ABC

3LEGAL ENGLISH 3

1.5 Drafting of Reports and Projects How to? 1. Brainstorming: What is it

about? What exactly is needed? Why is it needed? When do I need to do it?

Who is it for, or who is it aimed at? 2. Planning: What information do I need?

Do I need to do any background reading? What articles or documents do I need?

Do I need to contact the library for assistance? Do I need to interview or

observe people? Do I have to record data? How will I go about this? 3. Finding:

Information you find out will form the basis, or the main body of your report,

i.e. findings. How to? 4. Choosing the right format: Some details may differ

depending on the type of report – whether it is a research report, laboratory

report, business report, investigative report; length and formality. 5.

Substantiate: include photos, tables or graphs 6. Appendix: information that is

too long, or supplements or complements the information in the report, such as

brochures, spreadsheets or large tables. 7. Conclusions: No new information in

the conclusion. Analyse your findings and deduce– What have I found? What's

significant about it? What does it suggest? 8. Recommendations: Read the

findings and conclusion again. Think about what you want to suggest to the

person/institution you are preparing the report for; what actions should they

carry out? Check if your recommendations are practical and based on findings.

Ensure enough detail for the reader to know and understand the steps involved.
9. Executive Summary: executive summary and table of contents are sections

placed at the beginning of the report but will be written once the draft of the

report is finalised; usually about 100-250 words long, tells what the report is

about, gives the gist of the report. 10. Reference list/Bibliography: list of all the

sources referred to; using a particular referencing style, like MLA, APA etc. e.g.

in MLA– Times New Roman, 12, double spacing: Sarkar, Sumit. Modern India:

1885-1947 . Softcover reprint. Palgrave Macmillan, 1989. How to? 11.

Formatting: Decipher the question again; check if the instructions have been

adhered to, if all sections are included, and are in the correct order; information

must be accurate and from a credible source, duly acknowledged; if the

information presented supports the findings and recommendation; all terms,

symbols and abbreviations used must be explained; diagrams, tables, graphs and

illustrations must be numbered and labelled; the formatting is correct, including

numbering, headings, are consistent throughout; proofread well, and ensure that

the writing is clear and effective. Several drafts might be required; someone else

may also check the report and give feedback. How to? 1. Preliminary Section a.

Cover b. Title Fly c. Title page d. Letter of Authorisation e. Letter or Memo of

Transmittal/ Acknowledgement f. Table of Contents g. List of Illustrations h.

Executive Summary 2. Body a. Introduction b. Procedures c. Findings d.

Analysis e. Conclusions f. Recommendations 3. Supplementary Section a.

Glossary b. Appendix c. Bibliography or Reference List d. Index Informational

Reports: Example Analytical Reports: Example Academic Project Proposal:

Synopsis • Cover page • Table of contents • Introduction • Research question •

Research design • Time frame • Limitations • References