How to Write a Journal Response

Typically a journal response consists of the writer expressing feelings about a quote somebody once said or a written passage recently read. Because the subjects stimulating the writer are so varied, ample emotional latitude is often shown in responses.

Instructions

1. Digest the passage or quote fully before you begin your response. Think about what the passage could mean as a whole and what it means to you. Take a few minutes to organize your thoughts and let your impressions settle.

2. Think about what the strongest aspect of the piece is to you. Does it relate to your life in any way? Perhaps after reading "The Catcher in the Rye," you relate to Holden Caulfield because you are unsure what to do with your life. Flesh this out as part of your response.

3. Question issues you don't understand. If the text is strange, list what makes it so. Pinpoint what confuses you. Consider "asking" the writer or the main character questions about their motivation. Write a conversation in your journal with James Joyce about "Ulysses," if that's what moves you after reading it.

4. Play devil's advocate and try to see events from all sides. Even if you cannot agree with the passage, be free enough to look at the good or bad of it. For example, examine the qualities that produce Jay Gatsby in "The Great Gatsby." Do you find him to be a swell guy or a scoundrel? Look at characters from all angles and jot down your thoughts.

5. Write a list of words, images or details that move you in any way. Do not limit yourself. Allow everything in as fair game. Look up words if you miss their significance. Read closely like this and you should gain a fuller understanding of the text itself.