6+1 Traits Model for Writing An Analytical Model

Introduction Everyone has an idea of what constitutes “good writing.” We can even list the characteristics of what a good piece of writing looks like or sounds like.

Unfortunately, we don’t always agree on these characteristics and sometimes it is difficult to give an overall impression of what we liked or didn’t like about the writing.

Try it yourself… Take a look at the following pieces and read and add to the tables that list each piece’s strengths and weaknesses

Redwoods   Last year, we went on a vacation and we had a wonderful time. The weather was sunny and warm and there was lots to do, so we were never bored. My parents visited friends and took pictures for their friends back home. My brother and I swam and also hiked in the woods. When we got tired of that, we just ate and had a wonderful time. It was exciting and fun to be together as a family and to do things together. I love my family and this is a time that I will remember for a long time. I hope we will go back again next year for more fun and an even better time than we had this year.

Strengths Weaknesses Perfect grammar (spelling, punctuation, capitalization) Correct use of paragraphing Clear main idea Easy to follow narrative Has a title Simplistic and boring Few details Simplistic grammar, no risks or sophistication Repetitive vocabulary with weak verbs and adjectives Little sense of who is speaking Title does not clearly reveal main idea

Fox I don’t get along with people to good, and sometimes I am alone for a long time.When I am alone, I like to walk to forests and places where only me and theanimals are. My best friend is God, but when I don’t believe he’s around sometime’s, my dog stands in. We do every thing together. Hunt, fish, walk, eat and sleep together. My dog’s name is Fox, ‘cause he looks like an Arctic Fox. Fox and I used to live in this house with a pond behind. That pond was our property. The only thing allowed on it (that we allowed) was ducks & fish. If another person or dog would even look like going near that place, Fox and I would run them off in a frenzy. There was a lot of rocks around, so I would build forts and traps for any body even daring to come near. The pond had a bridge that was shaded by willows, so on a hot day me and Fox would sit on that bridge & soak our feet, well, I would soak my feet, Fox just kinda jumped in. At night, the pond was alive with frogs, so I would invite this kid over, (he was a guy like me) and catch frogs. After we had a couple each, we would pick the best looking one out of our group and race them. The winner gets the other guys frog. In the winter, the pond would freeze over, and I got my iceskates out. The ponwas now an ice skating rink. Fox would chase me as I went round & round the pond.After about a year, I was riding my bike patroling the area around the pond. With Fox at my side, I raced downhill toward the pond. I tried to stop, but my back tire went into a skid. I went face first into murky, shadowy waters. When I went down, a minute later I felt something pull on my shirt, I grabbed it, not knowing what to think, when I hit the surface, I saw that it was Fox, pulling on my shirt as if he was trying to save me. He was to little to save me if I was really drowning, but it was the thought that counts, I owe him one. Another year passed. One day my mom got home from the store, and she bought me a rubber raft. It was just a cheap one, but it was mine. I blew it up with a tire pump. It was just the right size for me & Fox. Out of respect for Fox, I named it the USS Fox and christened it right in the pond. On sunny days, I would take the raft out & lay in the sun with Fox on my legs. One day, when I was asleep in the raft, the wind blew pretty hard and blew my raft right into a bunch of sticks and rocks, the USS Fox was given a sad salute, and then was no more. Another year passed, and this would be our last year by the pond. I admired and respected that pond more than I ever did that year. But, at long last, all good things must come to an end, we moved to another town. Fox & I still visit the pond, but it’ll never be like them 3 years when she was mine.

Strengths Weaknesses Engaging!! Strong sense of voice – narrator jumps off the page and “speaks” to you Some interesting word choice “in a frenzy” and “sad salute” Some very specific details used to develop main ideas Read aloud, the piece has a colloquial fluency and natural conversational flow Some glimmers of insight: “My best friend is God, but when I don’t believe he’s around sometime’s, my dog stands in.” Weak grammar (poor spelling, run-on sentences and fragments, random punctuation and capitalization) Paragraphing is problematic and not accurately broken down in places Piece can be difficult to read aloud due to poor grammatical cues

Summary… Obviously, both pieces have different strengths and weaknesses and each writer would need specific feedback in order to improve his or her writing.

6+1 TRAITS The 6+1 Trait® Writing analytical model for assessing and teaching writing is made up of 6+1 key qualities that define strong writing. These are: Ideas, the main message; Organization, the internal structure of the piece; Voice, the personal tone and flavor of the author's message; Word Choice, the vocabulary a writer chooses to convey meaning; Sentence Fluency, the rhythm and flow of the language; Conventions, the mechanical correctness; and Presentation, how the writing actually looks on the page.

