral Scientist 50: 1430–1453.
Article Google Scholar
Belland, B.R., K.D. Glazewski, and J.C. Richardson. 2008. A scaffolding framework to support the construction of evidence-based arguments among middle school students. Educational Technology Research and Development 56(4): 401–422. doi: 10.1007/s11423-007-9074-1 .
Blair, J.A. 2004. Argument and its uses. Informal Logic 24(2). Retrieved from http://ojs.uwindsor.ca/ojs/leddy/index.php/informal_logic/article/view/2140 .
Buchanan, A. 2002. Social moral epistemology. Social Philosophy & Policy 19(2): 126–152.
Buckingham Shum, S. 2003. The roots of computer-supported argument visualization. In Visualizing argumentation: Software tools for collaborative and educational sense-making , ed. P.A. Kirschner, S.J. Buckingham-Shum, and C.S. Carr, 3–24. London: Springer.
Chapter Google Scholar
Buratti, S., and C.M. Allwood. 2015. Regulating metacognitive processes—support for a meta-metacognitive ability. In Metacognition. Fundaments, applications, and trends: a profile of the current state-of-the-art , ed. A. Peña-Ayala, 17–38. New York: Springer.
Buroker, J.V. 1996. Introduction (Trans. J.V. Buroker). In Logic, or, the art of thinking , ed. A. Arnauld, and P. Nicole, ix–xxvi. Cambridge; New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Campitelli, G., and M. Labollita. 2010. Correlations of cognitive reflection with judgments and choices. Judgment and Decision Making 5(3): 182–191.
Chaiken, S., and Y. Trope. 1999. Dual-process theories in social psychology . New York: Guilford Press.
Conklin, J. 2006. Dialogue mapping: Building shared understanding of wicked problems . Chichester, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Dillenbourg, P. 2002. Over-scripting CSCL: The risks of blending collaborative learning with instructional design. In Three worlds of CSCL. Can we support CSCL? , ed. P.A. Kirschner, 61–91. Heerlen: Open Universiteit Nederland.
Dillenbourg, P., and F. Hong. 2008. The mechanics of CSCL macro scripts. International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning 3(1): 5–23. doi: 10.1007/s11412-007-9033-1 .
Dillenbourg, P., and P. Tchounikine. 2007. Flexibility in macro-scripts for computer-supported collaborative learning. Journal of Computer Assisted learning 23(1): 1–13. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2729.2007.00191.x .
Diogenes-Laertius. 1925. Lives of eminent philosophers. Ed. and trans. by R.D. Hicks. London, New York: W. Heinemann; G.P. Putnam’s sons.
Donohue, W.A., R.G. Rogan, and S. Kaufman (eds.). 2011. Framing matters: Perspectives on negotiation research and practice in communication . New York, NY: Peter Lang.
Dunlosky, J., and J. Metcalfe. 2009. Metacognition . Los Angeles: SAGE.
Dwyer, C.P., M.J. Hogan, and I. Stewart. 2015. The effects of argument mapping-infused critical thinking instruction on reflective judgement performance. Thinking Skills and Creativity 16: 11–26. doi: 10.1016/j.tsc.2014.12.002 .
Epstein, S. 1994. Integration of the cognitive and psychodynamic unconscious. American Psychologist 49(8): 709–724. doi: 10.1037//0003-066x.49.8.709 .
Euclid. 1956. The thirteen books of the elements . New York: Dover Publications, Inc.
Facione, P.A. 1990. Critical thinking: A statement of expert consensus for purposes of educational assessment and instruction. Research findings and recommendations retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED315423&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED315423 .
Flavell, J.H. 1979. Metacognition and cognitive monitoring: A new area of cognitive-developmental inquiry. American Psychologist 34(10): 906–911.
Fogelin, R. 1985. The logic of deep disagreements. Informal Logic 7: 1–8.
Frederick, S. 2005. Cognitive reflection and decision making. Journal of Economic Perspectives 19(4): 25–42. doi: 10.1257/089533005775196732 .
