The Six Traits of Writing are rooted in more than 50 years of research. This research reveals that all “good” writing has six key ingredients—ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions.

Ideas are the content of the writing piece. They are the “heart and soul” of good writing. It is important for students to remain focused on the writing by selecting the idea or topic, remaining focused on the idea, elaborating on the idea, and using details and information to further develop the piece of writing.

One instructional approach common in the K–12 classroom is the 6 Traits. The 6 Traits are often seen as a structure to support writing instruction, serving more as a framework than a writing program.

Sentence fluency is the rhythm and flow of the language, the sound of word patterns, the way in which the writing plays to the ear—not just to the eye. 6. Conventions. Conventions refer to the mechanical correctness of the piece—spelling, paragraphing, grammar and usage, punctuation, and use of capitals.