6 + 1 Traits of Writing Rubric

6 + 1 TRAIT / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
IDEAS / I’m not sure what my topic is. / It’s hard to get started. / My reader will get the general idea. I need to add some details. / My reader has some questions / It all makes sense. It’s really clear. Good, juicy details!
ORGANIZATION / This is confusing. How do I begin and/or end this? / What comes next? / My beginning is OK. The ending doesn’t grab me. My paper is pretty easy to follow. / Maybe I need to move some things around. / I know where I’m going. My opening will hook you, and my ending really works! Follow me!
VOICE / SNORE! I don’t hear myself in this paper. / I’m not speaking to the reader- yet. / I hear a bit of me in the writing. This topic is OK. / I’m trying to speak to the reader. / I love this topic. It’s me!!
WORD CHOICE / These words just don’t make sense. / These words aren’t my favorites. / There’s probably a better way to say it. I need more imagination. / Most of the words are great, but some need work. / This is the BEST way to say it! My words paint a picture. I like how my words sound and feel.
SENTENCE FLUENCY / This paper is one endless sentence. My paper is HARD to read out loud. / Some of the sentences don’t make sense. / It’s pretty easy to read out loud, if you take your time. A lot of my sentences begin the same way. / My paper could sound smoother in places. / My paper is EASY to read out loud. My sentences begin in lots of different ways. I like the sound of this paper!
CONVENTIONS / My reader has to translate to get meaning. Errors are very distracting. / There are lots of errors. I couldn’t publish this yet. / Punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and paragraphing are basically correct. Simple things are done well. / Spelling is mostly correct. There are minor problems in grammar/usage. / Punctuation, grammar, capitalization, paragraphing, and spelling are all correct and add to the meaning.
PRESENTATION / It’s too confusing or messy to read! / This looks more like notes than a finished paper. / This is a draft copy. I used a crazy font. / There are a just a few mistakes. / This is a finished copy! Everything is in the right place.