Edith Cowan University
Blogs, journals et al.
Academic Tip Sheet
This academic tip sheet: Written reflective records Blogs
• looks at how writing changes over time; While at university you will be encouraged to The word blog is a contraction of the word
• describes how to write a blog; read and think analytically and critically and weblog (or web log). A blog is an online
to communicate your ideas in writing. One journal or diary. As with journals and diaries
• looks at the learning portfolio; and
way to achieve this is to engage in critical or in general, in blogs the opinions and personal
• discusses the use of reflective journals. reflective writing over a period of time. Some perspectives of the writer are expressed.
examples of these forms of writing include: Commonly, blogs investigate social, political
• blogs; and/or philosophical issues. They invite
commentary from their readers and enable
• learning portfolios; and
groups of people with similar interests to
• journals. engage in online debate and discussion.
In some of your units you will be assessed on
your entries into a unit blog over the semester.
CRICOS IPC 00279B 01/08
You will be guided in the topics you must write In the learning portfolio you are invited to: regularly and at sufficient length in order to
about by a series of set questions. Information • reflect critically on the unit’s content area; capture experiences in sufficient depth, so
about how to set up the blog will be provided they will have meaning when reviewed at a
• present your perspectives and opinions;
by your lecturer or tutor. later date.
and
In your blog entries, you will present your • substantiate your reflections, perspectives Writing a reflective journal
perspectives and critical reflections on the and opninons with reference to your Why keep a journal?
content of the unit (the ideas expressed in reading/reflection and class discussions.
lectures and in weekly readings, for example). • The act of writing things down helps you
That is, you will share your thoughts and The learning portfolio also asks you to: clarify your thoughts and emotions, to
opinions on the issues you have been studying • think about your own learning processes work out strategies, and to focus on your
and discussing. and your own learning journey; development and progress.
• reflect on how your understandingof • A written record will help you see how you
You may also be required to comment on
certain concepts has changed/broadened/ are progressing from week to week and
the blog entries of your fellow students in
narrowed over the semester; and from semester to semester, year to year.
that unit. In this way the blog creates an
online community of scholars (you and your • indicate areas of particular difficulty Who is it for?
classmates) discussing and debating issues of or interest, learning preferences, • Mainly for yourself. The reflective journal
importance in your field of study. breakthroughs and set-backs. will help you focus on your own learning
development.
As with all academic writing, opinions and Traps to avoid
reflections must be substantiated (or ‘backed Leaving work on your learning portfolio What is it for?
up’) with reference to your reading, thinking, until just before it is due to be submitted is Anything which helps you to reflect on:
observation, and experience, in the form of a foolhardy. Learning portfolios written under
coherent argument. This applies both to your • your feelings about the course, the
these conditions are usually superficial, lecturers, other students, your progress;
own blogs and to your comments on other incomplete, poorly presented, and too brief.
people’s blogs. Although your personal opinion • things you find difficult or challenging;
Your tutor is certain to detect if you’ve handed
should be presented, you must share with in a ‘rushed job’ and your marks will reflect • changes in your attitude or motivation;
your readers the process of reading, thinking, this. Writing less, more frequently, is the best • how you tackle tasks – your strategies.;
discussion, observation and analysis that approach to take. • things you find out about yourself;
led you to reach that opinion. You must also
support your opinions with evidence, either Reflective journals • thoughts about how you learn best;
in the form of references from your reading, The essential reason for writing a reflective • ideas that arise from your studies;
or with examples from the wider world that journal is to recall experience and to try to • how different areas of study link up; and
strongly support your case. understand it. Reflective writing can do things • how your studies relate to real life.
Learning portfolios that ‘just thinking’ or ‘thinking through talking’
rarely achieves. Journal writing forces you to These points will help you get started,
A learning portfolio is a collection of weekly select particular elements from the vast range particularly if you have writers block.
assessment tasks that you will be asked to of possible things you could write about, to
submit once or twice a semester. The format Checklist
organise those elements into a narrative and
the learning portfolio will vary according to to reflect on them. An important element of • Have you determined which type of
your lecturer’s requirements. You may be journal writing is the acknowledgement that writing is being asked for?
required to undertake a variety of weekly the process of writing makes conscious the • Have you kept up to date with your
activities such as: unconscious within us. writing?
• providing written summaries of and • Where necessary, have you backed
reflections on the week’s lecture, tutorial, A reflective journal plays down the role of
memory and enhances the search for patterns up your personal opinions with
and set readings; evidence?
and complexes of meaning. As a reflective
• answering set weekly questions; journal develops, stories appear which develop • Has your writing progressed over
• applying the central principles/themes of similar themes and issues even if the content time?
the unit to texts of your own choice; and of the story appears dissimilar. In addition, as
• finding examples from media texts). many journal writers have discovered, it is not References
simply the record, but the act of writing itself Andersson, B., & Beveridge, A. (2007). A
The learning portfolio is designed to encourage guide to assessments and skills in
that can provide a rich source of learning.
you to engage deeply and regularly with the SCCA (2nd ed.). [Booklet]. Perth, WA:
course content. The weekly tasks guide your Recalling and recording Edith Cowan University.
learning journey. If you keep up to date with A reflective journal can be a rich resource for Grellier, J. & Goerke, V. (2007).
your learning portfolio, applying yourself to the learning both through the act of writing itself Communication skills toolkit: Unlocking
weekly tasks as they arrive, your understanding and through your re-reading of the records the secrets of tertiary success.
of the course content will be enriched. You of your experiences. A journal may be other Australia: Social Science Press.
will be engaging with new ideas while they things, but it is always a record. Entries
are fresh in your mind, and you will have time are typically dated and link in some way to Acknowledgements
to reflect critically on them. You will also be intellectual and emotional experiences of This material was modified from source
providing yourself with very useful and highly that time. Keeping a journal involves some documents prepared by Bethany Andersson,
condensed material for your exam revision. commitment to maintaining the record over Ann Beveridge, and Margaret Doust, ECU,
a period of time – you will need to write September 2007. Editor: Trevor Bennett.
