ONLY WRITE ABOUT TOPICS IN ATTACHED FILES
Each student is required to keep an intellectual journal. The journal should be composed of
essays and entries that deal with topics covered in lectures, readings, and videos. Students are expected to
address issues critically and analytically. You may also explore personal opinions and views and integrate
these into the journal. The journal can provide an outlet to comment on the class or to vent, if need be. I
evaluate journals on effort and content, not your opinions and worldview. Journals may be submitted via
email or turned in on the due date in class. Journals may be handwritten if you can do so legibly.
You may choose topics for discussion in the journal. If you cannot think of a topic, look at the tables of
contents in your texts or talk to me. Each entry should be dated and numbered. Over the course of the
semester you will write two journal entries. Each of these should be at least 750 words (approximately 3
double-spaced typed pages or handwritten equivalent). A single entry may cover more than one topic, and
may be written at more than one sitting. You will not be penalized for writing more than 750 words, but
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you will lose points if you write less than that. Put the word count at the beginning or end of the
journal.
Journals will be returned with comments and a grade on a 15/15 scale. The most frequent causes of a
grade less than 15/15 are: unexcused lateness, shorter than required length, illegible, lack of focus, and
lack of organization. The journals are not formal writing assignments, however, so you have more latitude
in the format and language you wish to use.
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