How do I identify oxidizing and reducing agents?

There are three main steps for identifying oxidizing and reducing agents. 

1. Determine the oxidation states of the elements in the reactants and products: This involves assigning oxidation numbers to each atom in the chemical equation based on established rules.
2. Identify changes in oxidation numbers between the reactants and products: Compare the oxidation numbers before and after the reaction to see which elements have increased or decreased in oxidation state. 
3. Identify the oxidizing and reducing agents based on these changes. The oxidizing agent is the substance that gains electrons (and thus gets reduced) during the reaction. In contrast, the reducing agent is the substance that loses electrons (and thus gets oxidized).