A good trading journal entry records the setup, entry, stop, target, exit, size, result in R, time, emotional state, whether you followed your plan, and one lesson. The examples below show how that looks for a day trade, a swing trade, an options trade, a futures trade and a prop firm challenge trade. The format stays the same; only the market-specific fields change.
- Use the same core fields for every market so trades are comparable
- Record the result in R, not just dollars
- Always write whether you followed the plan, separately from the outcome
- One specific lesson per trade beats a paragraph of feelings
Knowing what to log is easier with examples in front of you. Here are five complete entries you can copy, followed by what each one reveals in a review.
Example 1: Day trade (stocks)
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Date / time | Tue 09:41 → 10:06 ET |
| Ticker | XYZ (gapped +6% on earnings) |
| Setup | Opening range breakout (15-min) |
| Entry / stop / target | $52.30 / $51.70 / $53.50 |
| Exit | $53.35 |
| Size / risk | 160 shares / $96 (0.96% of $10K) |
| Result | +$168 = +1.75R |
| Pre-trade grade | A (relative volume 4×, clean range) |
| Emotion | Calm |
| Plan followed? | Yes |
| Lesson | Took profit a little early at the target; the trailing rule would have held for +2.4R |
Example 2: Swing trade (daily chart)
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Dates | Mon → following Thu (4 days) |
| Setup | Pullback to rising 20-day MA in an uptrend |
| Entry / stop / target | $118.00 / $113.50 / $127.00 |
| Exit | $113.20 (stopped; gapped slightly past the stop) |
| Result | −1.07R |
| Emotion | Impatient on day 2, but held the plan |
| Plan followed? | Yes |
| Lesson | Earnings were 9 days away: fine. The sector ETF was breaking down, so add a sector filter |
Your Journal Should Find the Pattern for You
TRADZY's TradLog tags every trade by setup, session and emotion, then shows where your edge actually is.
Start Your Free Journal →Example 3: Options trade
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Strategy | Bull call spread, 45 DTE, 100/110 strikes |
| Debit / max loss | $3.20 ($320 per spread) = 1R |
| Exit | $6.10 after 12 days |
| Result | +0.9R (+$290) |
| IV at entry | IV rank 22 (cheap) |
| Plan followed? | Yes: exit at 50–60% of max profit |
| Lesson | Spread capped the upside as planned; rule works |
Example 4: Futures trade
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Contract | MES (Dec), 2 contracts |
| Setup | VWAP reclaim after the 10:00 a.m. data release |
| Entry / stop / target | 6,012.25 / 6,006.25 / 6,024.25 |
| Risk | 6 points × $5 × 2 = $60 = 1R |
| Exit | 6,006.25 (stop) |
| Result | −1R |
| Emotion | Rushed: entered 2 minutes after the release |
| Plan followed? | No: rule is to wait 5 minutes after data |
| Lesson | Rule break. Log it in the mistake log |
Example 5: Prop firm challenge trade
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Account | $50K evaluation, $2,000 trailing drawdown, $1,000 daily loss limit |
| Risk per trade | $175 (~9% of drawdown) = 1R |
| Setup | London session pullback, EUR/USD |
| Result | +2R (+$350) |
| Daily P&L after trade | +$350; stop trading at +$700 or −$400 |
| Drawdown remaining | $2,000 (floor now rises with EOD balance) |
| Lesson | On plan. Rules for the prop account are in the prop firm journal |
What these examples show in a review
- R makes trades comparable: a $60 futures loss and a $168 stock win are −1R and +1.75R.
- "Plan followed" is separate from the result: example 2 lost but was a good trade, and example 4 was a rule break.
- Lessons are specific and testable: "add a sector filter" can be checked over the next 20 trades.
Want the field list without the examples? See what to track in a trading journal. The full method is in how to journal your trades.
FAQ
What does a good trading journal entry look like?
It includes setup, entry, stop, target, exit, size, result in R, time, emotional state, whether the plan was followed, and one specific lesson.
Should journal entries be different for each market?
The core fields stay the same. Add market-specific ones: strikes and IV for options, contracts and ticks for futures, drawdown remaining for prop accounts.
How long should a journal entry take?
One to two minutes. Longer entries tend to get skipped.
Do I need screenshots in my trading journal?
They're very useful for reviewing entries and exits visually, especially for discretionary setups.
Put This Into Practice
- Log your next 20 trades with setup, session and emotion tags
- Let the TradLog surface your best and worst setups
- Run the weekly review and cut one leak
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Educational content, not financial advice. Trading involves substantial risk of loss.