I learned this skill through using writing as a tool for critical thinking and reflection. Writing the Silences in History paper and the 3 Source Synthesis taught me to how locate primary and secondary research materials through the odu library databases. I learned how to use keywords to find accurate sources that address topics I’m writing about. I also learned how to evaluate these sources for credibility , sufficiency, accuracy, timeliness, and bias by looking for specifically peer reviewed works and established organizations. Thees two works also taught me new strategies to compose texts that integrate the writer’s ideas with those from appropriate sources especially the 3 source synthesis. I did this by being able to accurately summarize the sources and connect them by including connecting sentences. Writing Journal “Are Prisons Obsolete?” Taught me how to reflect before writing a paper by prompting me to analyze a text, write about it, and reflect on what I just learned. I still need to work on better distinguishing appropriate sources. I’ve seen myself using this skill more and more in many of my other classes and I know it will increase as I continue my college career.