A report is a factual and unbiased account of an event that has taken place or a situation that prevails. Normally, reports are prepared to sort out significant facts about the events or situations and make recommendations. It is written to a very specific reader /readers’ group.
A Report:
• is usually written for a superior (e.g. a teacher) or a peer group (e.g. members of an English club).
• is factual and objective (gives quantified information such as numbers, names, timing, and place)
• makes suggestions or recommendations.
• is well-organized and may include sub-headings.
How to write
• Write in five paragraphs
• Give a heading that refers to the topic
• Reports can have subheadings which divide the writing into shorter sections. If the report is short, sub-headings are not required, unless they have a clear purpose
• When you write the relevant facts, make the language as specific as possible. (Eg: ‘contacted’ is very general, so “visited”, telephoned” etc. will be better
• Make it well-made, with a clear beginning, development and conclusion).
• Use of passive voice (without spoiling specificity), conditionals, connectives and generalisations are useful to give formal tone.)
Lay-out and Structure- recommended format
Introduction
• Include the following about the event:
-who
-what
-when
-where
• Include a brief statement (the gist of the point and recommendation.
Eg. The English club of our school conducted a translation camp on 22nd and 23rd of November, 2017 in the school. The objective was to translate two major works in Dhivehi into English as students’ team activity under the guidance of experts in the subject.
Paragraph 2&3
Explain two points in support of your observation /opinion: each in one paragraph.
• start each paragraph with topic sentence
• Include details (facts) of the event / situation
• Include facts and statistics
• quote a witness / participant / stake holder
Paragraph 4
• Respond to the alternative fact / opinion or
• You can also write recommendations.
• Present the alternative comment or view
• Comment on the matter without changing your basic point.
• End with your point in response
Conclusion
• Summarise briefly (in one or two sentences) the discussion in previous paragraphs and give your recommendations in brief.
Model Question
Your English teacher has asked you for a report about a translation workshop which your English club had conducted.
Here are two comments from your friends:
• It has mush improved our writing skills.
• Time schedule was a problem. We should have finished one translation work.
Write your report in an appropriate style in 150-200 words.
Plan
Subject : Translation workshop
Introduction
• what was the event? Translation workshop
• who organised? English club of the school
• when? on 6th and 7th of July 2018
• where? in school premise
• aim(s) of the event: to improve the academic language of students
• Basic point of report: achieved the objective, but two more sessions should have been there.
Point-1: Helped to improve the academic language. Exposure to both S.L and T.L in their academic variants.
Point-2: Additional social benefit: started a work to internationalise a Dhivehi book
Point-3: Problem: Could not finish the translation work because of time limit.
Conclusion : Recommendation: Start bi-monthly translation workshops as a regular system. Add two more sessions.
Activity
Read the following sample answer and edit it to match the required word length (around 200)
Report prepared by: ……………………. presented to ……………………………. date ………………
A two days’ translation workshop was organised by the English club of ‘Language Centre’ on 6th and 7th of July 2018. As the weather was bright, the sessions were held at fresco in the campus. The purpose of the camp was to improve students’ academic writing which was successfully achieved
The camp was effective in introducing the students to the significance and challenges of translation. It also gave a practical way to improve their writing, especially in academic variants of both Dhivehi and English. The event was in six sessions, three of which were on theory. The remaining three were practice sessions. On the first Day, Dr. Hisham Muhammed, Dr. Shereef Ansari and Dr. Smitha Gokulnath facilitated the sessions. On day two, students translated English informative texts into Dhivehi and their works were guided and assessed by the experts. During the feedback session, Shaihaan of Gr.10 said that the camp was a great help in improving vocabulary and writing skills. The applause to his statement was a telling sign of how effective the workshop was in achieving its basic objective.
The workshop also started the work of translating the famous Dhivehi story book ‘Moosa Wazuleyha’ into English. It was done as a team activity and was partially completed. The scholars unanimously offered to help the publication of the translation of the book by an internationally reputed firm. This would bring the Dhivehi book into international acclaim.
According to Razna, a participant in the workshop, two more sessions could have been added. If it had been of eight sessions, we could have completed the translation work. It is a good suggestion and can be considered for the next event.
In brief, there was no difference of opinion about the achievement of the workshop in improving the intellectual language and writing skills of students. In view of this success, it is recommended that we should make translation workshop a regular bi-monthly programme of our English club. In due course, it would not only help students to improve their skills and knowledge, but also be an immense contribution to our national literature
