Features of a journal
Purpose: To record personal reflections or experiences for posterity or for self-expression.
Audience demands: Depends on the purpose of the journal. Journals written for private selfexpression may be highly personal and introspective. Journals written to record important events
will aim at a potential audience and may deliver some statements for the benefit of this audience.
Text structures
Date: Indicates time of entry.
Salutation/sign-off: journals often begin with a salutation, for example ‘Dear diary’, and finish with
a sign-off: usually the writer’s name. Sometimes a slogan or catchphrase may be used as a signoff.
Sequence
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A series of journal entries will describe events chronologically.
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Opening descriptions indicate context: time, place, issue(s).
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Each entry will switch between descriptions of events and personal reflections while outlining
thoughts, emotions and evaluations.
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An entry may end with a concluding statement: a final comment on how the writer feels, after
having written everything down. The writer may also anticipate future events, exhibiting anxiety
or optimism about what comes next.
Narrative point of view: A sense of the identity behind the writing is achieved through a
consistent approach to ‘voice’. The writer’s language choices will reveal the author’s personality,
attitudes and values. Colloquial terms, metaphors and similes will reflect the social, cultural or
historical context of the writer.
Theme: Often a journal focuses upon events of social-cultural or personal importance to the writer.
The writer’s responses or realisations about life may provide commentary on themes of interest.
Language features
Perspective: First-person perspective is used consistently.
Language of evaluation: The language of affect can be used to ensure a strong focus on the
writer’s emotional reactions. Language of judgment and appreciation may reveal the writer’s
attitudes, values and perspectives.
Indirect vs direct expressions of evaluation
Language of affect can be quite obvious in journal entries, with direct expressions of emotions. A
journal entry should also reflect a consistent emotional mood that is supported by more indirect
expressions of affect and contributes towards lexical cohesion. This process can also apply to the
language of judgement and appreciation featured in an entry.
Tense: Entries contain a range of tenses:
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recounts of events written in past tense (was, had been)
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reflections on thoughts and emotions that occur during writing, written in present tense (is, am)
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anticipation of future events or actions written in future tense (will, might, may).
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Connectives: Various connectives are used. Temporal connectives provide clear description of
sequences of events. Causal connectives describe consequences and emotional responses.
Consistent tense
Verbs must be consistent. Past tense is used in the vast majority of short stories.
The past simple: Narrates past events in chronological order.
‘She reprimanded him when she realised the truth.’ (Past tense form of the verb using ‘ed’ suffix)
The past perfect: Indicates action that happened before a definite time in the past
‘She reprimanded him when she realised he had taken the last cookie.’ (Had and participle of the
verb)
The past continuous: Expresses events occurring during the events of the past (Was/were and
verb using ‘ing’ suffix)
‘She was reprimanding him due to her realisation that he had taken the last cookie.’
Figurative language: Figurative language is used to create vivid and meaningful descriptions,
but usage will vary according to writers and will reflect the writer’s historical, social or cultural
background, their knowledge and expertise.
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