Six Traits of Writing

Narrative Writing

Narrative: Definition

Narrative writing coveys an experience, either real or imaginary and uses time as its deep structure.  Narrative writing can be informative, persuasive, or entertaining.

What are the characteristics of the narrative text type?

Narrative writing uses time as its deep structure. This writing conveys experience – real or imagined. Genres that exemplify narrative writing include the autobiography, the memoir, and fictional stories. The purpose of a narrative may be to entertain, instruct, inform, or entertain.

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Informational/Explanatory: Definition

Informational/ explanatory writing conveys information accurately.  The writer’s purpose is to increase the reader’s knowledge, to help the reader better understand a procedure or process, or to increase the reader’s comprehension of a concept.  Information writing begins with the assumption of truthfulness and answers questions of why or how.  Writers draw information from what they already know and from primary and secondary sources.  They must select and incorporate relevant examples, facts, and details.

What are the characteristics of the informative/explanatory text type?

Informative/explanatory writing conveys information accurately. Writings that exemplify this text type include summaries and instructions. The purpose of informative/explanatory writing is to increase knowledge, explain a procedure, or explore a concept in depth.

Argument: Definition

An argument is a reasoned, logical way of demonstrating the writer’s position, belief, or conclusion.  The writer makes a claim and then defends that claim with information from credible sources.  Students must clarify relationships between the claim and the evidence and address counter claims.  Argument takes the form of opinion in the elementary grades and evolves into argument in the middle and high school grades.

What are the characteristics of the argument text type?

Argument is an especially important text type since it requires the writer to provide reasoned, logical proof for a claim or assertion. The purpose of argument is to change the reader’s thinking, move the reader to action, or convince the reader to accept the writer’s explanation of a problem or concept. The complexities of this type of logical reasoning exceed the cognitive ability of most elementary students. Therefore, as a precursor to argument, elementary students are taught to express opinions that are well supported by facts and evidence.