As a follow up on each chapter of the Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business - Dining Room Skills create a reflection paper worth 300-350 words (your paper can exceed the

GUIDELINES FOR REFLECTION PAPERS

    1.     DON'T SUMMARISE the article.  You can assume I have read it.  While starting off your paper with a brief description of
            the article or the points/arguments made in the article is often an easy-route out of writer's block, try not to take it.  You only
            have 2 pages (maximum), so don't waste the space telling me what is in the article.  Instead, begin right away with your
            argument, critique or analysis.
 

    2.      ASK QUESTIONS.  One of the more effective ways of getting at a more analytical level of writing is by asking questions
            about the article you have been asked to read.  Some of these might include:

                                                    -    Why did the author write the article?
                                                    -    Why was s/he arguing what s/he was arguing?
                                                    -    Do you agree with the author?  Why or why not?
                                                    -    How might the author respond to your comments?  Why?
                                                    -    What were some of the common themes/issues in the article?
                                                    -    How would you respond to these?
                                                    -    How is the article tied into class material or discussions (if at all)?
                                                    -    etc...
 

    3.      ANSWER QUESTIONS.  Either those posed by you or those posed by the author.  Sometimes choosing a question asked
            by the author in the article to answer is the best way to critically engage with the article in a reflection paper, rather than falling
            into the "summary" trap.
 

    4.    PICK ONE OR TWO THINGS TO TALK ABOUT.  A common mistake often made when writing a reflection paper is an
            attempt to try and talk about the whole article.  This just can't be done effectively within the space requirements of only 1 or 2
            pages.  As such, try to pick one point or argument made by the author that you find particularly interesting.  This can be
            something as big as a paragraph or page, or something as small as one sentence.  One particularly effective reflection paper on
            the Bodi article focused exclusively on the article's title, (i.e. How to Bridge the Gap Between What We Teach and What
            They Do), using the 1-2 page reflection paper to answer this question.  By selecting only 1 small point, argument, or sentence,
            you will be forced to do more than just describe it, but engage analytically with what is being said, reflecting at a deeper level.
 

    5.    PROOF-READ YOUR PAPER.  Mistakes in grammar, sentence structure, spelling, and punctuation result in a paper that is
            difficult to read and understand.  These deficiencies in clarity result in lower marks.  At a university level, the confusion of
            they're, their, and there is unacceptable, as are other clumsy typos.  Do yourself a favour, and read over your paper before
            asking me to do so.
 

    6.    AVOID 2nd PERSON NARRATIVE.  This includes the use of "we," "you," "us," or "our."  It is difficult to speak for other
            people without the involvement of over-generalisations, which ultimately hurt the credibility and persuasion of your argument.
 

    7.     GUIDE YOUR READER.  By including a brief statement outlining where your paper will go, and an equally brief conclusion
            summarising what you feel your paper has said, you help me to gain a better (and quicker) understanding of the direction of
            your argument and your intentions (which can often count for as much as your finished product).  Without these guides, it is
            often difficult to figure out what you were trying to say - or more importantly - whether you had thought about it at all.
 

    8.    STRONG OPINIONS ARE A GOOD START - but they need backing-up.  While it is important and useful to base your
           reflection paper on personal feelings or views, it is equally important to show some level of analysis or intellectual argument
           behind these views.  As such, reflection papers which state an opinion, explain why this opinion is held, and contrast it with the
           article's opinion(s) and purpose will be stronger papers than those which merely indicate how much you hated or liked the
           article.
 

    9.     CONFUSION IS NOT A DEAD-END.  If you didn't understand the article or its argument(s), don't feel as though you can't
            write a good reflection paper.  Instead, use this as the basis for your reflection.  Ask and answer questions about why you
            didn't understand it; what part(s) and/or word(s) in the article didn't make sense; what step(s) did you take to understand; what
            effect(s) does this confusion have on your view of the subject/argument; how might the author(s) respond to your confusion?
 

    10.    ASK FOR HELP - from me or your colleagues.  I am happy to discuss the article or your reflection paper(s) with you prior to
           class.  Don't hesitate to drop me an e-mail or come by for a visit if you're not sure where to begin or need help figuring out
            what the article is about.  Also, talk about the article with your friends, family, and classmates.  Often, useful discussions about
            an article result in a much better reflection paper, so don't be afraid to have these.