REFLECTIVE WRITING: DIEP
Reflective writing can be included in a variety of different assignment tasks. It can include keeping a reflective journal or learning log with multiple entries – particularly for professional placements – or be part of an essay or report. Reflective writing aims to get you to think about and understand your learning experiences. This outline is an approach to reflective writing, using a DIEP strategy.

The DIEP strategy
The four steps in this approach (adapted from Boud, D 1985, Reflection: Turning Experience into Learning) are to describe interpret evaluate and plan describe, interpret, plan. D – Describe objectively what happened.
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Answer the question: ‘What did I do, read, see, hear, etc?’

I – Interpret the events.
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Consider why events happened in the way they did. Explain:
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your new insights

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your connections with other learning

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your feelings

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what you saw and heard

your hypotheses and/or conclusions

Answer the question: ‘what might this mean?’

E – Evaluate the effectiveness and usefulness of the experience
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Make judgements that are clearly connected to observations you have made. Answer the questions:
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What is my opinion about this experience?

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What is the value of this experience?

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Why do I think this?

P – Plan how this information will be useful to you.
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Consider: In what ways might this learning experience serve me in my:
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program

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future career

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course

life generally

Answer the question: ‘How will I transfer or apply my new knowledge and insights in the future?’

Study Tips: Reflective Writing - DIEP

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July 2010

DIEP strategy for writing a reflection
In your entries, attempt to:
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analyse your own performance as a learner

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evaluate your gains in understanding and completing