how to write a lesson learned essay

12 Steps To Writing a Lessons Learned Report [Free Template]

Editorial Team

Before we dive into the steps of writing a lessons learned report , let’s go through what lessons learned report itself is. A lessons learned report is one of the most important documents of a project . Every important event, challenge, constrain, risk, and uncertainty faced during the project are documented in a lessons learned report along with the healthy and timely solutions you came up with for them.

Now, why is it important to write a lessons learned report when the project can be completed without it? Well, it is important to write a lessons learned report to record the desired outcomes and solutions for all future projects. In this way, it helps in avoiding the same mistakes again. The lessons learned report from the previous projects can be viewed and analyzed before starting a new project to remember the mistakes that are not to be made.

Not only this, a lessons learned report is helpful throughout the same project as well. When you put in all the lessons learned at the end of every step/major task, it helps greatly in the next step. Therefore, it is important to write and review lessons learned report.

When you plan to write a lessons learned report for your project, an important thing to consider is that which will be the healthiest and best steps to write it. To ease that for you, we have developed some beneficial steps that can help you along the way. So the 12 easy steps for writing a lessons learned report are:

1. Take Help From Different Project Documents That Are Already Prepared

To make effective lessons, learned report, taking help from different project documents that are already prepared is very beneficial. Such reports provide a documented piece on all the ups and downs faced in the project.

It might be some cost calculation report; resources report, project progress report or an analysis report. As these reports contain all the important data regarding the project, there must be important findings and solutions to the potential risks that you can include in the lessons learned report.

Thus, reading all the important project documents and utilizing them in the best possible way is a key step to draw a lessons learned report.

2. Assess The Goals And Objectives

Whenever you come across something that you think is important to include in a lessons learned report, wait a minute. Before doing that, assess the goals and objectives of the project as well as of the lessons learned report to make sure they are healthy for the overall project framework.

If there is a lesson that is important but is not relevant to the core goals and objectives of the project, you must not include it in a lessons learned report. In order to ensure whether any learned lesson is feasible to be a part of the report, check:

• The goals and objectives of the project are relevant to it?
• Has the lesson made any difference to the outcomes of your project?
• Will it be helpful for the future projects of the same nature?
• What do you aim to achieve with this specific lesson?

When you have positive answers to this kind of questions, you have well assessed the goals and objectives. You can then include those lessons learned in the report.

3. Be Clear On The Report’s Audience And Purpose

Now, the next step is to find your audience. At times, you are not clear of the audience you are targeting with the lessons learned report. Sometimes a lessons learned report is for the team while, at other times, it is for the stakeholders. Most of the times, it is entirely for the project manager himself.

Some important audience of a lessons learned report are:

• The project team and field staff: The lessons learned report includes challenges during meetings, training workshops, communication tools, data collection tools, and everything related to the project team and field staff.
• Stakeholders: Lessons learned report for stakeholder includes the approaches and methodologies that worked best in engagement and interaction with the stakeholders.

This helps in not only determining the audience of the report but also clears the main purpose of the report by targeting a specific audience.

4. Make Sure You Know What Is Going Right In The Project

It is a healthy step to stay aware of all the positive outcomes and beneficial results of the project. It helps in boosting the morale of the team and keep them motivated . When you are aware of what is going right in the project, you are open towards all the potential risks or uncertainties that can come in the way.

As you are confident of the measures you took before, you can implement them again in case any problem appears. So, ensuring that you know all the positive aspects and right dimensions of the project helps you stay on track in time.

5. Make Sure You Know What Is Going Wrong In The Project

When you know what is going right in the project, it is equally important to know what is going wrong in the project. When you are aware that the project is not going in the right or decided dimension, you can work on it.

How can you know if something is going wrong in the project? The answer is simple. Check your project activities with the project schedule and management plan. You can check whether the results and outcomes are positive or not. Also, if there are any delays in the project deliverables, something is causing it a hindrance and identifying that cause lest you know what is going wrong in the project. 

So make sure you know what is going wrong in the project so you can deduce the solution and then include them in the lessons learned report.

6. Compare Costs And Results Of Different Activities

A lessons learned report is about the ups and downs faced during project activities . As each project activity has a specific cost (which in many cases can be the project resources), it has the desired result according to that. Therefore, you need to compare the costs and results of different activities to ensure if they are aligned.

This step helps in coming up with advantageous material to include in the lessons learned report.

7. Come Up With All The Improvements And Solutions

Once you identify the risks and uncertainties in the project, you along with your team, will be working on the improvements and solutions. Finally, you come up with all the improvements and solutions that lead the project in the right direction.

Now that is what a lessons learned report is all about — coming up with the improvements and solutions for the encountered or potential problems of the project. These improvements and solutions need to be included in the lessons learned report to utilize them at later stages, or in the future relevant projects.

8. Do a Comprehensive Analysis Of The Lessons Learned

It is not important to include full-fledged problem along with its solution in the lessons learned report. It is better to do a comprehensive analysis of the lessons learned. This ensures that only the important aspects of the lessons are included in the report . These help in coming up with the on point and timely solutions for the problems that are faced in future projects.

Furthermore, it saves the readers from wasting time on the extra details that render no use later on. Also, it makes the report comprehensive and readable. Thus, it serves the exact purpose of a lessons learned report.

9. Structure The Report In a Good Format

When you have come up with all the problems , risks, and challenges along with their improvements and solutions, you are ready to inculcate them in a document that would be called a lessons learned report. Before that, deciding the format of the report is an important step so you can structure the report in the most readable and convenient manner.

A good format helps with the comprehensive as well as organized reporting. A good format and structure have the following important elements:

• Summary : An executive summary of the lessons learned report is written by the end of the report but included in the beginning. It is the most important section of the lessons learned report. It gives a brief account of the audience and purpose of the report so the reader might know if he needs to continue reading the report.
• Introduction : An introduction is a comprehensive part that provides context and outline of the report.
• Findings and discussions : This is the detailed part that includes all the learned lessons along with their outcomes, analysis , and future significance. Make sure it’s to-the-point, and no irrelevant material is included.
• Conclusion and recommendation : This is the last part of the report that binds all the elements included in the report in a concise and clear way. The recommendations include the next steps that can be taken for further improvements.

When your lessons learned report is structured in this format, you are done with the most important step of writing a lessons learned report.

10. Draw Summaries Or Full-Fledged Report As Per The Project’s Need

Now, you might not need a full-fledged report for a small scale project. For such kind of projects, it is convenient and better to draw just the summaries of the learned lessons. Those can be done combined to produce a report. Make sure you consider the project needs, so you do not end up wasting time in something that is not required.

11. Make Sure The Report Is Readable

Another significant step is to ensure that the project is readable. If the project is not readable, the reader might not be able to deduce the positive results from the report. This renders your efforts zero. Therefore, you need to make sure that the report is accessible and convenient to read. In this way, a reader enjoys as he reads through the report because he is gaining a lot out of it.

To make a report readable, it is advised to use good formatting, some visuals and graphics, and breaking up long sections into smaller ones.

12. Re-Read And Edit The Report If Needed

Last but not least, a lessons learned report is like any other report which is drafted before compiling. So once you have drafted your report, re-read it to make sure there are no human errors. If there are any, you must go towards the editing part.

Re-reading and editing is a healthy step to take. It makes sure that your lessons learned report is serving the right purpose, has a clear audience, and is not a piece of waste.

