What, exactly, does reflection mean for you as a learner? Educational philosopher John Dewey called reflection the “active, persistent, and careful consideration of any belief or form of knowledge.” Today, we might simply define reflection as the careful and persistent exploration of your experiences as you write and learn. In everyday terms, reflection means taking charge of your own learning and being actively engaged in improving it.

Reflecting on your writing is a valuable way to help you absorb learning, as researchers in many fields have found. As a result, first-year college writing courses are increasingly encouraging students to take time for such reflection, both during the writing process and after the final draft is done.