The purpose of the journal entries is to help students read the material and think about how to apply it to their personal lives.  Expect your students to write a well-developed paragraph for most entries, not just a phrase.  I recommend that students be graded on the effort and thought that goes into answering the questions rather than grammar and paragraph development.  The journal entries help students to gain practice with writing in a supportive environment.  

Getting Good Results from the Journal Entries:

Tell students that you expect them to write a well-developed paragraph, not just a phrase.
Remind students to use their best English, not "text message language" or abbreviations.  
Show them a sample of what you expect. Tell them how the journal entries will be graded.  

Include the Grading Rubric in your syllabus and in your introductory module online.