Forms of reflective writing such as diaries and journals are widely acknowledged as
important tools in promoting both the development and the understanding of teachers.
However, little attention has been awarded to the role these forms of writing can
play in the development and understanding of researchers. In this paper I draw on my
own experience of keeping a research journal during a study of language teaching to
illustrate the significant contribution journal writing can make to deepening
researchers’ understanding of all facets of the research processes. I also
argue that such journals can provide other researchers with illuminating insight
into the research process. Given these benefits to both writers and readers of
research journals, I claim that the issue of reflective writing by researchers in
language teaching merits much more discussion that it has been awarded to date.
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