in a college level writing course, what are the traits of an a paper?

by Dr. Walton Collier 3 min read

In the best A papers, a lively and intelligent voice speaks; the writer has insightful analysis, includes specific evidence, speaks to a clearly defined audience, and writes with clarity and grace. Clear thesis, organization, and development and well-supported ideas. Some minor mechanical errors but no major ones.

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What are the characteristics of college writing?

Five Characteristics of College Writing. The best part of college writing is the freedom that comes along. College is one of the few places where you can write about virtually anything and have access to a countless range of sources. College professors expect you to take advantage of this freedom and be independent, free,...

What is the best part of college writing?

The best part of college writing is the freedom that comes along. College is one of the few places where you can write about virtually anything and have access to a countless range of sources. College professors expect you to take advantage of this freedom and be independent, free, and creative with your writing.

Which trait describes the unique style of each writer?

This trait describes the unique style of each writer. Through voice, a writer's personality permeates a piece but does not detract from the genre or message. Strong writers are not afraid to express their individuality and show readers their point of view.

What do clients look for in an academic paper?

Citations are required in your academic papers, but clients also appreciate this attention to detail. When pitching a project or campaign, the inclusion of reputable sources will support your recommendations and boost your own credibility. 4. Proofread and edit your work.

What are the three traits of college level writing?

Five Characteristics of College Writing#1 Originality: College professors expect your work to be original. ... #2 Evidence: College professors expect you to ground your writing in evidence, especially scholarly secondary sources. ... #3 Revision: ... #4 Freedom: ... #5 Analysis:

What is the 5 traits of good writing?

The following is a brief description of five qualities of good writing: focus, development, unity, coherence, and correctness. The qualities described here are especially important for academic and expository writing.

What should be included in college level writing?

Most college writing emphasizes the knowledge you gain in class and through research. This makes such writing different from your previous writing and perhaps more challenging. Instructors may expect your essays to contain more research and to show that you are capable of effectively evaluating those sources.

What are the 6 traits of good writing?

The Six Traits of writing are Voice, Ideas, Presentation, Conventions, Organization, Word Choice, and Sentence Fluency.

What are the 7 writing traits?

These standards focus on revising, editing, and publishing work using technology- all seven of the traits: ideas, organization, word choice, voice, sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation speak to these standards.

What are three qualities of good writing?

But no writer can keep every single ingredient in mind all at once. Instead, it's easier to consider three key qualities: structure, ideas, and correctness. All writing—from paragraphs to essays to reports, stories, and so on—should exhibit these qualities.

What is the college writing format?

As a general rule, all college papers are typed in Times New Roman, a default font that can be found in every word processing application. The font is almost always double-spaced and in 12-pt font because it makes it easier for your instructor to read.

What's different about college writing?

Academic writing refers to writing produced in a college environment. Often this is writing that responds to other writing—to the ideas or controversies that you'll read about. While this definition sounds simple, academic writing may be very different from other types of writing you have done in the past.

What is college level essay?

While you'll have to follow basic rules of good writing, there's no standard college-level essay. Your essays in college will range from argumentative essays, which require you to clearly argue a point, to narrative essays which require you to tell a story.

Which of the six traits of writing refers to the key elements of a story?

Terms in this set (6)Ideas. Key elements of the story and the details that support them.Organization. Format, structure, and timeline of the story.Voice. The way words and phrases are used to tell the story.Word Choice. Descriptive words and phrases make the writing interesting.Sentence Fluency. ... Conventions.

What are the qualities of a good essay?

FOCUS. An essay should have a single clear central idea. ... DEVELOPMENT. Each paragraph should support or expand the central idea of the paper. ... UNITY. Every paragraph in an essay should be related to the main idea. ... COHERENCE. An essay or paper should be organized logically, flow smoothly, and "stick" together. ... CORRECTNESS.

What makes a good writing?

Good writing reveals a structure or organization that is logical and effective. The order of ideas and the way the writer moves from one idea to the next is felt natural. The sentence fluency of good writing feels natural, smooth and expressive. The sentences are easy to understand and fun to read.

Why is writing important in college?

The most important thing in writing, and college in general, is to be confident in your abilities to succeed. Self-doubt never feels good, and believing you can do it is half the battle! Often, students don’t give themselves enough credit for simply doing their best.

How to write a good college essay?

