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Writing Reports

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9 views

Writing Reports

Uploaded by

wsjh7f8bxr
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Writing reports

What is a report? Who writes them?


Who are they written for?
❖ A spoken or written description of something containing
information that somebody needs to have.

❖ A report is usually written by people who have examined


a particular situation or problem.

❖ A report may be written for a superior (e.g. a boss or


college principal) or a peer group (e.g. club members or
colleagues) or for an organization.
But how can I write a report?
Where do I get the information
from?
What do I have to do in a report?
Apart from information, what do
reports contain?
❖ Study the exam instructions and
underline the key words. What things
must you do in your report?
❖ How many paragraphs/sections do you need to
write?
❖ What should you say in your introduction?
❖ What should the last section contain?
❖ Who must you write the report for?
❖ What kind of style/register should you use?
❖ Reports should be visually
different to essays. Typically
reports are organized in sections
with headings and possibly bullet
points or numbered lists to make
it easier for the reader to find
information quickly. They should
have a clear layout.
❖ What title could you give this report?

❖ What headings could you use for the


sections in your essay?
Useful language
❖ Stating the purpose of the report
The aim/purpose of this report is to describe/evaluate/present…
In this report , I will describe/present/evaluate…
This report provides a description/evaluation/presentation…
The principal aim/objective/purpose of this report is to provide a
description of… / to provide/to present results of /to assess the
importance of …
In this report I will provide a description of … / I will provide/present
results of …/ I will assess the importance of…
This report describes/provides an assessment of… /
describes/provides/presents results of…
Useful language
❖ Describing how you got your information
I spoke to/interviewed several members of staff…
Members of the local police force answered a questionnaire…
I visited three hotels:
I conducted a survey among college graduates…
Useful language
❖ Reporting your results
Most of those responding to the survey stated/ said/expressed
the opinion that …
According to …
A large/considerable/high/small/significant proportion of those
surveyed /respondents said that…
25% of the students…
A small number felt that …
Nearly three quarters of the …
Useful language
❖ Presenting a list
The points in favour/against introducing genetically modified
foods can be summarized as follows
1…
2…
There are a number of ways in which facilities for the parents
of small children could be improved:
1…
2…
Useful language
Introducing your first point:
• Firstly
• In the first place
• First of all
• The first thing to consider is
• One thing to consider is
• To begin with
Useful language
Introducing more points:
• Secondly
• Another consideration
• Yet another consideration
• Another thing to consider is
• Added to that
• Apart from that
• In addition to this
Useful language
Introducing your final points:
In conclusion
• To conclude
• To sum up
Useful language
❖ Making a recommendation
In the light of the results of the survey/questionnaire the introduction of a
small fee would seem to be the best choice/option/solution.
I would recommend, therefore, the purchase of five more computers …
My recommendations are as follows:
Taking all the factors mentioned into account
In the light of the results of the survey/questionnaire, … would appear to
be the most viable solution/option/approach.
Clearly, more could be done to ….
I would make the following recommendations:
Style
–Do not use contractions.
-Use passive forms whenever possible.
-Use relative clauses to join ideas: The period during which he lived was
full of uncertainty.
-Use these formal words: like à such as / kids à children
a lot (of)à many / a large number of + countable noun
a lot (of)à much / a great amount of / a great deal of + uncountable
a lot (intensity)à very much / significantly / dramatically
– Avoid using the word things / something, etc. Use a more specific word
(problems, situation, solutions,
subjects, and so on).

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