The Dialectical Journal

This handout is a compilation of information from various sources

“Dialectic” means “the art or practice of arriving at the truth by using conversation involving question and answer.” Think of each dialectical journal entry as a conversation with the text you are reading. The process is meant to help you develop a better understanding of each text.  Use your journal to incorporate your personal responses to the texts we read.  You will find that it is a useful way to process what you’re reading, prepare yourself for group discussion, and gather textual evidence for writing assignments.

Procedure

• As you read, choose passages that stand out to you and record them in the left-hand column of a T-chart (ALWAYS include page numbers and paragraph numbers). 
• In the right column, write your response to the text (ideas/insights, questions, reflections, and comments on each passage). You might consider:
• What does this quotation mean?
• Why is this important?
• What is my personal response?  
• What does the author convey through this passage?
• How does he/she convey his/her intention or purpose?
• How does this connect to our understanding of the text as a whole or society? 
• If you choose, you can label your responses using the following codes:
• (Q) Question – ask about something in the passage that is unclear
• (C) Connect – make a connection to your life, the world, or another text
• (P) Predict – anticipate what will occur based on what’s in the passage
• (CL) Clarify – answer earlier questions or confirm/disaffirm a prediction
• (R) Reflect – think deeply about what the passage means in a broad sense – not just to the characters in the story.  What conclusions can you draw about the world, about human nature, or just the way things work? 
• (E) Evaluate  - make a judgment about the character(s), their actions, or what the author is trying to say

Choosing Passages from the Text:

Look for quotes that seem significant, powerful, thought provoking or puzzling.  For example, you might record:

• Effective and/or creative use of stylistic or rhetorical devices
• Passages that remind you of your own life or something you’ve seen before
• Structural shifts or turns in the narrative/organization
• A passage that makes you realize something you hadn’t seen before
• Examples of patterns: recurring images, ideas, phrases, words, etc.
• Passages with confusing language or unfamiliar vocabulary
• Events you find surprising or confusing
• Passages that illustrate a particular idea, concept, or question

Responding To the Text:

You can respond to the text in a variety of ways.  The most important thing to remember is that your observations should be specific and detailed. You can write as much as you want for each entry.  

Basic Responses

• Raise questions about the beliefs and values implied in the text
• Give your personal reactions to the passage
• Discuss the words, ideas, or actions of the author or character(s)
• Tell what it reminds you of from your own experiences
• Write about what it makes you think or feel
• Agree or disagree with a character or the author

Higher Level Responses

• Analyze the text for use of rhetorical and literary devices (tone, structure, style, imagery)
• Make connections between different characters or events in the text
• Make connections to a different text (or film, song, etc…)
• Discuss the words, ideas, or actions of the author or character(s)
• Consider an event or description from the perspective of a different character
• Analyze a passage and its relationship to the text as a whole

Variations on the Dialectical Journal Format

• Metacognitive Journal – what I learned/how I figured it out (incl. pg. #s)
• Synthesis Journal – at the end of a weekly cycle, consider your Dialectical Journal entries, group work & participation in class discussion.  Analyze your overall progress as a reader & writer.