Book Logs

What are Book Logs?

• • Book log entries are notes, questions, comments, and your observations about the novel

  • You may describe some of the plot, BUT the logs are NOT meant to just be a summary of chapter events

  • Each log should be at least one page

  • Be sure to note down quotes or specific examples and the page where you found them

  • When describing a character, setting, object, or event , say what you think it means or why it might be significant.

  • As you read, think about what messages the author is trying to convey. What is the moral of the story? What is the book telling us about larger themes (such personal growth, overcoming obstacles, family, love, honor, war, racism, society, humanity vs. nature, the individual vs. society, good vs. evil, etc.)

  • Each log is worth 20 points.

The purpose of book logs:

• To get you to think more deeply about what you are reading

• For example, to think about what the author is saying about the world, or to think about how the characters and events relate to the world we live in.

• The logs will also help you a lot when you are writing the essays.

• Be sure to include quotes and examples from the book to support your observations and the page numbers where you got the quote or example. That will help when you do citations in your essay.

Suggestions for wording

Submitting Book Logs

• • Type up your book logs using Google Docs

  • Name it Your Name -- Book Log #1

  • Share it with your instructor; be sure to give him or her editing rights

  • The instructor will make comments on your first draft.

  • Respond to the commetns and take them into account when doing your next book log.

• For more details on how to do that, see the slide show below.