The art of MindLog prompt-writing
Please send us your favorite MindLog prompts. We’ll publish our favorites here.
Basic guidelines
Creating a prompt involves two steps: creating a prompt name and writing a prompt. If you are using MindLog on your own, this may initially seem a bit challenging, even after you have read all of the suggestions below.
If you're feeling daunted by the challenge, consider working with our complementary Good Life Starter Set. The Good Life is not only a great subject to explore, but using the starter set will help you get a sense of how prompts work.
MindLog prompt names work like “tags”
Because our developmental scoring system can score reflections on any topic, you are free to write MindLog entries in any subject area. Eventually, your personal MindLog is likely to include entries on multiple subjects. If you name prompts cleverly you will be able to use prompt name components to filter your records. Down the road, this feature will make it possible to view separate developmental curves for different knowledge and skill areas.
Structuring prompt names
We’ve made a suggestion for structuring prompt names on the MindLog reflection page. The idea is to start with a general category, then narrow it down in two consecutive steps, like: “Science: Physics: Energy” or “Relationships: Friendship: Providing support.” If you want to be consistent with naming, we suggest recording your categories in a reference document.
For more prompt name examples, see the Good Life Starter Set.
MindLog prompts—no correct answers
If you are accustomed to being asked—or asking—questions with correct answers, it may take some time to get comfortable creating prompts that support making connections and reflecting rather than eliciting correct answers. This is expected—and it’s why we’re offering the prompts and templates on this page.
Exploring connections: Ideal MindLog prompts ask Mindloggers to explore connections. These can be strong or weak, concrete or abstract, real or imaginary, positive or negative, social or physical, implicit or explicit, etc. “How is this thing we just learned similar to the thing we learned yesterday? ” “How could you put this thing we just learned to work in your life"?
Seeking explanations: MindLog prompts encourage Mindloggers to “think out loud” in an exploratory way. They present a problem, scenario, or question that doesn’t have a “right” answer.
Readymade MindLog prompts
What happened this week that made you think differently about [something]. Explain what it was and how it changed your thinking.
- Do you like making decisions? Why or why not?
- Describe one of your favorite learning experiences and explain why you liked it.
- Take the Learning Emotions Survey. Then, describe what you learned about your own learning emotions and consider how they might affect your ability or desire to learn.
- Some people prefer doing puzzles or playing games over solving real-life problems. Why do you think they might feel that way?
- Some people are born more emotional than others. If there was a 10-point scale from unemotional to highly emotional, where do you think you might fit? Explain why you would place yourself at that point on the scale.
- Do you like making challenging decisions? Why or why not?
- Do you like solving real-life problems? Why or why not?
- Choose something that’s been on your mind and think it through in MindLog.
- Choose something you’ve written about in MindLog, then share your thoughts with a friend or colleague and ask them to comment. Record what you learned from the experience.
- What are the most important things to have in a good life? Why?
- Use MindLog to complete the “reflect later” step in a micro-VCoL
Using the MicroVCoL Maker™ with MindLog
If you would like to build skills for learning more effectively from everyday experience, consider using Lectica’s free Micro-VCoL Maker. The Maker makes it easy to build a set of essential learning skills that you probably didn’t learn in school.
Most micro-VCoLs produced with the Maker include a “reflect later” activity that’s a good fit for MindLog.
Prompt templates
For anyone:
- If you were going to design a good [X] what would be the most important things to consider? Why?
- When you’re making a decision about [X], what are the most important things to take into account? Explain why.
- In your own words, describe [X]. Then, review what you’ve written and try to come up with a couple of questions that might help you understand [X] even better. Explain why you chose those questions.
- Think of a time when you felt [X]. Describe the situation and explain why you think it made you feel [X].
- Think of a time when you felt [X]. Describe the feeling in as much detail as you can, then explain why you think you felt that way.
- Do you like doing [X]? Why or why not?
- People disagree about [X]. Explain why you think they disagree.
- People disagree about [X]. Describe the perspective you disagree with the most and make the best argument you can for that perspective.
- Ask [someone] what they [think or feel] about [X], then compare what they have told you with your own [thoughts or feelings] about [X].
- Describe, in detail, your reaction to a work of art.
For educators
- This week we learned about [X]. Ask a friend or family member how knowing about [X] has been useful in their lives. Describe what you learned and explain how it affected your own thinking about [X].
- Describe one of your favorite learning experiences and explain why you liked it.
- If you had to teach students about [X], how would you do it? Why?
- How does [X] relate to [something else] you’ve learned recently?
- Another person younger than you asks how [X] works. Explain how it works in language someone their age is likely to understand.
- How could you put [X] to work in your own life? First, explain what [X] is in enough detail for a peer to understand how you see it. Then, explain how you might apply it—and why.
- What are some of the ways in which [Y]s use [X] in everyday life?
- What did you experience this week that made you think differently about [X].
- Explain what it was and how it changed your thinking.
- Describe a life situation in which you would need [X] and explain why you would need it in that situation.
- [Problem description]. What would be the best way to deal with a situation like this? Why?
- In [source], [X] and [Y] disagree about [Z]. From your perspective, what are the strengths and weaknesses of [X’s] argument?
- In [source], [X] and [Y] keep misunderstanding one another. Why do you think this keeps happening and what could they do to stop it?
- Some people argue that [X] is a good idea. Others argue that it is a bad idea. Choose the side you disagree with the most and write a good argument in favor of their point-of-view.
- In your own words, describe a situation in which you could use [X].
- [X] and [Y] disagree about [Z]. Describe the most important factors in their disagreement (from your perspective) and explain why they’re important.