Writing

The 6 Traits Checklist

Developed by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory

Print out this checklist and use it to judge your own writing.

Sound Ideas

___ It all makes sense and it has a purpose.

___ I know this topic well.

___ I have included interesting details not everyone would think of.

___ Once you start reading you will not want to stop.

Good Organization

___ Starts out with a bang!

___ Everything ties together and flows from idea to idea.

___ It builds to the good parts.

___ My ideas are broken into logical chunks of paragraphs.

___ At the end it feels finished and makes you think.

Voice

___ This really sounds like me and what I think!

___ My reader can tell that I care about this topic.

___ My reader can identify with my characters.

___ I want you to read this and feel something.

Word choice

___ This is the best way to say this.

___ I can picture the setting, actions, and mood!

___ My words are new ways to say everyday things.

___ Listen to the power in my verbs.

___ Some of the words linger in my mind.

Sentence Fluency

___ My sentences begin in different ways.

___ Some sentences and paragraphs are short and some are long.

___ It just sounds good as it is read aloud.

___ My sentences have power and punch.

Conventions

___ Capitals are used correctly.

___ Periods, commas, and quotations marks are in the right places.

___ Almost every word is spelled correctly.

___ I remembered to indent each paragraph.