Goddu, G.C. 2009. Refining Hitchcock’s definition of ‘Argument’. In Proceedings of the 8th international conference of the Ontario society for the study of argumentation (OSSA) , 1–12. Retrieved from http://scholar.uwindsor.ca/ossaarchive/OSSA8/papersandcommentaries/55/ .
Goldman, A.I. 1994. Argumentation and social epistemology. The Journal of Philosophy 91(1): 27–49.
Goldman, A.I. 1999. Knowledge in a social world . Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Book Google Scholar
Goldman, A.I. 2003. An epistemological approach to argumentation. Informal Logic 23: 51–63.
Haack, S. 2003. Defending science–within reason. Between scientism and cynicism . Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.
Harman, G. 1986. Change in view: Principles of reasoning . Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Harrell, M. 2011. Argument diagramming and critical thinking in introductory philosophy. Higher Education Research & Development 30(3): 371–385. doi: 10.1080/07294360.2010.502559 .
Harrell, M. 2012. Assessing the efficacy of argument diagramming to teach critical thinking skills in introduction to philosophy. Inquiry 27(2): 31–38.
Hintikka, J. 2007. Socratic epistemology: Explorations of knowledge-seeking by questioning . Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press.
Hitchcock, D. 2007. Informal logic and the concept of argument. In Philosophy of logic , ed. D. Jaquette, 101–129. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Hoffmann, M.H.G. 2004. How to get it. Diagrammatic reasoning as a tool of knowledge development and its pragmatic dimension. Foundations of Science 9(3): 285–305.
Hoffmann, M.H.G. 2005a. Logical argument mapping: A method for overcoming cognitive problems of conflict management. International Journal of Conflict Management 16(4): 304–334.
Hoffmann, M.H.G. 2005b. Signs as means for discoveries. Peirce and his concepts of ‘Diagrammatic Reasoning’, ‘Theorematic Deduction’, ‘Hypostatic Abstraction’, and ‘Theoric Transformation’. In Activity and sign—grounding mathematics education , ed. M.H.G. Hoffmann, J. Lenhard, and F. Seeger, 45–56. New York: Springer.
Hoffmann, M.H.G. 2008. Reflective argumentation. Georgia Tech’s School of Public Policy Working Paper Series, 44 . http://www.spp.gatech.edu/publications/working-papers/reflective-argumentation .
Hoffmann, M.H.G. 2011a. Analyzing framing processes in conflicts and communication by means of logical argument mapping. In Framing matters: Perspectives on negotiation research and practice in communication , W.A. Donohue, R.G. Rogan & S. Kaufman, pp. 136–164. New York, NY: Peter Lang (pre-print available at http://works.bepress.com/michael_hoffmann/37/ ).
Hoffmann, M.H.G. 2011b. Cognitive conditions of diagrammatic reasoning. Semiotica 186(1/4): 189–212.
Hoffmann, M.H.G. 2011c. “Theoric Transformations” and a new classification of abductive inferences. Transactions of the Charles S Peirce Society 46(4): 570–590.
Hoffmann, M.H.G. 2014a. Argument map: Developing scientific hypotheses and experimental designs in form of an argumentation. Loewi’s crucial experiment on chemical neurotransmission. Retrieved from http://works.bepress.com/michael_hoffmann/49 .
Hoffmann, M.H.G. 2014b. Argument map: Loewi’s argument that neuro-transmission works with chemical signals instead of electrical (short version). Retrieved from http://works.bepress.com/michael_hoffmann/50 .
Hoffmann, M.H.G. 2014c. Hypothesis generation and testing: A template for biomedical research (argument map). Retrieved from http://works.bepress.com/michael_hoffmann/48 .
Hoffmann, M.H.G. 2015. Changing philosophy through technology: Complexity and computer-supported collaborative argument mapping. Philosophy & Technology 28(2): 167–188. doi: 10.1007/s13347-013-0143-6 .
Hoffmann, M.H.G., and J. Borenstein. 2014. Understanding ill-structured engineering ethics problems through a collaborative learning and argument visualization approach. Science and Engineering Ethics 20(1): 261–276. doi: 10.1007/s11948-013-9430-y .
