Dialectical Journal Format
Title and author, number of pages, date started and finished. 12 entries minimum.
|
Text (this is what the story says) Write what I think is a meaningful quote from the text. Include: direct quotes, citations, and brief summaries. Exclude: long drawn-out plot summaries, including great detail about every event.
Your DJ should help you by encouraging Effective note-taking Critical reading Active reading Analytical thinking Reflective questionings Exploration of new ideas |
My Response (this is what I say) Minimum of 10 sentences. Write a personal response of what I think about the passage. Include: Inferences Predictions Reflections—what the passage stirs in my thinking or memory Associations My feelings toward the author’s words (mood, atmosphere) Words or passages I don’t understand Words or passages I think are important Connections among passages or sections of the work Literary devices I discover Remarks about the author’s style, tone, diction.etc. The goal is to arrive at a universal truth. Always use logic and textual evidence support your findings. After I’ve completed my dialectical journal, I will review my notes and write a brief summary of my ideas and impressions. I will not write a plot summary. |
For extra credit, you may include vocabulary words you did not know. For these, write Vocabulary: word. Sentence from book: “ “ (page). Definition: . Your own sentence. 10 words = 10 extra credit points, if done correctly. Maximum points =10.
