Week 4A: 6+1=academic writing

Since starting this class my more experienced classmates (reading specialists already with masters) kept referring to the 6 traits +1.  Up until this week I really had little idea of what they were referring to.  I now feel in the know!  Ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, conventions, and presentations. I appreciated Thompkins direct and clear explanation of each of these traits.

As I went through each of these I thought specifically how these 6 traits apply to the genre or writing I spend the most time teaching, expository or academic writing.  I went through with each trait and highlighted the sub-point that as a history teacher must be considered when addressing the writers craft.

1. Ideas-Identifying genre: Writers of history rarely get to choose the genre-or the form for that matter.  This sadly can stifle the writers craft to some degree however students do have choice in choosing a topic, focusing their topic, and developing their topic.  Which brings up the importance of TOPIC and certainly supporting the topic in expository writing. 
2. Organization-Crafting the lead:  In expository writing this is referred to as the thesis statement-it is not traditionally a hook as described in Thompkins.  This notion of crafting a creative lead is often actually problematic for developing expository writers.  In an effort to create a hook, or grab the writers attention as students have been instructed to do in journalism type writing, or fiction writing students loose site of clearly crafting a thesis statement or directly addressing a question prompt.  
3. Voice-Adopting a tone: Developing expository writers also struggle with appropriate tone.  Learning that the tone is NOT personal, is not a conversation or a blog, it is not opinion.  Instead the focus of voice is writing with knowledge well.
4. Word Choice-choosing precise words-helping students to writing CONCISELY is critical.  Students often attempt to insert "big" words used incorrectly and write more which is NOT always better.
5. Sentence Fluency-achieving a rhythmic flow:  It is important for students to use transition words so that their writing flows smoothly from one idea to the next to help eliminate some of the stuffiness of academic writing but more importantly clearly communicate their well developed argument.
6. Conventions-THE RULES-academic writing unfortunately demands the writer to more closely follow the rules.  SIDE NOTE: not fun with punctuation is expository writing!!!!!!!!!
7. Presentation-Clear and simple text features that serve a purpose. Illustrations and additional text features can not be inserted for the sake of doing so they must be purposeful and support the thesis if included at all.