Reflecting on your dissertation journey

Wendy Wigley

Sue is writing the final elements of her dissertation. Her supervisor has reminded her that she must include a section in her thesis on

her reflection of her whole dissertation journey.

How to Write Your Nursing Dissertation, First Edition. Alan Glasper and Colin Rees.© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Published 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reflecting on your dissertation journey

Reflection in nursing enables understanding of ‘self’ in context and application of theory to practice, as such reflection is a good way for Sue to explore her individual and unique experience of writing her dissertation

Frameworks for reflection

Gibbs reflective cycle (1988)Gibbs reflective cycle is a six phase framework

1. What happened?2. What were you thinking

and feeling?3. What was good and bad

about the experience? 4. What sense can you make

from the experience? 5. What else could you have

done ?6. If it arose again what

would you do?

Frameworks for reflection

• Johns (1997) Model of structured reflection

I like Gibbs

reflection

What reflection is NOT:• A stick with which to

beat yourself or others• A descriptive account• To be shared if you are

uncomfortable/not ready

• To be shared with those who you do not trust

• To be criticised

reflection should be:• An opportunity for

personal growth and professional development

• Very challenging• A compassionate, non-

judgemental observation of our own experiences

Reflection

• http://nursingstandard.rcnpublishing.co.uk/students/reflective-practice/reflection-in-action/

• http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursing-practice/204502.article

• http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/176348/Tool4.6-Example_Reflec_Prac.pdf

References

Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by Doing: A guide to Teaching and Learning Methods. Further Education Unit, Oxford Polytechnic, Oxford.Johns , C. (2003) Opening the Doors of Perception . In: C. Johns and D. Freshwater (eds), Transforming Nursing through Reflective Practice. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford.