Lesson

Guidelines in Writing Reports

9

What’s In
You have learned and applied your knowledge about the basic skills in
gathering data, presenting these in different ways, interpreting the data presented and
summarizing findings of reports read though narratives and visual forms. It is very
important for a student researcher to learn how to organize all the information
gathered through various means to come up with brief, definite, and informative
reports.Reports are important for the readers to have some knowledge on the current
happenings. Thus, as student report writers, it is necessary for you to know the
different guidelines in writing good reports as well as its basic parts.

What I Need to Know

After going through this lesson, you are expected to:
1. Organize factual data gathered as bases in writing a report.
2. Write a report following the guidelines.

What’s New

Let’s Answer This!

Activity 1. TRUE OR FALSE
Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, write T if the statement is
correct and F if it is wrong.
1. A good research report is subjective and does not require supporting data.
2. Beingaccurate and objective are some of the basic qualities of a good report.
3. In writing reports, sloppy presentation of facts is acceptable.
4. The part where a writer can express his/her suggestions is called the conclusion.
5. Through the introduction, a writer gives his/her readers a clear overview of what
they are about to read.
6. A report may consist of eyewitness accounts or first-hand information.
7. Brief and direct sentences are preferable in writing reports.
8. When a writer uses time order in sequencing his/her ideas in a report, he/she is
using cause and effect text structure.
9. It is very important for a writer to be objective, accurate, and honest in presenting
the facts and results in his/her report.
10. The body is where you will state all the information you have discovered from your
research, and all the arguments you are trying to prove in your report.
 What is It

Guidelines for Writing Reports

1. Value Communicated – objective, accurate and honest presentation of facts

and results

2. Basic Content
a. May consist of eyewitness accounts or first-hand information
b. May contain facts, data, figures, or statistics on or from people, events
phenomena, structures, experiments, questionnaires, interviews and library
research
c. May include materials and procedures or methods

3. Modes of Offering/Text Structure

a. Chronological or time order
b. Geographical or space/spatial order
c. Logical – inductive and deductive
d. Problem – solution
e. Cause and effect
f. Formal – (Abstract, Introduction, Background, Statement of the Problem,
Materials, Method or Procedure, Results, Discussion, Summary, Conclusion,
and Recommendations

4. Basic Qualities of a Good Report

a. Objective – not subjective point of view
b. Accurate - not sloppy presentation of facts, numbers, statistics, and data
c. Honest – not false or incomplete details and results
d. Brief and direct sentences

The Structure of a Good Report

1. Abstract. It is a brief summary of the contents of the paper. This is written to give
your readers a quick scan on what your report is about. Abstracts, although they
generally come first in a paper, is better written last since at the beginning of writing,
you may not have decided on your key points yet. So, create an abstract when you’re
done finalizing the important aspects of your report.

2. The Introduction. Going directly to discussing your topic may overwhelm your
readers with too much information. An introduction should be created not only to
create a short pause before the lengthy discussions but also to at least give your
readers a clear overview of what they are about to read. It is also in the introduction
where you can introduce the problem under discussion to give your readers the
chance to create presumptions of their own.

3. The Report’s Main Body/Discussion. Undoubtedly, this is the most important

part of a standard report. The body is where you will state all the information you have
discovered from your research, and all the arguments you are trying to prove in your
report. Since it is the most important part, it is also the most difficult section to write.
You must be careful in choosing the information you are going to include in here.
Every detail should help your readers understand the case you are trying to prove to
be right. Be meticulous in constructing your facts so as not to swamp your readers
with too much data. But at the same time, be articulate enough that your report is
comprehensible.

4. Conclusion. This part of your report will prove that your paper did, in fact, amount
to something. Without a clear conclusion, your paper is just a senseless jumble of
facts with no clear purpose for being meshed. A conclusion will state the results of
your report which will emphasize the relevance of what you have just written.
5. Recommendations. This is not so important as the other parts discussed but if you
have any suggestions you want to express to your readers, then this section is exactly
where you can state them. Recommendations can give your readers and future
researchers fresh ideas on how to deal with the problem you have discussed in the
future.

