example of reflective essay financial management

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Best Education Essay Examples

Financial management: reflection on the course.

622 words | 3 page(s)

Each course is a particular challenge, a new summit to conquer. For me, taking the course of financial management was another valuable contribution to personal development and a chance to cope with inner uncertainty in addressing challenging tasks. The best thing about this course is that it helped realize that any situation could be dealt with regardless of the initial fear and the belief that it would be too complicated to handle. Because the course was both fun and challenging, I do believe that the time and effort spent for taking it were not vain because they were a gigantic investment into the future career and personal life development. What I loved the most is the ability to develop in both individual and team-related aspects.

As a result, I not only obtained new knowledge but also acquired new skills that would undoubtedly be beneficial in my future life. Still, regardless of the value of new skills, knowledge is the main motivation for taking courses and making effort to complete them successfully. The financial management course helped become familiar with a lot of important and helpful concepts and topics. For me, the most challenging and interesting ones were the topics related to financial planning and estimating risks related to making investment decisions. I found them most interesting because they were the areas of the most significant knowledge attainment.

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In particular, I have learned that, except for the interest and exchange rate risks that I was aware of, other types of risks should as well be considered. They are market, liquidity, inflationary, and reinvestment risks as well as those deriving from the changes of political, social, and legal environment (Pandey, 2015). Also, I have found out that financial planning goes beyond the mere assessment of an individual’s current financial condition (Billingsley, Gitman, & Joehnk, 2017). Instead, the evaluation of the future financial status and forecasting future income is as well taking into consideration when creating and controlling the financial planning process.

The two topics mentioned above – financial planning and investment-related risks – are those that were of interest to me. Nevertheless, other concepts were as well covered by the course. In particular, significant attention was paid to financial performance assessment, developing cost-effective working capital strategy and understanding capital expenditure, and evaluating securities. Still, regardless of the value of the knowledge related to these themes, I had some background in them, so they were less challenging. Summing up the experience obtained during the course, I realize that I would like to apply the knowledge connected to planning and assessing investment-related risks in my personal life.

They could be valuable for understanding how to achieve one of my life goals – financial independence. In particular, I am interested in the opportunity to depend on investment-generated income instead of having to hope for the increase of wages. For this reason, adequate knowledge of the investment process and risks would be critical for choosing the right asset to invest in as well as create the most effective investment portfolio (Billingsley et al., 2017). More than that, applying financial planning knowledge would be of use for adequately assessing my financial status and allocating enough sources in the investment activities as well as considering those actions that would contribute to becoming financially independent.

Regardless of the interest in these two topics, all concepts learned during the course would be helpful for developing career in any sphere of business activities because financial management is the core of success. Still, I would like to acquire more knowledge on the two topics of interest as well as the assessment of financial performance. The latter would be a perfect supplementation for understanding whether my financial decisions are correct and helpful for a more effective and comprehensive financial planning process.

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Reflective Essay Examples

50 best reflective essay examples (+topic samples).

If you have ever read reflective essay examples, you would know that these types of written works examine the writer’s life experiences . When you write a reflective paper example, you write about your own experiences and explore how you’ve changed, grown or developed because of those experiences. There’s no standard format for this essay as it may vary depending on the target audience.

Table of Contents

• 1 Reflective Essay Examples
• 2 What is a reflective essay?
• 3 Reflective Paper Examples
• 4 Format of reflective essay
• 5 Creating the outline of reflective essay examples
• 6 Reflective Paper Samples
• 7 Tips for writing reflective essay
• 8 Reflective Essay Samples

What is a reflective essay?

A reflective essay is a type of written work which reflects your own self. Since it’s about yourself, you already have a topic to write about. For reflective essay examples, readers expect you to evaluate a specific part of your life. To do this, you may reflect on emotions, memories, and feelings you’ve experienced at that time.

Since you’re writing reflection essay samples about yourself, make sure that they’re interesting and exciting. This is very important so that your readers don’t get bored with what you’ve written. Reflective essays are very personal thus, they’re a special type of essay. As you write one, you need to reflect, think, and explain.

