Reading Journals

A literature (or reading) journal is a record of your reactions to what you read. Its writing style is informal, unpolished, off-the-top-of-the-head -- yet it reflects your ideas about the texts, so it is not random or "thoughtless". It is not a diary of your personal life, though certainly what you read may be relevant to events and ideas close to you, and mention of these is fine.

A journal kept for a literature class will be shared -- certainly with the teacher, and often with classmates, too. When I assign a journal, you are expected to keep up to date with the entries (hence, also with the reading), as these are often meant as a warm-up to class discussion.

Journal entries which answer specific questions (from me or the textbook) do not have to be "right."  The proverbial "E for Effort" counts here. When I evaluate journals, I look to see what effort you make to understand a poem, drama, or story -- the record of your struggle, if nothing else. The journal is a place to think on paper, to risk, to guess, to come to some sort of understanding of the texts, however idiosyncratic.

A warning: I've found it very obvious when an entry is done after (or during!) class discussion; I grade down for this.

A word to the wise: Students have told me that journal writing helps them in several ways --
1. It forces them to keep up with the reading.
2. It encourages them to think on their own, not just regurgitating the teacher's or classmates' ideas.
3. It forms a good review source for tests.
4. Sharing journals in class opens their eyes to other students' ideas and abilities.
5. It helps them really see the progress they make over a term in being able to work with a text.

I wouldn't assign journals if I weren't convinced of their worth. However, it is your effort which will actually make the journal worth your while. I encourage you to use this learning tool to its best potential.

Literature involves a subjective process of study. There are some "right" and "wrong" ways of looking at texts, but much interpretation depends on each person's current experience and knowledge. Part of the task of any literature course is to educate you about the "rights" and "wrongs" and provide you with additional relevant knowledge, but the other part is to encourage you to bring your unique background to bear on experiencing the texts.

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Western Oregon University
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