As I enter week four of the academic writing for graduate students course, I have learned a few new things about my writing and reading skills. At first, I worried that my reading comprehension skills might be lacking; however, I have noticed that if a topic is of no interest to me, a part of my brain does not retain what I am reading. This development has led me to set a few rules to follow. For example, if I find that the information is not interesting to me on my first read of an article or is not sticking in my brain, I read it a minimum of three more times and take notes. I will identify the who, what, where, and when of the piece I am reading and then further note critical aspects of the article. To critically read and review a piece, I need to make sure I understand what I am reading and that I can articulate it through my writing. It seems strange to only realize this about myself after many years into my education, but the courses and topics were largely centered around my interests during my undergrad studies. Everything I read and write about in my workplace focuses again on my field of work and research. 

One of my greatest strengths is my research abilities. I can gather academic information with ease. Answering reference questions in a library is part of my workday, and I use many of those same skills when researching a topic. When critically reviewing an article, I will take the time to look at the sources cited throughout and often try to skim those sources to see if their sources support the author’s point.