In the essay, you should demonstrate and describe different feelings or emotions which you’ve felt in the past. These statements breathe life into your essay as your readers start picturing what you’ve written in their minds. Reflective essays are very honest, personal, and emotional, especially those which describe painful experiences.

Reflective Paper Examples

Format of reflective essay

As aforementioned, reflective essay examples don’t have a standard format. They seem easy enough to write but once you’ve sat down to start writing, you may suddenly find the task very challenging! Besides the format, you must think about the life experience you want to write about and remember everything about it.

A reflective paper example is a lot like a personal journal or diary. Of course, the difference is that other people will read your essay. Therefore, you must write it with good structure and coherence. In this regard, reflective essays are a lot like the other types of essays too.

When writing a reflective essay, you will have to examine your own life experiences. The purpose of writing such an essay is to provide yourself with a platform to share your most meaningful life experiences with other people. You can also use it as a way to explore how your experiences have changed you as a person.

You can present reflective writing in different formats. Most of the time though, people use a learning log or a diary entry format. You can use these formats and others. Just make sure that your essay has a good flow and that it’s easy for other readers to understand.

The format to use for your reflection essay samples would depend on your target audience. You can make an academic reflective essay or you can make it as a general and informal piece of writing. If you need to write the essay for a class assignment, follow the format given to you by your teacher.

No matter what format you choose, you may write an essay which:

• Focuses on your personal growth Such an essay helps you learn how to evaluate and analyze the experiences you have had in your personal life. This helps promote emotional development and growth. It also helps you understand yourself and your behaviors better.
• Focuses on literature For this type of essay, you may have to include references to literature and apply these to your own life experiences. Such essays are commonly given as assignments to students in school.

Creating the outline of reflective essay examples

Before you write your reflective essay examples, you must create an outline for them. Although you’d write about your own life, creating an outline gives structure to your essay to serve as a guide for what you want to write about.

Whether you need to write an essay for school, for a magazine or for any other reason, creating an outline is the very first step. With a good outline, you have a better idea of how your essay will flow from one paragraph to the next all the way to the conclusion.

When creating the outline of your reflective paper example, keep it organized. Develop the outline gradually and put a lot of thought into it. In doing this, you make the writing process much easier. Here is a rundown of the steps involved in the essay-writing process:

• Choose a topic (a significant life experience you want to write about)
• Gather information
• Create an outline
• Write a draft
• Finalize your essay

Reflective Paper Samples

Tips for writing reflective essay

As you think about the content of your reflection essay samples, remember that the important thing is that such an essay must be highly personal but also engaging to readers. There’s so much more to reflective essays than just writing your story. You must also reflect on your experiences to engage your audiences.

For your starting point, think about the most significant experiences you had in your life. Those which had either a negative or a positive impact on you as a person. If the reflective essay is a school assignment, your professor would probably specify what you must write about. Here are some tips for you for writing your reflective paper example:

