Day trading journal example
A useful journal records what you did, why, and what the numbers say. Here's a filled-in example (fictional data).
Pre-market plan
Date: Tue 2026-10-13 Max daily loss: $250 Risk/trade: $50 (0.5%) Watchlist: ABCD (gap +18% on news, float 12M), WXYZ (VWAP reclaim setup) Rules: no trades first 2 min; stop after 2 consecutive losses
Trade log
| Time | Sym | Side | Qty | Entry | Stop | Exit | P&L | R | Setup | Mistake |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09:34 | ABCD | Long | 500 | 4.10 | 4.00 | 4.31 | +$105 | +2.1 | ORB | none |
| 10:05 | WXYZ | Short | 200 | 12.50 | 12.75 | 12.75 | −$50 | −1.0 | VWAP fail | early entry |
| 11:20 | ABCD | Long | 500 | 4.40 | 4.30 | 4.25 | −$75 | −1.5 | Chase | moved stop |
Post-session review
- Net: −$20. Planned trades: +$55; the unplanned chase cost $75.
- Lesson: the 11:20 trade broke two rules (no setup, moved stop). Rule for tomorrow: no entries after 11:00 unless A+ setup.
Weekly review stats
Win rate, average R, profit factor and expectancy, P&L by setup and by hour, and the cost of each mistake tag. TapeLog computes these automatically.
Next steps: grab TapeLog Lite (free) · get the full kit ($24 one-time) with DAS Trader Pro & Robinhood import · subscribe to the free weekly newsletter · browse the trading tools directory and free calculators.
FAQ
What should a day trading journal include?
Date, symbol, side, size, entry, stop, exit, fees, P&L, R-multiple, setup, and a mistake tag or note, plus a pre-market plan and a post-session review.
How often should I review my journal?
Briefly after each session and in depth weekly, looking at stats by setup, time and mistake.
Should I journal losing trades?
Yes. Losing trades and rule breaks are where most of the improvement comes from.
Educational content, not financial advice. Updated 2026-10-16.