Early Career Planning ProgramTIPS FOR

EFFECTIVE REPORT WRITING AND PRESENTATION MATERIALS PREPARATION

FOR

SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

By

ZAINI ABDUL WAHAB2015

Outline

Introduction & Definitions

Types Of Reports

Steps In Report Writing

Preparing The Presentation Materials

Discussion & What’s next?

Learning Outcomes

Students would be able to:› Explain the purpose of report writing &

types of reports

› Prepare effective reports based on given guidelines

› Prepare effective presentation materials for the report written

Definition A document that presents

information in an organized format for a specific audience and purpose.

Types of reports › Memos, minutes, lab reports, book

reports, progress reports, justification reports, compliance reports, annual reports & policies and procedures

Report or Essay?

What is a good report?

Documents that are accurate, objective and complete

Well-written, clearly structured & expressed in a way that holds the reader's attention & meets their expectations

Common Writing MythsGood writers are born that way No one is born with a natural understanding

of grammar, punctuation, or proper mechanics

All writers must learn the same basics in order to improve

Only professional writers need to know how to write Nearly every job requires some form of

writing  The better a particular person writes, the

more job opportunities that person will have

Unless a person is a good writer, he or she shouldn’t write at all All writers with all levels of skill can become

better by writing frequently

Common Writing MythsWriters wait for inspiration to write Successful writers attempt to chase down

creativity through the act of writing rather than waiting for it to naturally appear

Writing is always hard Writing can be made easier through practice

& patience

Using the proper mechanics & techniques,

Acquiring a proper understanding of grammar & punctuation

As a columnist in GREEN+ magazine(2013-present)

As a columnist in THE HEAT weekly newspaper(2013)

KEYS TO WRITING GOOD REPORTS Understanding the types of writing a

report involves

Being able to identify the audience & purpose of your report

Knowing how reports are read by your audience 

Knowing the purpose of each section in a report (not just where the information goes)

Understanding how good structure of your report helps the reader find the information they want

Being able to communicate well both in writing,using graphical data & photos

The ability to write good reports will stay with you.

Once you leave school & university, good report writing principles of writing informatively for a specific audience & purpose will help you communicate well in whichever career you choose.

Common report structure

Short report

Title page Introduction Discussion Recommendations References

Science report

Title page Introduction Method & materials Results Discussion Conclusion Appendices References

Business report

Title page Executive summary Table of contents Introduction Discussion Conclusion Recommendations Appendices References

Engineering report

Title page Executive summary

(optional) Introduction Objectives Analysis Discussion Recommendations &

action plan Conclusion Appendices References

Research report

Title page Executive summary Introduction Method / methodology Results / findings Discussion Conclusions Recommendations Appendices Bibliography

STEPS IN REPORT WRITING

Step 1: Decide on the 'Terms of reference’

The purpose of the report› what's it about› what's required & why is it

needed?

How to know? Read the request for a

report› Instructions & any other

information you've been given about the report.

Reread the request or instructions,then answer these questions› What,why & when is it

required? › Who requires it?

Do you need help with answering any of these questions?

Once you're clear about the above, use your answers to draft your 'Terms of reference

Step 2: Decide on the procedure

The steps you've taken to prepare the report

Decide on the procedure you'll follow & how you'll write the report

Ask yourself: What information do I need? Do I need to do any background

reading? What articles or documents do I

need? Do I need to contact the library

for assistance? Do I need to interview or observe

people? Do I have to record data? How will I go about this?

Also ask yourself: When do I need to do it & when

to start?› Mark this date in your

calendar› How much time do I need to

complete it?

Decide when you're going to complete the various sections › Mark these 'mini deadlines' in

your calendar

Step 3: Find the information

You've planned your investigation/research. This is what you need to do next:

Find the information you need

Keep careful notes of what you find & don’t assume you’ll remember everything you read or find

Make sure the information you find is relevant and appropriate.

Check your assessment requirements & guidelines

Checl marking schedule regularly to make sure you're on the right track.

What you find out form the information gathering will form the basis, or main body, of your report,

Step 4: Decide on the structure

All reports are divided into sections› they have a similar structure

but some details may differ› If you're not sure what's

required, ask your teacher/lecturer

More formal reports often have a title page

The parts/sections, of a report usually have headings and subheadings› headings are often numbered

Step 5:Draft the first part of your report Use the structure you've

decided› Write the headings down,

and start filling in the gaps

Terms of reference/Purpose

Procedure

Findings› The basis of your report› Result of your reading,

observations, interviews & investigation

› Graphs are a highly effective form of communication and useful for summarising complex material

To include additional information in an appendix/attachment› Usually labelled Appendix

A, Appendix B, etc

› Each appendix should start on a new page

Step 6: Analyse your findings and draw conclusions Interpret the information you

have found

How to start?› Read through your findings & ask

yourself:› What have I found?› What's significant or important

about my findings?› What do my findings suggest?

Write your conclusions› The conclusions must be based on

your findings – don't include any new information

Step 7: Make recommendations What you think the

solution to the problem/what should happen next

How to decide on what to recommend?› Reread your findings & your

conclusions› Think about them.› What actions should the reader

of the report carry out?› Are your recommendations

practical?› Have you included enough

detail so that the reader knows what needs to be done & who should do it?

Your recommendations must be based logically on your conclusions› Ordered from most to

least important & written as a numbered list

Step 8: Draft the executive summary & table of contents

You may be required to include a executive summary or list of contents Check your instructions to make

sure

The executive summary tells the readers what the report

is about

includes a summary of the recommendations

Usually about 100 words long

Step 9: Compile a reference list

This is a list of all the sources you've referred to in the report

Step 10: Revise your draft report-What to check?

Have you followed the instructions?

Have you included all the required sections? Are they in the correct order? Check your structure & make sure.

Is your information accurate?

Are there any gaps? Do you need more information?

Does your report read well? Would adding a graph or table make it easier to follow?

Is your argument logical? Does the information you present support your conclusions & recommendations?

Have you explained the terms, symbols and abbreviations that you've used?

Are the diagrams, tables, graphs, and illustrations numbered & labelled?

Have you formatted your report correctly?

Have you edited and proofread your report? If possible, get someone else to check your report.

PREPARING THE PRESENTATION MATERIALS

Top Slide Tips

1. Keep it Simple2. Limit bullet points & text3. Limit transitions & builds

(animation)4. Use high-quality graphics5. Have a visual theme, but avoid

using PowerPoint templates6. Use appropriate charts7. Use color & choose your fonts well8. Spend time in the slide sorterSource: www.garrreynolds.com

Limit bullet points & text

Limit transitions & builds (animation)

Use high-quality graphics

Have a visual theme, but avoid using PowerPoint templates

It’s too familiar & predictable!

Use appropriate charts

Use color & choose your fonts well

Use video or audio when appropriate

Spend time in the slide sorter

According to the Segmentation Principle of multimedia learning theory, people comprehend better when information is presented in small chunks or segments

By getting out of the Slide View and into the Slide Sorter view, you can see how the logical flow of your presentation is progressing

The structure of your presentation…

TITLE OF THE PRESENTATION

Simple & reflecting the main objective & contents of the presentation

Attractive to create the immediate interest of the audience-to suite their expectations

OUTLINE/CONTENTS Purpose/Objective

Overview of the topic/key concepts/key definitions

Process/Procedures/Steps involved

Results & analysis

Findings/Observations

Recommendations

Conclusions

Final messages

DISCUSSION & WHAT’S NEXT?

GOOD LUCK & THANK YOU!

zainiabdulwahab@yahoo.com

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