• Reflection The most important part of writing your reflective essay is the reflective process. Think about the personal experience you want to write about. Focus on what happened, how this experience made you feel, and how it affected your life. Explore your memories and emotions for this part of the process. As you’re recalling and reflecting on your life experience, take a lot of notes . Write down all the details you remember and try to be as clear and as detailed as you possibly can. Take as much time as you need for reflection. You can even close your eyes as you try to remember those experiences vividly. When you’re confident that you have recalled all of the details of your life experience, it’s time to write your essay. To make it more meaningful, try to answer some important questions about your life experience including: Did you learn anything new about yourself because of this experience? Have you grown or developed because of this experience? If so, in what way? Did this experience impact your life positively or negatively? If you had the chance to experience this all over again, would you do anything differently? Why did you behave in such a way at the time of this experience? Did you make the right choices? What are your general thoughts and feelings about this experience? Can you say that you learned from this experience? Did you gain any new perspectives or skills because of this experience? These are “signpost questions” which can help you write a more meaningful essay. These are just some examples, you can also think of your own questions to ask yourself. The point of these questions is to make sure that you think critically and deeply about the experience you’re writing about.
• Planning After you’ve reflected on your life experience, it’s time to start planning your essay. When it’s time to start, you might feel as if you’re not adequately prepared even though you’ve done a lot of reflection. This is a normal feeling, especially if you want to create a written piece which people will love reading. To ease your anxiety and doubt, come up with a well-rounded and comprehensive plan. The best way to do this is through an outline. With an outline to guide your writing process, you can come up with an essay that’s more coherent and which has a clear structure. An outline or plan is important for reflective essays. Since you’re writing about an emotionally-charged topic, you might find yourself getting “lost” along the way. This is especially true if you’re writing about a painful experience which still affects you until now. The outline serves as a map for you to keep your thoughts organized. In your outline, make sure to establish all of the fundamental details you wish to include in your essay. This helps you pick out and remove any superfluous information to make it easier to read and understand. Planning the points you want to write about makes it easier for you to stay on point. As such, your writing becomes a lot clearer and your readers can follow your line of thought. An outline also prevents you from missing out any relevant information. It’s very difficult and frustrating to go back after you’ve written the whole essay just to fit in this information! Planning your essay also saves you a lot of time. Coming up with the structure makes you more familiar with your essay even before you start writing it. Thus, you can spend more time writing, revising, and proofreading your essay to make it the best version possible.

Reflective Essay Samples

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Persuasive Essay Examples

Essay on Financial Management

Students are often asked to write an essay on Financial Management in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Financial Management

What is financial management.

Financial management is taking care of money. It’s like being smart with your allowance. You plan how to spend and save. Companies do this too. They decide where to use their money to grow and make more.

Why It’s Important

Good financial management helps you not run out of money. It’s like making sure you have enough lunch money for the whole week. For businesses, it means they can pay workers and buy what they need.

Making a Budget

A budget is a plan for your money. You write down what you earn and what you spend. It’s like planning your snacks so you don’t eat them all at once.

Saving and Investing

Saving money means keeping it for later. Investing is using your money to try to make more money, like buying a lemonade stand to earn more.

Being Careful with Debt

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250 Words Essay on Financial Management

Financial management is about how to handle money in a way that is smart and helps achieve goals. It’s like planning a budget for a family or figuring out how to save up for a big purchase. In businesses, it’s about making sure they have enough money to run smoothly and grow.

Creating a Budget

One part of financial management is making a budget. A budget is a plan that shows how much money you expect to get and how you plan to spend it. It’s like when you decide to save part of your allowance for a new bike. Companies do the same by setting aside money for new projects or to pay workers.

Saving money is another key point. It means keeping some money aside for later rather than spending it all. Investing is a step further, where you use your savings to make more money, like buying shares in a company or saving in a bank account that earns interest.

Making Smart Choices

Financial management also involves making decisions about what to buy and when. It’s important to think about if something is really worth the money or if there might be a better way to use it. This can help avoid wasting money and make sure there’s enough for important things.

500 Words Essay on Financial Management

Financial management is like being the boss of your money. Imagine you have a piggy bank; taking care of it, deciding when to put money in, and when to take some out is a bit like financial management. But for grown-ups, it’s more complex because they deal with things like budgets, savings, investments, and loans. It’s all about making sure that money is used wisely and that there’s enough for the things we need, both now and in the future.

The Importance of Budgeting

A budget is like a shopping list for your money. It helps you keep track of how much money you have, what you need to spend it on, like food and rent, and how much you can save for fun things, like toys or vacations. By making a budget, you can make sure you don’t spend too much and end up with no money when you need it. It’s like planning your spending so that you can always buy what you need and sometimes what you want.

Financial management also means making smart choices with your money. This means thinking carefully before you buy something. Ask yourself, do you really need it? Can you afford it? Sometimes, it’s better to wait and save more money before buying something big or expensive. This helps you avoid debts, which is money you owe to others.