A good and positive lessons learned report shows that you and your team are sincere to your roles and responsibilities . Therefore, above-mentioned are the 13 instrumental and valuable steps that you can take to write a lessons learned report. These steps ensure that you do not just produce a lessons learned report as the part of the project that needs to be done but, a part of the project that serves you and your team greatly in the future as well.

Click  here  to download Lessons Learned Report Template.

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28 October 2016

• How to write a ‘Good’ lesson learned?
• Continuous improvement mindset

Ken Burrell

I was recently asked how to write a ‘good’ Lesson Learned.

Many ‘lessons learned’ are merely  observations , with no suggestion on how to do things differently. Two or three actionable  recommendations  are more useful than 20 observations without any suggestions.

So this post is about how to write up a Lesson Learned so that it is engaging and helpful to those PMs and PMO professionals who come after you.

To write a ‘good’ Lesson Learned:

• Situation:  This is what we were  faced with  (constraints, risk, issue,  etc .)
• Target:  This is the outcome we wanted to  achieve
• Action:  This is what we  did
• Result:  These were the  consequences  of our actions (nothing new so far I know, but here it comes…)
• Recommendation:  (the ‘moral’ of the story) So in order to achieve better outcomes in the future, this is how we  recommend  that  people  (including us) should  behave differently , or how we should  change process  (rules, systems,  etc. ) to improve future outcomes ( i.e.  things to do /  not  do; IF this situation applies THEN do this,  etc. ). This is the ‘so what?’ that changes the Lesson from being just an interesting anecdote to an actionable piece of advice based on real life experience.
• …and lastly the PM should include details of how they can be contacted to have a conversation in case they’ve left the organisation by the time the lesson is being watched / read.
• At the ‘next level up’, the Portfolio PMO should consider whether there is more learning that could be extracted  from the lesson, and whether the learning could be transferred to similar projects / scenarios. If so, they could write a more generalised version of the lesson.

What about storage?

I was then asked this follow-up question:

“Nice and snazzy, easy to remember! Is this the same #LessonLearnt you’d store centrally?”

I would say that both the original and the ‘next level up’ versions of the Lesson  could  and  should  be stored centrally, but the word ‘store’ brings up images of a musty room containing miles of shelves of dusty folders that never get touched again, a bit like this…

The key here is that the central repository shouldn’t be an information graveyard, where Lessons go to Die.

Instead the repository should be made searchable and social ( e.g.  using SharePoint?) so that PMs can easily find the Lessons they need; and the PMO should be on hand to help them find relevant information if they need it (for more on this look at  this excellent article  by  Louise Worsley ).

And filing shouldn’t be the  only  thing that happens to Lessons, as that by itself doesn’t ensure they are  acted  on.

More than just filing

Lesson(s) could and should be used as material for Lunch & Learn or ‘scar sharing’ sessions, or Vlogs, or used in the ‘Call 3’ approach devised by  John McIntyre of Hot PMO  (take a look at  this article  for more explanation from John, and  this article  for some alternatives from me including an example Lessons Learned Vlog).

All of this helps an organisation and the people within it to learn from their collective  experience of running projects and to (hopefully!) deliver better project outcomes in the future.

So that’s what we think. Do you agree? Do you have something to add?

For loads more practical pointers like this on how to improve the way that your organisation learns from its projects, take a look at my book  Learning lessons from projects , available from Amazon.

We have also created some handy templates to help you to:

• Identify  the learning in your project delivery experience
• Capture  it well
• Articulate  it in a form that is useful to others
• Review  your organisation’s existing approach to learning lessons and identify ways to improve it.

You can download the resources  FREE  if you sign up to our (approximately) monthly newsletter, which will bring you hints and tips on how to make your projects run more smoothly, as well as early access to our videos:

 Or if you’re coming to the end of a project and you want to make sure that your organisation learns from its delivery experience but you’re not sure how, then The PMO Professionals can help. Why not take a look at our “ Learn lessons from your project ” service, and if that looks interesting,  get in touch  to discuss how we can help you?

Image “ Wimborne Minster: later books in the chained library ” © Copyright Chris Downer and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

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Guide on How to Write a Reflection Paper with Free Tips and Example

A reflection paper is a very common type of paper among college students. Almost any subject you enroll in requires you to express your opinion on certain matters. In this article, we will explain how to write a reflection paper and provide examples and useful tips to make the essay writing process easier.

Reflection papers should have an academic tone yet be personal and subjective. In this paper, you should analyze and reflect upon how an experience, academic task, article, or lecture shaped your perception and thoughts on a subject.

Here is what you need to know about writing an effective critical reflection paper. Stick around until the end of our guide to get some useful writing tips from the writing team at EssayPro — a research paper writing service

What Is a Reflection Paper

A reflection paper is a type of paper that requires you to write your opinion on a topic, supporting it with your observations and personal experiences. As opposed to presenting your reader with the views of other academics and writers, in this essay, you get an opportunity to write your point of view—and the best part is that there is no wrong answer. It is YOUR opinion, and it is your job to express your thoughts in a manner that will be understandable and clear for all readers that will read your paper. The topic range is endless. Here are some examples: whether or not you think aliens exist, your favorite TV show, or your opinion on the outcome of WWII. You can write about pretty much anything.

There are three types of reflection paper; depending on which one you end up with, the tone you write with can be slightly different. The first type is the educational reflective paper. Here your job is to write feedback about a book, movie, or seminar you attended—in a manner that teaches the reader about it. The second is the professional paper. Usually, it is written by people who study or work in education or psychology. For example, it can be a reflection of someone’s behavior. And the last is the personal type, which explores your thoughts and feelings about an individual subject.

However, reflection paper writing will stop eventually with one very important final paper to write - your resume. This is where you will need to reflect on your entire life leading up to that moment. To learn how to list education on resume perfectly, follow the link on our dissertation writing services .

Unlock the potential of your thoughts with EssayPro . Order a reflection paper and explore a range of other academic services tailored to your needs. Dive deep into your experiences, analyze them with expert guidance, and turn your insights into an impactful reflection paper.

Free Reflection Paper Example

Now that we went over all of the essentials about a reflection paper and how to approach it, we would like to show you some examples that will definitely help you with getting started on your paper.

Reflection Paper Format

Reflection papers typically do not follow any specific format. Since it is your opinion, professors usually let you handle them in any comfortable way. It is best to write your thoughts freely, without guideline constraints. If a personal reflection paper was assigned to you, the format of your paper might depend on the criteria set by your professor. College reflection papers (also known as reflection essays) can typically range from about 400-800 words in length.

Here’s how we can suggest you format your reflection paper:

How to Start a Reflection Paper

The first thing to do when beginning to work on a reflection essay is to read your article thoroughly while taking notes. Whether you are reflecting on, for example, an activity, book/newspaper, or academic essay, you want to highlight key ideas and concepts.

You can start writing your reflection paper by summarizing the main concept of your notes to see if your essay includes all the information needed for your readers. It is helpful to add charts, diagrams, and lists to deliver your ideas to the audience in a better fashion.

After you have finished reading your article, it’s time to brainstorm. We’ve got a simple brainstorming technique for writing reflection papers. Just answer some of the basic questions below:

• How did the article affect you?
• How does this article catch the reader’s attention (or does it all)?
• Has the article changed your mind about something? If so, explain how.
• Has the article left you with any questions?
• Were there any unaddressed critical issues that didn’t appear in the article?
• Does the article relate to anything from your past reading experiences?
• Does the article agree with any of your past reading experiences?

