Report Period 2 H5

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 5

Report Period 2 - H5 23/24

Report writing

In academia there is some overlap between reports and essays, and the two words are sometimes used interchangeably, but reports are more likely to be needed for business, scientific and technical subjects, and in the workplace.

Whereas an essay presents arguments and reasoning, a report concentrates on facts.

Essentially, a report is a short, sharp, concise document which is written for a particular purpose and audience.

It generally sets outs and analyses a situation or problem, often making recommendations for future action. It is a factual paper, and needs to be clear and well-structured.

Structure

• Introduction (the purpose of this report is to...)
• Main body: 3 paragraphs, each about a different point (give recommendations & use subheadings)
• Conclusion (revise your points and decide on the best recommendation)

So your total should be 5 paragraphs including the intro and conclusion. You need to write at least 375 words in total for this report. 

Introduction

• In which you explain your purpose for writing your report and the matters you will investigate in your main body.
• You should also state that you will make recommendations. It is also a good idea to mention who asked you to write the report e.g. the CEO of a company or the school’s principal. You can find this in the assignment.
• But! Keep it short: all in all it should not be more than 5 sentences. Be consise and clear, your explanations are for the main body
  

Example introduction:

Inequality in schools

The objective of this report is to outline the inequalities in education in the Netherlands. This report will focus on students of lower income households, students with learning disabilities, and students with a migration background. Recommendations will be given to the principal of the Carolus Clusius College on how the situation can be improved at their school.

Main body

Each of the 3 paragraphs is structured as follows:

• Subheading
• Thesis statement/topic sentence: this is 1 sentence in which you basically state what you are going to talk about in this paragraph.
• Evidence (facts!) / argumentation from the articles and podcast
• Give a recommendation to solve the issue (according to the assignment.)

So, if it needs to be for school, mention only what can we done there

Example: main body paragraph

Migrant children

Firstly, migrant children do not have the same chances in education as other children. As they do not usuallymaster the language like native speakers do, they will not always pick up all the information the teacher gives them. There are also other reasons why these pupils are disadvantaged. For example, their parents are illiterate or poorly educated and cannot help their children with their homework at home. For this reason they also often do not know the possibilities to get support from councils or the government. The school should offer language classes for pupils and their parents, and offer advice on how to get grants for free bikes, i-pads and so on.

Conclusion:

Here you set out what conclusions you draw from the information you put forward in the main body. The recommendations suggest how you think the situation could be improved, and should be specific, achievable and measurable.

• Summarize the main points in other words
  
• Conclude which suggestion (also in other words) is the best, most urgent, most effective etc. and why this is so.

Example conclusion

In conclusion, there are quite a few examples which show that not all schoolchildren are able to make the most of their time at school. Destitute children can be offered meals, migrant children can be given language support and advice, and children with special needs can be helped by special members of staff. The solution which is easiest to implement is the language support. After all, the school already employs language teachers who could give these extra language classes and offer advice on how to get subsidies .

Language

• Formal language (see booklet for more information)
• Impersonal language (avoid using I or we)
• No contractions (do not ipv don't)
• Numbers under 21 written in full
• Polite forms (would/could etc.)
• Show that you have a wide command of vocabulary
  
• Synonyms of words that are frequently used in the report

What to include

• See language slide
• Linking words (8)
  
• Different grammatical constructions for giving suggestions (2)
  
• Wide variety of grammatical structures
  
• Passive constructions (2)
  
• Conditional clauses (1)
  

Information + booklet

You can find all information and the booklet "Report Writing" in the Studiewijzer on Magister. Make sure you use these tools to help in your writing. 

Use the rubrics! We grade you according to this and it states everything you need to use and do in your report. Check the boxes as you write and make sure you know what everthing means.

The test itself

• Bring a fully charged laptop / i-pad to the test. 
• Become familiar with all functions of Word, such as the spellchecker and synonym options. The more you know, the easier writing becomes.
• Write/type a report of at least 375 words
• Arial 12, space 1.5 p
  
• Upload a WORD file to Magister Opdrachten. Other files are not accepted.
  
• You can use spelling checkers, grammar checkers, word list synonyms etc. Think of Grammarly for example.  AI is of course not allowed and will be considered fraud.
• Do not forget to type name, class, and number of words.

Report 1: smartphone ban

The debate about banning smartphones in schools has been going on for a couple of years now, with the ban here starting January 1st 2024. Your principal is still a bit undecided and has asked you to write a report about the reasons for banning phones and to give recommendations for your school. 

Use the articles and podcast in the following links, but feel free to look for more information on the Internet. 

Write a report of 375 words.

Deadline: Friday 24 November

Planning

1. Read the assignment carefully
   
2. Read the articles and listen to the podcast
3. Make an outline of your writing. Which parts are your using, which recommendations are you considering.
4. Write your report and hand it in on Magister Opdrachten before the deadline. 

Not handing in a report means not being allowed to take part in the discussion of the report and thus missing out on necessary information to improve your writing..

Tips!

• Take notes as you listen/read. 
• Are there 3 different reasons that you've found? Good, now you can start writing!
• Keep in mind the goal of your report, don't veer off into topics that aren't useful for your report.
• Stick to facts! This is not about your opinion.

theconversation.com

www.euronews.com

www.digitalfamiliescounselling.com.au

www.npr.org

rss.com