Journaling Suggestions
For an Honors in Action project to fully develop in each of the Hallmark areas, intentional and purposeful recording, planning, and reflection are essential. To assist members and chapters with intentional recording, planning, and reflection to develop our Society’s Hallmarks, journaling throughout an Honors in Action project is highly recommended. A variety of activities specific to each Hallmark may be recorded in a journal or provide materials for reflection in a journal.
For the Scholarship Hallmark, record such components as
- Study question(s) posed
- Experts and sources consulted
- Notes about ways research can be transformed into projects
- Dialogues about the Honors Study Topic
- Needs identified and possible solutions
- Analysis of research and how that research translated into Honors in Action projects
- Questions remaining for further research
For the Leadership Hallmark, record such components as
- People who have led similar projects in the past and what can be learned from them
- Leadership lessons learned in the research of the issue presented to the chapter, college, or community by advisors, partner organizations’ leaders, and other mentors
- Activities designed to develop leadership skills and abilities
- How individuals or chapters overcame challenges and obstacles
- Reactions from individuals in leadership roles about their own leadership development
- Details about effective goal-setting, group decision making, motivation and team building, delegating, and empowerment
- What emerged in activities’ debriefings: lessons learned, plans to address development needs identified, or changes for future projects
For the Service Hallmark, record such things as
- Dialogues about possible projects directly related to the International Service Program and how they connect to the Honors Study Topic
- Contacts with potential partners whose missions your Honors in Action activities complement
- Whom or what is served by each project
- Impact of the project (specific accomplishments, contributions, people participating, people served)
For the Fellowship Hallmark, record such things as
- Who participated
- How the activity was inclusive
- What communication methods and tools encouraged involvement and engagement (as well as less successful methods)
- What was new, or better about the interactions among participants
- Ideas for expanding participation in the future
For all Hallmarks, record such components as
- The strategic planning process and goal setting for Honors in Action activities
- How the current Honors Study Topic relates to the project
- Responsibilities and assignments for individuals and committees
- Milestones achieved and feedback for improving the project as it progresses
- Reactions from participants and reactions from those served or impacted
- How many people were involved or impacted and in what way
Recording these details can be indispensable! For Phi Theta Kappa chapters, journaling to track progress and activities throughout your Honors in Action projects and to capture your reflections and thoughts on how you developed as individuals and as a chapter provides you with the detail you need to achieve your goal in the Five Star Chapter Development Program and compose your entries in the Hallmark Awards Program.
Individuals can use journals to provide details about activities and impact for honors projects, scholarship applications, resumes, and cover letters.
