Tips for Writing a Good Reflective Learning Journal: Marking Criteria and Standards

Tips for writing a good Reflective Learning Journal:

Think about how it all fits together:

• Good learning is not simply about memorizing facts. Learning in depth involves understanding how different facts, events, concepts and theories fit together.
• The learning journal is aimed at helping you better understand how your understanding of the module content is developing. This is done by reflecting on your learning activities (lectures, reading and seminars) on a weekly basis.
• The journal is not simply intended to record descriptions of concepts and events, you also need to explore the underlying themes, reasons and connections between the ideas and concepts you encounter and the discussions that take place in the seminar.
• When writing your entries think closely about the material you encountered in the lectures, the literature you have read from the reading list, newspaper articles, television news or documentaries and the discussions that took place during the seminar.
• What do you think are the important themes or ideas present in the week’s topic? How do they appear to fit together with what you have read or may already know? How did the seminar activities help develop your thinking?

Engage with the Literature 

• The Reflective Learning Journal is designed to chart the development of your thinking and you need to reflect how the literature you read in preparation for the seminars relates to what you encounter in the lectures and seminars;
• By engaging with the literature I do not mean simply re-iterating the content of the readings you have made. Engagement requires you to think critically about how the material you have read related to the activities and discussions in your seminar;
• At the start of each weekly entry, write down full references for the material you have looked at in preparation for that week’s seminar topic;
• The more you read, the richer your reflections are likely to be. Be frank and honest;
• Learning is a collective but also intensely personal activity. Try and use the journal entries to accurately document how you are finding the material;
• Reflect on how you are finding the learning experience. If you are having difficulty understanding some of the material, try to reflect on why this might be and probe ways of improving your understanding. Prepare, attend and participate;
• Adequate preparation, by attending the lectures and doing the background reading, is essential in equipping you with the tools necessary to participate in seminar activities at the required level;
• Attendance at seminars, besides being compulsory, is essential in providing you with the experience of the learning process upon which you are to reflect;
• Active participation in the activities will enrich your overall learning experience, improve your understanding of the subject area and help you to develop important communication, argumentation and interpersonal skills. The more you participate, the better the material you will have to structure your journal entries around.

Reference Properly

• Poor referencing is an easy way to lose marks.  Good referencing is essential in obtaining a high mark irrespective of what course you study at university.
• Learn how to use the Harvard referencing system.  It is quite straightforward although it can take a little practice to master. 
• Remember, failing to reference properly can lead to accusations of plagiarism, which invariably leads to loss of marks and disciplinary procedures. 
• You are able to check the similarity % of your assessment on Turnitin prior to submission. This is a valuable tool to ensure that your referencing practice is in order.

Reflective Learning Journal Marking Criteria

Take a careful look at these. This is how I will be grading your Reflective Learning Journals

Assessment criteria:

Structure and clarity: This includes the focus on the question and the relevance of the discussion, the structure of the essay and the clarity of the argument

Analysis and critical engagement: This deals with the bulk of your argument and focuses on how you engage critically with relevant literature and on how you articulate your own argument in response to the chosen question.

Evidence and accuracy: This broadly relates to how you support the claims you make with evidence, the breadth and accuracy of evidence used.

General written expression and academic standards: This criterion deals with the quality of your writing (grammar, clarity, etc.) and with the standard of referencing and of the bibliography.

Overall: An amalgamation of the above.

Below are details of the standards of work required for different grande boundaries:

Critical Reflection (1st Class) 70+

- Recognition of a variety of different interpretations of the events and ideas encountered and the socio-cultural influences which affect how they and constructed and constituted