Journal Three: Addressing Problems of Writing Your Literary Analysis

Read About Journals in ENG125: Introduction to Literature for more information about the purpose and expectations for journals.

As you move forward to reflect on the process of writing your Literary Analysis Draft in Week Three, watch the video Writing the Compare and Contrast Essay, which provides an overview of the writing process.  This may seem familiar if you have taken a course in introductory writing (e.g., Freshman Composition, Introduction to Composition, Composition I).  Keep this writing process in mind as you follow the instructions below to reflect on your work.

In this journal 

• Discuss the process you used to write the literary analysis for the Week Three rough draft assignment.
• Describe how a literary analysis is different than other essays you have written.
• Explain what literary concept, definition, technique or conflict you found most confusing.  What did you do to try to understand that subject?
• Ask your professor questions about problems or issues you encountered during the writing process of your draft assignment. Take advantage of this opportunity to explain the challenges you faced so your instructor can provide advice to assist you.
• Share a success you experienced when creating your draft. Why do you see it as a positive move forward in your writing process and your analysis/understanding of a text?

When submitting your journal entry, make sure to

• Proofread your work for errors in grammar, mechanics, and style.
• Format the journal entry according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Refer to the Ashford Writing Center’s Sample APA Title Page for guidelines on formatting a title page in APA style.
• Provide (to the best of your ability) a reference for the text you used, including in-text citations and references listed at the end of the journal entry. Refer to the Ashford Writing Center’sComprehensive APA Reference List Models and Citation and Reference Guide for guidelines on in text citations in APA style.
• Provide a reference for the text you used. Refer to the Ashford Writing Center’s Citation and Reference Guide for guidelines on citing sources in APA style.
• Perform a word count check to make sure the journal entry is 250 to 500 words in length.
• Save the document as a Microsoft Word or compatible .doc or .docx file.
• Use a naming convention that includes your last name, week number, and the journal number (e.g., Smith_W2.doc).