A project reflection is strongest when it comes from notes you made while working. Keep a short log, then build the reflection from your own details, in your own words.
This lesson is part of the SPM subjects and learning resources section. School-based projects follow your school’s and the examination board’s requirements, so confirm the current rules with your teacher.
What should I record while I work?
Write three lines after each work session. Keep them short and specific.
- What I did: the task, with a number or a name.
- What happened: what worked, what did not.
- What I will change: one action for next time.
Five sessions give you fifteen lines. That is enough to write from, and it stops you from having to remember everything the night before submission.
Worked example: a week of lunch boxes
Here is an original project. A student plans five balanced lunch boxes for a younger sibling, and keeps this log.
- Day 1. Packed rice, egg and sliced cucumber. The cucumber went watery by lunch. Next time: pack it in a separate small box.
- Day 3. Packed pasta with chicken. The sibling left half the carrots. Next time: cut the carrots into thin sticks.
- Day 5. Packed rice and tempeh. Empty box returned. Keep the tempeh, and keep the separate compartment.
From these lines the student writes the reflection.
The mistake that costs marks
A vague reflection could describe any project: “The project went well. I learned a lot about nutrition and planning. Next time I will do better.”
A specific reflection uses the log. “On day 1 the cucumber turned watery because it sat against the warm rice, so I packed it separately from day 2. On day 3 half the carrots were left, so I cut them into thin sticks, and the box came back empty by day 5.”
| Feature | Vague | Specific |
|---|---|---|
| Detail | “It went well” | Watery cucumber on day 1 |
| Cause | None | It sat against warm rice |
| Change | “Do better” | Packed separately, cut into thin sticks |
| Result | None | Empty box on day 5 |
Where does the outsourcing line sit?
Your facts, choices and feelings can only come from you. Reading examples to see the format is fine; copying their sentences is not. If you use any help, tell your teacher what it was, and follow the school’s rules for that piece of work.
Check yourself
Rewrite this vague sentence using two specific details of your own invented project: “The group work was hard but we learned to cooperate.”
Answer
Your details will differ from any model answer, and that is the point. A strong version looks like this:
“On the second afternoon two of us wanted different menus, so we listed the cost of each on the board and chose the cheaper one. After that we gave each person one task, and we finished the shopping list in half the time.”
It names a disagreement, the action taken and the result. Yours should name your own.
What to study next
Reflections often explain why something was done, so practise that in explain a process, not just list steps. Then use the Home Science original practice set.
To check your reflection for specific details, try the structured answer self-review. A teacher can talk through your project with you in online one-to-one Home Science tuition.