Writing skills
The writing process can be difficult
Irrespective of which option the student chooses to take, they will have to utilise writing skills for the reflective project. This can be daunting to anticipate; however educators can take advantage of the unique nature of the reflective project to help students to develop their writing in dynamic ways they have not been able to in the past.
Writing is difficult. Even if a student chooses Option 2 to give themselves both less to write and more freedom in how they write, they still have to produce a substantial amount of writing. Thinking routines that employ visible thinking can help; all it takes is for students to find one that works for them and they can access a skill they never thought they could.
The key ingredients
1. Starting the Introduction: Students can find writing easier to start when the piece is broken down into chunks with a checklist for each part. Creating a good introduction will set up the potential success of the entire reflective project so should contain the following details to tick off:
- the issue is clearly established
- why there is a dilemma
- local, cultural and global significance
- how it relates to the career related study; why is it significant?
2. Starting the main part of the essay: the key here is to find a way into analysis that your student can really use. Do not just opt for a one size fits all. The goal is that each of the student's main points contain something like the following:
-Topic sentence that contains the idea
- Evidence that is cited and referenced
- Analysis of how the evidence supports the original idea
- Link back to your original focus and, if further along in the essay, how it links with other ideas stated
- Strengths and weaknesses of ideas
- Explanation of why it is a strength or weakness (which might be an opportunity for student voice)
- Significance of this analysis on the local/global community and the wider argument
- Link to the previous point or the next point.
What does criterion D and the rest of the criteria tell us about the role of writing skills in the reflective project? Consider also the Options available to students too. Do not be fooled by the apparent lack of marks available for communication. Click below on the evaluation for further ideas .
Criterion A: Focus and Method
Decide on an ethical dilemma arising from the career-related context
Use appropriate research methods and collect information from a variety of sources judiciously
Show an understanding of bias and validity
Criterion B: Knowledge and understanding in context
Show knowledge and understanding of the issue
Utilise a local/global example of the issue in which the ethical dilemma is embedded to contextualise the ethical dilemma and be able to analyse different perspectives on it
Illustrate an awareness and understanding of the impact of the ethical dilemma on a local/global community and demonstrate how cultural influences can effect the perceptions of the ethical dilemma
Criterion C: Critical thinking
Demonstrate logic, reason and the ability to interpret, analyse and evaluate researched material
Develop the ability to synthesise information gathered from research; make connnections as well as link ideas and evidence
Criterion D: Communication
Create a structured and coherent project; appropriate terminology is accurate and consistent; communicate ideas and concepts
Criterion E: Engagement and reflections on planning and progress
Reflect on the research process in order to refine it.
Show reactions to new understandings gained in the exploration of the ethical dilemma.
Critique decisions made throughout the research process and working practices
Lesson Plan 1: Perfect paragraphs
Aim: to investigate and practice structuring paragraphs to reflect critical, ethical and reflective thinking
Key skills of the reflective project explored:
- Structured and coherent communication of ideas
- Demonstrate reason and logic
- Analyse and evaluate different perspectives
- Make connections
Step 1: Start investigating PEEL as one option for structuring paragraphs.
Use this presentation and video for clarification.
(Note that Evidence and Expanation are inverted in the video but useful nevertheless for a working example). This could be followed by individual or group work creating one perfect paragraph on research already completed.
Teacher Notes on PEEL and presentation link
POINT Your topic sentence provides fluidity and unity within your reflective project. Therefore the first sentence of each research question and issue and dilemma under discussion. When crafting your opening sentence/s, be precise and clear so that the main idea can easily be extracted with little or no effort.
EVIDENCE The evidence presented should be consistent with an academic piece of work; therefore the evidence provided should be credible and verifiable such as statistics, concrete examples, illustrations from varied sources. The evidence you collect needs to fulfil the criteria A, B, and C especially – it needs to be relevant and reliable.
EXPLAIN Do not be fooled by the apparent simplicity of the word ‘explain’; this part of the paragraph may be the largest one as it involves critical analysis - interpreting, evaluating as well as providing further details to accompany your main idea. Your interpretation should weigh up the strengths and weaknesses of the ideas/perspectives/evidence you have put forward as well as analysis of the reliability of the source or the context in which it was derived. This part of the paragraph also might also explore assumptions made on the evidence provided or judgements and claims made with an assessment of its subsequent accuracy.
LINK The last part of your paragraphs can provide a link back to three things; the main argument being explored, other points discussed as an accumulated effect and to the next topic or paragraph. It may well be that the link sentence that could finish the last paragraph is actually better placed as the first sentence of the next paragraph combined with the new topic sentence.
Step 2. Look at this example with students of PEEL simplified. Use the teachers notes or presentation to expand on each element of PEEL.
Step 3. Decide where these phrases could be used in a paragraph.
The evidence clearly shows ... It appears that... |
Other useful words and phrases for extended critical writing
| Structural words and phrases | Discursive markers or connectives | Critical thinking phrases |
| However ... Despite this ... Nevertheless ... The most significant point... Contrastingly ... Similarly ... | Firstly Secondly Furthermore In addition to this Subsequently Juxtaposed to this | On the one hand ... |
Writing an Introduction: Use this video to guide students in writing complex and engaging introductions.It is about 20 minutes in length It can be used:
- after students have drafted their introduction with steps to improve.
- to review whether students have enough research to start their writing
- to guide students step by step on writing an introduction; you may choose to pause the video at various points to apply thinking to whole class effort or for students to make notes on their essay or in their RRS.
Harvard Project Zero - Thinking Routines. This thinking routine, in particular, is great to encourage writing skills in hesitant students; if they first try this through discussion in small groups or pairs where they can explore ideas and justify them to each other. It then might be used to enhance understanding of PEEL above. What is helpful here are the definitions of 'claim, support and question' that guide the student. This routine also stresses the importance of topic sentences which should be clear enough to summarise what that paragraph will be about.
Claim - Support - Question
Make a claim about the topic
Claim: An explanation or interpretation of some aspect of the topic
Identify support for your claim
Support: Things you see, feel, and know that support your claim
Ask a question related to your claim
Question: What's left hanging? What isn't explained? What new reasons does your claim raise?
Varying the exercise
- Before working through the process with the three stages, time can be spent on the first stage of 'claim' where students gather a range of claims that summarise the research that they have done. This is a good way for the students to do a stock take of the research that they have done so far and see if there are a balance of claims from multiple perspectives.
- This does not have to be a written exercise from the start; students often feel more at ease doing this verbally.
- The exercise suggests a linear, formal process but students can respond in a more creative, subjective way in their researcher's reflection space (RRS) and learning portfolio that supports PPS.