Understanding Loans and Debts

Loans are like borrowing money from a friend, but you have to pay it back with a little extra, called interest. Debts are the total amount of money you owe others. Managing loans and debts is important because if you borrow too much, it can be hard to pay back. It’s like taking too much food on your plate and not being able to eat it all. You need to be careful and borrow only what you can pay back.

Planning for Surprises

Financial management is all about taking good care of your money. It helps you make smart choices, save for the future, and be ready for unexpected events. Just like you take care of your toys and belongings, taking care of your money is important too. It means you’ll always have enough for the things you need and some of the things you want. Remember, being the boss of your money is a big responsibility, but it can also be fun when you do it right!

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Effective Financial Management, Essay Example

Pages: 5

Words: 1291

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You are free to use it as an inspiration or a source for your own work.

As one of the main theories of capital structure, the static theory is pretty straight forward, and could certainly be applicable in the case study of a firm that manufactures tennis racquets that desires to take full advantage of its growth potential. This company wants to determine an ideal mix of stocks and bonds in order to obtain the needed funding for an expansion, which is precisely what the static theory of capital structure can accomplish.

Variables in applying the static theory of capital structure: There are different ways to describe the theory, but in simple terms the static theory of capital structure “asserts that there is an optimum mix of debt and equity that minimizes the firm’s overall costs of capital (Sheehan, 2001.)” The primary variables are the inter-relationship that defines the balance between the costs and benefits of borrowing. Potential tax advantages could be represented as a specific tax credit that would be provided as a result of borrowing. such as that generated by creation of a tax shield. Both are powerful financial tools, and the static theory is based on the assumption that there is a desired balance to strike between the two variables that will produce the greatest success and most leverage for the company and its shareholders. The costs of borrowing would be represented by the expense and negative impact that comes with borrowing, such as large adjustment costs and interest that is applied. The benefits of borrowing would be represented by the upside, where there is potential for profitability as long as the company borrows to an optimum level. Variables considered include value of the firm, total debt of the firm. financial distress costs, and the value of tax shield on the debt. Possible costs include debt to expand, loss of business or possible cost of bankruptcy. Among the primary elements or variable costs that could affect the condition of financial distress include the auditor’s fees, management fees as well as the legal fees that are included in the bonds that businesses are often invested in. Relatively though, there are still other fees that could greatly affect the static condition of finances in the market. In this case, it could be assumed that the emergence of financial distress is still possible even when particular possibilities of bankruptcy have already been avoided.

Steps to determine optimal capital structure: The general steps used to determine the optimal capital structure for our successful tennis racquet manufacturer requires a methodological approach. One article relates this process as one of testing through modeling, where steps are taken within a scenario to compare and contrast the benefits versus the costs of borrowing. The value of borrowing costs is measured, along with the value of borrowing benefits, and a ratio is achieved that would indicate a specific monetary value that results from a combination of these two primary variables. Through the modeling process this procedure is repeated by altering one of the both of the borrowing costs and borrowing benefit variables, and this is accomplished by either swapping debt for equity, equity for debt, or both. This process may continue to be repeated many times, and results are compared between all of the different individual models until one is proven or disproven to be optimal (Myers, 1984). While determining optimum debt ratio, it may also be wise to consider other potential influencers. In terms of basic parameters, initial steps should include comparing the value of the firm to the amount of debt. Comparisons must also be made between the average costs of capital versus the average costs of debt and equity. You must also determine which of three essential cases a specific, given situation entails. In one case, the value of the firm is unaffected by capital structures. In another case, the value of the firm increases while the cost of capital decreases as additional debt increases. In the third case, an optimal amount of value is achieved when debt reaches an optimal level.

An article cites three general factors that influence the optimal capital structure. These influencers are defined as macroeconomic factors, industry factors, and company specific factors. These influencers collectively contribute such considerations as government regulation, corporate culture, and whether or not an industry is growing or contracting (Sheehan, 2001). Understandably, given that the classical tax system principle is followed, the effect of taxes and risky debt on the condition of the investment and capital that a business possesses specifically dictates the capacity of the investment to earn further profit from the market. For instance, the emergence of manager’s fees and legal fees directly affect the capacity of an investment to earn; in contrast to this, the current rate of debt that the business has in its record will intend to balance such equity.

