Below are the six principles of good writing developed by NON ENGLISHDEPARTMENT faculty at Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, PA., in 1991 and revised in
2002. I offer these for consideration as a starting point for our own WAC work.
Agnes Cardoni
Coordinator for Writing Across the Curriculum
Principles of Good Writing
Purpose (Thesis and direction are clear; the writing is addressed to a welldefined audience):
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What is the Thesis or Main Point? Is the thesis an argument, a debatable
hypothesis?
How clearly is the thesis expressed?
Do the thesis and the essay as a whole address a clearly defined audience?
Organization (Ideas and support are developed one at a time systematically
and logically):
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What are the main Divisions of Thought?
Does their order match the essay's "blueprint" or organization step?
Are the points covered in a discernible pattern, such as ascending,
descending, or parallel order?
Does the conclusion systematically summarize the essay's main divisions
of thought and major subpoints in the same order as that of the essay?
Coherence (Conceptual links are provided between individual elements of the
writing):
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Are key terms set up in the thesis/organization step and then repeated at
the beginning of each major division of thought? Are they repeated again
in the conclusion?
Is a summary statement made at the conclusion of each of the major
divisions of thought?
Does the essay use such connective words as "First,. . .
Second. . . ";
"Finally"; "On the other hand"; "however";
“in spite of,”; “similarly”;
“likewise”; “in addition”; “Furthermore”; "Therefore"?
Support (All generalizations and conclusions are justified by logically
presented evidence):
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Is each Division of Thought and each of the essay's generalizations
supported with examples, illustrations, and specifics?
Are the generalizations made about each point fully explained?
Have you fully explained how each example illustrates or proves the
essay's thesis or the paragraph's topic sentence?
Are all quotations fully commented on and analyzed?
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Are all borrowed words and ideas--even if they are paraphrased-- given full
and proper citation?
Clarity (Diction and syntax are precise; the writer has considered the reader’s
understanding):
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Read your essay out loud--do you or your listener hear any unclear or
awkward sentences?
Is the essay's word choice unclear or inappropriate in any places? (If you
have used a Thesaurus, be especially careful--those choices may possibly
be inappropriate.) You know what you mean--will your reader?
Are grammar, spelling, and mechanics correct?
Insight (The writer has found creative ways to integrate, synthesize, and
interpret challenging ideas):
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Does the essay synthesize, evaluate, and interpret the material presented?
Is the essay creative or innovative in any ways?
Are the thesis and arguments challenging?
Does your work acknowledge and incorporate conventions of ethical
presentation as addressed by your discipline?