Here are some reflection paper topic examples for you to keep in mind before preparing to write your own:

• How my views on rap music have changed over time
• My reflection and interpretation of Moby Dick by Herman Melville
• Why my theory about the size of the universe has changed over time
• How my observations for clinical psychological studies have developed in the last year

The result of your brainstorming should be a written outline of the contents of your future paper. Do not skip this step, as it will ensure that your essay will have a proper flow and appropriate organization.

Another good way to organize your ideas is to write them down in a 3-column chart or table.

Do you want your task look awesome?

If you would like your reflection paper to look professional, feel free to check out one of our articles on how to format MLA, APA or Chicago style

Writing a Reflection Paper Outline

Reflection paper should contain few key elements:

Introduction

Your introduction should specify what you’re reflecting upon. Make sure that your thesis informs your reader about your general position, or opinion, toward your subject.

• State what you are analyzing: a passage, a lecture, an academic article, an experience, etc...)
• Briefly summarize the work.
• Write a thesis statement stating how your subject has affected you.

One way you can start your thesis is to write:

Example: “After reading/experiencing (your chosen topic), I gained the knowledge of…”

Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs should examine your ideas and experiences in context to your topic. Make sure each new body paragraph starts with a topic sentence.

Your reflection may include quotes and passages if you are writing about a book or an academic paper. They give your reader a point of reference to fully understand your feedback. Feel free to describe what you saw, what you heard, and how you felt.

Example: “I saw many people participating in our weight experiment. The atmosphere felt nervous yet inspiring. I was amazed by the excitement of the event.”

As with any conclusion, you should summarize what you’ve learned from the experience. Next, tell the reader how your newfound knowledge has affected your understanding of the subject in general. Finally, describe the feeling and overall lesson you had from the reading or experience.

There are a few good ways to conclude a reflection paper:

• Tie all the ideas from your body paragraphs together, and generalize the major insights you’ve experienced.
• Restate your thesis and summarize the content of your paper.

We have a separate blog post dedicated to writing a great conclusion. Be sure to check it out for an in-depth look at how to make a good final impression on your reader.

Need a hand? Get help from our writers. Edit, proofread or buy essay .

How to Write a Reflection Paper: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: create a main theme.

After you choose your topic, write a short summary about what you have learned about your experience with that topic. Then, let readers know how you feel about your case — and be honest. Chances are that your readers will likely be able to relate to your opinion or at least the way you form your perspective, which will help them better understand your reflection.

For example: After watching a TEDx episode on Wim Hof, I was able to reevaluate my preconceived notions about the negative effects of cold exposure.

Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas and Experiences You’ve Had Related to Your Topic

You can write down specific quotes, predispositions you have, things that influenced you, or anything memorable. Be personal and explain, in simple words, how you felt.

For example: • A lot of people think that even a small amount of carbohydrates will make people gain weight • A specific moment when I struggled with an excess weight where I avoided carbohydrates entirely • The consequences of my actions that gave rise to my research • The evidence and studies of nutritional science that claim carbohydrates alone are to blame for making people obese • My new experience with having a healthy diet with a well-balanced intake of nutrients • The influence of other people’s perceptions on the harm of carbohydrates, and the role their influence has had on me • New ideas I’ve created as a result of my shift in perspective

Step 3: Analyze How and Why These Ideas and Experiences Have Affected Your Interpretation of Your Theme

Pick an idea or experience you had from the last step, and analyze it further. Then, write your reasoning for agreeing or disagreeing with it.

For example, Idea: I was raised to think that carbohydrates make people gain weight.

Analysis: Most people think that if they eat any carbohydrates, such as bread, cereal, and sugar, they will gain weight. I believe in this misconception to such a great extent that I avoided carbohydrates entirely. As a result, my blood glucose levels were very low. I needed to do a lot of research to overcome my beliefs finally. Afterward, I adopted the philosophy of “everything in moderation” as a key to a healthy lifestyle.

For example: Idea: I was brought up to think that carbohydrates make people gain weight. Analysis: Most people think that if they eat any carbohydrates, such as bread, cereal, and sugar, they will gain weight. I believe in this misconception to such a great extent that I avoided carbohydrates entirely. As a result, my blood glucose levels were very low. I needed to do a lot of my own research to finally overcome my beliefs. After, I adopted the philosophy of “everything in moderation” as a key for having a healthy lifestyle.

Step 4: Make Connections Between Your Observations, Experiences, and Opinions

Try to connect your ideas and insights to form a cohesive picture for your theme. You can also try to recognize and break down your assumptions, which you may challenge in the future.

There are some subjects for reflection papers that are most commonly written about. They include:

• Book – Start by writing some information about the author’s biography and summarize the plot—without revealing the ending to keep your readers interested. Make sure to include the names of the characters, the main themes, and any issues mentioned in the book. Finally, express your thoughts and reflect on the book itself.
• Course – Including the course name and description is a good place to start. Then, you can write about the course flow, explain why you took this course, and tell readers what you learned from it. Since it is a reflection paper, express your opinion, supporting it with examples from the course.
• Project – The structure for a reflection paper about a project has identical guidelines to that of a course. One of the things you might want to add would be the pros and cons of the course. Also, mention some changes you might want to see, and evaluate how relevant the skills you acquired are to real life.
• Interview – First, introduce the person and briefly mention the discussion. Touch on the main points, controversies, and your opinion of that person.

Writing Tips

Everyone has their style of writing a reflective essay – and that's the beauty of it; you have plenty of leeway with this type of paper – but there are still a few tips everyone should incorporate.

Before you start your piece, read some examples of other papers; they will likely help you better understand what they are and how to approach yours. When picking your subject, try to write about something unusual and memorable — it is more likely to capture your readers' attention. Never write the whole essay at once. Space out the time slots when you work on your reflection paper to at least a day apart. This will allow your brain to generate new thoughts and reflections.

• Short and Sweet – Most reflection papers are between 250 and 750 words. Don't go off on tangents. Only include relevant information.
• Clear and Concise – Make your paper as clear and concise as possible. Use a strong thesis statement so your essay can follow it with the same strength.
• Maintain the Right Tone – Use a professional and academic tone—even though the writing is personal.
• Cite Your Sources – Try to cite authoritative sources and experts to back up your personal opinions.
• Proofreading – Not only should you proofread for spelling and grammatical errors, but you should proofread to focus on your organization as well. Answer the question presented in the introduction.

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Narrative Essay About A Lesson Learned

Crafting a narrative essay on the theme of "A Lesson Learned" poses a unique set of challenges. The difficulty lies not merely in recounting an event but in weaving a compelling story that not only captivates the reader's attention but also imparts a meaningful lesson. The process involves delving deep into personal experiences, reflecting on the emotions attached to the lesson, and articulating those insights in a coherent and engaging manner.

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Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers

P LANNING, PARAGRAPHING AND POLISHING: FINE-TUNING THE PERFECT ESSAY

Essay writing is an essential skill for every student. Whether writing a particular academic essay (such as persuasive, narrative, descriptive, or expository) or a timed exam essay, the key to getting good at writing is to write. Creating opportunities for our students to engage in extended writing activities will go a long way to helping them improve their skills as scribes.

But, putting the hours in alone will not be enough to attain the highest levels in essay writing. Practice must be meaningful. Once students have a broad overview of how to structure the various types of essays, they are ready to narrow in on the minor details that will enable them to fine-tune their work as a lean vehicle of their thoughts and ideas.

