Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Six-Traits Writing
Introduction
Ideas and Content
Organization
Voice
Word Choice
Sentence Fluency
Conventions
Six Traits and the Writing Process
Introduction
Like riding in a car before learning to drive, we begin as readers before we write.
When we read a strong piece of writing, we immediately recognize that it has informed, affected, persuaded, or moved us in some way.
Introduction
The qualities that make a text effective aren’t magical or mysterious.
They can be easily broken down and analyzed as the six traits of writing.
Introduction
Ideas and Content
Organization
Voice
Word Choice
Sentence Fluency
Conventions
These six elements of strong writing will help you improve and evaluate your writing and the work of others.
IntroductionUsing Six-Traits Writing
Six-traits writing can help you analyze and understand the strengths and weaknesses of your writing.
When you have a clear grasp of what you do well and what you could do better, you can improve anything you have written.
Ideas and Content
Ideas and content are the most important aspects of any piece of writing. They convey the message of the text, sometimes called the thesis, opinion, or theme.
In reviewing a great movie or book, the crucial information is, “What’s it about?” In other words, what idea is at the heart of the story?
Readers respond to strong and engaging ideas and content in your writing.
Ideas and ContentIdentifying Main Idea and Supporting Details
The main idea is the focus of any piece of writing, whether it’s a paragraph, a paper, or an entire book.
A main idea may be stated directly as a thesis statement, or it may be implied as a theme through the use of details in the text.
In narrative texts, the main idea is typically expressed
through theme.
In persuasive writing, the main idea is expressed
through opinion.
Ideas and Content Supporting Details
Supporting details make connections for your readers to make your writing credible, interesting, and memorable.
Opinion: Parents should share responsibility when their
children break the law.
Supporting detail: Studies have shown that this creates
accountability at home and in the community.
Theme: It was the dawn of a perfect summer day.
Supporting details: The wind blowing in from the water
carried the laughing voices of the surfers already
paddling out to sea.
Ideas and ContentSelecting a Purpose
What is your intent, or purpose, as a writer?
The type of writing you produce should match your purpose—to tell a story, to share memories or experiences, or to convince someone to believe something.
to emotionally move
to entertain
to persuade
to inform
Ideas and ContentAudience
When you see a movie trailer, you can often tell who the movie is aimed at—in other words, its audience.
Writers also have an intended audience.
As you write, think about who the ideal reader would be for your text. Tailor your writing to that person.
Ideas and Content In your writing
Use the following checklist to help you evaluate the ideas and content in your writing.
My topic is clearly focused. My ideas are original, interesting, and creative. I have drawn from personal experience or
knowledge. My key details are insightful and well-chosen. The development of my topic is thorough and
logical. My supporting details are accurate and relevant.
Organization
Organization is the way you choose to put your writing together. It is the underlying structure that gives your writing shape, definition, and power.
Without it, your ideas will lie in a heap on the page.
OrganizationChronological
If you are telling a story or want to show cause and effect, the most common organizational pattern is chronological, or according to time.
I stayed up until the middle of the night, studying for
exams. However, by the next morning, it was obvious
that my plan had backfired and I was going to be too
tired to do well.
By using time-related words that give context to events, you can lead your reader through a process or experience.
OrganizationSpatial Organization
Visual or descriptive writing relies on a clear sense of how details relate to one another in three-dimensional space—spatial organization.
Jana’s bedroom was a wreck, from the
door at one end to the window at the
other. Along one wall clean and dirty
clothes piled up unfolded, and beneath
her bed all of her shoes congregated
in a mismatched heap.
OrganizationOrder of Importance
To inform or persuade, you may want to start with your strongest or most important point. This mode of organization is called order of importance.
The theme of The Great Gatsby is that trying
to be someone you are not can only end in
unhappiness. The more Jay Gatsby attempts
to reinvent himself to win the love of Daisy
Buchanan, the more his life spirals
dangerously out of control.
OrganizationLogical
Logical organization defines, classifies, or divides a topic into parts. For example, to write about related ideas, you may want to compare and contrast certain elements of your topic.
Both William Shakespeare and
Christopher Marlowe wrote tragic
plays in blank verse. However, only
Shakespeare used the form to write
comedies.
OrganizationMixed
You must decide which type of organization best suits what you want to to say. You may choose to combine several organization strategies in a mixed order.
For example, you may begin with order of importance to emphasize your main idea, and move on to logical or chronological format,
or you may want to combine spatial and chronological to tell a compelling narrative story.
