Indeed, in-class journal writing can be particularly effective when students write about a reading for five minutes before discussing it. Students may be asked to respond to a particular question or to solve a problem. A few students can read responses aloud as a way of beginning either class or small group conversation. Journal writing can also be used to conclude a class discussion of any text. Other kinds of journal entries written at the conclusion of class can be summaries of what the student has learned or questions about material presented during class that remains confusing.
Some faculty members prefer that students keep journals in spiral-bound notebooks.
Other faculty have students write with word processors, in which case students should be expected to run a spell-check. If students write an entry in-class, a teacher can ask students to revise it to hand in the next class period. Collaborative Learning Studies have shown that teaching can be more effective when it is done in segments no longer than 20 minutes. As a result, faculty often vary their activities in each class period, using short workshops. Groups can discuss the assigned topic, or do formal invention techniques together.