Explanation of My Negotiation Log (For Review)

This essay is a Negotiation Log for my Business Law / Negotiation class. The purpose of this log is to show my personal growth as a negotiator and to demonstrate that I understand and can apply specific negotiation techniques learned in class.

This is not just a summary of what happened. The professor wants detailed analysis and reflection. The focus must be on how negotiation techniques were used, whether they worked, and what could have been improved.

Purpose: to record your personal growth as a negotiator and resolver of conflicts and to

help you develop your ability to recognize, explain, and apply specific negotiation

techniques.

Length: a minimum of two double-spaced pages for each negotiation you may go

over the minimum length, but please not more than a page or two. For the 3-person

negotiation, the entry should be over two pages.

Description: a detailed analysis of each of the negotiations and exercises conducted

and your personal reflections about your experiences.

Expectation: that your logs will become more detailed and analytical as the semester

progresses and you acquire negotiation skills.

What This Log Must Include

Content:

A brief summary of your negotiation plan, prepared in advance

What you thought you did well

What you believe you could improve upon

What you thought the other side did well note who your partner was

What you thought the other side could have improved upon

What techniques learned in class were applied go beyond simple labels such

as competitive or compromising and specifically reference techniques discussed

in the reading and in class

What techniques that were not used might have been helpful

How changes might have led to a better outcome

Focus on analyzing the negotiation and how different techniques did or did not

work, rather than simply reporting what happened.

Guidance: be specific. Rather than writing, I could have been a better active listener,

incorporate the specifics of the negotiation/exercise: I should have tried to find out why

it was so important to Martha for her to stay in the apartment or I should have let

George express why he was angry before pushing forward with negotiating the terms of

the agreement.

Write in narrative form, not bullet points or numbered answers to the questions posed;

the primary purpose of the entries is to give you an opportunity to analyze what

happened, how you did, how you felt about the negotiation, if you were able to apply

any of the concepts discussed in the reading, and also how you thought your partner

did; give specific examples of how you used particular negotiation techniques and if

they were successful or not

Format instructions:

Double-spaced

One-inch margins

Submit one document with all entries

Number the pages

Include your name, class, class time in the header, single-spaced and only on

the first page in the upper corner

Label each entry with the negotiation name, number, and negotiation partner(s)

in a single-spaced heading

Do not include a summary of the instructions/set-up

When you refer to a technique discussed in class, please note from which book

or article and the page number; if you reference class notes, note the date

Do not leave extra space between paragraphs, at the top of the first page, or

between entries

Points will be deducted for not following instructions

Special Considerations for This Essay

Because I am a non-native English speaker (8 years in the U.S.), I tried to:

• Use clear and natural language
• Avoid overly complex vocabulary
• Keep the tone reflective and personal
• Make it sound realistic and not overly academic

The tone should feel like genuine self-reflection, not artificial or overly polished writing.

Summary of the Outcome in This Negotiation

In this role-play, I reached an agreement where:

• I would pay more toward groceries
• Rent would be paid by the next week
• The agreement would be treated as a two-month trial
• After two months, we would reevaluate with the other roommates

In my reflection, I conclude that:

• The outcome was mostly positive
• The relationship was preserved
• But trust rebuilding could have been discussed more deeply

If you are reviewing this essay, please check:

• Whether all required content elements are included
• Whether techniques are clearly referenced with proper citation
• Whether analysis is deep enough (not just describing events)
• Whether the reflection shows growth
• Whether the formatting follows instructions exactly

Thank you for reviewing it carefully.