Journals Journals provide a place for informal, exploratory writing. Instructors can use them to encourage students to develop and search for ideas about topics about which they may as yet know little. Journals offer continuity across a variety of what might otherwise be an overwhelming range of course assignments. Journals may be secondary to other writing assignments or entire courses can be organized around them.
Journals provide unparalleled flexibility in assignments and evaluation.
They offer student feedback to instructors that they are unlikely to receive in any other way. For further information, see Toby Fulwiler, editor, The Journal Book, a collection of 42 short articles about the use of journals in college classrooms. This book can be found in Hamilton Library or at the Manoa Writing Program. Some Tips on Using Journals Effective journal writing can be organized in many ways. Journals might become a beginning of class ritual.