Choice Book Dialectical Journal:

The term “Dialectic” means “the art or practice of arriving at the truth by using conversation
involving question and answer.” Think of your dialectical journal as a series of conversations
with your choice book. The process is meant to help you develop a better understanding of the
text.

PROCEDURE:
As you look back and continue to read, choose passages that stand out to you and record them
in the left-hand column of the chart (ALWAYS include page numbers).

In the right column, write your response to the text, choosing 2 of the following for each quote:
questions, connections, predictions, clarification, reflection, and evaluation on each passage.
Each entry should contain a variety of responses (that means each entry cannot have the same
type of response every time)

You must label your responses using the following codes:

(Q) Question – ask about something in the passage that is unclear

(C) Connect – make a connection to your life, the world, or another text

(P) Predict – anticipate what will occur based on what’s in the passage

(CL) Clarify – answer earlier questions or confirm/disaffirm a prediction

(R) Reflect – think deeply about what the passage means in a broad sense – not just to the
characters in the story/author of the article. What conclusions can you draw about the world,
about human nature, or just the way things work?

(E) Evaluate - make a judgment about what the author is trying to say

You need to complete 15 entries to your journal, details below. These entries will count
as a grade for marking period 4.

SAMPLE ENTRY:
(Although this contains 5 responses, you only have to complete two–but you can see
what is expected from each type of response)
At the beginning of the chapter, when
Scout narrates, “when enough years had
gone by to enable us to look back on them,
we sometimes discussed the events
leading to his accident” (Lee 3) and “When
I was almost six and Jem was nearly ten,
our summertime boundaries (within calling
distance of Calpurnia) were Mrs. Henry
Lafayette Dubose’s house two doors to the
north of us, and the Radley Place three
doors to the south. . .The Radley Place
was inhabited by an unknown entity, the
mere description of whom was enough to
make us behave for days on end.” (Lee 7)
she is giving the reader an adult
perspective on Boo Radley, which is one of
compassion and sympathy instead of her
childhood view which was fear.
This is how you will set up each page. You can either write these in your marble notebooks or
you can create a google doc.
Book Title and author
CL - Not only is it clear that Scout Finch is
the narrator, but the reader can also figure
out that she is looking back and recounting
events from her past.
P - It can be assumed that the reader will
eventually find out how Jem broke his arm
and the significance of her backtracking to
supply the reader with the history of Jem
and Scout’s adventures with their friend
Dill.
Q - Curious as to why Harper Lee is using
the literary device, flashback, thinking it is
the most effective way to tell the story of
the Finch family.
C - The beginning of To Kill a Mockingbird
and the use of flashback reminds me of the
movie Titanic when Rose, in her elderly
years, is relaying her tragic story of loved
ones dying in the notorious Titanic disaster.
E - Scout’s narration appears to be
simplistic, almost childlike, however, by
using the words “enable” and “sometimes
discussed the event”, the reader can
assume that she is telling the story from an
adult’s point of view.
Quote/Passage Analysis