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Blackboard: Journals

What is a journal?

Journals are a personal space for you to communicate privately between instructors and
students. You can also use a journal as a self-reflective tool to post your opinions, ideas, and
concerns about your course, or discuss and analyze course related materials.

For example, you can describe problems you faced and how you solved them. Your instructor can direct journal entries to be more formal in nature and narrower in focus by listing topics for discussion.

Create a Journal

  1. Log in to Blackboard. 
  2. Enter the course in which you wish to create the Journal.
  3. Make sure to turn Edit Mode ON at the top right-hand corner of the page.
  4. Click the plus sign at the top of the Course Menu and select Tool Link.
  5. From the drop down list select Journal and then name your journal area.

Add a Journal Tool Link

6. In the Journals area, click the Create Journal button.

7. In the Create Journal area, add the name of the journal and any instructions for the journal assignment.

8. In the Journal Availability area set the option to Yes.

Make the Journal Available

9. In the Journal Date and Time Restrictions, select the specific date and time period that you would like to display the journal.

10. In Journal Settings you have the following options available:

a. Index Entries - Select between a Monthly or Weekly time frame.

b. Allow Users to Edit and Delete Entries - If selected, users can edit and delete the entries they have created after they are posted. Instructors can edit and delete any journal entries without enabling this option.

c. Allow Users to Delete Comments - If selected, users can delete comments they added to journal entries. Instructors can delete any journal entries without enabling this option.

11. Permit Course Users to View Journal - If selected, all users can view all journal entries made to this journal topic.Select from the following options:

a. No Grading – the journal will not be graded.

b. Grade: Points Possible – if selected, the journal will be graded and a column is automatically created in the Grade Center. A field appears next to this option for you to type in the maximum grade value.

12. Once you have chosen the journal settings, click the Submit button.

For additional support, visit http://uhd.edu/bbhelpform