Reading Log & Journal

Assignment Overview

This assignment includes two components: a reading log and a journal.

Reading Log: I am discussing this first even though it will be at the end of the journal. At the end of the journal, you will have a reference section which includes the five books you read for this course listed in an APA style reference list. However, you will make one alteration from APA style. After the reference information for each book, please include the date that you finished reading the book. This should reflect the following deadlines:

• One book is due by end of Week 3
• One book is due by end of Week 4
• One book is due by end of Week 5
• One book is due by end of Week 7
• One book is due by end of Week 9
As this is a journal, you should not need to reference other outside sources. However, if you do refer to other sources as part of your reflection, include them in your reference section in APA style. I will be able to identify the five books you read for class by the dates.

Journal: Your journal should reflect your reactions and critical thinking about the books you have read in this course. Your journal should be 10 full pages of text; at least 1-page of your journal should be devoted to each book. The other five pages can be used to 1) critically compare the books, 2) go into greater depth on a book that was of interest to you, or 3) integrate reactions to course material as related to the books. Here are some important general guidelines for your journal:

• DO NOT SUMMARIZE!!! Many students lose points for summarizing. I know the content of these books already and do not wish to read another summary of them.
• DO DEMONSTRATE CRITICAL THINKING! This is the primary feature of the journals that I will be looking at when grading your journals.
• Your journal should be one document, not separate documents for different portions of your journal. You may organize them with dates or headers if you like; however, do not use page breaks (which artificially seem to extend the paper). You need 10 full pages of text for this assignment.
• You must turn in a draft of your journal by the end of week 4. I will provide feedback on your journal so that you may make appropriate changes in what you turned in. You may include these changes in your final draft.
• Your final journal is due no later than Friday at 5:00 of week 9.