The Reflective Essay in Social Research Methods Education: An Analysis of Student Assessment Experiences

Abstract

Reflective essays have become common in higher education, especially for modules and programmes focused on the development of practical skills. This paper analyses the efficacy of reflective essays specifically for social research methods education and training. In order to do so, a thematic analysis of qualitative survey data from undergraduate students taking a compulsory second-year social research methods module was undertaken. Overall, I contend that while the process of reflecting itself has clear benefits, and students themselves generally perceive the act of reflecting as being personally beneficial, the requirement to write up into an essay for submission has more mixed results. Further, while previous studies have suggested that reflective essays are confidence-building exercises, this research suggests that while this was the case for some students who completed the assignment, others found the process more discouraging. The paper concludes by suggesting several potential improvements that could be made to reflective essays in order to mitigate these issues.