Reading Journal Guidelines
Approximately once each week you will be asked to write a reading journal. The paper
is a one page response to a literature reading assignment. You will express your feelings,
ideas, questions, answers, understandings, and insights about what you have read. You
may draw upon topics covered in class discussion, but you must always be able to back up
your position with references to the text. Giving evidence for an opinion is a technique for
producing persuasive writing
Types of Responses -
1. Opinions about the plot, characters, or information presented in the text.
2. Expressions of enjoyment, boredom, or empathy.
3. Comments on language or literary techniques used.
4. Connections of the next with the reader’s own experience.
5. Questions about vocabulary, plot, language usage, information, characters’ behavior,
theme, or other.
Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing -
1. If you had 30 seconds to explain the piece, what would you say?
2. What emotions (if any) did you feel as you read the story?
3. What is the nature of the relationship between the characters and their roles in the
story?
4. What was your main focus as you read (word, image, idea)?
5. How do you think your view of the story may differ from other students in your class?
6. Does the writing bring any memories to your mind of people, places, events, sights,
etc.?
7. Does this work remind you of any other literary work (poem, play, film, story, etc.)
Is there a connection between the two?
Your reading journal should be typed and saved to your portfolio as a web page. Make a link to it on your index page. Do NOT use word art or other graphics – text only.
It does not need to be double spaced. Use Ariel or Times New Roman 12 or 14 point font and be sure to use paragraphs to organize your ideas. Make sure that it is not in all caps. The minimum length is 250 words.