In this article, we will drill down to some aspects that will assist students in taking their essay writing skills up a notch. Many ideas and activities can be integrated into broader lesson plans based on essay writing. Often, though, they will work effectively in isolation – just as athletes isolate physical movements to drill that are relevant to their sport. When these movements become second nature, they can be repeated naturally in the context of the game or in our case, the writing of the essay.

THE ULTIMATE NONFICTION WRITING TEACHING RESOURCE

• 270  pages of the most effective teaching strategies
• 50+   digital tools  ready right out of the box
• 75   editable resources  for student   differentiation  
• Loads of   tricks and tips  to add to your teaching tool bag
• All explanations are reinforced with  concrete examples.
• Links to  high-quality video  tutorials
• Clear objectives  easy to match to the demands of your curriculum

Planning an essay

The Boys Scouts’ motto is famously ‘Be Prepared’. It’s a solid motto that can be applied to most aspects of life; essay writing is no different. Given the purpose of an essay is generally to present a logical and reasoned argument, investing time in organising arguments, ideas, and structure would seem to be time well spent.

Given that essays can take a wide range of forms and that we all have our own individual approaches to writing, it stands to reason that there will be no single best approach to the planning stage of essay writing. That said, there are several helpful hints and techniques we can share with our students to help them wrestle their ideas into a writable form. Let’s take a look at a few of the best of these:

BREAK THE QUESTION DOWN: UNDERSTAND YOUR ESSAY TOPIC.

Whether students are tackling an assignment that you have set for them in class or responding to an essay prompt in an exam situation, they should get into the habit of analyzing the nature of the task. To do this, they should unravel the question’s meaning or prompt. Students can practice this in class by responding to various essay titles, questions, and prompts, thereby gaining valuable experience breaking these down.

Have students work in groups to underline and dissect the keywords and phrases and discuss what exactly is being asked of them in the task. Are they being asked to discuss, describe, persuade, or explain? Understanding the exact nature of the task is crucial before going any further in the planning process, never mind the writing process .

BRAINSTORM AND MIND MAP WHAT YOU KNOW:

Once students have understood what the essay task asks them, they should consider what they know about the topic and, often, how they feel about it. When teaching essay writing, we so often emphasize that it is about expressing our opinions on things, but for our younger students what they think about something isn’t always obvious, even to themselves.

Brainstorming and mind-mapping what they know about a topic offers them an opportunity to uncover not just what they already know about a topic, but also gives them a chance to reveal to themselves what they think about the topic. This will help guide them in structuring their research and, later, the essay they will write . When writing an essay in an exam context, this may be the only ‘research’ the student can undertake before the writing, so practicing this will be even more important.

RESEARCH YOUR ESSAY

The previous step above should reveal to students the general direction their research will take. With the ubiquitousness of the internet, gone are the days of students relying on a single well-thumbed encyclopaedia from the school library as their sole authoritative source in their essay. If anything, the real problem for our students today is narrowing down their sources to a manageable number. Students should use the information from the previous step to help here. At this stage, it is important that they:

●      Ensure the research material is directly relevant to the essay task

●      Record in detail the sources of the information that they will use in their essay

●      Engage with the material personally by asking questions and challenging their own biases

●      Identify the key points that will be made in their essay

●      Group ideas, counterarguments, and opinions together

●      Identify the overarching argument they will make in their own essay.

Once these stages have been completed the student is ready to organise their points into a logical order.

WRITING YOUR ESSAY

There are a number of ways for students to organize their points in preparation for writing. They can use graphic organizers , post-it notes, or any number of available writing apps. The important thing for them to consider here is that their points should follow a logical progression. This progression of their argument will be expressed in the form of body paragraphs that will inform the structure of their finished essay.

The number of paragraphs contained in an essay will depend on a number of factors such as word limits, time limits, the complexity of the question etc. Regardless of the essay’s length, students should ensure their essay follows the Rule of Three in that every essay they write contains an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Generally speaking, essay paragraphs will focus on one main idea that is usually expressed in a topic sentence that is followed by a series of supporting sentences that bolster that main idea. The first and final sentences are of the most significance here with the first sentence of a paragraph making the point to the reader and the final sentence of the paragraph making the overall relevance to the essay’s argument crystal clear. 

Though students will most likely be familiar with the broad generic structure of essays, it is worth investing time to ensure they have a clear conception of how each part of the essay works, that is, of the exact nature of the task it performs. Let’s review:

Common Essay Structure

Introduction: Provides the reader with context for the essay. It states the broad argument that the essay will make and informs the reader of the writer’s general perspective and approach to the question.

Body Paragraphs: These are the ‘meat’ of the essay and lay out the argument stated in the introduction point by point with supporting evidence.

Conclusion: Usually, the conclusion will restate the central argument while summarising the essay’s main supporting reasons before linking everything back to the original question.

ESSAY WRITING PARAGRAPH WRITING TIPS

●      Each paragraph should focus on a single main idea

●      Paragraphs should follow a logical sequence; students should group similar ideas together to avoid incoherence

●      Paragraphs should be denoted consistently; students should choose either to indent or skip a line

●      Transition words and phrases such as alternatively , consequently , in contrast should be used to give flow and provide a bridge between paragraphs.

HOW TO EDIT AN ESSAY

Students shouldn’t expect their essays to emerge from the writing process perfectly formed. Except in exam situations and the like, thorough editing is an essential aspect in the writing process. 

Often, students struggle with this aspect of the process the most. After spending hours of effort on planning, research, and writing the first draft, students can be reluctant to go back over the same terrain they have so recently travelled. It is important at this point to give them some helpful guidelines to help them to know what to look out for. The following tips will provide just such help: 

One Piece at a Time: There is a lot to look out for in the editing process and often students overlook aspects as they try to juggle too many balls during the process. One effective strategy to combat this is for students to perform a number of rounds of editing with each focusing on a different aspect. For example, the first round could focus on content, the second round on looking out for word repetition (use a thesaurus to help here), with the third attending to spelling and grammar.

Sum It Up: When reviewing the paragraphs they have written, a good starting point is for students to read each paragraph and attempt to sum up its main point in a single line. If this is not possible, their readers will most likely have difficulty following their train of thought too and the paragraph needs to be overhauled.

Let It Breathe: When possible, encourage students to allow some time for their essay to ‘breathe’ before returning to it for editing purposes. This may require some skilful time management on the part of the student, for example, a student rush-writing the night before the deadline does not lend itself to effective editing. Fresh eyes are one of the sharpest tools in the writer’s toolbox.

Read It Aloud: This time-tested editing method is a great way for students to identify mistakes and typos in their work. We tend to read things more slowly when reading aloud giving us the time to spot errors. Also, when we read silently our minds can often fill in the gaps or gloss over the mistakes that will become apparent when we read out loud.

Phone a Friend: Peer editing is another great way to identify errors that our brains may miss when reading our own work. Encourage students to partner up for a little ‘you scratch my back, I scratch yours’.

Use Tech Tools: We need to ensure our students have the mental tools to edit their own work and for this they will need a good grasp of English grammar and punctuation. However, there are also a wealth of tech tools such as spellcheck and grammar checks that can offer a great once-over option to catch anything students may have missed in earlier editing rounds.

Putting the Jewels on Display: While some struggle to edit, others struggle to let go. There comes a point when it is time for students to release their work to the reader. They must learn to relinquish control after the creation is complete. This will be much easier to achieve if the student feels that they have done everything in their control to ensure their essay is representative of the best of their abilities and if they have followed the advice here, they should be confident they have done so.

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The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay | Steps & Examples

An academic essay is a focused piece of writing that develops an idea or argument using evidence, analysis, and interpretation.

