Critical Reflection
Step 1: Capture your topic. Take a moment to think about what you identify as one of the most meaningful, relevant lesson presented in the course readings or supporting materials, for Weeks 1 and 2. Select a 1-2 sentence direct quotation from the applicable learning resources that references, in a germane way, the issue, idea, or concept key to that lesson. This quote will become the prompt for your Critical Reflection paper. That is, it will be a focal point of your paper, representing what you identify as an important takeaway that you hope others in class will consider as a deeply important truth or lesson of this class. To support deep reflections on the topic, and the writing of the paper, the quotation should be relevant to a topic you can tie directly to your own (or others’) experiences, observations, and critical reasoning. It should also be something you are willing to think critically about and are willing to discuss through the writing of this paper.
Step 2: Write your reflection essay. Once you have identified the quotation prompt that will anchor your reflection, place it at the top of your paper, below the title. Follow the quote by a line break, adding a line of space. On the next line begin the body of your paper (see Figure 1). In 300 to 400 words (organized in meaningful, well organized paragraphs) defend your belief that there is an important truth or lesson, relevant to this course, to be gleaned from this quotation. Essentially, your job is to clarify what the lesson to be learned is and to then strongly (and thoughtfully) defend why you think the lesson is vital.