Reflection Paper Example Complete Guide + Real Samples

Jul 13, 2026

120

The document explains what reflective writing is and how to format a reflection paper using common academic citation styles (APA, MLA, Chicago). It emphasizes using first-person perspective, provides key structural rules (thesis statement for scope, chronological development from personal background), and offers a real-life sample reflection covering past, present, and future experiences, including family history, financial challenges, and relationships.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

Reflection Paper Example (Complete Guide + Real Samples) What is Reflective Writing? Reflective writing, often referred to as personal writing, centers on personal-level reflection of a given topic. Unlike research-based academic writing, it does not rely on external studies or data; instead, it prioritizes your own opinions, thoughts, and lived experiences. Its primary function is to act as a form of self-evaluation—whether assessing what you have learned, insights you have gained, or discoveries you have made. You must format your paper in accordance with your assignment guidelines, choosing from one of the standard academic citation styles: APA, MLA, or Chicago Style. The sample provided in this document follows APA formatting for in-text citations and the reference list. ✅ Key Rule ×: You will use first person point of view, meaning you will use “I” and“me” in your writing. This type of writing is less formal than academic writing used in argumentative or research papers. My Past, Present, and Future ✅ Key Rule Ø: For formal assignments, start with a thesis statement/statement of purpose that outlines your reflection’s scope. For informal posts, this is optional. I never thought I would be ÚØ years old and writing a paper like this one. I had planned togo to college right after high school, but life does not always happen according to plan. 􀂟 Thesis Statement: I will present a brief description of a few of my life experiences that have helped shape the person I am today and analyze some of these experiences using the adult development theories from this class. I will also look ahead to the goals I want to accomplish in the future. ✅ Key Rule Ù: Begin with personal background experiences and build chronologically to tell your story clearly. I grew up in a military family. My earliest childhood memories were of growing up on Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, as the oldest of five children. As the family grew, my mother left the Air Force, but my father continued in military service. My siblings and I are all about two years apart in age, and my childhood was fairly ordinary until I was about ten years old, when my father was deployed to Japan. My family planned to join him there, but we had to wait for about a year until Dad could arrange housing for us. My exciting trip abroad turned out to be very short-lived. After we had been in Japan for only about a year, my parents called us kids together one evening and announced that they were getting a divorce. I was devastated. My mother, four brothers and sisters, and I boarded a plane to return to the States. I waved goodbye to my father at the airport, and it was the last time I would see him until a chance meeting when I was Ø× years old. Whenever his tour of duty was nearing an end, he requested another remote assignment to remain overseas. He was never part of our lives again. Eventually, he remarried and started another family. Mom, the other kids, and I se

Jul 13, 2026

120

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