Objective 4 – The Writing Process

Strategy - 6+1 Traits of Writing – An Editing and Revision Process

A common strategy used by teachers to assist their students in improving their writing skills is the 6 + 1 Traits of Writing. This strategy helps students to learn the specific skills necessary to make their writing effective.

How many times do students see a teacher’s comments on their paper, but have no idea what to do with them? An example would be a paper on which a teacher marked such comments as: “vague – more needed here, Awk (awkward), Frag (fragment), SP (spelling error), good start, but please edit and revise.”

Students often think that they are done with a piece of writing once they check for spelling, punctuation, and the correct information to answer the question or topic. They don’t know where to go next to improve their writing. In fact, often the student turns in multiple drafts that look much the same as the first one because he/she does not have the toolbox of skills needed to improve the piece of writing. What’s missing is clear communication about the revision process and a common vocabulary and vision of what good writing looks like.

One method for revision is the 6 + 1 Traits of Writing. This method provides students with seven traits of good writing. The first five traits deal with revision and the last two with editing. As students understand and can apply each of these traits, their writing will be more effective.

6 + 1 Traits of Writing

1. 
   Ideas: The meaning and development of the message or what the paper is trying to say. Discuss the need for ideas to be clear and descriptive. Words should “paint a picture or emotion” for the reader.
   
2. 
   Organization: The internal structure of the piece, how paragraphs are ordered and how the paragraphs flow from one to the next. Discuss the different segments of a piece of writing and transitional words or phrases that assist the writing in flowing.
   
3. 
   Voice: The way the writer brings the topic to life, depending on the intended audience. Discuss how the voice of the piece of the writing will change depending on the audience. An example would be an email message versus a formal report to one’s boss at work.
   
4. 
   Word Choice: The specific vocabulary the writer uses to convey tone and meaning. Discuss how different words with the same meaning can make a real difference in the writing process. Use synonym activities to build students’ vocabulary. An example would be the word nice. “It was a nice day.” Have students create a sentence using more descriptive words, such as “It was a gorgeous day with the sun shining warmly in the sky.”
   
5. 
   Sentence Fluency: The way the words and phrases flow throughout the text. Have students read their works aloud. Do the words and phrases “flow like a good piece of music?” Sentence fluency is an important part of good writing.
   
6. 
   Conventions: The mechanical correctness of the piece. Discuss whether or not the writing piece follows all of the basic rules for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.
   

Adapted from: Culham, R. 6+1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide (2003). Scholastic Publishing House.