Reflective essay

For your third reflection essay, you will choose another chapter from the textbook that we will have covered by the end of the semester (chapters 15-21).

Once again, your task is not to simply present the information from the reading, but to discuss theories, concepts, issues, and data regarding the material: i.e., what you learned, what you thought was surprising, what was most interesting, and what is most valuable from the chapter.

The fundamental question you should ask is “So what?” In other words, how is the subject matter of your chosen chapter interesting or important? Questions that you should address include—but are not limited to:

What have I learned from this reading?
What does this reading make me think about?
How has the material challenged some of my ideas about the social world?
How has the material helped me understand the complexities of society?
Hints for developing your ideas for your paper:

Focus on what you think is important. Feel free to draw upon personal experience, whether from your present situation or past events that relate to the reading.
You may ask general questions that require synthesis. (For example, how does the chapter coincide with previous readings)?
As you read the material, write down questions that come into your mind.
Spend some time thinking of questions or issues that would create a dialogue among fellow class members. Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.”