There are many types of essays you might write as a student. The content and length of an essay depends on your level, subject of study, and course requirements. However, most essays at university level are argumentative — they aim to persuade the reader of a particular position or perspective on a topic.

The essay writing process consists of three main stages:

• Preparation: Decide on your topic, do your research, and create an essay outline.
• Writing : Set out your argument in the introduction, develop it with evidence in the main body, and wrap it up with a conclusion.
• Revision:  Check your essay on the content, organization, grammar, spelling, and formatting of your essay.

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Table of contents

Essay writing process, preparation for writing an essay, writing the introduction, writing the main body, writing the conclusion, essay checklist, lecture slides, frequently asked questions about writing an essay.

The writing process of preparation, writing, and revisions applies to every essay or paper, but the time and effort spent on each stage depends on the type of essay .

For example, if you’ve been assigned a five-paragraph expository essay for a high school class, you’ll probably spend the most time on the writing stage; for a college-level argumentative essay , on the other hand, you’ll need to spend more time researching your topic and developing an original argument before you start writing.

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Before you start writing, you should make sure you have a clear idea of what you want to say and how you’re going to say it. There are a few key steps you can follow to make sure you’re prepared:

• Understand your assignment: What is the goal of this essay? What is the length and deadline of the assignment? Is there anything you need to clarify with your teacher or professor?
• Define a topic: If you’re allowed to choose your own topic , try to pick something that you already know a bit about and that will hold your interest.
• Do your research: Read  primary and secondary sources and take notes to help you work out your position and angle on the topic. You’ll use these as evidence for your points.
• Come up with a thesis:  The thesis is the central point or argument that you want to make. A clear thesis is essential for a focused essay—you should keep referring back to it as you write.
• Create an outline: Map out the rough structure of your essay in an outline . This makes it easier to start writing and keeps you on track as you go.

Once you’ve got a clear idea of what you want to discuss, in what order, and what evidence you’ll use, you’re ready to start writing.

The introduction sets the tone for your essay. It should grab the reader’s interest and inform them of what to expect. The introduction generally comprises 10–20% of the text.

1. Hook your reader

The first sentence of the introduction should pique your reader’s interest and curiosity. This sentence is sometimes called the hook. It might be an intriguing question, a surprising fact, or a bold statement emphasizing the relevance of the topic.

Let’s say we’re writing an essay about the development of Braille (the raised-dot reading and writing system used by visually impaired people). Our hook can make a strong statement about the topic:

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.

2. Provide background on your topic

Next, it’s important to give context that will help your reader understand your argument. This might involve providing background information, giving an overview of important academic work or debates on the topic, and explaining difficult terms. Don’t provide too much detail in the introduction—you can elaborate in the body of your essay.

3. Present the thesis statement

Next, you should formulate your thesis statement— the central argument you’re going to make. The thesis statement provides focus and signals your position on the topic. It is usually one or two sentences long. The thesis statement for our essay on Braille could look like this:

As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness.

4. Map the structure

In longer essays, you can end the introduction by briefly describing what will be covered in each part of the essay. This guides the reader through your structure and gives a preview of how your argument will develop.

The invention of Braille marked a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by blind and visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

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The body of your essay is where you make arguments supporting your thesis, provide evidence, and develop your ideas. Its purpose is to present, interpret, and analyze the information and sources you have gathered to support your argument.

Length of the body text

The length of the body depends on the type of essay. On average, the body comprises 60–80% of your essay. For a high school essay, this could be just three paragraphs, but for a graduate school essay of 6,000 words, the body could take up 8–10 pages.

Paragraph structure

To give your essay a clear structure , it is important to organize it into paragraphs . Each paragraph should be centered around one main point or idea.

That idea is introduced in a  topic sentence . The topic sentence should generally lead on from the previous paragraph and introduce the point to be made in this paragraph. Transition words can be used to create clear connections between sentences.

After the topic sentence, present evidence such as data, examples, or quotes from relevant sources. Be sure to interpret and explain the evidence, and show how it helps develop your overall argument.

Lack of access to reading and writing put blind people at a serious disadvantage in nineteenth-century society. Text was one of the primary methods through which people engaged with culture, communicated with others, and accessed information; without a well-developed reading system that did not rely on sight, blind people were excluded from social participation (Weygand, 2009). While disabled people in general suffered from discrimination, blindness was widely viewed as the worst disability, and it was commonly believed that blind people were incapable of pursuing a profession or improving themselves through culture (Weygand, 2009). This demonstrates the importance of reading and writing to social status at the time: without access to text, it was considered impossible to fully participate in society. Blind people were excluded from the sighted world, but also entirely dependent on sighted people for information and education.

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The conclusion is the final paragraph of an essay. It should generally take up no more than 10–15% of the text . A strong essay conclusion :

• Returns to your thesis
• Ties together your main points
• Shows why your argument matters

A great conclusion should finish with a memorable or impactful sentence that leaves the reader with a strong final impression.

What not to include in a conclusion

To make your essay’s conclusion as strong as possible, there are a few things you should avoid. The most common mistakes are:

• Including new arguments or evidence
• Undermining your arguments (e.g. “This is just one approach of many”)
• Using concluding phrases like “To sum up…” or “In conclusion…”

Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.

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Checklist: Essay

My essay follows the requirements of the assignment (topic and length ).

My introduction sparks the reader’s interest and provides any necessary background information on the topic.

My introduction contains a thesis statement that states the focus and position of the essay.

I use paragraphs to structure the essay.

I use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph.

Each paragraph has a single focus and a clear connection to the thesis statement.

I make clear transitions between paragraphs and ideas.

My conclusion doesn’t just repeat my points, but draws connections between arguments.

I don’t introduce new arguments or evidence in the conclusion.

I have given an in-text citation for every quote or piece of information I got from another source.

I have included a reference page at the end of my essay, listing full details of all my sources.

My citations and references are correctly formatted according to the required citation style .

My essay has an interesting and informative title.

I have followed all formatting guidelines (e.g. font, page numbers, line spacing).

Your essay meets all the most important requirements. Our editors can give it a final check to help you submit with confidence.

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An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates.

In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills.

Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence, analysis and interpretation.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

• An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
• Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
• A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

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What is a lessons learned template? Guide with examples

Every project hits a few (or many) bumps along the way, but they are opportunities to learn and improve the next go around. Many teams use a “lessons learned” template.

This article spells out the benefits of using a lessons learned template, provides some example templates to get started, and shares monday.com’s interactive lessons learned template built for all kinds of professionals.

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What is a lessons learned template?

During post-project review meetings, teams usually discuss the various lessons they learned throughout the project. A lessons learned document or template is often the document that captures all of this feedback.

A lessons learned template is a document or presentation that helps team members review positive and negative experiences of a completed project and identify any key learnings.

This opens up opportunities for improvement on future projects. The high-level buckets include:

• Everyday management
• Communication
• Technical elements of the project
• Overall project management

This type of organization means a comprehensive summary of how people worked together, reacted to setbacks, and executed tasks.

When should you use a lessons learned template?

Naturally, use of a lessons learned template is during the fourth stage of the project life cycle, project closeout. Project closeout is the time period in which the team reviews the deliverables, as well as compares and tests their quality to the intended project outcome.

They also deliver the project and documents to the client or stakeholder. At this point you have both the time and data needed to be able to reflect and parse out important reflections and learnings.

To learn more about this phase of the project life cycle, read our blog on project closure.

