A journal entry consists of two parts:
1. The first part is a direct quotation of the part you noted from the text, copied word for word, and enclosed in quotation marks. Be sure to include the author's last name and the page number of the quotation in parentheses after the quotation. MLA format requires that you use the last name, a space, and then the number, e.g., (Ludwig 89).
2. The second part of the journal entry is a paragraph that explains why you found the passage to be important or interesting. Sometimes students ask questions about the reading, or they explain it, or relate to it in some way. Whatever you do, do not simply summarize the contents of the passage. Instead, go beyond it somehow, analyze it, offer thoughts about why it seems important to you or to others. In essence, by writing about the importance of the passage, you will give it meaning.
It is also helpful to explain what is going on in the text at the time of the passage (the context). Some students like to write (1) what is happening in the story, (2) what the passage says, and (3) why the passage is important or interesting. This structure is not necessary, but sometimes it helps you organize your responses.
The quality of your thinking and the energy with which you attempt to analyze your reading are the most.