Excerpted from Writing Portfolio Activities Kit.

How to Use a Structure Rubric

1. Visualizing the Structure of an Essay
   • The structure rubric gives students a picture of a well-organized essay and can be kept in their notebooks for easy reference.
2. Marking Thesis and Three Aspects
   • After prewriting activities, ask students to begin the introductory paragraph, reminding them that the introduction usually ends with the thesis statement, which should include their three points to be covered.
   • Instruct students to use colored marker to bracket the thesis and another color to put checks on their three points. Thus, students match their structure with that of the rubric.
3. Marking Transitions, Main Ideas, and Supports
   • When assigning each body paragraph, ask students to refer to the rubric for the appropriate structure.
   • Students should use a list of transitions and be reminded that linking phrases in the topic sentence are more effective than simple transition words. To ensure that each body paragraph is linked to the next with the appropriate phrase, ask students to circle the transition device with a colored marker.
   • Next, students must state the main idea in the topic sentence for each body paragraph and draw a box around it to match the structure of the rubric. Suggest that a different color be used for the boxes, which will further emphasize their importance in the overall essay.
   • As students progress through their rough drafts, the structure rubric serves as a constant reminder that each body needs at least three supports, which they should check, using another colored marker.
4. Marking Restatement of the Thesis
   • Finally, by once again referring to the structure rubric, students will realize that the concluding statement should restate the thesis and the three points covered.