How to Write Reflectively Using Gibbs, Kolb and Rolfe

Reflective writing is common in nursing, teaching, social work, medicine, business and on placements, and it is increasingly used in other subjects too. It asks you to think about your own experience, which surprises many students used to writing impersonally.

The challenge is that reflection is still academic writing. A diary entry about how a day went is not enough. Markers want to see what you learnt and how it will change what you do.

What markers look for

• Depth beyond description. A brief account of what happened, then most of the words on analysis.
• Honesty and self-awareness. Recognising your feelings, assumptions and mistakes, not only successes.
• Links to theory or evidence. Connecting your experience to concepts, research or professional standards.
• Learning and action. Specific, realistic changes to future practice.
• Appropriate structure, often following a recognised reflective model.
• Professional judgement, including confidentiality.

Three widely used reflective models

Your module may require a specific model. If it does not, choose the one that best suits the length and purpose of your task. Check your reading list for the version your course uses, and cite the original source as your tutor directs.

Gibbs' reflective cycle

Associated with Graham Gibbs and widely used in UK health and education courses, this model has six stages:

1. Description: what happened?
2. Feelings: what were you thinking and feeling?
3. Evaluation: what was good and bad about the experience?
4. Analysis: what sense can you make of it? This is where theory usually comes in.
5. Conclusion: what else could you have done?
6. Action plan: if it happened again, what would you do?

Its detailed stages make it useful for longer reflections, but students often spend too long on description and feelings.

Kolb's experiential learning cycle

Associated with David Kolb, this cycle describes learning as moving through four stages: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation (forming ideas or drawing on theory) and active experimentation (trying out what you learnt). It emphasises that reflection should lead to new action, which then becomes a new experience.

Rolfe's reflective model

Often attributed to Gary Rolfe and colleagues, this model uses three simple questions: What? (describe the situation), So what? (what does it mean, and what have I learnt?) and Now what? (what will I do next?). Its simplicity makes it well suited to short reflections, journals and placement logs.

Step-by-step: writing a reflective piece

1. Choose a specific incident. A single meeting, lesson, clinical encounter or team decision works better than a whole placement.
2. Describe it briefly. Give only the context the reader needs.
3. Explore your response. What did you think and feel at the time, and why?
4. Analyse. Why did things happen as they did? What theory, research, or professional guidance helps explain it?
5. Identify learning. What do you understand now that you did not before?
6. Plan action. What will you do differently, and how will you know if it worked?

Writing style for reflection

• Use "I" for your experience and actions. Reflection is usually written in the first person.
• Use the past tense for what happened and the present or future for learning and plans.
• Stay academic in your analysis: cite sources as you would elsewhere.
• Be specific, naming actual actions and changes rather than general intentions.
• Protect confidentiality. Anonymise people, places and organisations, especially on clinical or teaching placements, following your course rules.

Common mistakes

• Too much description, leaving little room for analysis and learning.
• Only positives. Reflection that avoids difficulty can read as superficial.
• Over-confession. Being honest does not mean including every personal detail. Keep the focus on learning.
• No theory. Analysis based only on opinion, without academic or professional sources.
• Vague action plans, such as "I will communicate better".
• Naming the model's stages without using them to deepen thinking.

Reflective writing checklist

• I chose a specific incident, not a general period.
• Description takes up a small share of my word count.
• I explain my thoughts and feelings and why I had them.
• I link my analysis to theory, research or professional standards.
• I state clearly what I learnt.
• My action plan is specific and realistic.
• I have anonymised people and settings.

Frequently asked questions

Which reflective model is best?

There is no single best model. Gibbs suits detailed reflective essays, Kolb suits showing learning over a series of experiences, and Rolfe suits short reflections. If your module names a model, use that one.

Do I need references in reflective writing?

Usually yes, particularly in the analysis stage, where you connect your experience to theory or evidence. You should also reference the reflective model itself. Check your brief for the expected number and type of sources.

Can I write about a negative experience?

Yes, and difficult experiences often produce the richest reflection. Focus on what you learnt and how you will act differently, and keep the tone professional.

How personal should reflective writing be?

Personal enough to be honest about your thoughts and actions, but always with a clear purpose. Include feelings where they help explain your behaviour or learning, and leave out details that do not.

Getting further help

If you would like feedback on whether your reflection goes deep enough, our academic writing and critical thinking guidance comments on your structure, analysis and use of theory while the reflection remains your own. The writing self-assessment can also help you spot where your draft is still descriptive.