Process journal

The process journal is a generic term used to refer to the record of progress maintained by the student throughout the project. However, the media for documenting the process can vary depending on student preferences. It can be written, visual, audio or a combination of these, and it may include both paper and electronic formats. In the use of electronic/digital media, students are strongly advised to make digital copies of their journals or to transmit copies of their journals to an online storage site.

Students will be familiar with the practice of documenting the development of their project in the process journal and can draw on techniques used to document the arts process journal, the design folder or similar workbooks in other subject groups. Students may develop their own format and design, although schools can provide templates or examples to support students’ work.

The process journal is personal to the student, in the sense that he or she is also exploring ways of recording his or her process. Students are not restricted to any single model of recording their process journals. However, the student is responsible, through his or her use of the process journal, for producing evidence of addressing the four objectives to demonstrate achievement at the highest levels of the criteria.

Students show their supervisors evidence of their process documented in their journals at meetings or by providing access digitally. Although legibility is important, the recording of critical and creative thinking and reflection is more important than neatness and presentation.