Debt to Equity Ratio: The relationship that will exist at the optimal debt-to-equity ratio for our tennis racquet manufacturing firm can be measured. According to one assessment, most firms work diligently to create a target debt ratio and strive to achieve it, and that these debt targets change over time to adjust to changing industry and market patterns. Industry itself seems to be a major influence on debt ratios, and therefore should be monitored for changes (Sunder and Myers, 1998). Another article describes that optimal debt-to-equity ratio is “determined by a tradeoff of the costs and benefits of borrowing, holding the firm’s assets and investment plans constant (Myers, 1984).” The debt to equity ratio amounts to a financial measurement where liabilities, such as long term debt, is divided into the equity of the company. There are specific costs to borrowing, such as potential for high costs of adjustment, servicing of the company debt, and reputation among other considerations. The benefits of borrowing can be defined through maintaining improved liquidity, the potential for tax advantages and a potential for low costs of adjustment (Myers, 1984). These costs and benefits collectively can be evaluated through methods such as modeling to achieve a ratio of benefits and costs. This will determine the debt-to-equity ratio. It is important to note that costs and benefits of borrowing is based in large part on which of three essential cases the model follows. Either the value of the firm is unaffected by capital structures, the value of the firm increases while the cost of capital decreases as additional debt increases, an optimal amount of value is achieved when debt reaches an optimal level. This will influence the costs and benefits of borrowing in a given situation.

Pertaining to the condition of equity between the cost and benefit between debt and fees when investing, it is evident that the said variables coexist to affect the overall performance of the business and the supporting investment that instantiates its market valuation. For instance, in relation to the raising of capital value, the managerial fees and legal fees may increase as well which initiates a rise on the debt rate of a business or an individual investor. In relation to this, the need to take advantage of over-valuation in the market becomes necessary. In doing so, investors will begin to give lower value to the new equity price of the invested stock that belongs to the organization. Once such approach is applied, balancing the debt with the capital becomes possible hence defining the benefits of the said transactions towards the development of the organization in terms of financial stability.

Myers, S. C. (1984). Capital Structure Puzzle. The National Bureau of Economic Research. Retrieved from http://www.nber.org/papers/w1393

Sheehan, R. J. (2001). Capital Structure Choice and the New High-Tech Firm. Proceedings of the Academy of Economics and Finance. Retrieved from http://csb.uncw.edu/people/edgraham/docs/Published%20Files/Investments/FinalProceedingsCopy.pdf

Sunder, L. S. and Myers, S. C. (1998, July 9). Testing static tradeoff against pecking order models of capital structure. Journal of Financial Economics. Retrieved from http://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~eofek/PhD/papers/SM_Testing_JFE.pdf

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Financial Literacy: The Importance in the Modern World Essay

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In previous years, the issue of investing has become popular among beginning investors who follow the advice of bloggers and put their money in unsafe securities or individuals who hope for the burgeoning future of NFTs and cryptocurrency. However, instead of blindly following the advice of impostor financial advisors or buying securities without having knowledge about them, the public should focus on overall financial literacy. From a very young age, every person should learn how to use their money wisely and how it can help not only save but multiply the savings and have enough for a carefree retirement.

The first reason why acquiring the skills of financial literacy is essential is its protection against inflation. At the given moment, the rate of inflation is 7.7%, which means that if money is simply in the deposit account, at the end of the year, its value will decrease by this number (U.S. Inflation Calculator). This is why if people desire to make a big purchase after having enough money for it, eventually, they will be trapped in a vicious circle of constant saving since the prices will be rising together with inflation.

Another point that representatives of younger generations must understand is that financial literacy enables skills of wise saving for retirement. According to The New York Times, schools do not have obligatory courses on 401(k)s and Individual Retirement Accounts, despite the fact that the majority of employees are now responsible for their own retirement plans (Lieber and John). As a result, many children, adolescents, and adults are unaware of the fact that if they start investing $5,000 annually at the age of twenty-two, by the age of 67, they will accumulate approximately $1 million dollars (Lieber and John). However, if they start at thirty-two and invest the same amount of money, they will only manage to generate $500,000 (Lieber and John). Thus, this is the compound interest effect that many people with a lack of financial literacy fail to understand.

