WRITING A REPORT

3.25
WRITING A REPORT
A report is a statement to describe the findings of research. Report
are usually a formal account of the result of an investigation or
observation. Report can be short, just one page or very long
documents.
Report are separated into segments, with headings and subheadings.
Report are designed to introduce facts and will characterize and
break down the current issue.
PREPARATION AND PLANNING

 You should set aside some time to get ready and plan your report.
When preparing the report you have to ask yourself several
questions to better understand the goal of the report, ex: who are
the readers, what is the purpose of the report, what important
information has to be in the report, etc.
 To keep your report well-organized and easy to understand, there is
a clear format to follow.
THE MAIN SECTION OF A STANDARD REPORT ARE:

o Title
o Table of content
o Introduction or Background
o Method
o Main body of report
o Conclusion
TITLE
 The title of your report should be clear in its wording. It
must say exactly what the report is about.
 The title page generally has four main pieces of
information:
Title of the report
Name of person or organization receiving the report
Name of person or organization who authored the
report
Date the report was submitted
TABLE OF CONTENT

 A table of contents should be included for longer information texts.

It should outline where specific information can be found in the
document or the text.
 For longer texts, each section should correspond to a page number
on the table of contents. For shorter texts, this may be numbered
sections instead of page numbers. This will allow the reader to
locate specific information that is being searched for without
having to read through the whole text. Page numbers can be
entered on the table of contents after the text is completed.
INTRODUCTION
 The introduction provides a context, so the reader understands
what is in the report. It explains the aim and the scope of the report.
The purpose of the introduction is to describe why the report was
written, what problem the report was meant to address or the
situation that led to the report being produced. The scope describes
the extent and limitations of the report. It tells the readers what
specific aspects of the problem will be discussed.
MAIN BODY OF REPORT

 The major part of the report is called ‘the body’. It contains

information about the problem that the report focuses on.
The fact and the details are explained in organized
paragraphs. It is common to use headings in the main body.
CONCLUSION

 The closing section of an information report can be used to

summarize. The conclusion should focus on what the reader has
learned in the text. It may also contain information on links or
further reading the reader can undertake to find out more about the
topic.
TIPS FOR WRITING A GREAT INFORMATION REPORT

 Assume your readers are not as knowledgeable on the topic as you are. This
means you will have to briefly explain your topic before getting into the body.
 Use the correct scientific and technical terms in your report.
 Find or create some labelled diagrams if possible.
 Use paragraphs effectively. Each new element of your information report should
start with a new paragraph.
 Information reports are always written in present tense and from a third person
perspective.
 You may offer some form of question or comment around your findings in the
conclusion only. The rest of your report should be constructed purely of facts
and evidence.
DO THE INSTRUCTION GIVEN

WORK IN A GROUP OF FOUR, AND CHOOSE THE FOLLOWING TOPIC:

 Students’ food preference
 Student preferences in learning style
 Teenagers’ preferences in online games
 Students’ travel preferences
 Students’ preferences in arts and music

MAKE A LIST OF QUESTIONS FOR THE SURVEY, THEN ASK THE QUESTIONS TO YOUR
FRIENDS
FINALLY, WRITE YOUR REPORT AND SUBMIT IN 2 WEEKS
THANK YOU