Hoffmann, M.H.G., and M. Plöger. 2000. Mathematik als Prozess der Verallgemeinerung von Zeichen: Eine exemplarische Unterrichtseinheit zur Entdeckung der Inkommensurabilität. Zeitschrift für Semiotik 22(1): 81–114.
Inhelder, B.R., and J. Piaget. 1958. The growth of logical thinking from childhood to adolescence; an essay on the construction of formal operational structures . New York: Basic Books.
Jermann, P., and P. Dillenbourg. 2003. Elaborating new arguments through a CSCL scenario. In Arguing to learn: Confronting cognitions in computer-supported collaborative learning environments , ed. J.E.B. Andriessen, M. Baker, and D.D. Suthers, 205–226. Dordrecht: Kluwer.
Jonassen, D.H., and Y.H. Cho. 2011. Fostering argumentation while solving engineering ethics problems. Journal of Engineering Education 100(4): 680–702.
Jonassen, D.H., and B. Kim. 2010. Arguing to learn and learning to argue: Design justifications and guidelines. Educational Technology Research and Development 58(4): 439–457. doi: 10.1007/s11423-009-9143-8 .
Jonassen, D.H., D. Shen, R.M. Marra, Y.H. Cho, J.L. Lo, and V.K. Lohani. 2009. Engaging and supporting problem solving in engineering ethics. Journal of Engineering Education 98(3): 235–254.
Kahan, D.M. 2013. Ideology, motivated reasoning, and cognitive reflection. Judgment and Decision Making 8(4): 407–424.
Kahneman, D. 2011. Thinking, fast and slow , 1st ed. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Kahneman, D., and S. Frederick. 2002. Representativeness revisited: Attribute substitution in intuitive judgment. In Heuristics and biases: The psychology of intuitive judgment , ed. T. Gilovich, D. Griffin, and D. Kahneman, 49–81. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Kanselaar, G., G. Erkens, J. Andriessen, M. Prangsma, A. Veerman, and J. Jaspers. 2003. Designing argumentation tools for collaborative learning. In Visualizing argumentation: Software tools for collaborative and educational sense-making , ed. P.A. Kirschner, S.J. Buckingham Shum, and C.S. Carr, 51–70. London: Springer.
Kim, M., and W.-M. Roth. 2014. Argumentation as/in/for dialogical relation: A case study from elementary school science. Pedagogies: An International Journal 9(4): 300–321. doi: 10.1080/1554480X.2014.955498 .
King, P.M., and K.S. Kitchener. 1994. Developing reflective judgment. Understanding and promoting intellectual growth and critical thinking in adolescents and adults , 1st ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
King, P.M., and K.S. Kitchener. 2004. Reflective judgment: Theory and research on the development of epistemic assumptions through adulthood. Educational Psychologist 39(1): 5–18. doi: 10.1207/s15326985ep3901_2 .
Kirschner, P.A., S.J. Buckingham Shum, and C.S. Carr (eds.). 2003. Visualizing argumentation: Software tools for collaborative and educational sense-making . London: Springer.
Kitchener, K.S. 1983. Cognition, metacognition, and epistemic cognition. A 3-level model of cognitive processing. Human Development 26(4): 222–232.
Klein, N. 2014. This changes everything. Capitalism vs. the climate . New York: Simon & Schuster.
Kollar, I., F. Fischer, and F.W. Hesse. 2006. Collaboration scripts—a conceptual analysis. Educational Psychology Review 18(2): 159–185. doi: 10.1007/s10648-006-9007-2 .
Kuhn, D. 1991. The skills of argument . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Kuhn, D. 1992. Thinking as argument. Harvard Educational Review 62(2): 155–178.
Kuhn, D. 1993. Science as argument—implications for teaching and learning scientific thinking. Science Education 77(3): 319–337.
Kuhn, T.S. 1970. The structure of scientific revolutions , 2nd ed. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Lakoff, G. 2004. Don’t think of an elephant: Know your values and frame the debate—the essential guide for progressives . White River Junction: Chelsea Green Publishing Company.
Lawson, A.E. 1995. Science teaching and the development of thinking . Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publication.
Lawson, A.E. 2006. Developing scientific reasoning patterns in college biology. In Handbook of college science teaching , ed. J.J. Mintzes, and W.H. Leonard, 109–118. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.
