When you start looking for Mr. Right or Miss Everything, where do you begin? Most of us have a set of standards that must be met. Those standards are based on traits that you want to see in such a friend. We develop a high set of standards, expecting the best in each of the traits deemed important in a prospective spouse. Although certainly less life-changing, but still very worthwhile, is an evaluation of the traits we would like to see in our writing. If we set high standards for our writing traits, we will have a better relationship with our writing, and so will our readers.
Six Traits Defined (Plus One)
The six traits that teachers of English have agreed are the most basic requirements for a good piece of writing are voice, ideas, conventions, organization, word choice, and sentence fluency. If you think of them as the VI COWS (six cows), you will have a little acronym that can help you remember the traits. Let's take a look at what is involved in each trait.
• Voice – This is the personality of the paper. Here is where an individual can separate herself from the crowd (and from an encyclopedia). Good voice makes the writing appealing to the readers and draws them in.
• Ideas – This is what makes a paper worth reading. Does the author have something worthwhile to say? The reader will be able to clearly see the point of the paper thanks to interesting, specific details.
• Conventions – Sometimes referred to as grammar and mechanics, this is what makes the paper understandable. The reader will not be confused by errors in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage thanks to careful editing by the author.
• Organization – Keeping things in order is important in most situations, and writing is no exception. An organized paper is easy to read. The paper will have a good introduction that flows smoothly into the body of the paper, and the conclusion will be strong.
• Word Choice – Can words be visually stimulating? If they are chosen correctly, they should create a picture in the mind of the reader. The words will be fresh and colorful, never vague or overused.
• Sentence Fluency – When a paper gets this right, it is a joy to read out loud because the writing flows. The sentences begin in different ways, and they are varied in length as well. None of the sentences ramble.
• Presentation – Presentation is the "plus one." Because it does not really evaluate the writer's skill in using language, it is treated somewhat separately. This trait looks at the writer's ability to present his work clearly on the page, following the recommendations for formatting.
The Benefits of Using the Six Traits
Ignite Christian Academy has joined a majority of the educational community in adopting the six traits in its assessment of written projects. This will provide a more holistic evaluation if student writing and provide more uniformity in grading. Using six-traits rubrics is a more intuitive process for grading papers.
Teachers have been grading papers for decades, and they have come to agreement that certain traits are inherent in good writing. By joining with other educators who have adopted this method of grading, we use the same language as others who teach writing in our discussions of the characteristics of writing. We are also agreeing on what good writing looks like.
Now in Our Curriculum
When our students get started on their schoolwork for the 2011-2012 school year, they will notice that the rubrics are different. They will also notice that their language arts teachers expect them to become familiar with the six traits of writing. This is a worthwhile endeavor as we attempt to make students aware of what good writers accept as the characteristics found in quality writing. It helps them to join in the dialogue of the greater writing community. Ultimately, writing according to the six traits guidelines will help them to develop their gifts and abilities as Christian writers, who can then use their well-developed skills of expression to have a greater impact on the world around them. That's just where we want our students to be.