Step 1: Review the assignment. As with any writing situation, the first step in writing a reflection paper is to clarify the task. Reflection assignments can take many forms, so you need to understand exactly what your instructor is asking you to do. Some reflective assignments are short, just a paragraph or two of raw writing. The DIEP is a strategy to help you write a critical or academic reflection in four paragraphs. The four steps involve describing a new understanding, interpreting and evaluating it, and planning how it might be transferred to future practice or learning. First, select an experience or insight to reflect on.