Leitão, S. 2000. The potential of argument in knowledge building. Human Development 43(6): 332–360. doi: 10.1159/000022695 .
Lewicki, R.J., B. Gray, and M. Elliott (eds.). 2003. Making sense of intractable environmental conflicts. Concepts and cases . Washington - Covelo - London: Island Press.
Lipstadt, D.E. 1993. Denying the Holocaust: The growing assault on truth and memory . New York; Toronto: Free Press; Maxwell Macmillan Canada; Maxwell Macmillan International.
Lumer, C. 2005a. The epistemological theory of argument—How and Why? Informal Logic 25(3): 213–243.
Lumer, C. 2005b. Introduction: The epistemological theory of argumentation—a map. Informal Logic 25(3): 189–212.
Mazzoni, G., and T.O. Nelson. 2014. Metacognition and cognitive neuropsychology monitoring and control processes (pp. 1 online resource (223 pages)). Retrieved from Ebook Library http://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=1688987 .
Metcalfe, J., and A.P. Shimamura. 1994. Metacognition. Knowing about knowing . Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Mochales-Palau, R., and M.-F. Moens. 2009. Automatic argumentation detection and its role in law and the Semantic Web. In Law, ontologies and the semantic web: Channelling the legal information flood , ed. J. Breuker, 115–129. Amsterdam; Washington, DC: IOS Press.
Munneke, L., J. Andriessen, G. Kanselaar, and P.A. Kirschner. 2007. Supporting interactive argumentation: Influence of representational tools on discussing a wicked problem. Computers in Human Behavior 23(3): 1072–1088. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2006.10.003 .
Nelson, T.O. 1992. Metacognition. Core readings . Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Norton, B.G. 2005. Sustainability. A philosophy of adaptive ecosystem management . Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Oreskes, N., and E.M. Conway. 2010. Merchants of doubt: How a handful of scientists obscured the truth on issues from tobacco smoke to global warming , 1st ed. New York: Bloomsbury Press.
Osborne, J. 2010. Arguing to learn in science: The role of collaborative, critical discourse. Science 328(5977): 463–466. doi: 10.1126/science.1183944 .
Palus, C.J., and D.M. Horth. 2001. Putting something in the middle: An approach to dialogue. Reflections 3(2): 28–39.
Peirce. (CP). Collected Papers of Charles Sanders Peirce (Volumes I – VI, ed. by Charles Hartshorne and Paul Weiss, 1931 – 1935, Volumes VII - VIII, ed. by Arthur W. Burks, 1958; quotations according to volume and paragraph) . Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP.
Peirce. (EP). The essential Peirce. Selected philosophical writings. Vol. 1 (1867 – 1893), Vol. 2 (1893 – 1913) . Bloomington and Indianapolis 1992 +1998: Indiana University Press.
Peirce. (NEM). The New Elements of Mathematics by Charles S. Peirce (Vol. I–IV). The Hague-Paris/Atlantic Highlands, N.J., 1976: Mouton/Humanities Press.
Peña-Ayala, A. 2015. Metacognition. Fundaments, applications, and trends: A profile of the current state-of-the-art . Cham; New York: Springer.
Perelman, C., and L. Olbrechts-Tyteca. 1969 <1958>. The new rhetoric. A treatise on argumentation . Trans. J. Wilkinson and P. Weaver. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.
Piaget, J. 1970. Genetic epistemology . Trans. E. Duckworth. New York: Columbia University Press.
Piaget, J. 1977. Recherches sur l’abstraction réfléchissante . Paris: Presses univ. de France.
Pinto, R.C. 2001. Generalizing the notion of argument Argument, Inference and Dialectic. Collected Papers on Informal Logic (pp. 10–20). Dordrecht; Boston: Kluwer.
Pinto, R.C. 2010. The uses of argument in communicative contexts. Argumentation 24(2): 227–252. doi: 10.1007/s10503-009-9174-7 .
Rahwan, I., F. Zablith, and C. Reed. 2007. Laying the foundations for a World Wide Argument Web. Artificial Intelligence 171(10–15): 897–921.
