Rabbets - Orient the parts so that the piece which will lie in the rabbet is butted against the piece to be rabbeted, as if you were making a butt joint. Then simply mark along the edge where the two pieces meet to layout the shoulder line of the rabbet. A pencil will do, but for the greatest accuracy and cleanest cut, use a scratch awl or marking knife.
Through Dovetails - Butt each piece together as for rabbets, only this time mark the thickness of both pieces against the other. Now to answer an age-old question; tails or pins first? This time, you have to go with tails. Mark them as you please, and cut them. Now use the tails as a template to mark the pins.
Half-Blind Dovetails - Mark them the same as for through dovetails, but with one difference. When laying out the tails piece (drawer side) be sure to put a spacer beneath it that is the same thickness as the lap on the front of the piece.
Using a spacer to offset the blind half of the dovetail
Mark using the same method for rabbets