1. The 6+1 Traits of Writing

2. Ideas!
Writing with good ideas has a clear main idea supported with relevant, interesting details.
Topic should be focused on a narrow subject

3. Organization
Writing with good organization puts the ideas in an order that makes sense.

4. Word Choice
Writing with good word choice always chooses the perfect word, rather than the first word that comes to mind.

5. Voice
Writing with strong voice shows the writer’s individual style and communicates clearly to a specific audience.

6. Writing with good sentence fluency uses different kinds of sentences to give the writing rhythm and help it flow.

7. Conventions
Writing with good use of conventions always uses correct punctuation, grammar, and capitalization.

9. Presentation (the +1)
Writing with good presentation is neatly typed or handwritten, has appropriate margins, is on clean paper, uses the right font size, puts the headings in the right places, and just generally looks good to the eye.