Reflection 2 | Why We Should Read

Module  2 Reflection | Passive Versus Active Reading

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word passive means the following:

"That makes no response or offers no resistance; yielding readily to external force or influence, or the will of another; submissive."

The word “active” has a very different meaning:

"Characterized by busy or lively activity; engaging or ready to engage in physically energetic pursuits; alert, lively, busy.

Simply put, as you go through life, you can passively let yourself be influenced or you can actively engage. Would you ever passively let someone else choose what you eat or where you live? Would you passively follow instructions to do something you know you don’t want to do? I hope the answer is no.

This same philosophy applies to reading. In fact, this same process applies to any form of learning. Do you want to passively absorb what you hear on the news without asking questions about whether that news channel has its own agenda? Should we passively absorb how others might describe us on social media? When we engage with information actively, we control what we think, believe, and share with others. We are in control.

For this reflection we want you to actively read your past:

• Identify three events from your past that you want to examine.

• Write a summary of each event.

• Annotate both what you read and what you remember.

You will use what you learned from actively reading your past to write your reflection.

How Should You Write Your Reflection?

1. Give your reflection an interesting title.

2. Write an introduction that includes

   1. A hook

   2. A thesis—which event you wish to write about and why.

Help!  Not sure how? Read pages 31, and 81 in Steps to Writing Well.

3. Write your first body paragraph:

   1. Write a topic sentence that summarizes your first event.

   2. Explain why you chose that event.

4. Write your second body paragraph:

   1. Write a topic sentence that summarizes your second event.

   2. Explain why you chose that event.

Help!  Not sure how? Read pages 203-221 in Steps to Writing Well.

5. Write a conclusion that summarizes the main point of your essay.

    Help!  Not sure how? Read pages 88-92 in Steps to Writing Well.

  8. Submit your work:

a. Save your document as a Word file.
b. Open our course Canvas shell.
c. Select “Assignments” on the left-hand
navigation bar.
d. Select the correct assignment.
e. Scroll to the bottom of the page.
f. Select “Choose a file to upload.

NOTE | Not working? Open the Canvas Student Guide

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