Internal Body-Paragraph Format Content

While students will learn paper formatting based on a specific documentation style that is required for their institution, course, or future career, there is also an internal formatting requirement for the content and flow of body-paragraphs within any writing.


See the body-paragraph guideline rubric below for help knowing if your body-paragraphs are internally on the right track.

Six Traits for Paragraph-Writing

A General Rubric to Guide Your

Writing of Internal Body-paragraphs

	6 Exemplary	5 Strong	4 Proficient	3 Developing	2 Emerging	1 Beginning
Idea ·   main theme ·   supporting details	· Paragraph centered around a significant idea or topic · Exceptionally clear, focused, engaging with relevant, strong supporting detail	· A main idea or topic is clear · Clear, focused, interesting idea with appropriate detail	· Evident main idea with some support which may be general or limited	· Main idea may be cloudy because supporting detail is too general or even off-topic	· Purpose and main idea may be unclear and cluttered by irrelevant detail · May be unclear because paragraph has competing ideas for thesis	· Lacks central idea; development is minimal or non-existent
Organization ·   structure ·   introduction ·   conclusion	· Effectively organized in logical and creative manner · Creative and engaging intro and conclusion	· Strong order and structure · Inviting intro and satisfying closure	· Organization is appropriate, but conventional · Attempt at introduction and conclusion	· Attempts at organization; may be a “list” of items · Beginning and ending not clear	· Lack of structure; disorganized and hard to follow · Appears to start or stop in the middle of something	· Lack of coherence; confusing · No identifiable beginning or ending
Voice ·  personality ·  sense of audience •Stay in the correct VOICE	· Expressive, engaging, sincere · Strong sense of audience · Shows emotion: humor, honesty, suspense or life	· Appropriate to audience and purpose · Writer behind the words comes through	· Evident commitment to topic · Inconsistent or formulaic personality	· Voice may be inappropriate or non-existent · Writing may seem mechanical	· Writing tends to be flat or stiff · Stereotypic, copied tone and voice	· Writing is lifeless · No hint of the writer
Word Choice ·  precision ·  effectiveness ·  imagery	· Precise, carefully chosen · Strong, fresh, vivid images	· Descriptive, broad range of words · Word choice energizes writing	· Language is functional and appropriate · Descriptions may be overdone at times	· Words may be correct but mundane · Common words chosen	· Monotonous, often repetitious, sometimes inappropriate	· Limited range of words · Some vocabulary misused
Sentence Fluency ·  rhythm, flow ·  variety	· High degree of craftsmanship · Effective variation in sentence patterns	· Easy flow and rhythm · Good variety in length and structure	· Generally in control · Lacks variety in length and structure	· Some awkward constructions · Common simple pattern used · Several sentences begin the same way	· Often choppy · Monotonous sentence patterns · Frequent run-on sentences · Some sentence fragments	· Difficult to follow or read aloud · Disjointed, confusing, rambling
Conventions ·  age appropriate, spelling, caps, punctuation, grammar	· Exceptionally strong control of standard conventions of writing · Complex conventions attempted	· Strong control of conventions; errors are few and minor	· Control of most writing conventions; errors reflect risks with unusual or sophisticated structures	· Limited control of conventions; some errors in common patterns or structures do not interfere with unduly understanding	· Frequent significant errors may impede readability · Errors frequent in common patterns and structures	· Numerous errors distract the reader and make the text difficult to read · Errors may be made more than one way for the same pattern or structure

© 2018 Jeanette L. H. Dick

For Academic Purposes Only

Content Slightly Modified and Links Included for Student Use

Originally Adapted for Regina Public Schools from Vicki Spandel, Creating Writers

Regina, SK Canada