Characteristics of Good College Writing

Question: How did college teachers of writing describe characteristics of good writing?

Answer: “When asked to identify the five most important characteristics of good writing, college instructors selected organization (66%), analysis/ideas (59%), supporting evidence (57%), synthesis (51%), and grammar/style (50%), with purpose (19%) and audience (20%) perceived as less important.

Comment: Purpose and audience might be conditions of good writing. RayS.

Source: Addisson, J., & McGee, S.J. (2010). Writing in high school/writing in college: Research trends

and future directions. College Composition and Communication, 62(1), 147–179.

Title:  “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” Richard Beach, et al. Research in the Teaching of English (November 2011), Internet. http://www.ncte.org/journals/rte/issues/v46-2.