Problem
For this journal you will react, this is different than a reflection. When crafting a good reaction piece, we should aim to clarify what we think, agree, or disagree with, and how we would identify with the object regarding our life experiences. It is not a summary of the chapter, although information about it is included. Reaction papers require close attention beyond the surface of meaning. It is about responding to implied ideas and elaborating, evaluating, and analyzing the main points from the chapter.
Remember
While reading:
a) How do you think or feel about what you are reading, hearing, or experiencing?
b) With what do you agree or disagree, or identify or what do you evaluate/judge?
c) What do you conclude from the reading?
Use the following template to complete the journal entry.
1) Introduction
a) Sentences 1, 2, and 3 should give a summary or overview of the chapter.
b) Sentence 4 should be your thesis (i.e., with what do you agree, disagree, or identify or what do you evaluate or judge?)
NOTE: A thesis statement is an assertion, not a statement of fact. You should take a stand, contain one main point, and be sufficiently specific and narrow.
NON-EXAMPLE: Students write many papers in college courses.
EXAMPLE: Students write papers in college to advance their knowledge of certain subjects.
2) Body
a) The body should contain a paragraph that provides support for your thesis.
b) The paragraph should contain one idea.
c) The topic sentence of the paragraph should support the thesis.
3) Conclusion
The conclusion can be:
a) A restatement of what you said in your paper,
b) A comment that focuses your overall reaction, or
c) A prediction of the effects about your topic.