Journals

The basic idea

Journals are useful in that they are essentially the rough drafts for all different criteria that go into the final project. Also, they are a way of getting regular feedback from your teacher to ensure that you are on the right track.

Setting up your journal

Buy a soft plastic cover and use plain blank paper for your journal. You can use a pen, pencil or a computer to write your journal; if you do use handwriting, please write neatly so that the teacher can actually read it!
Divide the journal, using tabs, into four sections, namely Investigation, Planning, Creation and Evaluation. As you work on your ideas, place the work in the appropriate sections.

Getting feedback

You should submit your journal to the teacher at least once a week. If he or she has it longer than you expected, continue to write your journal on blank paper and simply add it to the folder when it is returned to you.

Content of journal

As this is effectively a rough draft of your final project, you can add many sections that will not actually show up in the final write-up. For example, you can include questions to the teacher, messy sketches, irrelevant bits, etc...in the end you simply use the journal to guide you in doing the final write-up; you should filter the information you put in your journal so that your final write up is clear, focused and concise.

Examples? 

See your teacher to borrow some good journals from previous students