Ritchey, T. 2011. Wicked problems—social messes decision support modelling with morphological analysis . Berlin; London: Springer.
Rittel, H.W.J., and M.M. Webber. 1973. Dilemmas in a general theory of planning. Policy Sciences 4: 155–169.
Sampson, V., P. Enderle, J. Grooms, and S. Witte. 2013. Writing to learn by learning to write during the school science laboratory: Helping middle and high school students develop argumentative writing skills as they learn core ideas. Science Education 97(5): 643–670. doi: 10.1002/sce.21069 .
Sampson, V., J. Grooms, and J.P. Walker. 2011. Argument-driven inquiry as a way to help students learn how to participate in scientific argumentation and craft written arguments: An exploratory study. Science Education 95(2): 217–257. doi: 10.1002/sce.20421 .
Sampson, V., and J.P. Walker. 2012. Argument-driven inquiry as a way to help undergraduate students write to learn by learning to write in chemistry. International Journal of Science Education 34(10): 1443–1485. doi: 10.1080/09500693.2012.667581 .
Schön, D.A., and M. Rein. 1994. Frame reflection. Toward the resolution of intractable policy controversies . New York: BasicBooks.
Schwarz, B.B., and R. De Groot. 2007. Argumentation in a changing world. International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning 2(2–3): 297–313. doi: 10.1007/s11412-007-9020-6 .
Schwarz, B.B., Y. Neuman, J. Gil, and M. Ilya. 2003. Construction of collective and individual knowledge in argumentative activity. Journal of the Learning Sciences 12(2): 219–256.
Selvin, A.M. 2003. Fostering collective intelligence: Helping groups use visualized argumentation. In Visualizing Argumentation: Software Tools for Collaborative and Educational Sense-making , ed. P.A. Kirschner, S.J. Buckingham Shum, and C.S. Carr, 137–163. London: Springer.
Sextus, E. (1912). Sexti Empirici Opera. Recensuit Hermannus Mutschmann. Vol. I, Pyrroneion Ypotyposeon. libros tres continens . Lipsiae: in aedibus B. G. Teubneri.
Sloman, S.A. 1996. The empirical case for two systems of reasoning. Psychological Bulletin 119(1): 3–22.
Stanovich, K.E. 2011. Rationality and the reflective mind . New York: Oxford University Press.
Stanovich, K.E., and R. F. West. 2000. Individual differences in reasoning: Implications for the rationality debate? Behavioral and Brain Sciences 23(5):645–665; 701–726. doi: 10.1017/s0140525x00003435 .
Stanovich, K.E., R.F. West, and M.E. Toplak. 2011. The assessment of rational thought. In Rationality and the reflective mind , ed. K.E. Stanovich, 191–246. New York: Oxford University Press.
Stern, N. H. (2006). The economics of climate change. The stern review: Summary of conclusions. Retrieved from http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/Summary_of_Conclusions.pdf .
Stjernfelt, F. 2007. Diagrammatology: An investigation on the borderlines of phenomenology, ontology, and semiotics . Dordrecht, NL: Springer.
Suthers, D.D. 2003. Representational guidance for collaborative inquiry. In Arguing to learn. Confronting cognitions in computer-supported collaborative learning environments , ed. J. Andriessen, M. Baker, and D.D. Suthers, 27–46. Dordrecht: Kluwer.
Suthers, D.D., and C.D. Hundhausen. 2003. An experimental study of the effects of representational guidance on collaborative learning processes. Journal of the Learning Sciences 12(2): 183–218.
Tindale, C.W. 1999. Acts of arguing. A rhetorical model of argument . Albany: State University of New York Press.
Tindale, C.W. 2004. Rhetorical argumentation: Principles of theory and practice . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Toplak, M.E., R.F. West, and K.E. Stanovich. 2011. The cognitive reflection test as a predictor of performance on heuristics-and-biases tasks. Memory & Cognition 39(7): 1275–1289. doi: 10.3758/s13421-011-0104-1 .
Toulmin, S. 2003 <1958>. The uses of argument (updated ed.). Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press.
