Introduction to 6 +1 Writing Traits

VoiceOrganizationWord ChoiceSentence FluencyIdeaConventions +1 Presentation

VOICE Sounds like the writer

› Formal writing ~ still the writer, but in dress-up clothes

Enthusiastic, energetic, confident Personal, individual Makes the reader respond You want to read it out loud Heart and soul of the writing, the magic, the wit,

the feeling, the life and breath

Voice Does the writer clearly express his

or her thoughts? Is the writer’s point of view clear? Does the writer address the

audience? Has the writer added a unique,

personal touch to the piece?

ORGANIZATION A great opening to hook the reader Easy to follow Transitions link idea to idea Builds to the good parts A powerhouse ending ties it all up Internal structure of the piece

Organization Does the beginning of the piece

grab the reader’s attention? Are there transitions to connect

ideas and details? Does the writer follow a logical

sequence? Does the ending sum up the

main ideas?

WORD CHOICE Wow! The best way to say it! You can picture it A new twist on an old phrase Powerful verbs Words you love Beautiful language Precise language

Word Choice Does the writer use everyday

words well? Do the words created

detailed pictures in the reader’s mind?

Does the writer avoid repeating words?

Are the ideas expressed with strong and precise language?

SENTENCE FLUENCY Easy to read out loud Smooth—not choppy sentences Some long sentences; some short The auditory trait Strong sentence fluency is marked by

› Logic› Creative phrasing› Parallel construction› Alliteration› Word order that feels natural

Power point sentence structures and ex.

Sentence Fluency Do sentences begin in

different ways? Do sentences vary in length

and structure? Can the reader move with

ease from one sentence to the next?

Does the writer have a natural flow when read aloud

IDEAS A clear message Plenty of information Details not everyone would think of Clear purpose You don’t want to stop reading! (or

listening…) Ideas make up the CONTENT of a piece

Ideas Is the writer focused on one

mail idea? Is the main idea supported

by interesting details? Does the piece include

interesting and original ideas?

Does the writer seem to be an expert on the topic?

CONVENTIONS As close to error-free as possible Correct spelling and punctuation Capitals in the right place Grammar needs no work ~ it’s written

correctly Indented paragraphs Ready to publish

Conventions Has the writing been

proofread and edited? Is each word spelled correctly? Are the capitalization,

grammar, and punctuation used properly?

Does each paragraph explain only one thought or idea?

+1 PRESENTATION Margins that “frame” the writing Neatly typed, with a heading Clearly laid out text (and pictures) Appropriate and simple use of fonts

+1 Presentation Is the writing neatly

handwritten or word processed? Does the appearance of the

writing make it easy to read? Do the graphics support the

writing? Is the piece ready to be shared

with others?