Writing a Report

Characteristics of a Report A good report… Tells about an interesting topic. Includes facts that explain the topic. Has a beginning paragraph that grabs the reader’s attention and tells what the report is about. Has middle paragraphs that add facts and details to explain the topic. Has a concluding paragraph that sums up the major points. Has facts and details that all relate to the topic.

Organization of a Report Introduction: Begin your report by stating the main idea. In a report, the main idea is a factual statement about the topic. Body: The body of your report supports your main idea by using examples. Conclusion: The conclusion of your report should summarize your main idea.

Example Introduction (Main Idea) People living along the coast must plan ahead for hurricanes. If they don’t, their property may be damaged and people may get hurt. Body (Supporting Details) They check their disaster supply kits. They build homes with hurricane-proof features. They check for up-to-date information. Conclusion (Main Idea Restated) Preparing for hurricanes and making smart decisions are part of the lives of people living along the coast.

Choose a Topic Choosing a topic that is both interesting and manageable will help you develop a strong report.

Interesting Topics Hold your interest as well as the interest of your audience. Should be something that you WANT to learn about.

Manageable Topics Topics you can handle. Your topic can’t be too big – we only have a certain amount of time and resources to write our reports “Preparing for a Hurricane” is the right size. The topic “Hurricanes” would be too big.

Generate Questions Writers often ask questions to get ideas and to find out what to research. Asking questions will help you figure out what you already know and identify what you need to research as you begin to gather information for your report. A KWL chart is a helpful tool to use.

Gather Information There are many different types of sources you might use to gather your information about your questions.

Identify Sources Encyclopedia – general information about broad topics Nonfiction book – information about special topics Internet site – online information that should be checked for accuracy Newspapers – current events Theme Readers & Differentiated Readers

Evaluating Sources There is a lot of information out there, but not all of it is trustworthy. You will need to evaluate sources as you search for information. You will need to make decisions about what to search for, where to look, and whether the information you find is appropriate to include in your writing.

Take Notes Taking notes is an important skill that helps writers keep track of the information they gather. You should use your own words (paraphrase) when taking notes. Record source information. Organize similar information together.

Write a First Draft

Introductory Paragraph Tells what the report is about. Grabs the reader’s attention. You might hook your reader by asking a question or presenting a surprising fact. Example: To learn the history of the Grand Canyon you can read books or you can read rocks. That’s what scientists who study the Grand Canyon do. They read rocks! Over millions of years the Colorado River has carved the Grand Canyon out of rock.

Body Paragraphs Organize your ideas in categories so that similar information is grouped together. Each category can then be used to write a paragraph about the topic. Body paragraphs have topic sentences that tell what each paragraph will be about. All the details in each paragraph must go with the topic or main idea for that paragraph.

Concluding Paragraph Summarize the main ideas of the report. The author’s chance to “tie up loose ends” for the readers. Many times is a rewording of the Introductory Paragraph. No new information should be introduced.

Sentence Fluency There are many possible ways to write a sentence. More than one version may be correct, but one usually sounds the best. Good sentence fluency stands out when a piece of writing is read out loud. Vary the length and types of sentences as you continue drafting. Use a variety of sentence types.

Voice The voice of a report is a somewhat serious and knowledgeable voice. You should write to sound like yourself, but also try to convince your readers that you know what you are writing about. Which has the best “voice”? The Grand Canyon is one of Earth’s many natural wonders. or The Grand Canyon is one big hole in the ground.

Revise the Draft Peer Review Routine: The writer shares his or her work. The reviewer tells what he or she liked about the work. The reviewer asks questions about the work. The reviewer makes suggestions for changes. The writer makes notes of the reviewer’s comments. The partners switch roles.

Author’s Chair Begin by talking about what you found interesting. Then ask questions that you have. Finally, tell what you liked and why you liked it.

Edit the Draft Are all words spelled correctly? Are verbs used correctly? Are sentences punctuated correctly? Do all sentences make sense? Use the Revising & Editing Checklist.

Publish & Present Final Draft