Name: ______________________________________________________________
Senior English
Abschutz
Date: _________________
Ordinary People Dialogical Journal
The key to literary analysis is close reading. The most common close reading
technique is to focus on key passages and write brief comments as you read. An
extension of this technique is a dialogic journal. This journal is essentially a record
of your “dialogue” with the text as you read it: the questions it inspires, its
revelations, the passages that truly move you. Teachers (particularly college
professors) usually assign the dialogic journal to help students generate original
essay topics. On the due date, you will submit a journal of 10 entries that span
the entire length of the novel. There must be an entry from the first 30 pages
and the last 30 pages and several in-between.
 Work on the journal as you read the novel.
 To get started, create a Word file in which you do the following:
o Set up your format as a table (11 rows, 2 columns) with appropriate
headings (“Excerpt” and “Response”).
o As you read, pick a brief section of the text that jumps off the page for
you. Choose one with which you can interact in a meaningful fashion,
and copy it into the left-hand column.
o This excerpt may:
 Represent writing (literary techniques) that you have a
question about or truly admire.
 Exemplify characterization.
 Show use of certain tone or style.
 Reveal an intriguing plot twist, climax, and/or theme of the
work.
 Make an interesting comment on relationships and/or society.
 Evoke certain emotions in you, or cause you to think about
yourself in a new way.
o In the right hand-column, you will type your thoughts on that
quotation. Your responses should be between 5-8 sentences each.
DUE DATE WILL BE ONE CLASS SESSION AFTER
WE FINISH READING THE NOVEL
Dialogical Journal Rubric
A
95
B
85
C
75
D
65
 Detailed, meaningful passages, plot and quotation selections
 Thoughtful interpretation and commentary about the text; avoids
clichés.
 Includes comments about literary elements such as diction,
imagery, syntax, and how these elements contribute to the
meaning of the text.
 Coverage of text is complete and thorough.
 Journal is neat, organized, and professional looking. Student has
followed directions in the organization of the journal.
 Less detailed, but good plot and quotation selections.
 Some intelligent commentary. Addresses some thematic
connections.
 Includes some literary elements, but less on how they contribute
to the meaning.
 Some personal connection; asks pertinent questions.
 Adequately addresses all parts of reading assignment.
 Journal is neat and readable; student has followed directions in
the organization of journal.
 Few good details from the text.
 Most of the commentary is vague, unsupported, or plot
summary/paraphrase
 Some listing of literary elements; virtually no discussion on
meaning.
 Limited personal connection; asks few, or obvious questions
 Addressers most of the reading assignment, but is not very long
or thorough.
 Journal is relatively neat, but may be difficult to read. Student has
not followed all directions in journal organization.
 Hardly any good details from the text
 All notes are plot summary or paraphrase
 Few literary elements, virtually no discussion on meaning.
 Limited personal connections; no good questions
 Limited coverage of the text; way too short
 Did not follow directions in organizing journal; difficult to read or
follow
F
50
 Incomplete
0
 Not submitted