by Brinda Junkere

Created on: May 17, 2010   Last Updated: May 18, 2010

An excellent piece of writing will be recognized for what it is whether it is found in a magazine, a book, the Helium site or any other medium. This is because the rules of good writing should govern the work of every writer and should inform the decision of every publisher. Readers who are given the responsibility to judge a piece of writing must also be aware of these rules in order to judge effectively. So too, raters on Helium should follow the rules or criteria of good writing and use them in order of priority so as to judge fairly between two articles.

The most important criteria to consider in rating of articles is that of relevance to the topic. The first reading of the articles should be to establish relevance. The rater must consider whether the article discusses the issues or points that are related to the topic. If an article has no relevance or is way off the topic given then it cannot be rated highly even if it is well written.

In addition, the correct use of grammar, spelling and punctuation are also necessary. Misspelled words, incorrect usage of grammar and punctuation detract from a piece of writing. In rating two articles the rater must ensure that the rules of grammar are applied and words are spelt correctly. Consequently, the article with little or no errors in these areas will most likely be rated higher.

Consideration must then be given to the organization of the piece. The rater needs to look for an introduction and a conclusion to the piece. It is essential that the piece has an introduction that gives the writer a general idea of what will be discussed and a conclusion that will summarize the important points in the article. A good introduction should give the reader a basic idea of how good the rest of the writing will be and should be the basis for the body of the article. In rating, a strong introduction and conclusion gives one article a definite edge over the other.

Additionally, the there must be a smooth flow of information within the article. The content must be written in such a way that there is easy transition from one sentence to the next and from one paragraph to the other. The information must be written with cohesiveness and clarity so that it can be easily followed by the rater. In rating two articles, the rater would unquestionably rate higher the article that possesses such a smooth flow of information.

Of course, the content of the article must be factual. False information should not be rated but should be flagged for consideration. Writers must ensure that the information they give are facts and that their sources of information are authentic. An article with incorrect information should not stand a chance against one which contains facts.

It is important then that raters, when comparing two articles, read both articles thoroughly to ensure that the criteria for good writing is followed. The article rated higher should be stronger in terms of relevance to the topic and proper usage of grammar, punctuation and correct spelling. Also, the article should be well organized with a good introduction and conclusion, there should be a smooth flow of information and the content must contain facts. The rater who follows these rules in that order of priority will rate articles fairly and accurately.

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