word, while those who wrote by hand had to
be much more selective about what they wrote.
This forced them to begin processing the material
17
straightaway; this is what helped them to perform
better in their studies. So, writing by hand does
seem to have some benefits. However, it is
important to bear in mind that if you have a
particular learning support need (for example,
dyslexia) using a keyboard might be a much
better option for you. So, remember, it’s all about
knowing what suits you best and not being afraid
to experiment.
Think about the resources you will need
for your research journal. What are your
own particular preferences: handwritten
or electronic? If you enjoy writing by
hand, what kind of notebook might you
find most helpful? Will you use other
devices (for example, your tablet or
smartphone) for some aspects? If so,
which ones, and if not, why not? If you
prefer using technology, which device
will you use? Remember, there are no
correct answers; it is all about how you
learn best and finding what works for
you. You could note down your thoughts
in the space oppositite.
Try this
Notes
18
Theme 1.4
How to get started
with reflective
writing
Many of you will have done some reflective
writing already on your course; for others this will
be a new and different kind of writing. Reflective
writing is generally more personal, and much
of what you write in a research journal will be
written in the first person. When I was struggling
to write the methodology chapter of my doctoral
thesis (I found out later that many students find
this difficult), one of the most helpful things that
an experienced supervisor said to me was ‘Tell
me the story of your research; what you did
and why, and what you didn’t do and why not’.
Immediately the task felt doable, and I began to
speak and write much more freely. Much of what
I said and wrote was in the first person, because
it was about my study. We know that it is rare for
a research project to go completely to plan and
that robust research considers issues of subjectivity.
This means that being aware of our feelings during
the ‘ups’ and ‘downs’ of the process and any
assumptions we might be making will be important
aspects of being critically reflective.
Many students who are new to reflective
writing need to know how to start, and Bolton
and Delderfield’s (2018) guidance on this is
invaluable. In it they encourage us at various
points to do what they call ‘the six minute write’
and give us these pointers:
• Write whatever comes into your head.
• Don’t worry about the order of what
you write.
• Time yourself and write for six minutes
without stopping.
• Don’t stop to examine what you have written.
• Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation,
grammar and so on. You can correct this
later if you need to.
• Give yourself permission to write anything.
• Remember, whatever you write, it can’t be
wrong – it’s yours and it’s private; no one
else needs to read it.
When I have asked students to do a ‘six minute
write’ as part of a session, I usually receive a
range of responses in return. Some find it easy
and are surprised by how much they can write in
six minutes. Others struggle and ‘dry up’ before
six minutes is over. However, most appreciate
that it helps to get them started in the reflective
writing process. Keeping going is important, and
many find that it gets easier with practice.
19
Notes
Have a go at doing a ‘six minute write’.
Think about your research and, using
the points on the previous page, write
whatever is in your head. How easy or
difficult did you find it? How useful was
it for you?
Try this
20
Theme 1.5
A model for
reflective writing
People who are new to reflective writing often
find that a structure or framework helps them
in the early stages. It helps them to make a
start, and they will then discard it later as
writing reflectively becomes easier. Mantell
and Scragg (2019) offer a helpful structure for
writing a reflective journal, which is based on
three stages. Each stage has accompanying
questions to encourage a deeper reflective