The term “Dialectic” means “the art or practice of arriving at the truth by using conversation involving question and answer.” Think of your dialectical notebook entries as conversations with the texts we read during this course. The process is meant to help you reflect on and develop a better understanding of the science teaching and learning.
Process
As you read, choose at least 5 passages for each module that stand out to you and record them in the page’s left-hand column. In the middle column, include the name of the text and the page number where the passage can be found. In the right-hand column, write your response to the text (ideas/insights, questions, reflections, and comments on each passage.) You must label your responses using one or more of the following codes:
- (Q) Question – ask about something in the passage that is unclear
- (C) Connect – make a connection to your life, the world, or another text
- (P) Predict- anticipate what will occur based on what’s in the passage
- (CL) Clarify- answer earlier questions or confirm/disaffirm a prediction
- (R) Reflect – think deeply about what the passage means in a broad sense
- (E) Evaluate – make a judgment about what the author is trying to say
Here is an example entry. Don’t forget to include the name of the module.