Organization In your writing
Use the following checklist to help you evaluate your own writing with organization in mind:
My text employs a logical sequence of ideas.
My introduction grabs the reader’s attention.
My pacing is carefully controlled.
My transitions make clear connections between ideas.
My organizational structure is appropriate to my purpose and audience.
My title sums up the central idea in a fresh and thoughtful way.
Voice
Sometimes you know from the very first sentence when you’re reading the work of a certain writer. The way the words flow together make the text unmistakably Toni Morrison or Kurt Vonnegut.
Voice is the unique sound and rhythm of a writer’s language.
Words on a page come from a real person, with a distinct style, background, and point of view. This is the writer’s voice.
Voice
Read the following passage and consider the voice of the writer.
I was a very smart child at the age of
thirteen—an unusually smart child, I
thought at the time. It was then that I did
my first newspaper scribbling, and most
unexpectedly to me it stirred up a fine
sensation in the community. It did,
indeed, and I was very proud of it, too.
Voice
Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or
whether that station will be held by anybody else, these
pages must show. To begin my life with the beginning of
my life, I record that I was born (as I have been
informed and believe) on a Friday, at twelve o'clock at
night. It was remarked that the clock began to strike,
and I began to cry, simultaneously.
The first excerpt was written by American satirist Mark Twain. The second is from English novelist Charles Dickens.
Was this passage written by the same writer? How can you tell?
Voice
You can develop your writing voice by making careful, considered choices about:
Tone—conveys your attitude toward your subject Word choice—allows you to define your point of view Style—may include formal or informal language,
distinctive dialogue, and a first- or third-person point of view
Sentence length—short sentences “sound” distinct from longer ones
Paragraph structure—creates rhythm and flow in your writing
Voice In your writing
Use the following checklist to help you evaluate your own writing with voice in mind:
The tone of my writing is appropriate for the purpose and the audience of the text.
The reader is aware of and feels connected to the real person behind the text.
My expository or persuasive writing shows a strong connection to the topic and explains why my
readers should care.
My narrative point of view is sincere, interesting, and compelling.
Word Choice
Word choice is an important way to define yourself as a writer.
Using words effectively and choosing words that convey the exact meaning you intend is a hallmark of successful writing.
Word Choice
Denotation is a word’s literal definition.
One definition for the word “new” is young. This carries strongly positive connotations. That is why many advertisers present their products as “new.”
Connotation is the emotions or associations it suggests.
The word “immature” also means young, but its connotations are much more negative. You would never see an advertisement for an “immature” product.
The meaning of a word is not limited to what it says in the dictionary. Awareness of connotation and denotation will help you sharpen your language.
Word Choice
While you should avoid jargon and clichés, careful use of idioms—figurative expressions that cannot be understood literally—can make a text more engaging.
more fun than a barrel of monkeys, picture perfect, smooth as silk, a breath of fresh air
In computer programming, open source refers to a type of software that anyone can use or modify.
bite the bullet, let the cat out of the bag, drive it into the ground, a heart-to-heart talk
Jargon is formal, specialized vocabulary.
A cliché is a tired, overused expression.
Word Choice
Loaded language refers to words or phrases that have strong positive or negative connotations and emotional appeal. They are frequently used in persuasive writing.
American heartland
What is the literal meaning of each of the phrases above? What loaded or emotional content does each also carry?
Southern charm
small-town way of life freedom fighter
Word Choice In your writing
Use the following checklist to help you evaluate your own writing with word choice in mind:
All my words are specific and appropriate.
My language is natural, never overdone. Clichés and jargon are used rarely, if at all.
My text contains energetic verbs; precise nouns and modifiers provide clarity.
My key details are insightful and well-chosen.
I use vivid words and phrases, including sensory detail.
Sentence Fluency
Sentence construction is another building block in your writing style. Varied sentence length, clear transitions, and a compelling rhythm show strong sentence fluency.
When sentence fluency is absent or inconsistent, your writing will falter.
Common problems that may confuse or interrupt readers include fragments, run-ons, choppy or wordy sentences, and poor transitions.
Sentence FluencyAvoiding fragments and run-ons
A sentence fragment looks like a sentence, but it lacks one or more of the essential ingredients.
No subject: Feels searing heat.
No verb: Keisha’s brand new bike last night.
A run-on sentence strings multiple sentences together in a grammatically incorrect way that confuses readers.
Armando got back into his car and he looked for his lost
glasses but he didn’t find them.
Sentence Fluency Stringy sentences
The civil rights movement brought about a
great deal of change in American culture and
had a major impact on our laws and the daily
lives of millions of people while elevating
figures such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to
international prominence.
