Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Care (Birth-5)

Academic Writing Skills Fact Sheet

Reflective Writing Assignments

Reflective writing tasks give you an opportunity to think deeply about what you have learned from a particular
course or situation, such as a professional placement or volunteer experience. Like case studies, this is a very
practical assignment type that is usually grounded in real world situations. Reflective writing tasks draw upon your
experience and knowledge, and the literature and readings as they relate to your understanding and learning.

PURPOSE – Reflective writing is intended to demonstrate an ability to critically examine and evaluate your learning
and personal growth and knowledge. It is an important part of ongoing professional development in many
disciples and has direct application to your professional life. You may be asked to identify and comment upon areas
where you successfully applied your skills and learning, as well as areas where you will need to improve.

USE OF LANGUAGE – Because your understandings is central to your reflective writing, the use of first person is
accepted, even required in most cases. The style of writing can be personal and introspective. However, the
assignment must still be written in response to the task description and the marking criteria, and sources must be
correctly referenced.

STRUCTURE – Reflective writing is often done in small sections over time, for example, as journal entries. Your
subject unit outline, tutor or lecturer are the best sources of information about how these kinds of texts should be
structured.

Source: This fact sheet has been developed using The Australian Catholic University ACU Study Guide: Skills for
Success