Pretest
1.
This trait is of particular interest to writers who are
concerned that errors in spelling, capitalization, and
grammar could get in the way of meaning.
Conventions
2.
This trait shows the writer’s confidence, enthusiasm for the
topic, and sensitivity to the audience.
Sentence Fluency
3.
This trait is about making a topic small enough to handle
yet including enough details to let the reader picture what
the writer is talking about.
Ideas
4.
This trait encourages the use of strong verbs and sensory
words that help the reader see, hear, smell, taste, and tell
the writer’s experience.
Voice
5.
This is a trait you sense with your ears as well as with your
eyes. It gives writing a natural sound and makes all writing,
including dialogue, flow smoothly.
Organization
6.
This trait depends on strong leads and conclusions but also
concerns the overall structure or pattern of writing.
Word Choice
SIX TRAITS OF
WRITING
CSI VOW
◦Conventions
◦Sentence Fluency
◦Ideas
◦Voice
◦Organization
◦Word Choice
IDEAS
Every paper or paragraph should be easily to follow and
convey a message.
◦ Take a broad topic and narrow it (Think Globally, Act Locally)
◦ Stick to ONE TOPIC (No Filler Needed)
◦ Make sure your writing is clear (No Foggy Writing)
“Think Globally, Act Locally”
◦Global topics, such as world peace, animals, or
life on earth, are too large to provide a clear
focus for writing.
◦When students begin with an oversized topic, the
writing tends to go in many directions, trying to
cover the topic.
◦Good writers know that narrowing the topic is an
important early step.
“Think Globally, Act Locally”
◦ Use your experience as a writer and reader to review
the following topics and choose the ones that are the
most “global” and the most “local.”
Jazz
R&B
Country and Western
Jazz Drumming: The 1940s Big Band Sound
Jazz Drumming
ORGANIZATION
All papers or paragraph should have a structure!
◦ Paragraphs: Topic Sentence, Supporting Details, Concluding
Sentence
◦ Papers: Beginning, Middle, End
◦ Transitions are needed to connect ideas.
Types of Organization
◦Chronological: Order of Time
◦Spatial: How you see it (Front to Back OR Left to
Right)
◦Order of Importance: Order that means the most
(Most to Least OR Least to Most)
◦Order of Familiarity: Order that you know it the
best
Paper Structure
◦ Beginning (Introduction)
◦ Hook Statement (Question, Quote, Interesting Detail or Fact)
◦ State the Main Idea
◦ Middle (Body)
◦ Tell all of your details
◦ Make sure you connect ideas with transitions
◦ End (Conclusion)
◦ Ties everything together (Different topics call for different
endings)
Don’t forget TRANSITIONS!!
◦Remember they help connect and link
ideas together.
◦All in all, In conclusion, To sum up,
However, Therefore, Furthermore, In
addition, Additionally
Word Choice
It is important to create a picture in the
reader’s mind.
◦Use Clear Nouns
◦Strong Verbs
◦Thoughtful Adjectives
◦Use a Thesaurus
I can use words of similar meaning correctly.
◦ Said - whispered, cried, screamed, hollered, shrieked, bellowed, believed, howled, wailed,
blubbered, shouted, exclaimed, called, yelped, screeched
◦ Good - nice, pleasant, well-behaved, excellent, gracious, phenomenal, extraordinary, unique,
fantastic, awesome, super, fabulous, wonderful, amazing, exceptional
◦ Big - large, huge, enormous, gigantic, gargantuan, giant, immense, great whopping, extensive,
massive
◦ Small - tiny, miniature, teeny, little, microscopic, petite, undersized, minute
◦ Laugh - chortle, chuckle, grin, guffaw, crow, titter, cackle, hoot, giggle, snicker
◦ Slow - swagger, saunter, shuffle, meander, amble, stroll, sluggish
◦ Happy - tickled, elated, thrilled, lighthearted, delighted, ecstatic, blissful, jovial, overjoyed, jubilant
◦ Sad - pitiable, downhearted, woebegone, forlorn, dispirited, miserable, wretched, dejected,
disheartened, depressed
◦ Went - traveled, meandered, scurried, trotted, hurried, scuttled, rushed, darted, dashed, bustled,
crept, crawled, edged, strolled, roamed, wandered, ambled, scampered
◦ Look - peer, gaze, peek, stare, glance, peep, glimpse
◦ Eat - nibble, crunch, gobble, wolf, munch, chomp, devour, gorge, swallow, gnaw, chew, bite, snack