Critical Thinking Skills Reflection

As I reexamine my work over the course of the semester, I have noted significant improvements in my writing and critical thinking skills. As a writer, I have learned to let go of the traditional five paragraph model in order to embrace more dynamic writing structures and explore topics more thoroughly. Throughout the seminar, I have gained a solid understanding of the expectations within college writing. In regards to my analytical skills, I learned how to read a passage or examine a film in order to address a prompt. I was informed about the mechanics of solid thesis statements and topic sentences, and about how these elements work together in order to create a solid argument. In high school, I would usually begin essays two days prior to the deadline. This would give me ample time to successfully generate a persuasive argument and complete the assignment. In college, I quickly learned that this strategy was ineffective, as the more interesting and challenging prompts demanded more time. I learned to pace myself over a series of several days in order to ultimately present my best work. This course also improved my brainstorming skills, as I employed the use of organizational techniques such as mind maps and outlines to write papers. The required outline for the final …show more content…
Though I struggled with vocally participating in discussions during the first weeks of this course, I significantly improved by the end of the semester. I began to prepare more carefully for class by closely analyzing the posted documents and videos, which helped me feel more comfortable in contributing to the discussion. I also enjoyed taking an active role within group projects and giving my final presentation, as it was a great opportunity to hone my public speaking skills. Overall, this class has served as a wonderful introduction to Case Western Reserve University and the SAGES program as a