What is a Reflection

A running theme in this course will be reflecting on our work and our work practices.

Reflection is a way to examine the present while critically looking at the past in order to inform the future. It is also a vital part of the engineering process, and will be a vital part of you honing your skill as a Programmer, Computer Scientist, and/or Engineer.

In general, what does it mean to reflect well:

• First and foremost, the reflection answers any guiding questions given.
• Specific details of the experience(s) being reflected upon are described clearly and concisely and in such a way that a non-expert (in this field) reader can understand. This does not mean you must explain it so that a novice reader can understand the problem deeply, just a non-expert (someone who knows the field but is not an expert in the field.) Note that a reflection is NOT just a factual recounting of a situation or situation(s).
• There is a “depth” to the reflection. There are a number of ways to make a reflection deep, thoughtful and thorough.
  • The reflection elaborates what the significance and meaning are of the given examples and why they are particularly important.
  • The reflection includes a personal reaction to the events or examples described. Reactions are open and honest and indicate the writer’s ability to appraise what is presented.
  • The reflection describes connections between these details and other events, examples, ideas or concepts from the past or present.
  • The reflection may raise questions or have implications on future work.