U.S. Department of Education, N. C. f. E. S. 2000. The NPEC sourcebook on assessment, Volume 1: Definitions and assessment methods for critical thinking, problem solving, and writing, NCES 2000. Prepared by T. Dary Erwin for the Council of the National Postsecondary Education Cooperative Student Outcomes Pilot Working Group: Cognitive and Intellectual Development. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2000/2000195.pdf .
van Bruggen, J.M., H.P.A. Boshuizen, and P.A. Kirschner. 2003. A cognitive framework for cooperative problem solving with argument visualization. In Visualizing argumentation: Software tools for collaborative and educational sense-making , ed. P.A. Kirschner, S.J. Buckingham-Shum, and C.S. Carr, 25–47. London: Springer.
Van Eemeren, F.H., B. Garssen, E.C.W. Krabbe, A.F. Snoeck Henkemans, B. Verheij, and J.H.M. Wagemans. 2014. Handbook of argumentation theory , 1st ed. New York: Springer.
Van Eemeren, F.H., and R. Grootendorst. 2004. A systematic theory of argumentation. The pragma-dialectical approach . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Veenman, M.J., B.A.M. Van Hout-Wolters, and P. Afflerbach. 2006. Metacognition and learning: conceptual and methodological considerations. Metacognition and Learning 1(1): 3–14. doi: 10.1007/s11409-006-6893-0 .
Vygotsky, L.S. 1962. Thought and language . Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Vygotsky, L.S. 1978. Mind in society. The development of higher psychological processes . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Vygotsky, L.S. 1981. The genesis of higher mental functions. In The concept of activity in Soviet psychology , ed. J.V. Wertsch. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe.
Walton, D.N. 1989. Informal logic. A handbook for critical argumentation . Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press.
Walton, D.N., C. Reed, and F. Macagno. 2008. Argumentation schemes . Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press.
Wenzel, J.W. 1979. Jürgen Habermas and the dialectical perspective on argumentation. Journal of the American Forensic Association 16: 83–94.
Download references
This research has been supported by a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education (Grant P116S100006). I am thankful for important feedback that David Hitchcock, Bryan Norton, Justin Biddle, J. Britt Holbrook, and two anonymous reviewers provided to earlier versions of this paper.
Authors and affiliations.
School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, 685 Cherry Street, N.W., DM Smith Building, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0345, USA
Michael H. G. Hoffmann
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar
Correspondence to Michael H. G. Hoffmann .
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Supplementary material 2 (jpeg 2635 kb), supplementary material 3 (pdf 83 kb), rights and permissions.
Reprints and permissions
Hoffmann, M.H.G. Reflective Argumentation: A Cognitive Function of Arguing. Argumentation 30 , 365–397 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10503-015-9388-9
Download citation
Published : 16 November 2015
Issue Date : November 2016
DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10503-015-9388-9
Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:
Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.
Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative
IMAGES
COMMENTS
Make a claim. Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim. Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim) Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives. The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays.
1 Choose a tone. Before you begin to write your reflective essay, choose a tone. Because a reflective essay is more personal than an academic essay, you don't need to use a strict, formal tone. You can also use personal pronouns like I and me in your essay because this essay is about your personal experiences.
Focus Area #3: Writing the Conclusion. It's common to conclude an argumentative essay by reiterating the thesis statement in some way, either by reminding the reader what the overarching argument was in the first place or by reviewing the main points and evidence that you covered.
In an academic argument, you'll have a lot more constraints you have to consider, and you'll focus much more on logic and reasoning than emotions. Figure 1. When writing an argumentative essay, students must be able to separate emotion based arguments from logic based arguments in order to appeal to an academic audience.
What is different about a reflective essay is that the essay is about you and your thinking. However, you will need evidence from your course to back up your reflections. You should structure a reflective essay as an essay, that is write to persuade your reader of your key reflections (or argument). The diagram above, details how to stucture ...
An argumentative essay presents a specific claim or argument and supports it with evidence and reasoning. Here's an outline for an argumentative essay, along with examples for each section: 3. 1. Introduction: Hook: Start with a compelling statement, question, or anecdote to grab the reader's attention.
