Short reports

Presented by Najam ul Arifeen

Short Reports
• A short report is usually written to inform the authority
concerned or specific readers about a specific matter so that
they can make appropriate decision about the matter. It
consists of facts and sometimes analysis of facts. The
information provided in a short report is arranged somewhat in
a memo format
Cover and external title
• •Remember the 5 W’s who, what, when, where, why
• •Keep title short
• •Consider a subtitle, often indicated with a colon
• •Avoid titles that are vague, extremely short
• •Eliminate judgement terms
How to Write a Short Book Report?
• Check the task. Try to understand your assignment before you start.
• Take notes when reading. Reread the book with a voice recorder or
notepad nearby if you have time. Do not forget about brief
observations when reading, describing the plot, characters, setting,
and tone.
• Divide your notes into two to four parts according to major plot
shifts. This will help to organize your paper and devote equal time
to each part of the book.
• Write an opening. Add the book title and the author with a
description of the book’s premise in no more than three sentences.
Continue
• After you have chosen one of the most interesting short report
writing topics and written the opening, it is high time to summarize
the plot. You may use your notes and the outline to sum up the
main points of the plot, section by section.
• Summarize the ending. You may choose one of two ways to handle
the final plot points according to the purpose.
• Describe the main theme. If you suggest that the author has a
major purpose in mind, add several words on the theme near the
end or beginning of the paper. When knowing how a short book
report form looks like, it is always easy to produce a perfect work.
Short Report Format
• Title Block: The first thing your reader sees.
• Abstract/Summary: A bite-sized version of the whole report.
• Introduction: Introduce the reader to this particular document.
• Background: Define terms, name names, and contextualize. (Expert
readers often skip over this part.)
• Discussion: Defend your claims, account for mistakes, and organize
the details.
• Conclusion: Show how all the separate pieces fit together. (Don’t just
repeat the purpose statement.)