At the end of the semester, your instructor may ask you to submit a portfolio, or collection, of your writing. A writing portfolio often consists of drafts, revisions, and reflections that demonstrate a writer’s thinking and learning processes or that showcase the writer’s best work.

When you submit your portfolio for a final evaluation, you may be asked to include a reflective letter to introduce yourself as a writer, show your progress and key decisions, and introduce the contents of the portfolio. Reflection—the process of stepping back to examine your decisions, strengths, and challenges as a writer—helps you recognize your growth as a writer and is the backbone of portfolio keeping.

The guidelines in this section will help you write a reflective letter for an academic portfolio, one you submit for evaluation in a college course. For more on composing and introducing a professional portfolio, one you might submit to a prospective employer, see Preparing a professional portfolio.

Key features of reflective letters

Exploring ideas for your reflective letter

Drafting your reflective letter

Revising your reflective letter

Presenting your reflective letter

Sample student writing: Reflective letter