Report Writing | Garde 9 | Week 5

With Descriptive English forming an important part for exams like CSEC and CAPE, we bring to you in this post, the Report Writing Format and a Sample Report.

So, how to write a report? 

Unlike an essay, which sets out to defend a writer's view about a topic and does not have to feature headings, a report discusses a topic in a structured, easy-to-follow format. Reports are divided into sections with headings and subheadings.

Reports can be academic, technical, or business-oriented, and feature recommendations for specific actions. Reports are written to present facts about a situation, project, or process and will define and analyze the issue at hand. Ultimately, the goal of a report is to relay observations to a specific audience in a clear and concise style. Let's review the proper report writing format so you can craft a professional finished product.

Preparation and Planning

First, you should take some time to prepare and plan for your report. Before you start writing, identify the audience. Your report should be written and tailored to the readers' needs and expectations. When planning, ask yourself several questions to better understand the goal of the report. Some questions to consider include:

Who are the readers? (Head Teacher, Other students, The News, Viewers of the News etc.)

What is the purpose of the report? (To inform about: the state of the business/company, an accident you witnessed, something important that happened or will happen, etc.)

Why is this report needed? (To explain something you have seen / To talk about something you have done research on, etc.)

What information should be included in the report? (The facts concerning your topic: What, Where, When, How and/or Why something happened or is happening; The views of other witnesses or people who were involved; And the views of the people who are (or will be) affected.)

Once you identify the basics of your report, you can begin to collect supporting information, then sort and out that information and check to see what is most relevant. The next step is to organize your information and begin putting it together in an outline. With proper planning, it will be easier to write your report and stay organized.

This is a sample report done by a student in India, in the picture you'll see the first 2 parts of a report: the Introduction and the Summary.

Report Writing Format

Here are the main sections of the standard report writing format:

Title Section – This includes the name of the author(s) and the date of report preparation. 

ACCIDENTAL FIRE

Monday, February 15th, 2021.                                                                 Authors: R. Singh and A. Abdool

Bush Lot, WCB.

Summary – There needs to be a summary of the major points, conclusions, (and recommendations). It needs to be short as it is a general overview of the report. Some people will read the summary and only skim the report, so make sure you include all the relevant information. It would be best to write this last so you will include everything, even the points that might be added at the last minute. 

A fire broke out yesterday at Bush Lot village, in a two story house, due to a gas cylinder explosion. Three persons received severe burn injuries and household goods worth $200,000 were destroyed.

Introduction – The first page of the report needs to have an introduction.  You will explain the problem and show the reader why the report is being made. You need to give a definition of terms if you did not include these in the title section, and explain how the details of the report are arranged. 

Mrs. Smith was cooking lunch on her gas stove at 11:00 AM, her husband was in the upstairs flat of their two story wood and concrete home on 3rd Street. This reporter met the injured Mr. Smith as he was recovering in the Fort Wellington Hospital, and asked him a few questions to better understand the situation.

Body – This is the main section of the report.  There needs to be several sections, with each having a subtitle.  Information is usually arranged in order of importance;

or arranged in order to explain something better, by asking What, Where, When, How or Why - not necessarily in that order

The Fire Department confirmed today that there was likely a leak in the gas cylinder. Leakage of cooking gas was the problem that caused the explosion. When asked if he had been using that brand of cooking gas for a long time, Mr. Smith confirmed it was several years now that he had been buying Sol© brand gas. This bottle of gas, in fact, was brand new. "I buy the gas just Saturday gone, it look lil bit rusty, but I never had a problem with it, never know anybody that had a problem like this", said Mr. Smith.

The burn victim told this newscast that he had been always buying his gas directly from the whole-sale outlet at the Gas Station in Bush Lot. When asked for comment, P. Jagmohan, owner of the gas station said that his store does occasionally find leaking gas cylinders, but these bottles are sent back to the company in Georgetown. This newscast asked if Mr. Smith could by chance have bought a cylinder with a small leak, "I don't know, the police might gotta find that out. But if he did get a bottle with a leak, that is the gas company in GT problem", he responded.

After the explosion the fire quickly destroyed most of the kitchen area of the house, Joshua Smith, son of the couple, was not home at the time of the fire. "By time I came back there was nothing I could do, the fire already eat out the kitchen and the West side of the upstairs. Over two hundred thousand dollars of equipment, food, appliances - gone, poof!" He lamented. Most of the house was saved thanks to quick-acting neighbors who heard the explosion and came out to help.

Conclusion – This is where everything comes together. Keep this section free of jargon as most people will read the Summary and Conclusion.  

Whoever was responsible, whether it was the company or store, the results were certainly devastating. Mrs. Smith is still unconscious at the time of writing, with 3rd degree burns, but doctors at Fort Wellington are confident she will be able to recover fully. The family has expressed that they are especially glad for their neighbors kind help during this difficult time, and believe the burnt areas can be rebuilt by May this year. Mr. Singh has indicated also, that he will be suing the Gas Company and the Gas Station for negligence.

Recommendations – This is what needs to be done. In plain English, explain your recommendations, putting them in order of priority.

This newscast recommends carefully checking your cooking gas bottle for leaks by using soapy water and checking for bubbles. You should try that trick if can smell that the bottle is leaking. Gas companies mix in a strong smell with their gas - since pure gas does not have a smell - to help people recognize that their cooking-gas is escaping into the air. It is a good idea to check the bottle before you leave the store for any odd smells, or too much rust.

See you all next week; we will write a report like this in-class.