The document outlines seven steps for becoming a critical thinker when writing college essays: 1) Attentively read the text and ask questions; 2) Make a list of the main ideas; 3) Understand key terms and create statements with them; 4) Write a personal response to the text; 5) Make an academic connection by putting arguments to test and including a second text; 6) Craft the essay by analyzing the main ideas and quotations; 7) Read samples of good writing to improve performance. The goal is to move from a personal reaction to a formal academic response through exploring ideas, examining writing strategies, and developing one's own perspective.