¶ … Generals Grant and Lee was particularly instructive to me as a writer because it made use of the two generals to stand for, not simply themselves, but two different regional differences present in America of the day and two different philosophies that were being merged into one at Appomattox. The personages, political views, and upbringings of Grant and Lee encompass and emphasize the whole of the American Civil War as "they were two strong men, these oddly different generals, and they represented the strengths of two conflicting currents that through them, had come into final collision.

Grammar Summary

Identifying and rewriting compound-complex sentences has been tricky. Often, I am uncertain if my revisions are correct. However, the revision of such sentences forces me to be assured that I am quite clear about my line of thought. Sloppy thinking leads to sloppy sentence structure and grammar.

Overall Week had wonderful responses to Week Two Discussion Questions, particularly the responses to the question concerning, "problems that arise with collaborative writing." I have yet to have a bad experience with such collaborative structures of composing prose.

The key element in achieving a high level of team productivity was respecting diversity. Each member of the group brought something different, experientially and technically, to the table. Since writing is such an opinionated art form, each writer brings their own ideas about the craft and thus adds to the group's experiences as a whole.

Overall, I also felt the narrative stories were well written, and peer critiques were positive. I also gained a few learning points in areas of tense usage.

Work Summary

Or, what and how are you applying what you are learning in your workplace? Working within any establishment requires the use of proper English. Writing successfully can help me enhance and achieve in areas related to my personal growth and thus, by extension my professional growth as well. Writing collaboratively has also made me a better team player and more respectful of diversity and listening to the experiences and ideas of others. Since I now given a higher level of attention to grammar in my writing, I have become more precise and detail oriented at work. Listening, punctuating, and finely tuning my prose -- all show me how the little details of life really matter in the pursuit of a high personal and professional standard at home and in the workplace