Online journals...

I think the online journals are a very useful tool. I found that when I was using mine religiously, writing solid posts, and reading what classmates wrote, it was much easier to construct good papers are topics of discussion in class. It's nice to have a place to just spew thoughts and then go back later to pick through the bits of randomness to find a gem. Though I have never experienced Mr. Mitchell's paper journals, I think that I would prefer the online format to the older hand written ones. First of all, I like the public aspect of the online journals as it facilitates the sharing of ideas outside of normal class discussion. I have often used other people's journals as a starting place for a paper or post of my own. The public aspect encourages a higher standard of writing as well. Also, although I prefer paper books and notes to devices such as Kindles, I like the way it feels to sit down at my computer to write. I think it makes the journals seem more legit, more like writing a real paper. Comfort is a big factor too. I can sit comfortably on my couch working on something else on my computer then immediately switch to my journal without the fuss of finding a notebook and pencil and sitting somewhere more conducive with writing. Also along the lines of comfort, I think typing is faster and easier than hand-writing. The discomfort of handwriting puts me in a test mindset and subsequently I tend to rush unthinkingly through handwritten assignments. Editing is much easier when typing as well. If you think of something after two or three more lines have passed, you just arrow up and make the addition. The editing process of handwritten works involves many more arrows and scratch outs resulting in a graphite mess from which Mr. Mitchell later must extract the genius hiding amongst the scribbles. Another convenience resulting from the online nature of the journals is that they are pretty easily portable. I can access mine on my phone whenever I get an idea and when Mr. Mitchell is grading he doesn't have to carry like a million of them around with him.

To concisely conclude, I like them. Not the paper ones. Do these next semester.