The argumentative essay requires well-researched, accurate, detailed, and current information to support the thesis statement and consider other points of view. Some factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal evidence should support the thesis. However, students must consider multiple points of view when collecting evidence.
An argumentative essay attempts to convince a reader to agree with a particular argument (the writer's thesis statement). The writer takes a firm stand one way or another on a topic and then uses hard evidence to support that stance. An argumentative essay seeks to prove to the reader that one argument —the writer's argument— is the ...
An argumentative essay is a type of academic writing that presents a clear position or stance on a specific issue and supports it with evidence and reasoning. The main components of an argumentative essay include: A clear thesis statement outlining the writer's position. Introduction of the topic and its relevance.
Identify the topic you will be writing on. 2. Note down any ideas that are related to the topic and if you want to, try drawing a diagram to link together any topics, theories, and ideas. 3. Allow your ideas to flow freely, knowing that you will always have time to edit your reflective essay. 4.
Grading Rubric: Argument Essay—Reflection. Student writes a thoughtful response to each question using complete sentences. Assignment adheres to formatting guidelines. Length: 1-1.5 pages, double-spaced Now that you have completed your Argument Essay, take a few minutes to reflect on the experience and write about your process and what you ...
1. First evidential support of your reason (known as confirmatio) 2. Second evidential support of your reason, then third, and so on. B. Summarize your first reason again and tie it together with evidential support. III. Second reason, etc. A. Continue to list your reasons in the same format as the first.
Writing Critical Reflection. Reflective writing is a common genre in classrooms across disciplines. Reflections often take the form of narrative essays that summarize an experience or express changes in thinking over time. Initially, reflective writing may seem pretty straightforward; but since reflective writing summarizes personal experience, reflections can easily lose their structure and ...
Reflect and Brainstorm. Reflection and brainstorming are the cornerstones of a reflective essay, allowing you to delve deep into your thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Take the time to introspect on your chosen topic, exploring the nuances of your feelings, reactions, and lessons learned. Embrace moments of vulnerability and introspection ...
Step 1: Return to your thesis. To begin your conclusion, signal that the essay is coming to an end by returning to your overall argument. Don't just repeat your thesis statement —instead, try to rephrase your argument in a way that shows how it has been developed since the introduction. Example: Returning to the thesis.
Very often, the idea of an argument conjures up images of two people yelling and screaming in anger. In writing, however, an argument is very different. The purpose of argument or persuasion in writing is to convince, motivate, or move readers toward a certain point of view, or opinion.
Reflective essays are essays in which the writer looks back on, or reflects upon, his or her experiences and how they caused personal change. Reflective essays involve self-reflection. Typically ...
A reflective essay is a type of written work which reflects your own self. Since it's about yourself, you already have a topic to write about. For reflective essay examples, readers expect you to evaluate a specific part of your life. To do this, you may reflect on emotions, memories, and feelings you've experienced at that time.
Seeing reflective essay examples can help you understand how to accomplish a reflective essay writing assignment. View examples of reflective essays. ... reflective essay doesn't fit you, try exploring more about argumentative essays, including tips for making a compelling argument. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Random Word Learn a ...
Argumentative essays. An argumentative essay presents an extended, evidence-based argument. It requires a strong thesis statement—a clearly defined stance on your topic. Your aim is to convince the reader of your thesis using evidence (such as quotations) and analysis.. Argumentative essays test your ability to research and present your own position on a topic.
Loosely based on these usages of "reflection" in the psychological literature, I define reflective argumentation more narrowly as a process in which the construction of arguments is used, either intentionally or unintentionally, to stimulate one or more of the following: reflection on the quality of one's own arguments; reflection on the quality of one's own reasoning (the process and ...
Rhetorical Essay. The goal of argumentative writing is to persuade the audience that their ideas are valid or more valid then other authors. Greek philosopher and writer, Aristotle, divided persuasion into three sections: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. These persuasion guidelines give readers a sense of credibility, emotion, and reasoning.….
Argumentative Reflection. Satisfactory Essays. 934 Words. 4 Pages. Open Document. Argumentative Essay Reflection One of my central struggles throughout high school has been writing essays and reports for all classes not just english. I was a little worried when I signed up to take this course, since it counted as a college credit.