Example project · Trading · Research
Paper Trading Journal
Identify and paper-trade ten setups over two weeks and record each in a journal: rationale, entry, stop-loss, outcome and lessons learned.
Project facts
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Technology
- Journaling, Spreadsheets
- Category
- Trading, Research
- Status
- In the course curriculum
Project summary
Identify and paper-trade ten setups over two weeks and record each in a journal: rationale, entry, stop-loss, outcome and lessons learned.
- Problem
- Without a record, it is hard to learn from simulated trading decisions.
- Approach
- Keep a structured journal of simulated decisions, the reasons behind them and what you reviewed afterwards.
Skills developed
- Journaling
- Risk management
- Self-review
Technology
- Journaling
- Spreadsheets
Prerequisites
- The Stock Market Foundation modules on orders and risk
- A paper-trading account or simulator
- A spreadsheet or journal template
Deliverable
A completed journal of ten paper trades, reviewed by the instructor.
Project workflow
Stage 1: Define the rules
Write the setup, entry, exit and risk rules before the first simulated trade.
Stage 2: Record each decision
Log the rationale, entry, stop-loss and planned exit for every simulated trade.
Stage 3: Record the outcome
Add the outcome and whether the rules were followed.
Stage 4: Review
Separate process mistakes from outcomes and write lessons for the next cycle.
AlphaSync practice
- AlphaSync practice — Paper-trading practiceA simulated environment for placing practice orders against market data, so course concepts can be applied without real money.Status: Coming Soon
- AlphaSync practice — Research and decision journalRecord hypotheses, decisions, outcomes and reviews in one place, with prompts for risk and process.Status: Roadmap
AlphaSync is a simulated practice environment for education. Simulated and paper-trading environments do not reproduce all the characteristics of live markets, such as execution, liquidity, costs and emotional pressure. Simulated results do not represent actual trading and do not predict future results. Screens show illustrative data.
Build this project in a course
Projects are completed inside Academy courses, with instructor feedback. Enquire about the course that includes this project.