What Are the Qualities of Good Writing? Ideas/Focus- Good writing begins with interesting ideas. Focus refers to how clearly the paper presents and maintains a main idea, theme, or unifying point. Papers representing the higher end of the point scale demonstrate a consistent awareness of the topic and do not contain extraneous information. Organization- Organization refers to the structure or plan of development (beginning, middle, and end) and whether the points logically relate to one another. an other. Organization refers to (1) the use of transitional devices to signal the relationship of the supporting ideas to the main idea, theme, or unifying point and an d (2) the evidence of a connection between sentences. Papers representing the higher end of the point scale use transitions to signal the plan or text structure and end with summary or concluding statements. Voice- Just as you have a distinctive way of expressing yourself when you speak, you can develop a distinctive voice as a writer. Word Choice- Choose precise and vivid words and you will add strength to your writing and enable readers to follow your ideas and picture in their minds the things that you describe. Sentence Fluency- In a piece of writing, it is not only important that the words blend together smoothly—it is also important that the sentences flow well from one to another. By using a variety of sentences—different lengths and different structures—and using transitions to connect them, you will create a smooth rhythm in your writing. Conventions- Conventions refer to punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and variation in sentence used in the paper. Papers representing the higher end o f the scale follow, with few exceptions, the conventions of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling and u se a variety of sentence structures to present ideas. Writing Supporting Sentences Support refers to the quality of the details used to ex plain, clarify, or define. The quality of support depends on word choice, specificity, depth, credibility, and thoroughness. Papers representing the higher end of the point scale provide fully developed examples and illustrations in which the relationship between the supporting ideas and the topic is clear.
Whether your topic sentence is stated or implied, it guides the rest of the paragraph. The rest of the sentences in the paragraph will either develop, explain, or support that topic sentence. You can support or develop the idea by using one or more of the following strategies:
Use Facts- facts are statements that can be proven. They support your key idea by providing proof.
Use Statistics- A statistic is a fact, usually stated using numbers.
Use Examples, Illustrations, or Instances- An example, illustration, or instance is a specific thing, person, or event that demonstrates a point.
Use Details- Details are the specifics—the parts of the whole. They make your point or main idea clear by showing how all the pieces fit together.
Use transitions - to glue your ideas together and clue your reader as to what is coming next!
