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Derek Ortega
Professor Batty
English 28
30 November 2016
Lessons We Learn From English
Reading, writing, and critical thinking are all important for college students careers, and
they have made me become a better student in my academic career. Reading is essential for a
college student because without reading I wouldnt be expanding my mind and gaining the right
information. I would need to read the right information in order to know what we would go
through in class. From my first year in college, my writing wasnt near where it is now. I would
be making the simplest mistakes like fragmented-sentences and minor grammar errors. Now I
feel self-confident in my writing because I have improved, and I take great pleasure knowing I
am doing better. When it comes too critical thinking, I learned to be more analytical, evaluative,
and confident in my writing. For reading Ive learned that its best to take our time to read and
understand what the author is trying to explain to a reader. Throughout the course of English 28,
Ive learned how to be a more effective critical thinker by incorporating ethos, pathos and logos
into my thought process, a more sophisticated writer through the writing assignments and
feedback you have given me, and a more involved reader due to the study of They Say I Say by
Gerald Graff.
Reading is necessary for a student if they want to expand their mind and learn from any
books they want to read. In all of my classes it is expected for a student to read the material
ahead of time, because the next morning the professor may ask us questions about the book and
what we thought about it, and to give details about the reading. During class I would be taking

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down notes and asking questions to my professors because its easier when the professor explains
the information in detail. Additionally, it becomes easier for students around me to understand.
When it comes to reading first, I look at the prologue so it can give me a sense of what I am
expecting from the book, sort of like a movie preview that gives us a small introduction. If the
book has some sort of questions I would look at them first because it would help me better
understand what the questions are and then I can dissect them more and have a clear
understanding of the questions. (They Say I say sentence)
(Revision) Writing is an important tool for me to connect my thoughts and ideas. It helps
me plan out what I want to say to the reader. Getting feedback from my professors helps me
improve the little mistakes I sometimes make. This semester I would often meet with my English
Professor and seek help and ask her questions, like how can I get better at writing? and visiting
her during her office hours. In class we would have peer reviews where each student in the class
would give us feedback on what they thought of our essay. Going to the Writing Center also
helped me develop my writing skills; they have helped me a lot and I would also get feedback
from them. Surprisingly, by studying English, my ability to listen to music has increased. My
favorite genre of music is Hip Hop and it is heavily influenced by poetry. I notice rhyme schemes
more effectively because Ive been reading more.
Critical Thinking has helped me understand questions within questions, as well as
breaking them down and trying to make connections in essays. In fact CRAAP, the method
taught by Professor Batty, has made me understand how to properly research and dispense
information I would need to write formal essays. In this course we learned about the process of
argument, which includes Pathos, Logos, and Ethos, all essential tools for critical thinking. Ethos
is another way to look for a reliable source when it comes to writing an essay. Pathos is an appeal

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to emotion and as a writer we could incorporate it in our writing when we write something sad in
our essay. When it comes to Logos in critical thinking is when we try to persuade the reader and
grab their attention. Im able to understand Critical Thinking is by evaluating, analyzing, and
thinking outside the box. For example if someone were to ask me, Why is the sky blue? then
someone would then start to analyze it and start to think why the sky is blue. Reading and
analyzing books, magazines, and articles help stimulate my brain and keep me active as well.
In this semester, my writing skills have improved throughout my second year in college.
My skills in reading, writing, and critical thinking have helped me improve in all of these factors
when it comes to writing a paper. Its easier for me to get better because I seek help and guidance
from my peers, professors and from the Writing Center. The more I improve my skills the easier
my essays can be graded and there could be fewer mistakes when I type them up. In my years to
come in my academic career I know that I can overcome these trials and tribulations.