What's the purpose of a double-entry journal?
The purpose of double-entry journal (DEJ) is to give you an opportunity to express your thoughts and become more involved with the material you encounter. You can do Double-entry Journals for both articles and listenings that are assigned in class.
How does it work?
You will divide your page into two with a vertical line down the center. On the left side, you will copy down short quotes from the original text that you find interesting in some way. (On the bottom of this page page are a couple of links to examples of DEJs.) In the right column, you will write your personal responses to the quotes on the left.What should I write?
Write your reactions to the quote that you chose. Your reactions can include your own opinions, disagreements, interpretations, events in your life that the quote reminds you of, comments about grammar, and guesses about the meaning of new words. In effect, you are talking back to the author or speaker as you write your responses.How is a DEJ helpful?
Double-entry journals allow you to pick out the parts that YOU think are important, and to ask the questions that YOU have, instead of doing exercises that the teacher made up. Doing your reading this way will help to improve your comprehension and vocabulary. It will also help you remember the material better.Can I see some examples?
Sure you can. Here are two links: