1. 6 + 1 Traits of Effective Writing

2. Ideas the content of the piece the main theme the message is clear
The writer chooses details that are interesting, important, and informative–often the kinds of details the reader would not normally anticipate or predict.

3. Ideas: Example
Boring Writer: "It was a sunny day, and the sky was blue, the clouds were fluffy white …"
Effective Writer: “The sunlight was so bright, that the sky and clouds looked as one white light…”

4. Organization
Organization is the internal structure of a piece of writing
Organizational structure can be based on:
comparison-contrast
development of a central theme
chronological history of an event
As well as many others
The piece closes with a sense of resolution, tying up loose ends, bringing things to closure.

5. Voice The writer is a real person
personal tone and flavor to the piece that is unmistakably the authors.
You can hear the writer speaking to you through his/her words.
The emotion behind the writing.

6. Word Choice Is the vocabulary a writer uses to convey a meaning.
The language can stimulate the readers five senses.
Is age/grade appropriate.
Should fit the style of writing (i.e. descriptive, persuasive, opinion…)

7. Sentence Fluency
Sentence Fluency is the rhythm and flow of the language.
the sound of word patterns.
The way a writer, writes to ears and not just the eye.

8. Conventions The mechanics of writing: Spelling Formatting
Paragraph structure
Grammar
Punctuation

9. Presentation
How the final product looks and how it is going to be presented to the reader/audience.
Handwriting
Typed  MLA Format
Portfolio
PowerPoint
Oral Presentation
Website