Reflection essay

Reflection essay

PRM600 – Reflective Essay
Page 1 – Filename: Week 3 Reflective Essay Updated 2016.08.22 kjr
Reflective Essay – Individual Assignment – 30 points
Reflective Essay
Purpose:
The reflective essay is an assignment that helps you make personal meaning of your learning and
progress in the field of project management. The topics are designed to explore how you and your
thoughts and emotions fit into the larger social, ethical and professional issues of the profession. An
appropriate length for the paper might be 5-7 pages including the title page, the reference page and
focused discussion of the main points. Revising the paper to a polished state results in a shorter and
more effective essay. Reflective essays are not answers to numbered questions; they are essays with a
clear flow from the introduction, through the body of the paper into the conclusion paragraph.
Complete instructions and a rubric for grading are included follow.
Resources:
 PMP Credential: Look at www.PMI.org for descriptions of the PMP Certification. Compare your
current experience and education level to the requirements for sitting for the PMP Exam.
 PMP Job Description: Start by finding one project manager job description on the internet for a
certified project manager (PMP). Look for one in your field or profession on a Website such as:
Indeed.com and Monster.com. Don’t limit your search by location or by whether or not it’s
currently open.
 Team Experience: Your experiences in the team-based exercises and projects are an important
element of the course. A team process rubric is included at the end of this document as a
potential tool to help you assess your team experiences.
Content: You might explore how you fit in the profession of project management, how you made
connections between the role of a project manager and your professional life, your role and fit within
teams in the course, your plans for earning or not earning PMI credentials, or any other area of
discovery or growth in project management that is personally meaningful to you. The essays are
confidential and will not be shared with classmates.
Length: The essay should explore a few (2-4) topics in depth. Your essay should have an introduction,
should identify and elaborate a few significant topics, and should have a conclusion. The number of
pages will depend on the format you choose: APA style or Blog style writing. APA style papers typically
result in a total of 5-8 pages. Blog formats that are single-spaced are often more condensed.
Format: You are encouraged to use the APA style template found in the SMU Writing Center (Writing
center/APA Resources / Project Management General papers). As an alternative, you may use a singlespaced
blog type format. Choose one format or the other, and be consistent. APA style papers are
always double-spaced and must follow all other APA style conventions.
PRM600 – Reflective Essay
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Crediting Sources: Cite sources that are relevant both in-text and on the reference page. When you
discuss PMI certifications, you’ll cite the PMI website. If you discuss aspects of the project management
framework, you’ll cite the PMBOK Guide (PMI, 2013). For leadership skills or team projects, you’re likely
basing part of it on the textbooks, so cite them both in-text and on the reference page.
Due date: Reflective essays are due Sunday at 11:59 PM Central Time.
Grading: Please refer to the Grading Rubric for this assignment. Please assess your own work using this
rubric before you turn in your assignment.
Grading Rubric for Grading Reflective Essays -30 points
Element Unsatisfactory or Missing
0% -74%
0-19 points –
(0-2 points per element).
Satisfactory
75%-89%
20-25 points
(4 points per element)
Proficient
90-100%
26-30 points
(5 points per element)
1 Preparation Formatting is erratic, or
uses an inconsistent or
unprofessional format
Most formatting is
aligned with a consistent
style.
Uses a consistent format
flawlessly
2 Polish Appears to have been
completed quickly with
little effort or late or is
missing
Shows evidence of
thought, reflection and/
or revision
Flow and quality of
paper show evidence of
revising to a polished
state
3 Objectivity
and
Honesty
Defensive and shows
little understanding of the
field, may lack reflective
qualities.
Objectively assesses
Personal characteristics,
strengths and weaknesses
Objective self-assessment
that shows analysis,
synthesis and evaluation
4 Focus on
Deeper
Levels of
meaning
Focused on the writer’s
emotional response
Focuses on writer’s
emotions and
discusses ethical or
social issues
Places personal
emotions in context of
profession, ethics and
social issues
5
Completeness
Missing a few, many or
most required elements
Includes most required
sections. All required
sections are nearly
complete
Includes all required
sections. All required
sections are complete. All
unneeded sections are
deleted
6 Cites
Sources
No sources are cited, or
ideas appear out of
thin air, or cites
sources inaccurately. May
appear to take credit for
others’ work
Cites one or two
sources accurately in text
and on the
reference page
Cites most relevant
sources accurately in text
and on the
reference page, at least
one per page
PRM600 – Reflective Essay
Page 3 – Filename: Week 3 Reflective Essay Updated 2016.08.22 kjr
Team Process Resource: The team project and in-class exercises are an important element of the
course. A team process rubric is included as a potential tool to help you assess your team experiences.
Team Process
Rubric
1 Developing 2 Accomplished 3 Exemplary
Group cohesion 1-2 members took
Control.
We shared the role of
facilitator
Everyone contributed
his or her knowledge
and abilities
Listening Some did not share
their ideas or argued
defensively
We listened and
accepted multiple
viewpoints
Everyone listened and
we used what we
heard to improve the
output
Showing respect No one was courteous,
opinions were not
valued
Most were courteous
and most opinions
were valued.
All were courteous and
Valued each others’
opinions
Your experience like working alone, but
the group was a little
helpful
I learned more than I
would have by working
alone
My group was great. It
was a valuable way to
learn
Participation A few people did most
of the work
We all seemed to find
our place and do what
was needed
Everyone did a great
job. I would work with
these people again
Communication We talked a little about
how we were working
We showed our work
to each other and
asked for feedback
We shared all our work
for group feedback

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