Dialogue Journals
The purpose of the dialogue journal is for you to have a space to engage deeply with the material in the readings. This means working to understand it, surfacing questions, wonderings, what you find complicated, what you find unnecessarily complicated, what you think the assumptions are in the readings, what you think it’s trying to argue and why you think it’s trying to argue that. This is also a space for your processing of the readings to be supported by the instructor and the TA or reader/grader: we will read them and make comments intended to support and expand your thinking, but also to engage with your thinking and learn with you.
The dialogue journals should be:
At least one page typed, double spaced, 1” margins, size 12 font, Times New Roman
Include specific references to the readings with page numbers
You may include a short quote from the reading occasionally but the majority of your journal entry should be your processing, not lengthy quotes.
You may also include things like links to voice memos, images, drawings, or other material that you find relevant to what you read like links to articles or other media. These should be in addition to your typed page: for instance, if you include an image, your total typed amount would still be equivalent to one full page (as described above).
Each entry will be 10 points. The reader/grader and the instructor will consider the following during grading:
Are there specific references to the readings?
Is there evidence of deeply engaging with the material, making relevant connections, and making an authentic effort to think and learn expansively in their writing and/or additional media included?
Do the entries respond to the instructor’s or reader/grader’s comments?
Are there minimal direct quotes from the readings, and the student’s thoughts/understandings/paraphrasing is foregrounded?
Are formatting guidelines followed? (APA format: Times New Roman, size 12, 1″ margins, double-spaced, no extra spaces before, after, or within the document)
Pick one reading from the files to write, it’s This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeStudent’s thoughts/understandings/paraphrasing are foregrounded
In other words, this is not just a summary or a listing of quotes, but primarily shows your own thinking about the text