The first step to writing a strong article is knowing your audience. From there, you can decide the appropriate tone to use. In most cases, it doesn’t hurt to err on the formal side when it comes to college writing. Save the everyday slang, abbreviations, and overuse of punctuation for texts and emails with your friends.

Is it possible to become a good writer in college?

Let’s face it – in college, you will be writing often. Becoming a good writer doesn’t happen overnight, but mastering grammar rules and vocabulary tools are crucial. Writing is a process, and there is always room for improvement. Elevate your writing over time with these tips and guiding principles!

What trait focuses on the correctness of a piece in terms of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and?

Conventions. This trait focuses on the correctness of a piece in terms of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and other rules. Writing can only be great if it is technically correct. Great writers are proficient punctuators, capable spellers, and grammar savants.

What is the six traits of writing model?

Janelle Cox. Updated October 23, 2019. The six traits of writing model provides a recipe for successful prose writing. This approach defines the ingredients of effective writing for students to practice and teachers to assess, equipping both parties with tools for strategically analyzing written work.

Why is it important to have fluency in writing?

Even more important to sentence fluency that correctness and grammar are meaning and variety. The best writers make sure that each of their sentences says precisely what it is supposed to say and vary their sentence structures so that they don't all resemble each other.

How can students become self-sufficient writers?

Students can become self-sufficient and methodical writers when they learn to develop the following characteristics in their writing. To take advantage of this revolutionary model, learn what the six traits are and how to teach them .

How to teach a sentence?

Give your students a word to correctly work into a sentence. Begin with simple sentence parts such as subjects and verbs and progressively get more difficult with adverbs, adjectives, and more. Teach students to peer review each other's work for correctness. They do not need to correct every tiny detail.

Why is writing in the active voice easier to read and more effective?

Writing in the active voice ("Whites oppressed blacks after Reconstruction") rather than the passive voice ("Blacks were oppressed after Reconstruction") is easier to read and more effective because the subject of the sentence is made clear (oppression did not just happen; white people made it happen).

What is the most difficult part of an essay?

Introductions are the most difficult part of an essay to write. They thus merit extra attention. An introduction must include a thesis statement (usually the last sentence of the introductory paragraph) and should link the paper to some larger issue.

What is thesis statement?

Think of the thesis statement as the point of your paper. It is a contestable point rather than a statement of fact and, for short papers, is usually the last sentence of your introduction. Topic Sentences.

What should every sentence in a paragraph relate to?

Every sentence in the paragraph should relate to the main point of the paragraph (which should be laid out in the topic sentence). If a sentence does not fit into the main point, you should remove or rework it. Passive Voice. Work on writing in the active rather than the passive voice.

What to do if your paper is not argumentative?

If not, reorder or delete paragraphs as necessary and develop new ideas to fill holes in your argument. Then assure that your paper is argumentative (remember: description does not cut it at the college level).

What is the effect of multiple drafts on writing?

Nothing improves the quality of written work like multiple drafts. Even a single extra draft will result in a sharper argument, clearer prose, better organization, and, most important, higher grades.

What is an outline in an essay?

Generally, hundred-level essays call for a simple outline that includes an introduction, a conclusion, and three main body points that tie into and advance your thesis. An outline will guide your writing, keep you from straying from your thesis, and help assure that your essay is argumentative rather than a descriptive list ...

How does taking an informed and proactive approach to your writing help you?

By taking an informed and proactive approach to your writing, you will strengthen your academic performance, hone your professional and communication skills and enhance your career.

What Is the Scholarly Voice?

Essentially, the scholarly voice is unbiased, high-level and evidence-based writing that reflects the epitome of good grammar, syntax and tone. Follow the do’s and don’ts below to excel at this format in your graduate school essays.

What are some examples of errors in writing?

As an example, note that quotation marks follow periods and commas, (“The sky is blue.”) 3. Include references, citations and /or footnotes, no matter what kind of document you’re writing.

How to contact Purdue University for MS in communication?

Find out more about what you can do with a MS in Communication from Purdue University. Call us today at 877-497-5851 to speak to an admissions advisor, or request more information.

What do you need to know to become a communication masters?

Your courses will require proficiency in real-world business communications, as well as scholarly writing and the use of APA formatting.

Can you write in second person?

