What is the purpose? A dialectical journal is another name for a double- entry journal or a reader-response journal. A dialectical journal is a journal that records a dialogue, or conversation, between the ideas in the text (the words that you are reading) and the ideas of the reader (the person who is doing the reading). This is what you must do in your journal—keep a dialogue with yourself. Write down your thoughts, questions, insights, and ideas while you read.

How to Write a Good Dialectical Journal – for Fiction Make a t-chart: draw a line across the top of your paper and two lines down the middle (creating a narrow middle column). In the top left area, write “Quote.” In the narrow center column, write “Pg No.” In the top right, write, “Why do I find this quote interesting or important." Begin by simply reading the text as a whole piece. Get a feel for the theme, characters, story line and setting. In the left-side column of your journal, note phrases or sentences that stick with you. Include the page number in the narrow center column. They might have stuck because they confuse, inspire, bewilder or resonate with you—note this information in the right column.

Dialectical Journal Template

Some Tips… In your response column, write your thoughts about those phrases, terms and sentences. These responses should come from a real place and shouldn't be forced. Be clear about what confuses you, or write a brief note about the memory that you connect with the reading. Look back through the reading again quickly to see if any new insights have come to you now that you have made these connections. If so, jot these down in your dialectic journal as well.

Reading the Prologue Write the following questions in your dialectical journal. Answer them as we read through the prologue: 1. Who are the characters and their relationships? 2. What happens in the plot? 3. What is the setting? 4. Describe a flashback. 5. From what point of view is the novel written?

From the Prologue… In the last paragraph on page 4, Paul says, “The zombie was locked out.” In your dialectical journal, make some predictions about who or what the zombie might be. In your dialectical journal, summarize what you know about the novel based on your reading and discussion of the prologue.