Reflective Journal
Writing Your Reflective Journal for HI2D1History in Practice*
*Adapted from A Short Guide to Reflective Writing (University of Birmingham, 2015), Reflective Writing (University of Plymouth) and the IATL Module Handbook (University of Warwick)
What is a reflective journal?
A reflective journal is an account of your work in progress, but more essentially an opportunity for reflection on the learning experience. It should provide you with a means of engaging critically and analytically with module content.
What does a reflective journal look like?
There is no right or wrong way of presenting your journal, as this should take account of personal experience, preferred learning style and your independent research focus. Some journals are electronic (more like video or written blogs), and some take a diary form with visual & written material cut and pasted (literally) into ‘scrapbooks’.
For this assignment, please produce a written journal. You can include images and other visual elements if you choose, but please remember the written content of your journal should not to exceed 4500 words.
You should also:
- Write in the first person.
- Be mindful that this journal is a public document, as in it will be read by the module convenor and another member of History staff, and therefore it is important to consider the reader as you write.
- We were not with you on this learning journey so some context is important.
- Content is more important than presentation. You can be creative in your presentation. Please do include images.
Your journal will be enhanced by evidence of:
- Progression through a learning journey.
- Evaluation of new approaches experienced in the period of placement/project.
- Teasing out assumptions underpinning practice.
- Critical evaluation of your own practice.
- Analysis of key or ‘critical’ moments from the placement/project, whether positive or negative, and what was learnt from them.
- Sensitivity to relationships with community organizations, members of the public or other members of the group or team.
- Taking a position and making an argument from your learning experience.
- Engagement with relevant reading.
- New understandings made from: reading, planning and or delivery, collaborative activities, and the questioning of previous assumptions.
How will your reflective journal be assessed?
But in addition, ask yourself is there evidence of:
- Effective organisation and presentation of material and or evidence.
- Academic reading used in a relevant way to inform, support and or shape your reflections.
- Critical engagement with, rather than description of, the project/placement; your own process; and the process of others.
- Evaluation of the limitations/potential of the work undertaken.
- Immediacy – did you reflect every time you met for discussions on the project or attended the placement?
A first class reflective journal will demonstrate the following elements throughout the document:
- familiarity with relevant literature
- ability to think critically and evaluate the existing sources
- shows connections between the literature and your experience
- reflections on your practice/experience and creates deeper meaning
- understanding of how aspects of your practice are relevant to the literature
- values your experience, shows how you learn from it and makes recommendations for future action/practice
In addition, your journal must be properly edited (for grammar and other errors), formatted according to the History Department style guide and structured.