"We take something from inside ourselves and we set it out: it is a means of discovering who we are, that we exist, that we change and grow. The personal journal has been used for hundreds of years to articulate the human drama of living and to explore new knowledge" (Wolf cited in UCD, nd).
A journal is an ongoing piece of writing which creates a record of your work, your research and your developing ideas. It may also include reviews of work by other practitioners. The purpose is to document your learning and development process and to provide material for reflection.
There is not usually a set length
It doesn't follow a structure - but always check with the instructions you have been given as you may be given prompt questions to help you record your experiences and research
It can be informal, personal and reflective
You can use 'I' when writing
You can document your experiences (eg practical, trips, something you have learnt, ideas, reading, things that have gone well and things that didn't quite work out as planned)
It can include references from sources
May include images, charts, tables and data
Not to be confuse with a reflective essay or report which are more structured and may use the journal as 'raw material' for inclusion in writing.
UCD.n.d. Learning Journals and Logs. Available at: https://www.ucd.ie/teaching/t4media/learning_journals_logs.pdf. [Accessed 11 September 2025]
