Academic and Intellectual Profile

Reading:
1. 1984 by George Orwell, The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
2. The San Francisco Chronicle
3. None
4. I read by first looking at the cover and reading the contents of the back cover. Usually, I have to read the first few pages multiple times before continuing with the story. In order to understand the characters and plot, I highlight lines that seem important and make notes in the margins. Once in a while, I read the ending of the book, just to know how the story ends. After completing the story, I skim the entire book to refresh my memory.

Writing:
As a writer, I am good at knowing what I want to say, but sometimes I have trouble putting my thoughts to words. I have come to realize that last year in English Honors, I had some trouble with grasping the concept of themes. This weakness is something I need to improve on in order to become a better student.

Thinking and Reflect:
Weakness: Challenge one's own beliefs
Challenging my own beliefs is a weakness of mine because I tend to go along and stick with what comes to mind as I read a particular text. I realize that I do not often ask myself questions that contradict what I think. This is a weakness because I may not be able to view a story or idea in a different light, which hinders any possibilities of creative thinking.

Strength: Read with awareness of self and others
I think I am pretty good at this because when I read, I keep in mind that there are many different point of views in a story's characters and its readers. Knowing this, I am able to acknowledge a character's conflict and that a reader may see it differently than I do. This way, I can respect my peer's ideas and outlook on literature.

Academic Literacy
"Do entering students reflect such habits of mind?" Main ideas:

• Students are less concerned with anything that is not related to what sparks their interest.
• If students are troubled, they have a hard time seeking help with academic work.
• In order for a student to succeed, he or she must be diligent in critical thinking skills.

Response: I somewhat agree with the excerpt, because I see myself slightly reflected in what the professor had to say. I do get impatient with work that is not interesting; meaning I take a while to complete a boring assignment. 

"What is meant by 'critical thinking'?" Main ideas:

• How a student thinks and understands is crucial to his or her level of critical thinking.
• Successful critical thinking results from hard work and diligence spent on understanding a piece of work.
• Rhetorical strategies should be used by students to help boost their academic performance.

Response: I agree with the excerpt, because I myself have to work on critical thinking and acquiring better rhetorical strategies to improve my thinking and writing. If students do not bother exploring different ways of approaching new ideas, they will not be able to challenge themselves and improve their writing.