3 reasons to use a lessons learned template

While we could probably list 100+ reasons, the top 3 are:

1. Avoid repeating mistakes

There’s nothing more frustrating than making the same mistakes over and over again. Unless a project manager makes a conscious effort, your team may lose out on ‌valuable insight by not learning from their experiences.

A lessons learned template is an excellent tool to get the knowledge gained down on paper (virtual paper works too). Make good use of what you’ve learned and avoid the same mistakes. It also encourages knowledge sharing within your team so everyone can learn from each other.

2. Identify strengths and weaknesses

If there are aspects of your projects that always seem to take more effort than others, a lessons learned template can help. These templates often contain a section for challenges the project team experienced during the project.

It’s hard to to address a problem if you are not aware of what the challenge is! Collecting feedback from the team makes it easier to dentify common threads and pinpoint … which links in the chain are causing the setbacks.

Similarly, if there are team members or departments that always do a stellar job or get things done ahead of schedule, learn why.

A lessons learned template can identify what they are doing that the rest of the team is not. It then becomes easier to spread productive habits around the entire team.

3. Make team members feel heard

74% of employees report that they’re more effective at their job when they feel heard.

Collaborating on a lessons learned document is an excellent opportunity for your team to vocalize what they struggle with and what makes life easier. Giving your team the space to voice their opinions will make them feel heard and appreciated. This kind of company culture is more likely to boost employee morale and productivity.

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What’s an example of how to use a lessons learned template? 

Here is a real-life, practical example of when you could use a project lessons learned template.

You are supplying a large corporation with office furniture, including installation. You’ve planned out every detail, including stock, logistics, labor, timelines, etc.

During installation, some things go poorly — the office chairs you ordered from the supplier came in the wrong size, a delay. Once installation begins, your team works at a slower pace than anticipated.

Everything else goes according to plan, and despite the hiccups, you complete the installation a couple of weeks behind schedule. So, how do you put a lessons learned template help into action? Let’s break it down into four steps.

Step 1. Share it with the right people

First, assemble representatives from all involved parties — the labor team, management team, and stakeholders. Then, provide a copy of the following lessons learned template and ask them to fill it in honestly .

( Image Source )

Step 2. Solicit feedback

From the labor team: You glean nobody was there to inspect the delivery of office chairs when they arrived. There was only a security guard on duty who signed off. You also learned the onsite manager arrived at least half an hour late daily.

From the drivers: You learn the vehicles were in good shape and had plenty of space to transport your goods and equipment.

From the managers: You learned the communication chain between your headquarters and the installation site was flawed.

This feedback gives you several key insights.

Step 3. Turn feedback into insights

First, your onsite manager was negligent in their time management and communication. Second, there is no qualified staff to oversee and inspect deliveries.

Third, the logistics company provides good quality vehicles (you can trust them for future projects).

monday.com makes it easy to request, record, and analyze feedback and turn this feedback into actionable improvements for future projects. So next time you’re faced with a similar project, you can access this feedback from anywhere and use it to guide your actions.

Step 4: Analyzing the lessons

Going back to the example: when considering how to do things better the next time, it’s essential to check in with the onsite manager to ensure they arrive on schedule and relay communications accurately.

So you appoint a staff member to oversee deliveries and keep the details of the logistics company for future use. You have eliminated weak links and fortified strong ones by analyzing the lessons learned.

monday.com’s lessons learned template

monday.com Work OS is a no-code/low-code platform that allows businesses of all sizes to work without limits using a variety of pre-built templates, automations, real-time insights, and other features.

We’ve created a comprehensive, highly-customizable, and interactive lessons learned template to make managing the lessons learned process quick and intuitive.

Some of the critical ways monday.com can help:

Accessible from anywhere

When asking yourself, “What could have been done better?” simply access your monday.com project lessons learned template from anywhere. Then, watch in real-time as all insights are consolidated and available for analysis and presentation.

Our template provides space for reflection, documentation, consolidation, and storage of ideas that you can retrieve later. With the wisdom of past projects readily accessible, your business is in a better position to learn and grow.

Easily collect feedback with forms

With monday.com, we don’t just give you a template ( though we have many of those available ). Using our Work OS, you can create a custom-made, shareable form to quickly solicit feedback from your team. Simply send the link to your form, and voila! Each response will populate directly onto the respective board for you to analyze.

Harness the power of automation

monday.com’s lessons learned template saves time and resources by automating processes that used to waste valuable hours — no more sifting through endless stacks of forms and trying to piece them together yourself.

You can sit back and watch as it categorizes, assigns, or organizes information in a presentable format from the word go. Beyond those we’ve already mentioned, there are many (many) templates to help manage workflow and complete successful projects.

Related monday.com templates

Project schedule template.

The Project Schedule Template maps out the project timeline by phase. It has space to include all the necessary details like schedule, budget, resources, risks, and task status.

Action plan template

The Action Plan Template breaks down a project into actions and their subsequent details. For each step, you can assign a person responsible, a priority level, a start and end date, and any other relevant notes.

Employee review template

The Employee Review Template makes it easy when you need a standardized way to assess employee performance. It includes sections for characteristics such as initiative, group work, client relations, technical skills, attendance, and consistency.

Self-assessment template

Similar to the employee review template, the Self-Assessment Template asks employees to indicate how they view their performance. Based on this reflection, they can identify areas to improve.

Frequently asked questions

How do you create a lessons learned document.

To create a thorough lessons learned document, you need a lessons learned template. monday.com draws on years of collective workplace solutions experience to create a powerful lessons learned template. We make it simple to assess task success by guiding you through the pros, cons, and suggestions for every aspect of a completed project.

What do you write in lessons learned?

All lessons learned documents should cover the following:

• What went wrong during the project?
• What went well?
• What could have been done better?
• What valuable lessons can be taken away?

How do you introduce lessons learned?

Any insight gleaned from a lessons learned template should be documented and stored. We recommend appointing a project manager to present the lessons learned during the planning phase of your next project.

How do you share lessons learned?

Any lessons learned should be communicated with the whole company in a respectful and team-oriented way. Remember, our lessons learned template is designed to advance the interests of everyone in the business, from admin staff and technicians to senior management. Plus, it’s easy to grant and control access so you can view the lessons learned and add commentary in real-time.

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Essays About Life Lessons: Top 5 Examples and 7 Prompts

Read our guide to see the top examples and prompts on essays about life lessons to communicate your thoughts effectively.

Jordan Peterson once said, “Experience is the best teacher, and the worst experiences teach the best lessons.” The many life lessons we’ll accumulate in our life will help us veer in the right direction to fulfill our destinies. Whether it’s creative or nonfiction, as long as it describes the author’s personal life experiences or worldview, recounting life lessons falls under the personal or narrative essay category. 

To successfully write an essay on this topic, you must connect with your readers and allow them to visualize, understand, and get inspired by what you have learned about life. To do this, you must remember critical elements such as a compelling hook, engaging story, relatable characters, suitable setting, and significant points. 

See below five examples of life lessons essays to inspire you:

1. Life Lessons That the First Love Taught Me by Anonymous on GradesFixer.Com

2. the dad’s life lessons and the role model for the children by anonymous on studymoose.com, 3. studying history and own mistakes as life lessons: opinion essay by anonymous on edubirdie.com, 4. life lessons by anonymous on phdessay.com, 5. valuable lessons learned in life by anonymous on eduzaurus.com, 1. life lessons from books, 2. my biggest mistake and the life lesson i learned, 3. the life lessons i’ve learned, 4. life lessons from a popular show, 5. using life lessons in starting a business, 6. life lessons you must know, 7. kids and life lessons.

