The student journal is the main assignment in this class.  The purpose of the journal is to provide you the opportunity for frequent thoughtful, analytical, and personal commentary upon course—related material.  The advantages of the journal, to my mind, are that it breaks work down into regular and manageable chunks, and that it enables you to seize hold of the curriculum in a way which reflects your own interests and style.

I will set up brief one-on-one meetings early in the semester to discuss the journal with anyone who would like to do this and will be happy to discuss your work on this assignment as it progresses.

In order to give you a basic structure and to clearly communicate my expectations, I will specify certain recommended entries and suggest a format for reading responses.  However, while it is required that all work in the journal be your own original writing, you are encouraged to be imaginative in your own investigation and analysis of the Vietnam War.

The entries will, no doubt, vary in format, length and quality.   Do not hesitate to take risks and to express your own opinions.  It's fine if some entries read more like summary than analysis; it can be useful to put what you have learned from an article or a video into your own words.  Other entries may make connections between the Vietnam War and issues that deeply concern you.  Try, however, not to succumb to the temptation to write in an easy, stream—of—consciousness style.   There is no inherent tension between analytical rigour and personal insight.

Include any printouts of particularly interesting internet material in an appendix to the journal.  I will assume that everything in the body of the journal represents your own writing unless indicated otherwise.

The good journal will:

• be at least 30 pages long.

• include the required common entries as specified through oral and written instruction.

• include other entries that draw upon class material and/or your independent research.

• demonstrate that you are approaching the readings and the course with care and effort.