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, nonjudgemental
observation of our own
experiences
Reflection
• http://nursingstandard.rc
npublishing.co.uk/student
s/reflectivepractice/reflection-inaction/
• http://www.nursingtimes.
net/nursingpractice/204502.article
• http://www.rcn.org.uk/__
data/assets/pdf_file/0011
/176348/Tool4.6Example_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.