“I thought I knew absolutely everything about loving someone by the age of fourteen. Clearly I knew nothing and I still have so much to learn about what it is like to actually love someone.”

The author relates how their first love story unfolds, including the many things they learned from it. An example is that no matter how compatible the couple is if they are not for each other, they will not last long and will break up eventually. The writer also shares that situations that test the relationship, such as jealousy, deserve your attention as they aid people in picking the right decisions. The essay further tells how the writer’s relationship became toxic and affected their mental and emotional stability, even after the breakup. To cope and heal, they stopped looking for connections and focused on their grades, family, friends, and self-love.

“I am extremely thankful that he could teach me all the basics like how to ride a bike, how to fish and shoot straight, how to garden, how to cook, how to drive, how to skip a rock, and even how to blow spitballs. But I am most thankful that could teach me to stand tall (even though I’m 5’3”), be full with my heart and be strong with my mind.”

In this essay, the writer introduces their role model who taught them almost everything they know in their seventeen years of life, their father. The writer shares that their father’s toughness, stubbornness, and determination helped them learn to stand up for themselves and others and not be a coward in telling the truth. Because of him, the author learned how to be kind, generous, and mature. Finally, the author is very grateful to their father, who help them to think for themselves and not believe everything they hear.

“In my opinion, I believe it is more important to study the past rather than the present because we can learn more from our mistakes.”

This short essay explains the importance of remembering past events to analyze our mistakes. The author mentions that when people do this, they learn and grow from it, which prevents them from repeating the same error in the present time. The writer also points out that everyone has made the mistake of letting others dictate how their life goes, often leading to failures. 

“… I believe we come here to learn a valuable lesson. If we did not learn this lesson through out a life time, our souls would come back to repeat the process.” 

This essay presents three crucial life lessons that everyone needs to know. The first is to stop being too comfortable in taking people and things for granted. Instead, we must learn to appreciate everything. The second is to realize that mistakes are part of everyone’s life. So don’t let the fear of making mistakes stop you from trying something new. The third and final lesson is from Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” People learn and grow as they age, so everyone needs to remember to live their life as if it were their last with no regrets.

“Life lessons are not necessarily learned from bad experiences, it can also be learned from good experiences, accomplishments, mistakes of other people, and by reading too.”

The essay reminds the readers to live their life to the fullest and cherish people and things in their lives because life is too short. If you want something, do not let it slip away without trying. If it fails, do not suffer and move on. The author also unveils the importance of travelling, keeping a diary, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

7 Prompts for Essays About Life Lessons

Use the prompts below if you’re still undecided on what to write about:

As mentioned above, life lessons are not only from experiences but also from reading. So for this prompt, pick up your favorite book and write down the lessons you learned from it. Next, identify each and explain to your readers why you think it’s essential to incorporate these lessons into real life. Finally, add how integrating these messages affected you. 

There are always lessons we can derive from mistakes. However, not everyone understands these mistakes, so they keep doing them. Think of all your past mistakes and choose one that had the most significant negative impact on you and the people around you. Then, share with your readers what it is, its causes, and its effects. Finally, don’t forget to discuss what you gained from these faults and how you prevent yourself from doing them again.

Compile all the life lessons you’ve realized from different sources. They can be from your own experience, a relative’s, a movie, etc. Add why these lessons resonate with you. Be creative and use metaphors or add imaginary scenarios. Bear in mind that your essay should convey your message well.

Popular shows are an excellent medium for teaching life lessons to a broad audience. In your essay, pick a well-known work and reflect on it. For example, Euphoria is a TV series that created hubbub for its intrigue and sensitive themes. Dissect what life lessons one can retrieve from watching the show and relate them to personal encounters. You can also compile lessons from online posts and discussions.

If the subject of “life lessons” is too general for you, scope a more specific area, such as entrepreneurship. Which life lessons are critical for a person in business? To make your essay easier to digest, interview a successful business owner and ask about the life lessons they’ve accumulated before and while pursuing their goals.

Use this prompt to present the most important life lessons you’ve collected throughout your life. Then, share why you selected these lessons. For instance, you can choose “Live life as if it’s your last” and explain that you realized this life lesson after suddenly losing a loved one.

Have you ever met someone younger than you who taught you a life lesson? If so, in this prompt, tell your reader the whole story and what life lesson you discovered. Then, you can reverse it and write an incident where you give a good life lesson to someone older than you – say what it was and if that lesson helped them. Read our storytelling guide to upgrade your techniques.

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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THE LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED SAMPLE ESSAY

Sample by  My Essay Writer

W hen going through post-secondary school, writing is a substantial component in ensuring good grades. This is because while students may have the right ideas, they may not know how to effectively communicate this information. In order to successfully complete the assignments that are asked of students, they need to develop the proper strategies that will facilitate a clear communication, and help the person who is marking them to understand that the student knows the material well, and can communicate that information in an effective way. In this essay, I will discuss three skills that I have learned in this course, including critical thinking skills,  developing an argument , and communicating myself clearly, which I consider to be the pillars of successful writing. I will discuss how these skills will benefit me in future courses, while giving specific examples about how I managed to learn these skills during this current course.  Critical thinking, developing an argument, and clear communication are building blocks of this course, and they are vital to my future academic success.

As one of the most important skills that I have developed, critical thinking will be valuable in the execution of my future studies. I developed this skill in this class by writing essays on topics that had more than one opinion to argue. It was important in these essays to take a look at each issue by examining many sources that had something to say about the topics. This analysis typically required reading many academic and news sources. After feeling like I had developed a solid understanding of the various opinions, I was then able to ascertain the two main arguments. It was important for me to consider the two sides thoroughly, and this allowed me to come to my conclusions. This critical thinking is a skill that will be required of me in future courses, as a solid argumentative essay always acknowledges the other side of the debate, and refute its claims.

In order to be successful at examining both sides of an argument by thinking critically about the material, I need to know how to develop an argument clearly. I learned in this course that an argument can be developed by examining how I feel about each perspective that is being argued. This is what I needed to do when writing each of my essays for this class. I needed to figure out which side I agreed with most, and this often included a thorough ethical examination. For example, when reading about material dealing with a major political event, I needed to examine who this event effects, and how each side argues its claims. The more ethical argument gets my vote every time, and this is typically synonymous with an argument that is most logical. Developing my argument will be needed in my studies because I will need to be able to defend the argument that I chose, particularly if I decide to write my Master’s Thesis. However, it will also help with a basic degree.

Critical thinking and developing an argument is useless if I do not know how to properly communicate myself. This is where writing outlines really helped me. The outline allowed me to develop my thesis statement and then topic sentences. This provided a framework that facilitated the ease of communication to my reader. Furthermore, drafting annotated bibliographies allowed me to evaluate my sources, and think about how they will fit into my paper. The better I was at developing my own understanding of the topic, and how I will present it to my reader, the easier it was for my reader to understand my position. If I had not gone through these processes, my writing would have been more free-form, which does not often facilitate communicating myself clearly. Without being able to clearly communicate, the person who is marking my future papers will think that I do not have a solid understanding of what I am writing about, and this could result in very poor marks. Clear communication is therefore one of the most important skills that I have learned in this course.

Breaking down the structure of writing an  effective essay  was the most important lesson I learned in this course. All three of the skills mentioned in this essay fall into the broader category of essay structuring. This course allowed me to see the basics of writing an essay, and that is a skill that will be helpful throughout my schooling because it is one that is vital for me to achieve the types of marks that I need to be a success. These three skills act as pillars from which I can build a further understanding of essay writing, and this foundation is necessary for me to have a successful academic future.