(Note: These parts of the structure of a good report are the basic ones. However, your
teacher may also provide a different format consisting of different parts. See attached
sample of a research report.)
Report Writing Tips
1. Brainstorm your ideas first.
2. Write in a formal format.
3. Research your topic properly and find information from various sources.
4. Research and find some great photographs/pictures to include in your report.
5. Write your draft and edit, edit, and edit some more!

What’s More

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Activity 2. Data Gathering

Directions: Within your Purok, gather data through an interview of your Purok
Leader about the number of families, the average number of members in each family,
average monthly income, and their livelihood or source of income. You may do the
interview virtually through social media or phone call. You may also ask your parents
or guardians to give the template to the purok leader for him/her to fill it up. Copy
and use the template below in recording the data that you will gather. Then write a
sample report about it on a separate sheet of paper. Please follow the sample format
given below.
1. No. of Families in the Purok: ___________
2. Average No. of Members in Each Family
No. of Family Members Frequency Percentage Rank

1-3

4-6

7-10

More than 10

TOTAL

3. Average Monthly Family Income

Monthly Income Frequency Percentage Rank

1000.00 – 5,000.00

5,001.00 – 10,000.00

10,001.00-15,000.00

More than 15,000.00

TOTAL
 4. Livelihood/Source of Income

Livelihood Frequency Percentage Rank

Fishing

Farming

Employment from Private Sector

Employment from Government Sector

Self- Employment (e.g. Habal2x Driving,

Business, Contracts and Services and
etc.)

TOTAL

What I have learned

Activity 3. Self – assessment

Directions: Complete the sentence stem below. Write your answers on your
paper. (3 pts. each)

1. I learned that in writing a report, I may include

____________________________________________________________________________________.
2. In presenting the data gathered, it is important to
____________________________________________________________________________________.
3. The basic structure or parts of a research report are
____________________________________________________________________________________.

What I can do
Activity 4.Writing a Report– Finalization of Output
Directions: From the data gathered in the previous weeks/modules, write a
report following the guidelines and structure in writing it. Use a separate sheet of
paper for your report.Be guided by the following template. (30pts)
(Title of Your Research Report)
Abstract:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Introduction:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Main Body/Discussion:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Conclusion:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Recommendations:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
 RUBRIC for WRITTEN REPORT

Task Description: Your written report will be rated according to the following criteria with its
corresponding weight.

Exemplary (4) Accomplished (3) Developing (2) Beginning (1)

weight
Criteria

 All ideas are  Most details are  Some details are  Totally
directly relevant, relevant, precise, related, precise, unrelated from
Topic 10% precise and clear and clear but and clear while the topic
with few most ideas are
unnecessary unnecessary
information
 Allpoints are  Most points are  Only few ideas  Poorly
logically logically ordered are arranged organized;
ordered; sharp however there logically while There is no
Organization 10% sense of are few which most ideas are logical
beginning and were not jumpy since progression;
ending arranged they were not beginning and
properly sequenced well. ending are
vague
 All supporting  Some (20%)  Details are  Unable to find
Quality of details are details are non- somewhat specific details
25% specific to the supporting to (75%) sketchy.
Information
subject the subject. Do not support
topic
Grammar,  No errors  Only one or two  More than two  Numerous
Usage, errors errors errors distract
25% from
Mechanics,
understanding
Spelling

 Vocabulary is  Vocabulary is  Vocabulary is  Basic

varied; varied; unimaginative; vocabulary;
supporting supporting details lack needs
Interest Level 10%
details are vivid details are useful “color” descriptive
words

 Written neatly  Legible writing,  There is about  Illegible writing:

with no with minimal 75% of the loose pages
erasures,bound (20%) erasures; characters with since the papers
in a report clean and neatly erasures and are were not
Neatness 10% cover; and bound in a hardly legible; compiled and
illustrations report cover papers are not were not
were provided well compiled arranged
and were stapled
together
 Submit Report  Submit Report  Submit Report  Submit Report
Timeliness 10% on time one day late two – three days more than one
late week late

Activity 1.
1. F 2. T 3. F 4. F 5. T 6. T 7. T 8. F 9. T 10. T