Make sure each major paragraph presents and then develops a single main point.Apply the four basic standards of effective writing (unity, support, coherence, and clear, error-free sentences) when writing the report.Here are some important elements to consider as you prepare a report: POINTS OF CONSIDERATION WHEN WRITING THE REPORT You should also indicate here whether or not you would recommend the work to others, and why.Evaluate the merit of the work: the importance of its points, its accuracy, completeness, organization, and so on.Did the work increase your understanding of a particular issue? Did it change your perspective in any way?.How is the material related to your life, experiences, feelings and ideas? For instance, what emotions did the work arouse in you?.How is the work related to problems in our present-day world?.How is the assigned work related to ideas and concerns discussed in the course for which you are preparing the paper? For example, what points made in the course textbook, class discussions, or lectures are treated more fully in the work?.Check with your instructor to see if s/he wants you to emphasize specific points. Focus on any or all of the following questions.To develop the second part of a report, do the following: Do not include in the first part of the paper your personal reaction to the work your subjective impression will form the basis of the second part of your paper. Also, keep the summary objective and factual.Do not discuss in great detail any single aspect of the work, and do not neglect to mention other equally important points.Summarize the material so that the reader gets a general sense of all key aspects of the original work.Use direct quotations from the work to illustrate important ideas.Condense the content of the work by highlighting its main points and key supporting points.Write an informative summary of the material.

For magazines, give the date of publication. Identify the author and title of the work and include in parentheses the publisher and publication date.

To develop the first part of a report, do the following: The following pages explain both parts of a report. In these reports-often referred to as response or reaction papers-your instructor will most likely expect you to do two things: summarize the material and detail your reaction to it. THE WRITING PROCESS Writing a Response or Reaction PaperĮach semester, you will probably be asked by at least one instructor to read a book or an article (or watch a TV show or a film) and to write a paper recording your response or reaction to the material.

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