Moreover, it is vital to see the benefits of saving in order to have a safety cushion. According to Forbes, two out of three Americans are spending their savings because they are concerned about inflation (Campisi). As a result, these individuals who refuse to save will not have an emergency fund, and if there is a crisis situation, they will have to seek loans. In comparison, those who have basic financial literacy skills know that panicking is the worst enemy, and they are prepared for such scenarios, which is why financial literacy is crucial.

Still, it is important to review other valid opinions regarding investing and saving. While it can be a helpful skill, sometimes financial literacy, along with consistent investing, can be disrupted by certain risks. For instance, the financial crisis of 2008 led to a loss of $2 trillion dollars (Merle). However, it is noteworthy that the results of such outcomes were external factors rather than personal actions.

Hence, it is necessary to learn the fundamentals of financial literacy from a young age in order to have a carefree retirement, emergency funds, and protection against inflation. I believe that it is unfortunate that children do not acquire this knowledge at school and, therefore, it should be either personal or parental responsibility to either learn or teach such skills. With such an approach, both children and adults will be more careful with money and be prepared for any hardship or crisis, being able to grow into financially independent people.

Works Cited

Campisi, Natalie. 2 Out Of 3 Americans Say They’re Blowing Through Savings to Cope With Inflation—Do This Instead . Forbes, 2022. Web.

Lieber, Ron and Todd S. John. How to Win at Retirement Savings . The New York Times, n.d. Web.

Merle, Renae. A Guide to the Financial Crisis — 10 Years Later . The Washington Post. Web.

U.S. Inflation Calculator. Current US Inflation Rates: 2000-2022 . U.S. Inflation Calculator, n.d. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2023, December 27). Financial Literacy: The Importance in the Modern World. https://ivypanda.com/essays/financial-literacy-the-importance-in-the-modern-world/

"Financial Literacy: The Importance in the Modern World." IvyPanda , 27 Dec. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/financial-literacy-the-importance-in-the-modern-world/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Financial Literacy: The Importance in the Modern World'. 27 December.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Financial Literacy: The Importance in the Modern World." December 27, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/financial-literacy-the-importance-in-the-modern-world/.

1. IvyPanda . "Financial Literacy: The Importance in the Modern World." December 27, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/financial-literacy-the-importance-in-the-modern-world/.

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A great example of a reflective essay

(Last updated: 12 May 2021)

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Fieldwork experiences can often be a daunting way of conducting research but they can also be fulfilling. I have had first-hand experience conducting fieldwork for my master’s degree, and while it was a generally enjoyable experience, I did make a number of mistakes during the process. However, I learned some valuable lessons as a result of this too. During my fieldwork in Rwanda, I increasingly realised that it was important to incorporate primary research data into my study, but because of a lack of data on my topic, I made use of other sources of qualitative data to validate my findings. This strategy, according to Denzin (1970), is known as methodological triangulation and it allows researchers to make use of various data gathering methods to ensure internal validity. Based on the use of methodological triangulation, I specifically designed interviews targeted at both elite groups and slum dwellers in Rwanda to investigate the thinking behind the urban policies designed by political elites, and how it impacts marginalised slum dwellers.

The first group of interviewees that I targeted comprised of government officials and the second comprised of a group people living in slums. The elite interviews were generally semi-structured in nature and were based on open- and closed-ended questions. Scholars such as Harvey (2011) have noted that this is the best approach for elite interviews because it allows flexibility and hence, maximises response rates. Notably, scholars such as Aberbach and Rockman (2002), Hoffmann-Lange (1987) as well as Zuckerman (1972) have also shown that elites prefer to engage with open-ended questions so that they can articulate their views coherently. During my interviews with elite groups, I did not always draft formal questions, but I made sure that I was familiar with the topic so that I could comfortably develop a natural rapport with the respondents. Interview times ranged from thirty minutes to up to two hours, and respondents commonly offered me some data sets to consult, which followed with some discussion. I was often required to submit a formal application to access these files, and although I formally submitted a request letter to the Ministry of Urban Development, my efforts proved futile, and it became increasingly frustrating for me to access the data sets I needed.

