Written Reflection on Critical Thinking and Expression

Character development is a principal goal of BYU and its professors. As such, my study of
Portuguese is no exception, wherein part of that development is the ability to think critically
and express oneself. I chose two pieces that reflect my abilities as a thinker and a writer: a
persuasive paper on the short story Tigrela by Lydia Fagundes Telles, and a research paper
written on neurosurgery.
I chose the piece on Tigrela because the story was incredibly gripping and the conclusions that
could be drawn on its themes were innumerable and equally arguable. The story is written in
the fantastic mode, and as such its logic neither followed nor broke away from natural
phenomena. As such, I drew the conclusion that the protagonist had a mental disorder, and
based my argument on evidence of mental breaks. This was my most favorite persuasive paper
that Ive written to date, particularly because of the conclusions that could be drawn and
defended as a result of the material.
I chose my research paper on neurosurgery because it was designed by the professor to
expand my vocabulary and understanding of a particular field of interest. With such a purpose,
the paper was extensive and detailed, requiring all of my skills as a critical thinker and writer. As
I intend to be a doctor, the process of learning more about anatomy, surgical terminology and
Portuguese research in general was enlightening. The writing style was also important, as I was
designated to write for my academic peers. This meant I had to balance my writing between a
generally intelligent audience and an audience that knew specific medical terminologyin
Portuguese. Since these are similar but different audiences entirely, writing the paper became a
balancing act to find a safe spot for myself as an academic and my audience.
At BYU, I feel Ive developed my skills to draw my own conclusions. Throughout grade school,
when reading or learning about a specific topic, I typically waited to see what the teacher had
to say before drawing conclusions. As such, my conclusions were largely the same as the
teachers. After studying at BYU, I feel much more confident to analyze the information
presented and draw my own conclusions. They may not always be correct, but this process has
encouraged me to expand my sphere of thinking and to shift paradigms in order to understand
new concepts. I also feel that my ability to synthesize theses, find reliable sources, and organize
my research into a concise, methodical layout has improved.
I plan to attend medical school and to become a doctor. My success as both student and
professional will depend on my ability to think abstractly, to be persuasive and to defend my
opinion. My ability to learn and be prepared will also largely depend on my ability to research
topics, lay out information in a sequential and meaningful way, and to provide this information
to others in a manner that they understand.