Writing

a great reflection: Michele Lenhart Sept 2013

Writing a great reflection

We do not learn from doing, we learn from thinking about what we do.
When you are writing a reflection about your service, involvement, or professional development experiences, you should
use the What? So What? Now What? format. The best portfolios contain responses to all three categories below - reflecting
on your experience and its impact. Here are some questions that will help you effectively reflect on your experiences:
What: What happened? What did you do? What did you observe? What issue is being addressed or population is being
served? What activities occurred?
So What: Did you learn a new skill or clarify an interest? How was the experience different from what you expected? What
did you like/dislike about the experience? What did you learn about the community you served? What are some of the most
pressing issues in the community? How does your service work address those needs?
Now What: What would you like to learn more about, related to this project/issue? What information will you share with
others? If you were in charge of this project, what would you do to improve it? How does this experience tie in to your
overall purpose at IC?