Journals are worth a total of 10% of your total mark.

You are required to complete 4 of these during the semester @ 2.5% each.

What is a journal?

Think of English 301 as a course not simply in writing, but in thinking. The process of writing argumentative essays is one way of developing and training your mind to think critically and independently.

Think of the journal as the best way of demonstrating the growth in your critical thinking.

TIPS:

DO:

  • Use your journal to respond to what you read.
  • Use your journal to ask questions of what you read
  • Use your journal to agree or disagree with what you read. (But always provide reasons, and not simply emotional reactions, for your agreement and disagreement. Remember: this is a course in THINKING, not FEELING.)

DON'T:

  • Use your journal to retell what it was you read.
  • Use your journal as a jumping-off point to share something that's happening in your life.
  • Ignore the journal assignments. 10% can make the difference between a pass and a fail!!!

Stay focussed. Don't write too much. Pick one or two main points to develop. Don't try and cover everything; more is not always better.

If your journals are 1-2 typed, 12-point font formatted, double-spaced pages long, you're on the right track. If they're less than 1 page, they're too short; if they're much more than 2 pages, they're mini-essays and too long.