Listening Journal Assignment (An example is provided as an attachment)

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Note the due date for this assignment in the Course Calendar

1st Listening Journal (15%)

Keeping a listening journal will encourage you to think critically about your listening habits and skills. You will describe and analyze your listening behavior by recording a minimum of three listening experiences in journal form. You should record a variety of listening experiences (professional, personal, academic, social, and so on) in which you listen for various purposes (specifically discriminative and comprehensive) and at various levels. This assignment will include a minimum of three entries (one discriminative entry and two comprehensive entries) AND a concluding summary. These entries should reveal your understanding of the discriminative and comprehensive listening purposes and demonstrate your ability to apply the concepts, principles, and techniques presented in the course. Your entries should be rich with concepts, principles, terminology from the assigned readings (from your course content readings and the readings found in the course discussions). Verbal and nonverbal aspects of each listening experience should be shared.

Each journal entry should be a minimum one full page in length, single spaced, with one inch margins, and a size 12 Times New Roman font. You may be over the page limit (no more than a page and 3/4 per entry), but not under. There are significant deductions for being under.

Include the following information in an organized manner (using subheadings for each) in each entry:

• Date of listening experience
• a detailed description of the listening experience (including where, who, what, how, and so on) with an emphasis on the verbal and nonverbal aspects of the episode
• your purpose(s) and behavior as a listener (this is where you clearly emphasize your role as a discriminative or a comprehensive listener -keeping in mind that comprehensive listening also involves some discriminative listening, but your entry should primarily focus on the higher listening purpose even if some discriminatory aspects are mentioned)
• a descriptive evaluation, supported by specific examples, of your strengths and weaknesses as a listener
• what you learned about your listening -including how you might address your weaknesses

Thus your submission will have the following subheadings (single space all subheadings):

Entry #1 (1-3): Comprehensive Listening Entry (or Discriminative Listening Entry)

Date:

Description of Listening Experience:

Purpose and Behavior as a Listener:

Evaluation of Listening Strengths and Weaknesses:

What I Learned About My Listening:

You should submit one discriminative entry and two comprehensive listening entries and a descriptive 1 page (minimum) concluding summary. This assignment is VERY similar to the listening journal part II, but each focuses on different listening purposes. A formal introduction is not necessary for this assignment. Begin with your journal entries and finish with your concluding summary. Your concluding summary should be an overall evaluation of what you've learned about your listening. Reveal both specific details and "the big picture". Also include how you will work for improvement in both listening purposes.

Grading Criteria –1st Listening Journal

Each listening journal is worth 4 points (for a total of 12 points) and the concluding essay is worth 3 points.

For your Listening Journal, you must:

• fulfill the above requirements in a well organized manner
• entries should be rich with concepts, principles, terminology from the assigned readings (it should be clear that you have read course material and you are able to apply what you have learned)
• provide the required subheadings -there is a 1 point deduction if your neglect to include the required subheadings
• post your work in the assignment folder by the due date -there is a 20% deduction for submitting your work late and late work is only accepted up to a week after the due date
• submit a minimum of three entries from a variety of listening experiences (professional, personal, academic, social, spiritual/religious, and so on) -there is a four point deduction for each missing journal entry
• appropriately represent both discriminative and comprehensive listening purposes in your submission (1 discriminative and 2 comprehensive)
  
• explain your strengths and weaknesses in a clear, descriptive, and detailed manner
• provide a concluding summary of your findings from this experience, including a thorough, sophisticated analysis of your listening behavior as developed in this course (1 page in length, single spaced) -neglecting to include a concluding summary will result in a 3 point deduction
• proofread and edit your work (well written submission) -there is .10 deduction for each error
• Use a size 12 Times New Roman font -neglecting to do so will result in a 1 point deduction
• single space the entire document (no double spacing) -neglecting to do so will result in a 1 point deduction

Please view the sample journal that is found at the top of this page. It should be very helpful!