In some of the interviews, I found that political elites provided evasive answers because of the politically sensitive nature of some of the questions posed. The general etiquette according to Peabody et al. (1990) suggests that political elites should ideally not be interviewed using recording devices as it can cause elusiveness and anxiety – although I did not use a recorder, I continued to receive elusive responses which sometimes left me frustrated and disillusioned with my project. I felt particularly irritated because the absence of a recording device meant I was unable to get hold of a verbatim record of my interviews. Because I had to write down observational notes while engaging with the respondent, it was difficult to record all the information and I lost out on some important points. I tried to strike a balance between note taking and the interview process, but I found this to be a difficult endeavour. I was able to access more political elites than initially anticipated, however it often felt futile because I couldn’t source as much information as I had wanted from this sample group. I tried to counteract these limitations by shifting my focus to the second sample in my study, the slum dwellers, although this was also fraught with some complications. Comparatively and overall, the second sample group proved to be more cooperative and I quickly learned that I had wasted a significant amount of time focusing on political elites, when a lot of the responses I desired could have easily been sourced from policy documents and government reports.

As mentioned, I discovered that slum dwellers, after gaining their trust, provided a great deal of nuanced insight into my understanding of urban regeneration in Rwanda, which was very beneficial for my project. Harvey (2011) has highlighted how field researchers must endeavour to earn the trust of their respondents to gain access to high quality data and looking at the results I garnered, I believe I was able to do this successfully. The data acquisition from the sample group was however, not without complications. The first complication pertained to my status as a foreigner, which I realised made several people wary of my presence. After visiting the research site continuously over a period of time, they became more familiar with me and thus opened up to the idea of participating in my study. I also ensured that I hired a local research assistant, and I realised that my association with a local gave me a greater deal of legitimacy in the eyes of my potential research respondents.

While oftentimes the data collection process was extremely stressful, and sometimes precarious, I learned to be resilient in, and how to maintain focus on meeting my set objectives. Concurrently, I also learned when to change approaches in the field – especially when a particular research method had proven to be unsuccessful. In hindsight, I should have changed my approach much earlier to save a lot of the time I wasted. Looking back, I would have placed less emphasis on the elite sample group as primary data was not necessary for addressing my research questions concerning government policy. I could have saved time and effort in sourcing this information from secondary sources such as government reports and books. I also would have employed a local researcher much earlier in the process as it paved the way for gaining the trust of respondents. At the same time, I realised that I should have provided a lot more training for the research assistant who also served as a translator, due to the events that ensued in the field.

According to scholars such as Temple and Edwards (2002, p.2) “the interpreter is a conduit linking the interviewer with the interviewee and ideally is a neutral party who should not add or subtract from what the primary parties communicate to each other” but in my research, I quickly realised that this was not the case. Generally, the research assistant was highly opinionated and in some instances tried to impose his political views on my respondents. Looking back, I think I could have done a better job in training him and getting him to understand why the responses of interviewees should not be pre-empted. There were several instances where I also noticed that the translation process was not as effective as it should be during the fieldwork process. Due to my increasing familiarity with local dialects, I was able to discern when the translator was not providing the full picture with respect to the responses of the respondents. In my opinion, this was indicative of the lack of training which the translator received and I learned to not just assume that job roles were obvious, especially in this context. In instances where omissions were obvious, I questioned the translator to gain further details. During the early stages of the fieldwork, he was also far too independent and in some instances, did not stick to the script, in terms of the interview questions I had drafted. In hindsight, I should have done a trial run or pilot study, so that he was better acquainted with the standard of research I was expecting.

