Six-Traits Writing

1. Six-Traits Writing Introduction Ideas and Content Organization Voice Word Choice Sentence Fluency Conventions Six Traits and the Writing Process

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Introduction These six elements of strong writing will help you improve and evaluate your writing and the work of others. Ideas and Content Word Choice Organization Sentence Fluency Voice Conventions

5. 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.

6. Ideas and Content 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? Ideas and contentare the most important aspects of any piece of writing. They convey the message of the text, sometimes called the thesis, opinion, or theme. Readers respond to strong and engaging ideas and content in your writing.

7. Ideas and ContentIdentifying Main Idea and Supporting Details The main ideais the focus of any piece of writing, whether it’s a paragraph, a paper, or an entire book. In persuasive writing, the main idea is expressed through opinion. In narrative texts, the main idea is typically expressed through theme. A main ideamay be stated directly as a thesis statement, or it may be implied as a theme through the use of details in the text.

8. Ideas and ContentSupporting 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.

9. Ideas and ContentSelecting a Purpose What is your intent, or purpose, as a writer? to inform to persuade to entertain to emotionally move 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.

10. 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.

11. Ideas and Content In your writing Use the following checklist to help you evaluate the ideas and content in your writing. • My topicis clearly focused. • My ideasare original, interesting, and creative. • I have drawn from personal experienceor knowledge. • Mykey detailsare insightful and well-chosen. • The development of my topic is thorough and logical. • Mysupporting detailsare accurate and relevant.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. Organization In your writing • Use the following checklist to help you evaluate your own writing with organization in mind: • My text employs a logicalsequence of ideas. • My introductiongrabs the reader’s attention. • My pacingis carefully controlled. • My transitionsmake clear connections between ideas. • My organizational structureis appropriate to my purpose and audience. • My titlesums up the central idea in a fresh and thoughtful way.

19. Voice Voice is the unique sound and rhythm of a writer’s language. 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. Words on a page come from a real person, with a distinct style, background,andpoint of view.This is the writer’s voice.

20. 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.

21. Voice Was this passage written by the same writer? How can you tell? 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.

22. 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

23. Voice In your writing Use the following checklist to help you evaluate your own writing with voice in mind: • The toneof my writing is appropriate for the purpose and the audience of the text. • The reader is aware of and feels connected to the real personbehind the text. • My expository or persuasive writing shows a strong connectionto the topic and explains why my readers should care. • My narrative point of viewis sincere, interesting, and compelling.

24. 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.

25. Word Choice 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. 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.

26. Word Choice Jargon is formal, specialized vocabulary. In computer programming, open source refers to a type of software that anyone can use or modify. A cliché is a tired, overused expression. more fun than a barrel of monkeys, picture perfect, smooth as silk, a breath of fresh air While you should avoid jargon and clichés, careful use of idioms—figurative expressions that cannot be understood literally—can make a text more engaging. bite the bullet, let the cat out of the bag, drive it into the ground, a heart-to-heart talk

27. 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. Southern charm American heartland small-town way of life freedom fighter What is the literal meaning of each of the phrases above? What loaded or emotional content does each also carry?

28. 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 detailsare insightful and well-chosen. • I use vivid words and phrases,including sensory detail.

29. Sentence Fluency Sentence construction is another building block in your writing style. Varied sentence length, clear transitions, and a compelling rhythm show strong sentencefluency. 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.

30. 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.

31. Sentence Fluency Stringy sentences Avoid stringy sentences in your writing. 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.

32. Sentence Fluency Choppy or wordy sentences Choppysentences are extremely short, and wordy sentences are often too long. 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. Too many choppy or wordy sentences will disrupt the flow of your writing. Save them for emphasis and rhythm.

33. Sentence FluencyMaking transitions Transitionwordsand phrases guide readers through your writing by connecting sentences and ideas. Transitions also provide clues to the organization of your writing. This is another way they make your writing flow smoothly. Chronological: before, after, since, when Cause-and-Effect: because, therefore, so, since Order of Importance:mainly, most importantly, then Comparison/Contrast: however, on the other hand

34. 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 meaningis clear to the reader. • My sentences varyin 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.

35. Conventions Rules are an important part of any group endeavor. In writing, conventions are the agreed-upon rules that govern grammar and usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. When we all agree on the rules of language and writing, we can more easily communicate.

36. ConventionsParagraphing Paragraphs help readers understand how ideas relate and where your writing introduces a new idea or presents a conclusion. Paragraphs should: begin with an indentation be clearly focused on one main idea break in a logical place

37. 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. • 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?

38. 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.

39. ConventionsIn your writing Use the following checklist to help you evaluate your own writing with conventions in mind: • My paragraphingis regular and organized. • My grammar and usageare correct and add clarity. • My punctuationis accurate. • I understand capitalizationand use it correctly. • I have spelleddifficult words and proper nouns correctly. • My writing is long and complex enough to demonstrate my mastery of conventions.

40. 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.

41. 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) develop a thesis statement or main idea (Organization) think about audience, purpose, and tone (Voice)

42. 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)

43. 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)

44. 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.

45. The End