Three types of journal writing used by a teacher in her community college English classrooms are (1) the reading journal, in which students respond to course materials that they have been assigned; (2) the "sensorium," a writing unit devoted to detailed, specific descriptions of what the student sees, hears, touches, tastes, and smells; and (3) the journal with a specific focus, in which students respond to outside readings and in-class discussions that are of particular interest and that can serve as source material for a class project or final paper on the topic. Analysis of student work with these three types of journal writing reveals 12 ways in which journal writing acts as a self-discovery tool, including creating an openness about ideas, encouraging exploration, finding a"natural voice," serving as positive reinforcement, building confidence in self-expression, providing a permanent record of improvement, identifying preferences and desires, synthesizing school work with life experiences, and helping to develop a complete composing process. (RL)