Don’t write in the second person narrative. The second person voice is typically used in articles like this one, where the writer is intending to inform and instruct. According to WritingCommons.org, “writing from the second person point of view can weaken the effectiveness of the writing in research and argument papers.

Do you need citations for academic papers?

Citations are required in your academic papers, but clients also appreciate this attention to detail. When pitching a project or campaign, the inclusion of reputable sources will support your recommendations and boost your own credibility. 4. Proofread and edit your work.

Why is college level writing important?

Certainly, establishing a clear under­ standing of what we mean by college-level writing is crucially important for all sorts of reasons because this foundational con­ cept affects virtually everything we do as teachers of English, from establishing placement and assessment protocols, to devel­ oping effective classroom strategies, to administering campus­ wide or even system-wide writing programs. Perhaps the single most compelling reason to address this question with the careful attention it deserves, of course, is the surging number of under­

What does Barthes say about giving a text an author?

Once this old conception of the author is removed, Barthes argues, "the claim to decipher a text is quite futile. To give a text an Author is to impose a limit on that text, to furnish it with a final signified, to close the writ­ ing" (225).

Why does a teacher behave differently toward different students?

2. Because of these varied expectations, the teacher behaves differ­ ently toward different students. 3. This treatment communicates to the students what behavior and achievement the teacher expects from them and affects their self­ concepts, achievement motivation, and levels of aspiration.

Is language a reliable medium?

As we know from the work of Barthes, Foucault, Derrida, and other modern literary theorists, language is no longer considered as reliable or as stable a medium for communication as it once was.

Is there a right or wrong judgment of a person's writing ability?

Readers will always differ in their judgments of the quality of a piece of writing; there is no one "right" or "true" judgment of a person's writing ability.

Who wrote the recursive character of college writing?

23. The Recursive Character of College Writing, Chris Kearns

Who wrote the truth about high school English?

5. The Truth about High School English, Milka Mustenikova Mosley

Who wrote "From attitude to aptitude"?

13. From Attitude to Aptitude: Assuming the Stance ofa College Writer, Ronald F. Lunsford

How many pages are there in the 2006 National Council of Teachers of English?

Copyright © 2006 National Council of Teachers of English. 418 pages. Available in print from NCTE. Available in digital format for no charge on this page at the WAC Clearinghouse. You may view this book. You may print personal copies of this book. You may link to this page. You may not reproduce this book on another website. For permission to use materials from this book in other publications, please contact permissions@ncte.org.

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What Are The Six Traits of Writing?

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The six key characteristics that define high-quality writing are: 1. Ideas 2. Organization 3. Voice 4. Word Choice 5. Sentence Fluency 6. Conventions Please note that while this method is often called the 6 + 1 Trait Model, the plus one "presentation" trait is largely optional as it is a characteristic of the overall produc…
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Ideas

  • This writing component captures the main idea of a piece through detail. Only details that are relevant and informative of the main topic should be included. Strong writers have an awareness of how to use just the right amount of detail, using ideas that make the overall message more clear and leaving anything out that takes away from it.
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Organization

  • This trait describes how all ideas in a piece of writing must fit together within a larger message. The organizational structure of a written work needs to follow a clear pattern such as chronological order for narratives or logical order for informational writing. The writer needs to make strong connections from one point to another so that a reader can easily follow along. A s…
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Voice

  • This trait describes the unique style of each writer. Through voice, a writer's personality permeates a piece but does not detract from the genre or message. Strong writers are not afraid to express their individuality and show readers their point of view. Good writing sounds like its writers.
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Word Choice

  • Word choice describes the effectiveness of each word in a piece of writing. Strong words enlighten readers and clarify ideas but too many large or misplaced words can muddle the message. Great writing is never verbose. Writers should be economical with their words and choose only the best ones because every word is important. Linguistic awareness and a robust …
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Sentence Fluency

  • This trait describes the smoothness that sentences contribute to a piece. Fluent writing is rhythmic and forward-moving because its sentences are easy to read. Even more important to sentence fluency that correctness and grammar are meaning and variety. The best writers make sure that each of their sentences says precisely what it is supposed to say and vary their senten…
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Conventions

  • This trait focuses on the correctness of a piece in terms of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and other rules. Writing can only be great if it is technically correct. Great writers are proficient punctuators, capable spellers, and grammar savants. Conventions require time and patience to master but are easy to practice.
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Sources