Organization   

Without a clear trail, your ideas collapse or crash into each other.  It is the organization that gives your writing direction and it helps the reader move through the ideas in a purposeful way.

Begin with a strong lead so you hook the reader right off the bat.  Don't settle for "Once upon a time" or "My paper is all about dogs."  Think about your lead working like a fishing lure or fly that dangles right in front of the nose of the fish until it just can't resist and takes a big, committed bite.  Ahh, gottcha!

If you take a look at your whole piece of writing, it should carefully build to the most important moment or point you are trying to make.  Toss your reader interesting details that work like stepping stones--each getting the reader closer and closer to the key idea or event.

The order of your details is really important, too.  Ideas shouldn't dive-bomb the reader out of the blue; they should come at just the right time to help the reader understand.  Everything needs to fit together with a strong connecting line back to the main idea.

Watch out for getting bogged down in trivial details (what color the hero's socks were, or whether she had milk on her cereal).  Keep moving right along.  And when you reach the end of the story or make your last point, STOP!  Make that last sentence count by leaving the reader with something to think about.  Good endings are tough, but don't fall into the pit with "And I woke up and it was only a dream," or "Now you know the three reasons why Americans should car pool."  Readers won't feel satisfied with these endings and neither will you.

Organization

5    Writing flows smoothly throughout with clear transitions.  Organization enhances idea.

4    Clear introduction and conclusion.  Points or events proceed logically with transitions.

3    Recognizable introduction and conclusion, some use of transitions, loose ends.

2    Writing sometimes supports the main idea, attempts at introduction and/or conclusion.

1    Writing lacks a clear sense of direction.  Writing moves around randomly.