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Hanna has won numerous writing awards. She specializes in academic writing, copywriting, business plans and resumes. After graduating from the Comosun College's journalism program, she went on to work at community newspapers throughout Atlantic Canada, before embarking on her freelancing journey.

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How to Write an Article on What You Have Learned From a Class

Chika nwaka.

Writing an article about what you learned from class helps you practice two things: your writing and your summarizing skills, two of the most important skills you will acquire in college. This assignment differs from a typical summary, because in addition to presenting the main points of the class in your own words, you will need to reflect on what lessons you learned and why you found them particularly useful.

Know the objective of the assignment. Before you begin writing, think about or ask the instructor what the purpose of the assignment is. If the purpose of the assignment is to determine how much you learned from the class, stick to presenting the teacher's ideas back to her in summarized form. If the goal is to see what aspects of the class were effective for you as an individual learner, you will need to provide as much summary as you do reflection.

Gather the relevant details. If you have taken the class already, you will need to work from memory. If you have yet to take the class, consider taking notes separately while the class is in session. Think about what important points the teacher seems to be trying to convey, and write them down as they come up. Restrict yourself to bullet points while you take notes so that you can work more quickly.

Figure out your thesis. Your thesis or main point will be one sentence describing the most important lesson you got from the class session. It might coincide with the teacher's main objective for the class, or it might be a minor point that you found particularly interesting. If it is a minor point, consider going into detail about why and how it was a significant point for you. Did you learn better because of the way the teacher made his point? Had you been previously confused and gotten more clarity? The more detail that you can provide as to why you learned during the class, the better your article will be.

Figure out supporting details. Your article will come together once you are able to provide a context for it. This context will most likely make up your introductory paragraph. It will come just before your thesis statement, and will determine the angle that you choose to pursue in the article. It could be about your learning curve since the beginning of the semester, the particular topic of discussion or lecture topic for the day, or the effective method that the teacher used on that day.

Create an outline. An outline will help you see how the thesis of the paper relates to supporting details. You must provide at least two details to support your thesis. Make sure that you include examples with each supporting detail to strengthen your article.

Write the article and revise. As a final step, write out the article and make sure you leave ample time for revisions. Your first draft may not be ideal, but it will help you begin to see how the article can come together. Give the article to other people to read and offer you suggestions for improvement.

• Be honest. Instead of making up what you learned, focus on a small point and explain why it was a significant learning experience for you.
• Whatever specific instructions you have on writing the paper should serve as your primary guide.
• What you learned from a class does not have to be a point that the teacher emphasized. Sometimes teachers like to know that students are learning more from the class than even the teacher had intended.
• 1 Drew University On-Line Resource for Writers: Summary Writing

About the Author

Chika Nwaka started writing professionally in 2010. She writes for eHow and specializes in education and fashion-related topics. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of California-Los Angeles and is pursuing a Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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11 Most Valuable Lessons Learned in Life: Essay Ideas

Published on december 3, 2015 at 4:13 pm by caroline delbert in lists.

Every fall, teens applying to college ask themselves the same well-worn questions. Who is my best role model…in an essay of 500 words. What experience have I learned the most from…in an essay of 500 words. It’s common to ask high schoolers about life lessons, but what are the 11 most valuable “lessons learned in life” essay ideas?

For this list, I’ve mined life lessons from a variety of sources, from contemporary writers and motivational speakers like Ashli Mazer and Barrie Davenport to Jesus Christ, Jane Goodall, and Edward R. Murrow. New York Times readers offered their own best life lessons and so did a poll of 2,000 parents in the United Kingdom. Many lessons came up again and again and I’ve ranked them based on frequency, awarding 1 point for each of the nine total source lists where that lesson appeared.

moomsabuy/Shutterstock.com

I was pleased to see that clichés like “things happen for a reason” or “always smile” were not widely cited. Human beings are smarter and more complex than cross-stitch samplers. And there are plenty of less common life lessons that don’t make the cut for the 11 most valuable but are good to keep in mind anyway.

The wisdom of Jane Goodall encourages us to be kind to the Earth and ensure our legacy in caring for the environment. One New York Times reader gives the great advice to avoid con artists and egomaniacs — even if they’re related to us. Barrie Davenport reminds us that our children are their own people and need to have room to grow and be themselves.

Some of the less common life lessons are bittersweet, like learning about the luck of the draw and that time and forgiveness help to heal our emotional pain. Being honest with yourself is a great life lesson but one that is often the most hard fought. Life is not about money, but life without money is incredibly hard and limits our choices and opportunities.

Just barely missing the list were many important ideas worth mentioning, too. Manners go a long way. Choose a good life partner. Learn to get along and to resolve your differences. Maybe one of these lessons will spark a memory that you know will make a terrific essay even though it isn’t one of the most common overall life lessons.

I remember my alma mater offering a very welcome “none of the above” prompt on its application form, and I remember stopping short at an outlandish prompt offered by a very prestigious university. The college essay has almost become a parody, with prompts themselves joining in on the joke. (Maybe you remember Rory Gilmore realizing in horror that all her classmates had  also chosen Hillary Clinton as their role model topic — and she attended a school like one of the 10 most expensive boarding schools in the world .) But the college essay is real, and it’s required, and you have these role models, life experiences, or life lessons stored in your mind. They’re waiting to get out. If you’re someone with excellent prose, skip to the next part. If not… well, no need to wonder, “I need help to  write an essay for me ,” just seek online help from CustomWritings service. Time’s precious!

Just wait, though, because after you graduate from the college of your dreams, you’ll be faced with an interview question that makes every job seeker long for an insipid college essay prompt instead: What is your greatest strength, and what is your greatest weakness?

11. Learn from your mistakes — 5 points

There’s an old adage: “Never make the same mistake twice.” That advice isn’t always practical — you’ve probably Game Over’d many times on the same tough level, and eventually got through it. Learning from our mistakes isn’t instant or automatic, nor is it obvious what exactly we end up learning.

B Calkins/Shutterstock.com

10. Give back — 5 points

Western society can get very hung up on the idea that charity is a matter of money alone, but giving back is a huge category. Think about how you spend your time as well as your money, and think about how your extra resources could improve the lives of others or simply brighten their day.

9. Don’t judge — 5 points

This idea is so simple yet so challenging to really do. What other people do, say, or believe generally doesn’t concern you. More than that, as a few lists also included, we should mind our own business. In a time when the microscope of social media is always pointed at everyone we know, it takes guts to step away and not engage. That choice to accept-not-except stands out in the 11 most valuable “lessons learned from life” essay ideas.

8. Put yourself out there — 5 points

The barebones archetype of putting yourself out there is asking someone on a date. It’s nervewracking and feels just as terrible every single time you psych yourself up to do it. But putting yourself out there is more than just romance — it’s applying for a challenging job, making a new friend, taking an improv class, and so much more. Without risk there is no reward.

Slideshow be yourself Jesus Christ life lessons Jane Goodall List XFinance college essays New York Times the golden rule Edward R. Murrow best essay topics great essay topics college essay topics put yourself out there learn from your mistakes most valuable life lessons judge not lest ye be judged best application essay ideas when life gives you lemons make lemonade 10 Most Expensive Boarding Schools In the World 11 Most Valuable Lessons Learned in Life: Essay Ideas Show more... Show less