Report Writing.

                                    Report Writing.

-         Make sure to read the question carefully, who is the report for?/who requested the report?.

-         Underline exactly what you are being asked in the question and pay attention to the marking scheme.

-         Brainstorm and plan your answer.

-         Don’t forget to sign off the report and date it when you are finished.

-         Keep the marking scheme in mind as you plan and write your answer.

-         Refer back to the question while you write your answer to make sure you don’t meander off the point.

-         Read over your work and correct any mistakes you have made.

-         There are 4 different types of report writing.

-         The first type is a Research Report. Here you are to investigate a problem, topic, issue, situation, etc and make recommendations based on your findings. You have six headings here; Title of Report, Introduction (Who commissioned the report and the report’s aims), Research (How you gathered your information, e.g. surveys, interviews, internet, etc), Findings (What you found out as a result of your research), Conclusions (What you now observe following your research) Recommendations (Arising out of your Findings) and your Sign Off section.

-         The second type is an Eye-Witness Account. You give specific date and time information. Here you give a factual, first-hand account of an incident you witnessed. You do not exaggerate or sensationalise any aspect of the account. You may name others that were there.  You must give precise information, e.g. type of clothes, colour of hair. You do not give a personal opinion throughout the report. Use clear and simple language.

-         Sign off report.

-         The third report is one that is to be published in a School Magazine. It could be concerning a school outing, musical, match etc. This is very much like article writing. Give your report a headline and sub-heading. Have a small, concise, (one word even) heading for each paragraph that summarises the main point of the paragraph. Have a catchy introduction. Give your personal reflections and opinions. Include anecdotes. Refer to the reactions and opinions of others. Language should be formal, but straight forward. Include some quotes from others present. Sign your report at the beginning or at the end. Use descriptive words to describe the scene and capture the audience.

-         The fourth type of report is the Newspaper Report. This informs readers of the facts surrounding various events. It is similar to the layout of an article with a heading, sub-heading and paragraph headings. Facts are very important. The writer must include the who, what, where, when and why of the event being described. No sensationalism and facts must be believable, (these of course can be fictionalised). There should be no bias or personal opinion. The writing style should be direct and concise. Paragraphs should be kept short and contain one point relating to the event being described. The introduction should be strong to grab the reader’s attention.