Researchers use the research diary as a tool to reflect on their research practices. The research diary is an important tool in participatory action research, which can be used by all participants, whether their primary interest is research, professional practice or social change. Keeping a diary is a useful means to explore your practices, provide a mirror in which you find yourself reflected, get practice and gain confidence in recording research and writing, be empowered as a researcher through sharing experience with peers, engage in supportive but critical interaction between peers and participants. How It is important to write in the diary regularly. Make a diary entry even if you do nothing else towards the project in a given week.
Some people use exercise books or bound notebooks for their diary.
Others use loose leaf paper, special forms or a floppy disk. Nothing in the diary should be thrown away. You should not try to produce a perfectly polished essay. The diary is a record of your developing thought and action, and of the real process of action research and reflective practice. Because your diary entries will be of different lengths from day to day, a printed diary is not a good idea.