Writing this journal is not the same as writing a diary. Your journal for 1213 is meant to be a source of raw material from which you can draw ideas for your formal writing. Your journal should include observations about life around you, about yourself, about the reading you are doing for this course, and about any other reading, event, or discussion that inspires you. Your journal writing is a resource for topic ideas for the arguments you will construct this semester. Your journal will not include information such as what you had for breakfast or when you got up in the morning!
1. Write your journal on loose-leaf paper or keep it in a special computer
file on your floppy disk. With either of these methods, you can add
entries at any time. Store all of your journal entries in a special
place in your class binder or on your floppy disk.
2. Begin each entry on a new sheet of paper or on a new Word document.
3. Date each entry.
4. Before you begin to write anything, find a place where you are not
likely to be disturbed. Then relax and let your mind empty itself.
5. Once you begin to write, keep writing continuously for 15 minutes
or more.
6. Write legibly and leave plenty of space on the page in case you
want to add comments later.
7. There are suggestions for topic ideas in your text on pages 56-57,68-70,
243, 213, 289-290, and 321.
These suggestions may stimulate your thoughts.
8. Let your thoughts take whatever direction they will. However,
remember that you will be sharing this journal writing with your instructor.
9. After 15 minutes, reread what you wrote. Add comments that
occur to you as you read. Your goal is to produce a full page
of journal writing every week!
10. Journal writing is freewriting and does not have to have any particular
format.
* These directions were adapted from Leki p.7-8