An assessment rubric for critical reflection and critical reflexivity in a postgraduate non-practice-based discipline

This article explores the integration of reflective writing in a Master’s health economics course at a South African university. The authors developed a rubric to support students in crafting reflective essays, with the aim of enhancing critical engagement with course content. Our research team developed the rubric to guide students to integrate course content with their personal experiences. A key innovation in the rubric design is the clear distinction between content-related and process-related criteria. Content-related criteria emphasise critical reflection, guiding the depth of students' understanding of course material. Process criteria focus on critical reflexivity, assessing how students reflect on and engage with their own learning processes. Our aim was to address a gap in existing reflective rubrics by offering students clearer guidance on how to reflect deeply at postgraduate level.<b> </b>Drawing on students’ reflective writing, we illustrate how distinguishing between content-based and process-related reflection in a rubric used for assessing reflecting writing holds the promise of empowering students to develop their perspectives and personal voice. The rubric can be adapted in other higher education contexts.