This document is a rubric for assessing students' abilities to identify and analyze different informational text structures, including problem/solution, cause/effect, compare/contrast, chronological sequence, and description. The rubric rates students from 1 to 4 in each text structure based on whether they can consistently, sometimes, rarely, or never determine the structure; analyze how parts fit into the overall structure and contribute to developing ideas; and locate relevant signal words. The bottom section provides space for notes and observations from student conferences.

1. Informational Text Structures Conferring Log / Rubric
J. Evans St. ClairCountyRESA
Student Date Date Date Date Text Structure Goal
Problem/Solution,
Cause/Effect,
Compare/Contrast,
Sequence-chronology
Description
(What are you working on
as a reader?)
Score1(4,3,2,1)
Score2(4,3,2,1)
Score3(4,3,2,1)
Score4(4,3,2,1)
Notes/Observations
1. Show me evidence/
examples of what you
are workingon.
2. What would you likeme
to help you with?
3. What areyour next
steps?

2. Informational Text Structures Conferring Log / Rubric
J. Evans St. ClairCountyRESA
Structure 4 3 2 1
Problem/
Solution
 Consistentlydetermines problem/solution text
structure:
 Consistentlyanalyzes how particular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intotheoverall
structure ofa text.
 Consistently analyze how particularsentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto the
overalldevelopment oftheideas.
Consistently locates signalwords such as: problem,
issue,since, as a result, solution, idea,so,leads to,
causes…
 Sometimes determines problem/solutiontext
structure:
 Sometimes analyzes howparticularsentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intothe
overallstructure ofa text.
 Sometimes analyzehowparticular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto
the overalldevelopment ofthe ideas.
Sometimes locates signal words suchas:
problem, issue,since,as a result, solution, idea,
so, leads to, causes…
 Rarely determines problem/solution text
structure:
 Rarely analyzes how particularsentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intothe
overallstructure ofa text.
 Rarely analyze howparticular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto
the overalldevelopment ofthe ideas.
Rarely locates signal words such as: problem,
issue,since, as a result, solution, idea,so,
leads to, causes…
Doesn’tdetermineproblem/solution text
structure:
 Doesn’t analyze howparticularsentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intothe
overallstructure ofa text.
 Doesn’tanalyzehow particular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto
the overalldevelopment ofthe ideas.
Doesn’t locate signal words suchas: problem,
issue,since, as a result, solution, idea,so,leads
to, causes…
Cause/
Effect
 Consistentlydetermines cause/effect textstructure:
 Consistentlyanalyzes how particular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intotheoverall
structure ofa text.
 Consistently analyzes howparticular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contribute to the
overalldevelopment oftheideas.
Consistently locates signalwords such as: since,
because,if, dueto,as a result of, causes, leads to,
consequently, then, therefore…
 Sometimes determines cause/effecttext
structure:
 Sometimes analyzes howparticularsentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intothe
overallstructure ofa text.
 Sometimes analyzes how particular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto
the overalldevelopment ofthe ideas.
Sometimes locates signal words suchas: since,
because,if, dueto,as a result of, causes, leads
to, consequently, then,therefore…
 Rarely determines cause/effect text
structure:
 Rarely analyzes how particularsentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intothe
overallstructure ofa text.
 Rarely analyzes howparticular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto
the overalldevelopment ofthe ideas.
Rarely locates signal words such as: since,
because,if, dueto,as a result of, causes,
leads to, consequently,then,therefore…
 Doesn’t determine cause/effecttext structure:
 Doesn’t analyze howparticularsentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intothe
overallstructure ofa text.
 Doesn’tanalyzehow particular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto
the overalldevelopment ofthe ideas.
Doesn’t locate signal words suchas: since,
because,if, dueto,as a result of, causes, leads
to, consequently, then,therefore…
Compare/
Contrast
 Consistentlydetermines comparison textstructure:
 Consistentlyanalyzes how particular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intotheoverall
structure ofa text.
 Consistently analyzes howparticular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto the
overalldevelopment oftheideas.
