Keeping a self-reflection journal does not improve the score
1 study · 8 archers measured
The summary today
There is a single study, and it says no, but it says it quietly. Eight Singapore national team archers, men and women, recurve and compound, kept a guided journal for five weeks, thirty sessions in all: at the end six of the eight had a slightly lower mean over six 36-arrow rounds and two a slightly higher one, with changes between minus 2.31 and plus 0.45 per cent, that is between minus 6.8 and plus 1.5 points, and no statistical test. The journal, though, was only partly kept: nobody filled it in completely, and the sessions written up range from 9 to 23 out of 30. The archers rate it as useful, 7.63 out of 10, and the reason most often given for it and the one most often given against it carry the same weight: it works as a reminder, but it takes time, with too many questions and always the same ones. What can be said is that over five weeks, at these doses, the score did not move; with eight people, no control group and changes within the normal noise of a set of arrows, it is not evidence that the journal is useless.
Also phrased as: "training journal"; "writing after every session"; "shooting diary"; "archery logbook"; "reflecting on training"
In practice
Archers are advised to keep a training journal: writing down after every session what worked, how the shot felt and what to work on next time, because what gets written down sticks.
Evidence
-
2016
For Archers Published later
8 Singapore national team archers (4 men and 4 women, aged 20-24, recurve and compound, more than five years at a high level), five weeks of a guided self-reflection journal: on the mean of six 36-arrow rounds six archers drop (-0.50, -0.67, -0.67, -3.83, -5.17 and -6.83 points) and two rise (+0.83 and +1.50), that is from -2.31 to +0.45 per cent. No significance test and no control group.
The perception of elite athletes’ guided self-reflection and performance in archery · Si Lie Tan, Koon Teck Koh, Marja Kokkonen
-
2016
Context Archers Published later
In the same study no archer fills in the journal for all thirty sessions planned over five weeks: the sessions written up range from 9 to 23, so adherence stops at just over two thirds at best.
The perception of elite athletes’ guided self-reflection and performance in archery · Si Lie Tan, Koon Teck Koh, Marja Kokkonen
-
2016
Context Archers Published later
In the final interviews the archers rate the journal's usefulness at 7.63 out of 10 on average. Among the benefits the most cited is the reminder (35 mentions), then describing how the shot felt (31) and motivation (27); among the obstacles the time required (35), too many questions (29) and repetitive questions (19).
The perception of elite athletes’ guided self-reflection and performance in archery · Si Lie Tan, Koon Teck Koh, Marja Kokkonen
Status history
- 2016 Reported The first and only study arrives. Eight Singapore national team archers keep a guided journal for five weeks: at the end six of the eight have a slightly lower score and two a slightly higher one, with changes between minus 2.31 and plus 0.45 per cent and no statistical test. The archers find it useful, 7.63 out of 10, and say the same things for and against it, that it works as a reminder but takes time. Nobody filled it in completely, between 9 and 23 sessions out of 30. The only study points this way, so the claim is written in the direction of the result and is reported.
Related
Related articles
- How archery is taught: what the studies on beginners sayWhat studies tell anyone teaching archery: how much beginners improve anyway, and what courses, starting distance, videos, goals and mental work add.
- Video analysis and self-coaching in archery: the practical guideHow to film your own shot and what to look for, what the camera measures badly, when sensors help, and what research says about video, feel and the training journal.
Research lines
Cite
Campagna, M. (2026). Keeping a self-reflection journal does not improve the score (Version 1). In Evidence Registry. Retrieved 16 October 2026, from https://matteocampagna.com/en/registry/mind/self-reflection-journal-archery
@misc{campagna2026_diarioautoriflessione,
author = {Campagna, Matteo},
title = {Keeping a self-reflection journal does not improve the score},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {Evidence Registry, matteocampagna.com},
url = {https://matteocampagna.com/en/registry/mind/self-reflection-journal-archery},
note = {Version 1; accessed 2026-10-16}
}
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