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Estera Bors
UNST 125A
Professor Nicholas Kramer
February 24th, 2015
Critical Thinking
Although my research essay is not completed yet, I feel that it really
meets the University Studies goals of critical thinking. The hardest part of
completing this goal was forming my own ideas, rather than analyzing other
peoples ideas. My research paper is focused on hybrid and electric cars and
their effects on the environment. Through my research, I found that most of
sources were focused on why or how hybrid and electric cars were above
the traditional gasoline car. After several weeks of finding the same
information, I overheard someone talking about the environmental
friendliness of the actual components of the car rather than the car as a
whole. I had realized that my focus was on the right track, but not in the
right direction. Through several days worth of research, I found only two
resources that were actually focused on the components of the car. Critical
thinking is defined as the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in
order to form a judgment. (Google). Because I was able to find something
that was almost completely ignored in most of my resources, I was able to
form my own ideas, and then evaluate my own opinion in order to come to a
conclusion. In my essay, I begin by describing what a hybrid electric car

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really is, and how it works. Specifically, how the electric motor compliments
the traditional motor during its cycle. Before this research paper, I had
some knowledge of hybrid cars, but nothing intricate. Through this research
paper, I was able to really investigate all of the mysteries behind the electric
car, which led me to the environmental friendliness factor. When people
decide to switch from a traditional car to a hybrid electric car, the incentive
is typically economic efficiency, and environmental efficiency. What my
research led me to, was that the battery from the electric car is actually not
friendly to our environment at all. Because of the way the battery is put
together, it makes it almost impossible to recycle the battery, or decompose
it in any way. If we were to leave a battery out to decompose, several
harmful chemicals would be released into the atmosphere, definitely not
what consumers want to hear. After a thorough discussion of the components
of the car, I continued with a discussion of the benefits and detriments of
both traditional and hybrid electric cars. Like I have said before, I realize that
my research paper is not yet completed, but through critical thinking, and
some eavesdropping, I was able to form my own ideas, analyze them, and
come to conclusion. Through this process, my research question has changed
and become much more focused and narrow, which really helped me find
sources. In my conclusion, I deduced that even though some components of
the hybrid car may not be completely environmentally sound, the overall
benefits of the car definitely outweigh those of the traditional car. Overall, I
think that this university goal really complements my research essay.