Informative Writing
Adolescent writers should be very familiar with writing the five-paragraph essay. Their informative writing should grow from this point to writing about complex ideas and subjects clearly.
According to the Common Core State Standards, writers at this age should be able to develop a topic with “well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.” As they mature, students should be able to gear these toward their specific target audience and develop an objective tone.
Students should be using a variety of organizational formats that help make connections to their writing including tables, headings, figures, graphics, and even multimedia.
Students should use vocabulary specific to the topic about which they are writing and strive to develop their use of metaphor, simile, and analogy by twelfth grade. All informative writing should end with a conclusion. Older grades should offer the implication and significance of their topic in the conclusion.
Adolescent writers should be able to gather information from a variety of resources - print and digital. They should be able to evaluate the creditability of each source. They should be able to research locating an answer to a question. Older students should be able to self-generate this question. Students at this age should understand writing summaries and synthesizing multiple sources into one summary.
Students should be familiar with technology including word processors and use of the Internet. Students should understand what constitutes plagiarism and be able to format a work-cited document.