Ideas The Ideas are the main message, the content of the piece, the main theme, together with all the supporting details that enrich and develop that theme. The ideas are strong when the message is clear, not garbled. The writer chooses details that are interesting, important, and informative–often the kinds of details the reader would not normally anticipate or predict. Successful writers do not "tell" readers things they already know; e.g., "It was a sunny day, and the sky was blue, the clouds were fluffy white …" Successful writers "show" readers that which is normally overlooked; writers seek out the extraordinary, the unusual, the unique, the bits and pieces of life that might otherwise be overlooked.

Organization Organization is the internal structure of a piece of writing, the thread of central meaning, the pattern and sequence, so long as it fits the central idea. Organizational structure can be based on comparison-contrast, deductive logic, point-by-point analysis, development of a central theme, chronological history of an event, or any of a dozen other identifiable patterns. When the organization is strong, the piece begins meaningfully and creates in the writer a sense of anticipation that is, ultimately, systematically fulfilled. Events proceed logically; information is given to the reader in the right doses at the right times so that the reader never loses interest. Connections are strong, which is another way of saying that bridges from one idea to the next hold up. The piece closes with a sense of resolution, tying up loose ends, bringing things to a satisfying closure, answering important questions while still leaving the reader something to think about.

Voice Voice is the writer coming through the words, the sense that a real person is speaking to us and cares about the message. It is the heart and soul of the writing, the magic, the wit, the feeling, the life and breath. When the writer is engaged personally with the topic, he/she imparts a personal tone and flavor to the piece that is unmistakably his/hers alone. And it is that individual something–different from the mark of all other writers–that we call Voice.

Word Choice Word Choice is the use of rich, colorful, precise language that communicates not just in a functional way, but in a way that moves and enlightens the reader. In descriptive writing, strong word choice resulting in imagery, especially sensory, show-me writing, clarifies and expands ideas. In persuasive writing, purposeful word choice moves the reader to a new vision of ideas. In all modes of writing figurative language such as metaphors, similes and analogies articulate, enhance, and enrich the content. Strong word choice is characterized not so much by an exceptional vocabulary chosen to impress the reader, but more by the skill to use everyday words well.

Sentence Fluency Sentence Fluency is the rhythm and flow of the language, the sound of word patterns, the way in which the writing plays to the ear, not just to the eye. How does it sound when read aloud? That's the test. Fluent writing has cadence, power, rhythm, and movement. It is free of awkward word patterns that slow the reader's progress. Sentences vary in length, beginnings, structure, and style, and are so well crafted that the writer moves through the piece with ease.

Conventions The Conventions Trait is the mechanical correctness of the piece and includes five elements: spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar/usage, and paragraphing. Writing that is strong in Conventions has been proofread and edited with care. Since this trait has so many pieces to it, it's almost an analytical trait within an analytic system. As you assess a piece for convention, ask yourself: "How much work would a copy editor need to do to prepare the piece for publication?" This will keep all of the elements in conventions equally in play. Conventions is the only trait where we make specific grade level accommodations, and expectations should be based on grade level to include only those skills that have been taught. (Handwriting and neatness are not part of this trait, they belong with Presentation.)

Presentation Presentation combines both visual and textual elements. It is the way we exhibit or present our message on paper. Even if our ideas, words, and sentences are vivid, precise, and well constructed, the writing will not be inviting to read unless the guidelines of presentation are present. Some of those guidelines include: balance of white space with visuals and text, graphics, neatness, handwriting, font selection, borders, overall appearance. Think about examples of text and visual presentation in your environment. Which signs and billboards attract your attention? Why do you reach for one CD over another? All great writers are aware of the necessity of presentation, particularly technical writers who must include graphs, maps, and visual instructions along with their text. Presentation is key to a polished piece ready for publication.

Rubrics Each piece of writing can be assessed on each trait. For example, “Redwoods” has fairly strong conventions, but is weak in ideas a voice. “Fox” needs work in conventions, but has excellent voice and specific details and ideas. A separate 6-point rubric is used to assess each trait. Go to educationnorthwest.org/webfm_send/773 to access these rubrics.

Using the Rubrics: Now, using the rubrics, we can accurately assess each piece of writing and give specific feedback to the authors on how to improve the writing.

Redwoods 2 3 4 Ideas Voice Word Choice Sentence Fluency Organization Conventions 2 3 4

Fox 4/5 4 6 2/3 Ideas Voice Word Choice Sentence Fluency Organization Conventions 4/5 4 6 2/3