Reflection is the act of thinking deeply and carefully about something in order to generate new knowledge or awareness about it. Metacognition is a particular type of reflection (often described as "knowing about knowing") that refers being self-aware about how and why one is reflecting.

Reflective exercises

  • learning inventories
  • process memos
  • revision plans
  • summative essays
  • letters to the past or future
  • discussion sections in IMRAD-format texts

Objects and topics for reflection

  • self
  • subject matter knowledge
  • rhetorical knowledge
  • experience
  • observation
  • process review
  • self-assessment & evaluation

The Writing Across the Curriculum Program at Appalachian recommends reflective practice for every level of writer and at every stage of the writing process because reflection can help writers 



Reflective Questions and when you should ask them?


before a projectduring a projectafter a projectat the beginning of  classin the middle of a classat the end of a class