Consistently identifies comparison and is able tolocate
signal words suchas: similar, same, alike,both, as well,
unlike, as opposed to, on theother hand, instead,
contrast…
 Sometimes determines comparison text
structure:
 Sometimes analyzes howparticularsentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intothe
overallstructure ofa text.
Sometimes analyzes howparticularsentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto
the overalldevelopment ofthe ideas.
Sometimes locates signal words suchas: similar,
same, alike, both, as well, unlike,as opposedto,
on the otherhand,instead,contrast…
 Rarely determines comparison text
structure:
 Rarely analyzes how particularsentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intothe
overallstructure ofa text.
 Rarely analyzes howparticular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto
the overalldevelopment ofthe ideas.
Rarely locates signal words such as: similar,
same, alike, both, as well, unlike,as opposed
to, on the other hand, instead, contrast…
 Doesn’t determine comparison text structure:
 Doesn’t analyze howparticularsentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intothe
overallstructure ofa text.
 Doesn’tanalyzehow particular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto
the overalldevelopment ofthe ideas.
Doesn’t locate signal words suchas: similar,
same, alike, both, as well, unlike,as opposedto,
on the otherhand,instead,contrast…
Sequence-
Chronology
 Consistentlydetermines chronologytext structure:
 Consistentlyanalyzes how particular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intotheoverall
structure ofa text.
 Consistently analyzes howparticular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto the
overalldevelopment oftheideas.
Consistently identifies chronology andis ableto locate
signal words suchas: first, second, third, then,next,
before, after, finally, following…
 Sometimes determines chronology text
structure:
 Sometimes analyzes howparticularsentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intothe
overallstructure ofa text.
 Sometimes analyzes how particular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto
the overalldevelopment ofthe ideas.
Sometimes locates signal words suchas: first,
second, third, then, next, before, after, finally,
following…
 Rarely determines chronology text
structure:
 Rarely analyzes how particularsentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intothe
overallstructure ofa text.
 Rarely analyzes howparticular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto
the overalldevelopment ofthe ideas.
Rarely locates signal words such as: first,
second, third, then, next, before, after, finally,
following…
 Doesn’t determine chronologicaltext
structure:
 Doesn’t analyze howparticularsentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intothe
overallstructure ofa text.
 Doesn’tanalyzehow particular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto
the overalldevelopment ofthe ideas.
Doesn’t locate signal words suchas: first,
second, third, then, next, before, after, finally,
following…
Description  Consistentlydetermines descriptiontext structure:
 Consistentlyanalyzes how particular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intotheoverall
 Sometimes determines description text
structure:
 Sometimes analyzes howparticularsentences,
 Rarely determines description text
structure:
 Rarely analyzes how particularsentences,
 Doesn’t determines description textstructure:
 Doesn’t analyze howparticularsentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intothe

3. Informational Text Structures Conferring Log / Rubric
J. Evans St. ClairCountyRESA
structure ofa text.
 Consistently analyzes howparticular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto the
overalldevelopment oftheideas.
Consistently identifies descriptions and is able tolocate
signal words suchas: suchas, for instance, inaddition,
also, specifically…
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intothe
overallstructure ofa text.
 Sometimes analyzes how particular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto
the overalldevelopment ofthe ideas.
Sometimes identifies descriptions and is ableto
locate signal words suchas: suchas, for
instance, inaddition, also, specifically…
paragraphs,chapters or sections fit intothe
overallstructure ofa text.
 Rarely analyzes howparticular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto
the overalldevelopment ofthe ideas.
Rarely identifies descriptions and is able to
locate signal words suchas: suchas, for
instance, inaddition, also, specifically…
overallstructure ofa text.
 Doesn’tanalyzehow particular sentences,
paragraphs,chapters or sections contributeto
the overalldevelopment ofthe ideas.
Doesn’t locate signal words suchas: such as,for
instance, inaddition, also, specifically…