Impact of writing review articles on the development of critical thinking: A quasi-experimental study in initial teacher training

This study analyzes how rigorous academic writing acts as an epistemic tool to transform the cognitive abilities of future teachers in the Junín region. Through a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests, the author demonstrates that writing review articles allows students to move from "automatic" thinking to "systematic" and "critical" levels. The results reveal a statistically significant improvement in the dimensions of reasoning, decision-making, problem-solving, and argumentation, validating scientific writing not only as a communication exercise but also as a "writing-to-learn" process that strengthens the intellectual autonomy and professional identity of the teacher-researcher.