Overall, the process was a challenging one that introduced me to the iterative nature of fieldwork. It became increasingly obvious to me that in the field, nothing ever goes as neatly as planned on paper. I realised how imperative both resilience and flexibility was in the field. In hindsight, I would have prepared back-up alternatives for each aspect of my study, since in some cases I was completely thrown off guard and had to take a few days off to re-strategise. I lost a few valuable days by doing this and if I had managed my expectations with more caution, I believe I would have been better prepared for the unexpected occurrences in the field. On reflection, I would also have taken my positionality far more seriously, as I never imagined that the way I was perceived by others could affect my study. During my interviews with elite groups, they were often bemused and yet intrigued at the same time about my role as a foreign female researcher. Scholars such as Kobayashi (1994) have highlighted how gender identities play out during fieldwork, meaning women are often discriminated against on the basis of their sex. I did not experience discrimination, but I feel my being a woman helped me gain access to certain respondents that I never anticipated to access, because I was somewhat perceived as a damsel in distress who needed help. While the pity I received worked in my favour, it had no bearing within the interviews themselves as I was not able to acquire the data that I hoped to. Having a better understanding of the cultural nuances would have helped me to manage my expectations better. Indeed, researchers such as Denzin and Lincoln (2011) have highlighted how a researcher’s ability to gain access is shaped by personal characteristics, including gender. Looking back, I believe my fieldwork project was fairly successful, mostly because of its ability to gain nuanced insight from the second sample involving slum dwellers. The major pitfalls of the project mostly pertained to the logistics of the project – specifically the lack of training for the research assistant, and the general lack of a research focus.

References Aberbach, J. & Rockman, B., 2002. Conducting and Coding Elite Interviews. PS: Political Science and Politics, 35(4), pp.673–676. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1554807?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents [Accessed November 20, 2015].

Denzin, N., 1970. The Research Act in Sociology, Chicago: Aldine. Denzin, N.K. and Lincoln, Y.S., 2011. The Sage handbook of qualitative research. Sage.

Harvey, W.S., 2011. Strategies for conducting elite interviews. Qualitative Research, 11(4), pp.431– 441. Available at: http://qrj.sagepub.com/content/11/4/431.abstract [Accessed May 6, 2015].

Herod, A., 1999. Reflections on interviewing foreign elites: praxis, positionality, validity, and the cult of the insider. Geoforum, 30(4), pp.313-327.

Highley, J., Deacon, D. & Smart, D., 1979. Elites in Australia, London: Routledge.

Hoffmann-Lange, U., 1987. Surveying national elites in the Federal Republic of Germany. In G. Moyser & M. Wagstaffe, eds. Research Methods for Elite Studies. London: Allen & Unwin, pp. 27– 47.

Johl, S.K. and Renganathan, S., 2010. Strategies for gaining access in doing fieldwork: Reflection of two researchers. The Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods, 8(1), pp.42-50.

Kobayashi, A., 1994. Coloring the field: Gender,“race,” and the politics of fieldwork. The Professional Geographer, 46(1), pp.73-80.

Mullings, B., 1999. Insider or outsider, both or neither: some dilemmas of interviewing in a cross-cultural setting. Geoforum, 30(4), pp.337-350.

Nolinske, T., 1995. Multiple mentoring relationships facilitate learning during fieldwork. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 49(1), pp.39-43.

Rose, G., 1997. Situating knowledges: positionality, reflexivities and other tactics. Progress in human geography, 21(3), pp.305-320.

Overing, J., 1987. Translation as a creative process: The power of the name. Comparative anthropology, 70, p.71.

Peabody, R., Hammond, S., Torcom, J., Brown, L., Thompson, C. & Kolodny, R., 1990. Interviewing Political Elites. PS: Political Science and Politics, 23(3), pp.451–455.

Temple, B. and Edwards, R., 2002. Interpreters/translators and cross-language research: Reflexivity and border crossings. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 1(2), pp.1-12.

Zuckerman, H., 1972. Interviewing an Ultra-Elite. Public Opinion Quarterly, 36(2), p.159. Available at: http://poq.oxfordjournals.org/content/36/2/159.abstract [Accessed November 20, 2015].

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