The Power of the 6 + 1 Traits of Writing on Second Graders' Writing

Abstract

Twenty-three second graders from a suburban primary school in upstate New York were the subjects of this research study. The purpose of the study was to determine if students' writing improved after receiving instruction in the 6 + 1 Traits of Writing Framework. The participants completed a narrative essay prior to instruction. Students worked through the entire writing process, from first drafts to revising, then editing, and ultimately to final copies. These essays were evaluated using a rubric that was based on the six traits or characteristics of good writing. Students then received instruction in the 6 + 1 Traits of Writing Framework twice a week for a twelve week period of time. Finally, at the end of the twelve weeks, students wrote another narrative essay, following the same format and as the initial essay. These writing pieces were assessed and compared to the first narrative essays by using the same rubric. The research hypothesis stated that students' writing would improve after receiving instruction in the 6 + 1 Traits of Writing Framework. A t test was used to compare the mean rubric scores for pre and post 6 + 1 Traits written essays. According to the data, there was clearly enough evidence to support the hypothesis with a p value of at the 95 % confidence level.