Students are expected to keep comprehensive journals in this class. We ask that you keep your journal a Strathmore (or similar) unruled bound notebook. These notebooks are available in the bookstore.
What constitutes a good journal? We have selected several journals from previous classes to show as a model. They are available from Dr. Kidder. Please take time to look at these as their form and content provide you with some way to measure our expectations of your performance.
In general, the journal should be a documentary record of your experiences in this class. These experiences include both the lectures and the field trips, as well as any personal observations pertinent to the class and drawn from your life during the course of the semester. The journal, however, is not merely the "documentation" file for things done, heard or seen. It should also serve as a form of reflection or synthesis of information. Specifically, we want you to try to observe, note, and think about connections between apparently distinct components of the course.
Your journal should include your class notes or summations of class notes (or both). The journal should also contain a record of your observations and experiences during field trips. Further, you should be certain that there is a section on reflections/comments that serves to record your thoughts, feelings, and understanding of what the lectures and experiences mean to you and how the lectures/experiences relate to other aspects of the course. Relevant additional material might include drawings, photographs, handouts, clippings, and brochures.
Journals should also document your research efforts for the web project, including bibliographies, research notes, documents, web sites visited, and your observations and/or conclusions.
Dr. Kidder , Dr. Wall, and Nicole will review these journals three times during the course of the semester. This review serves to insure that you are doing a satisfactory job and to make suggestions on how the journal may be improved (if necessary). It also provides you with motivation to keep up with your journal. These reviews will be graded; the final journal grade is a cumulative assessment of the journal throughout the semester.
The completed journal must be turned in at the Final Examination (Sunday, Dec. 16).
It is very important that you write in the journal on a regular basis. The purpose of the Journal is to provide a "real-time" record of your thoughts and observations and provides a means for you to think out issues and concerns as you recognize them. The Journal is also a primary study tool for the final examination.