Can you tell what the most important idea is in the sentence above? If not, that’s because it has too many ideas strung together with conjunctions.
Avoid stringy sentences in your writing.
Sentence Fluency Choppy or wordy sentences
Too many choppy or wordy sentences will disrupt the flow of your writing. Save them for emphasis and rhythm.
Choppy: I claimed the title. Everyone gathered around.
It was exhilarating. The press took my picture.
Wordy: It was only after stopping to rest for a short
time that I realized to my regret that my victory was
nowhere near as complete as I had hoped it would be.
Choppy sentences are extremely short, and wordy sentences are often too long.
Sentence FluencyMaking transitions
Transition words and phrases guide readers through your writing by connecting sentences and ideas.
Comparison/Contrast: however, on the other hand
Order of Importance: mainly, most importantly, then
Cause-and-Effect: because, therefore, so, since
Chronological: before, after, since, when
Transitions also provide clues to the organization of your writing. This is another way they make your writing flow smoothly.
Sentence FluencyIn your writing
Use the following checklist to help you evaluate your own writing with sentence fluency in mind:
I construct sentences so that the meaning is clear to the reader.
My sentences vary in length and structure.
I use varied sentence beginnings for interest and clarity.
My writing has a steady rhythm.
My dialogue, when I use it, is natural.
I use thoughtful transitions between sentences to show how my ideas work together.
Conventions
Rules are an important part of any group endeavor.
When we all agree on the rules of language and writing, we can more easily communicate.
In writing, conventions are the agreed-upon rules that govern grammar and usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.
ConventionsParagraphing
Paragraphs help readers understand how ideas relate and where your writing introduces a new idea or presents a conclusion.
Paragraphs should:
break in a logical place
be clearly focused on one main idea
begin with an indentation
Do my sentences have a subject and a verb?
Do the verb and subject in each sentence agree?
Do I use the correct forms of verbs and pronouns?
Have I used any double negatives? How should I correct them?
Conventions Grammar and usage
Are all of your sentences really sentences? Do they follow the rules of grammar and usage by having both a verb and a subject as well as correct capitalization and punctuation?
To check your writing, ask these questions about your grammar and usage.
Conventions Punctuation and capitalization
We may take universally agreed-upon spelling and punctuation for granted, but it wasn’t always in use. This is from the 1623 publication of Romeo and Juliet.
But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the East, and Iuliet is the Sunne,
Arise faire Sun and kill the enuious Moone,
Who is already sicke and pale with griefe, Follow the contemporary conventions of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling to help your readers understand what is going on in your writing.
ConventionsIn your writing
Use the following checklist to help you evaluate your own writing with conventions in mind:
My paragraphing is regular and organized.
My grammar and usage are correct and add clarity.
My punctuation is accurate.
I understand capitalization and use it correctly.
I have spelled difficult words and proper nouns correctly.
My writing is long and complex enough to demonstrate my mastery of conventions.
Six-Traits and the Writing Process
These six traits are not a substitute for the writing process. You can integrate your understanding of the six traits throughout the writing process, using them as a roadmap for strong and effective writing.
Six-Traits and the Writing Process
Prewriting is the first step in the writing process. To integrate the six traits, you can
explore ideas and choose a topic (Ideas and Content)
think about audience, purpose, and tone (Voice)
develop a thesis statement or main idea (Organization)
Six-Traits and the Writing Process
Writing using the six traits will lead you to
develop sentences and paragraphs that explain and elaborate on your ideas (Ideas and Content)
create an effective introduction (Organization)
include clues that make the audience aware of your purpose in writing the piece (Voice)
use language effectively to say exactly what you want (Word Choice)
build effective transitions between sentences and connect ideas (Sentence Fluency)
Six-Traits and the Writing Process
Revising and editing with the six traits in mind will help you
evaluate and revise your content (Ideas and Content)
evaluate and revise your organization (Organization)
refine the style of your writing so that it suits your audience and conveys your voice (Voice)
evaluate and revise the style of your writing to eliminate weak or unnecessary words (Word Choice)
examine your sentence construction for clarity and variety (Sentence Fluency)
Six-Traits and the Writing Process
Proofreading and correcting with the six traits to guide you means you can
reflect on the completed piece (Ideas and Content)
identify and correct errors in sentence construction (Sentence Fluency)
proofread the piece to catch errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization (Conventions)
publish the piece for its intended audience (Voice)
Successfully integrating the six traits into your writing process will allow you to produce clear, strong writing that achieves its intended goals.
The End
