Writing Fundamentels

You ask a classmate if they think your research paper topic is a good one...

You look over your draft, checking to see if it makes sense, is interesting, and has a good flow...

Your paper says what you want it to say in the way you want to say it. There are no errors, and it is appropriate for the audience and purpose...

You organize your ideas into an outline...

You begin writing your essay...

You read through your draft and you begin to see that you need more information to support your ideas...

You review your paper and realize you need to rework it, so you go back to the drafting stage. However, you realize you need to generate some more ideas, so you do some brainstorming...

You have a good paper, so you begin to check for spelling and grammar issues...

After a peer reviews your work, you realize you need to clarify a few things, so you begin to rewrite parts of your paper...

You finish your online scholarship application and click submit...

This trait from the 6 Traits is done well if there are no errors with spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar/usage, and paragraphing...

This trait from the 6 Traits is done well if the readers sense that a real person is speaking to us and cares about the message...

This trait from the 6 Traits is done well if the message is clear, not garbled, and the details are interesting, important, and informative...

This trait from the 6 Traits is done well if the piece begins meaningfully and creates in the reader a sense of anticipation that is ultimately and systematically fulfilled. Everything is in an order that makes sense...

This trait from the 6 Traits is done well if the 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 reader moves through the piece with ease...