PROPERTIES OF A WELL WRITTEN TEXT
3. The last technique employs a repetition of keywords to tie up the
UNITY
 Unity is achieved when a composition contains one focused
idea.
 In a unified text, all supporting ideas are relevant to the main
thought.
 Without unity, the text will be confusing
COHERENCE AND COHESION
 Coherence and cohesion are achieved when ideas are
logically, clearly, and smoothly linked to one another; without
it, the reader may not be able to comprehend your
composition.
COHERENCE
 Coherence occurs when ideas are connected at the
conceptual or idea level.
 It can be seen through well-defended arguments and
organized points.
COHESION
 cohesion is the connection of ideas at the sentence level.
 It can be readily seen in a text through the smooth flow of
the sentences and the connection of the ideas.
 Cohesion can be applied using three techniques.
1. The first one is through the use of pronouns to refrain from
using a specific word repeatedly.
2. The second technique is through the use of transition devices
to connect sentences with linked ideas.
paragraphs subtly.
MECHANICS
 The technical aspect of writing, also known as mechanics, should
not be overlooked when writing.
 It is one of the properties of a well-written text and is
characterized as a set of conventions on how to spell, abbreviate,
punctuate, and capitalize a composition.
 In academic and more formal texts, the following should be
observed.
1. Always use Standard English.
2. Avoid contractions (shouldn’t)
3. Avoid exclamation marks unless they are part of a direct quotation.
4. Mention the full name of an institution or organization with the
abbreviation in parenthesis, in first mention. Thereafter, use the
abbreviation.
5. Number from zero to ten should be spelled out while number
higher than ten should be written in figures.
6. Generally, citations are in academic and formal texts. However,
they are sparingly used in business texts.
ORGANIZATION
 Organization is achieved when ideas are logically and accurately
arranged.
 Knowledge of the parts of a composition is a great help in
adhering to the correct organization of ideas.
 The sentences within a paragraph must also be organized
logically.
LANGUAGE USE
 The way language is used is one of the clearest indicators of a
well written text. It enables the writer to effectively communicate
ideas without confusing the reader.
 Effective language use is achieved by observing the following
time-tested principles in writing:
1. Use clear and concise sentences. On average, a sentence is 18
words long. Note that this does not require every sentence to be
composed of exactly 18 words.
2. Avoid redundancies, wordiness, clichés, and highfalutin language.
3. Avoid excessive use of “there” and “it” structures. These
sentences can be revised by dropping the “there” and “it” phrase
and transforming the sentences appropriately.
4. Use precise vocabulary. Be accurate and condense lengthy
phrases into fewer words.
5. Be consistent with your pronoun’s point of view.
6. Avoid sexist language. This issue can be addressed by using
articles (a, an, and the), using plural pronouns, using his or her
instead of his, writing through a second person point of view, or
using gender-neutral nouns (e.g. chairperson instead of
chairman). Make sure not to overuse the his or her technique as it
breaks up the flow of your composition.
7. Use appropriate level of formality. The more formal texts use an
academic tone while the less formal ones usually use a personal
or colloquial tone.
CLAIM
 A claim is a statement that is not considered accepted by all.
 A claim may be unverified or controversial to a certain degree.
 It is usually related to one side of an issue. If so, the claim is also
called a position.
3 KINDS OF CLAIM
CLAIMS OF FACT
 Claims of fact relate to the statements that can be verified, no
matter how difficult.
 They are not dependent merely on a person’s preference, but can be
true of false.
 Facts that are universally accepted are not considered claims of facts
because there is no more disagreement about their truthfulness.
 Claims of fact talk about what is or what is not.
 They say that the certain conditions exist.
EXAMPLE:
 Santa Claus is real.
 Cancer is not contagious.
 The Earth is warming rapidly.
 The atmosphere has too much carbon dioxide.
CLAIMS OF VALUE
 Claims of value are evaluative statements.
 They are statements about which is better, more important, more
desirable, more needed, or more useful.
 They may also relate to what is good or bad.
EXAMPLE:
 It’s more fun in the Philippines. (Official tourism catch phrase)
 This is a very good school.
 It is more advantageous for a Filipino child to grow up speaking
Filipino instead of English.
 It is better to be feared than loved. (Machiavelli)
 Buying and fixing a house is better than building a new one.
 It is better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all.
(Tennyson)

CLAIM OF POLICY
 Claims of policy are all about what should be.
 They say that a particular situation should arise.
 They prescribe a particular course of action that would lead to a
condition.
 They are usually made in relation to solving societal problems.

EXAMPLE:
 The death penalty must be revived.
 A national ID system should be adopted.
 Beauty contests should be banned.
 The government must devote more funds to building schools than
building roads.