Fortunately, a systematic approach exists to finding the balanced redox reactions and I've outlined seven steps that you can follow when determining or balancing redox reactions. So let's see these steps. In the first step, you basically have to recognize what atom is oxidized and what atom is reduced. Next, you break down the unbalanced reaction into the two half reactions an oxidation reaction and a reduction reaction. In the third step, you have to balance atoms in each reaction. So in the reduction reaction and the oxidation reaction and the atoms you're balancing are all the atoms other than oxygen and hydrogen.