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Reflecting on assignments in the course can help you gain deeper insights into your learning process and improve future course work.

Purpose of Journal Entries

Both in traditional and online classrooms, journal entries are used as tools for student reflection. By consciously thinking about and comparing issues, life experiences, and course readings, students are better able to understand links between theory and practice and to generate justifiable, well-supported opinions.  Although somewhat less formal than essays or other course writing assignments, journal entries should still construct a coherent narrative, use complete sentences, be grammatically correct, and be scholarly in tone.

4 Steps to Writing Journal Entries

Step 1

Read the Prompt Carefully

Look for the assignment's purpose, mode of reflection, particulars, and formatting requirements:

  • Purpose: What questions, life experiences, events, or course readings are you being asked to reflect on?
  • Mode of Reflection: Make sure you know what mode of reflection the writing prompt is asking you use. Are you being asked to compare/contrast, describe, highlight thoughts/feelings, issue opinions (agreement/disagreement), draw conclusions, or ask questions?
  • Particulars: What is the word limit? When is the due date and time? What sources are you expected to draw on?
  • Formatting: What formatting has your instructor requested? If no specific formatting is indicated, follow general APA guidelines.

Step 2

Critically Reflect & Organize

Before beginning to write, make sure you have read all of the required readings with a critical eye. After reading, spend some time jotting down your reactions, ideas, and responses to the reading. 

  • Jot notes down about specific elements, examples, or experiences you would like to include in your journal entry.
  • After you have constructed these notes, choose to write about the ideas that best answer the questions and that you can easily support. 
  • Organize these ideas into a clear narrative structure or outline by logically piecing together your ideas in a way that clearly addresses the instructor’s prompt. 

Reflective Questions

Reflecting on assignments in the course can help you gain deeper insights into your learning process and improve future course work.

Here are some questions to guide your reflective journal entry (remember to address the prompts of the assignment, and feel free to adapt these questions to fit your specific context and needs):

 

Learning and Insights

  • What new knowledge or skills did I gain from this assignment?
  • How did this assignment help me understand the course material better?
  • What was the most valuable thing I learned?

 

Feedback and Improvement

  • What feedback did I receive from my instructor or peers?
  • How did I feel about the feedback, and how will I use it to improve?
  • What specific steps can I take to enhance my performance in future assignments?

 

Personal Reflection

  • How did I feel throughout the assignment process?
  • What did I learn about my work habits and time management?
  • How has this assignment influenced my approach to future tasks?

 

Application and Future Goals

  • How can I apply what I learned from this assignment to other areas of my studies or life?
  • What goals will I set for myself based on this experience?
  • How will I measure my progress towards these goals?

Step 3

Reflect

Construct a Draft

Although a journal entry does not need a formal thesis sentence, making your central idea clear early on is important.

  • Make sure that you introduce each new idea with a topic sentence. Follow that topic sentence with information or evidence that justifies your opinion, reflection, speculation, criticism, or agreement.
  • Between individual sentences and between complete paragraphs, inserting frequent and appropriate transitions will help readers easily follow your narrative from one idea to the next.

Step 4

Review and Revise

After writing your journal entry, review your ideas by asking yourself:

  • Is my main idea clear and relevant to the assigned topic?
  • Does my journal entry demonstrate evidence that I have read and thought critically about required readings, experiences, events, or issues?
  • Have I proposed a unique perspective that is supported well?
  • Do I support my claim with required readings or other credible outside sources?
  • Have I used a scholarly tone, complete sentences, and adhered to other specific assignment requirements?
  • Have I self-edited and proofread my response for grammar, style, and structure?

Key Takeaways

  • Check for the assignment's purpose, reflection mode, specifics, and formatting requirements.   
  • Before writing journal entries, reflect on your reactions, ideas, and responses to the reading. Note key points, questions, and personal insights to organize your thoughts.  
  • Ask reflective questions tailored to your context and needs to guide your journal entry.
  • Draft your journal entry to ensure the central idea is clear from the start. 
  • Journal entries help you reflect on course assignments and gain insights to enhance future coursework. 
  • After completing your journal entry, review it carefully and make any necessary revisions.