Reflective journal
Order Instructions:
7311PBH Social and Behavioural Determinants of Health
Assignment 2: Reflective Journal Resources
The following web page provides some useful hints and directions:
What is a reflective journal?
A number of courses in Public Health include a reflective journal as one of the assignment tasks. The reflective journal provides you with the opportunity to reflect on your studies in light of the knowledge and/or practical skills that have been gained as a result of your previous experience. In a reflective journal, the central focus is you, as a student, and your professional development and thinking as you undertake the course. The primary aim of the journal is to encourage you to engage in active learning from study and experiences, through critical self-reflection. To quote the above reference, reflective writing ‘helps you to develop and clarify connections between what you already know and what you are learning, between theory and practice and between what you are doing and why you are doing it’. Its purpose is for you to enhance learning through writing and thinking.
There are a number of ways that you might keep a journal and present the reflective journal assignment. For example, you could keep a regular (e.g. weekly) journal maintained for a period of time during the course, or you could keep an intensive (over several weeks) journal with entries made on a daily basis.
Bearing in mind the word limit (1500), you are required:
1. to submit the key points of your reflective journal;
2. your analysis of these; and
3. your reflections on how the journal writing experience has contributed to your professional awareness and understanding of social and behavioural determinants of health.
This encourages a process you may use throughout your career in which you consciously learn from your reflections on your professional experience.
What am I being asked to do?
By drawing on the lectures, readings and perhaps your own experiences, we want you to write a short piece where you link the course content to prior knowledge, state what you found interesting, difficult, or contentious in the lectures or readings, what the information may have added to your knowledge of the field, or how you will think about your working practice.
You have been asked to select three topics from
• Gender,
• Ethnicity,
• Indigeneity,
• HIV,
• organisational settings for health,
• social determinants
• (or other topic to be negotiated with the Course Convenor).
Some questions you may want consider could include:
– What did I learn through the lectures and/or course readings?
– What did I find interesting/ Why?
– How has the information added to my knowledge in the field?
– How does what I have learnt connect with prior experience and knowledge, prior assumptions and preconceptions, what I know from other disciplines?
– How has what I have learned relate to my own life/ working practice?
– What did I find puzzling or unexpected/Why?
– What do I disagree with/Why?
– What do I feel about the way I am approaching this topic area?
– What do I need to know more about?
– What other resources interested or inspired me (visuals etc)
– What questions does this topic raise for me?
Structure and style
The reflective journal must have an introduction, a body and a conclusion. The introduction will ‘set the scene’ and introduce to the reader the main points (which will be expanded in the body). The conclusion enables the student to draw together these main points in a meaningful way, leaving the reader with insight into the impact of the journal-writing experience. It is acceptable to present your reflections in an informal/conversational style, however, a series of dot points and abbreviations is not acceptable. It is acceptable to write in the first person.
Use of Evidence
As with most other assignments, the reflective journal analysis does require that you consider the relevant literature and reference this appropriately. The reflective journal analysis should demonstrate that you are able to reflect critically on your experiences, and make connections between theory and practice. You can focus the journal broadly (analysing a number of issues/ themes that have arisen in the course of the journal-keeping period), or you can focus specifically on one key issue. As well as providing your own perspective on this issue, based on your experiences, you should also turn to the literature on the subject and apply this to your reflections.
Tips for Your Reflective Learning Journal Assignment
Access some of the literature on reflective journal writing
As well as accessing literature relevant to the particular themes or issues that you wish to explore, you should also consider literature on the journal writing process and critical self- reflection (eg, the web page identified at the start of this Guide). This literature will assist you as you undertake the reflective journal writing process and as you consider the impact of the experience on your professional development.
Focus on a few issues/themes in depth
As you reflect on your journal entries, you should be looking for particular themes, or issues that have been significant to you during the period of keeping the journal. Focusing on too many issues limits the depth to which you can analyse and learn from the reflections within the word limit. Alternatively, it may be better to focus on two or three specific issues/themes, which will enable you to engage in a more detailed analysis. (You should remember to provide a rationale for the particular issues/themes selected.)
Be prepared to discuss feelings, values and attitudes
The journal is an opportunity for you to examine your personal reactions to particular topics and issues and to identify how this might impact on your professional practice. It is an opportunity to question yourself, and the ‘taken for granted’ assumptions that we all make based on our own experiences, values and culture.
Note the marking criteria
Four criteria are identified in the marking criteria and these should all be addressed:
• Background research and grasp of literature
• Relevance, logic & depth of analysis
• Consistency, structure and organisation of material
• Clarity, presentation and references
Summary
Keeping and reflecting on a journal can be a rewarding experience that provides you with new insights into your professional practice. However, it is quite a difficult task and can be confronting at times. Remember that the process of writing and analysing the journal is a skill that develops with practice. This skill is particularly important as a research method if you plan to undertake further research for an MPH dissertation or higher degree, such as a PhD.
In summary, when submitting a reflective journal for assessment, remember to apply a formal written style (where appropriate), apply relevant literature to experiences and / or theories, be prepared to discuss the personal impact of aspects of your work and be open to the challenges and complexities that underlie our day-to-day decisions about public health and health promotion.
Criterion Grade Descriptions
1 2-3 4-5 6 7
Background research and grasp of literature (lecture, readings, online content)
30% No discussion of course content
(0-4) Poor discussion of
course content, limited use of lecture/readings/online
(5- 13) Satisfactory use of course content, but descriptive and/or use of limited content
(14-20) Good use of course content in discussion, interweave readings with lecture content
(21-25)
Excellent use of course content, interweaving of readings with lecture content. Well written and some critical engagement.
(26-30)
Relevance, logic, depth of analysis of reflection: responding to course content and linking broader experiences/issues
40% No
reflection
(0-4) Poor reflection, limited link between course content and broader experiences/ issues
(5-16)
Satisfactory
link between course content and broader experiences/ issues but few examples and/or very descriptive
(17- 27 )
Good
link between course content and broader experiences/ issues.
(28-34) Excellent link between course content and broader experiences/ issues. Well written with some critical engagement.
(35-40)
Consistency, structure and organisation of material: topics and analysis completed
15%
Appropriate structure/organisation has not been followed for any topic, all/some not completed
(0-2) Appropriate structure/organisation has been followed for some topics. Some analysis in compete
(3-6) Appropriate structure/organisation The proper format has been followed for some entries. Some entries competed on time
(7- 11) The proper format has been followed for most entries. Most entries competed on time
(11-13) The proper format has been followed for all entries. All entries completed on time
(13-15)
Clarity, presentation and references Attention to/ consistent use of referencing conventions, spelling and grammar, appropriate expression
15% No literature cited. Poor grammar, spelling or presentation or lack of clarity
(0-2) Minimal literature cited, not used effectively. Some poor grammar or communication style
(3-6)
Some appropriate literature cited, but points not supported by citations. A few mistakes of grammar and spelling but generally readable
(7- 10) Good use literature, relevant literature cited. Clear and generally well written
(11-13) Excellent use of literature, clearly referenced appropriately. Extremely well written, excellent communication style
(14-15)
