Scaffolding Students’ Written Explanations

This tool provides a series of research-based questions to consider when you’re asking students to write evidence-based explanations. The categories and specific questions are adapted from Kang, Thompson, & Windschitl (2014) and organized according to what has the greatest impact on the quality of student work. By supporting students in writing more extensive explanations, you will deepen their reasoning about the phenomenon being explored and gain insight into the ways they are thinking.