When I first started writing my project 3 essay that involved using sources, I used to think quoting an article meant just picking a sentence that sounded good and throwing it into the paragraph. I didn’t really understand that using someone else’s words could actually deepen my own ideas. But throughout this course, I’ve learned how to do more than just plug in quotes. I’ve learned how to actually talk with the source, make it part of a conversation that includes my thoughts, my experiences, and the voices of people around me. 

In my final paper, I worked on adding sources more naturally. One example I feel pretty proud of is when I used Carr’s quote: “The ability to interpret text, to make the rich mental connections that form when we read deeply.” I didn’t just drop that in and move on, I used it as a moment to reflect. That quote made me stop and think about how often I skim through stuff online without really absorbing anything. Then I connected it to what my classmate Noah said in a discussion, that we’re so used to scrolling and switching between apps that it’s harder now to stay locked in on anything. That whole section wasn’t just about Carr anymore. It was about Carr, Noah, and me, all coming together to highlight a real problem we’re feeling in our daily lives.

Another moment that stands out for me was when I brought in Kevin Kelly’s idea of technophilia, the way we grow with technology like it’s a part of who we are. I used Nick’s example about how losing a phone feels like losing a limb, which Kelly kind of talks about too, but then I went deeper and asked: is that a good thing or kind of scary? That’s something I wouldn’t have done earlier in the semester. I would’ve just said, “Nick agrees with Kelly,” and called it a day. But now I’m thinking more about how different voices play off each other and where my own voice fits in between them.

Overall, this paper helped me realize that using sources isn’t about stacking up other people’s opinions to back mine up. It’s about choosing the right moments, listening to what others are saying, and then adding something of my own. That’s where I’ve grown the most. I’m not just quoting anymore; I’m building something with those quotes. And honestly, that feels like real progress.