Reflective Journal

Re flec flec tive Jour ou rna l Help Help The follow follow ing a re h elp ful formu formu las for reflec reflec tive journa l writing. writing.

Formula D-I-E-P objectively y what happ ened D – Describe objectivel •

Answe Answe r the que stion, “ What d id I do, rea rea d , see see , hear etc ?

I – Interp Interp ret the events • • • • •

Expla in wha t you sa sa w a nd he ard; You r new insight insight s; Your connections with other learning, your feelings etc; Your hyp oth eses eses;; your c on c lusions lusions Answe Answe r the que stion wha t might this me an?

tivene ss and effic effic ienc y of wha t wa s ob served E – Eva Eva lua te the e ffec tivene •

Make judge ments c lea rly co nnecte d to o bser bservations vations ma de .

Eva luat ion answe answe rs the q uestion, uestion, “Wha t is my o pinion pinion ab out wha t I ob served or experienced? Why? informa tion w ill ill be useful useful to you P – Pla Pla n how this informa •

What are your rec om me nda tions? tions? ((B Be c onc rete)

Co nside nside r: In wha t wa ys migh t this learning exp erienc erienc e serve serve m y in in my future?

Study & Learning Centre RMIT University © 2007

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Formula … D–I–E–P

The follow ing is a w riting formula for reflec tive jo urna l entries D – Describe objectively what hap pened –  Answe r the q uestion, "What d id I see a nd hea r?"

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I – Interp ret the e vents – explain wha t you sa w and hea rd . (Your new insights; your c onne c tions w ith ot her lea rning ; your fee ling s; your hyp oth eses; your c onc lusions.) Answe r the q uestion, "What m ight it me a n?" or “ What w a s the rea son I did t his a c tivity?”

Study & Learning Centre RMIT University © 2007

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E – Evaluate the e ffect iveness of w hat yo u ob served/ learned – make judg me nts c learly co nnecte d to o bservations ma de . Evaluat ion answe rs the que stion, "What is my o p inion a b out wha t I ob served or experienc ed ? Why?"

P – Pla n ho w th is informa tion w ill be useful to yo u. What a re your rec om me nda tions? (Be c onc rete .) C onside r: In w ha t w a ys migh t th is lea rning experienc e serve me in my future?

In your entries, atte mp t to : 

ana lyse your own pe rform anc e a s a lea rner;

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evaluate your ga ins in understand ing a nd c om pleting tasks;

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verba lise how you feel a bo ut your lea rning;

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ma ke c onnec tions with other experienc es, id eas;

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de mo nstrate transfer of lea rning;

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integrate the co nce pts taught in c ourses.

Study & Learning Centre RMIT University © 2007

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