Report text
   tells what things, places or people are 
          like.
       It is not in time order.
     It is organised in categories. 
 These texts are 
 often ‘report 
 text’…                     catalogue
                            Report information leaflet
               letter
 topic-based school                                    magazine 
       project                                          article
                           report
     tourist guide                                 non-fiction 
        book                                        book (e.g. 
                       encyclopaedia entry         geography)
          Report writing                                needs
                           se                          • a title to interest the      reader
                         o
                     rp
                  u
                P
    •                                                  • first paragraph that tells  what the 
       to give all facts about  the                    report is about
    subject                                            • clear layout and language
    • to organise the facts        so they             • information organised in paragraphs 
    make sense                                         or sections
    •                                                  • paragraphs start with a  topic 
       to interest the reader.                         sentence                      A topic sentence 
                                                                                     sums up what the 
                                                                                     paragraph is about.
                                                       • perhaps picture or diagrams 
                                                       (with labels)
                                                       • closing sentence, to round              off 
                                                       the report.
                                 Report writing
                           ce                       If you know the reader*
                       en
                      i
                 ud
              A                                      •
                                                        that helps you work out how 
   •                                                 much detail they need
      Who will read it?
   •                                                 • it may affect how formal your 
      How well do you            know                writing is.
   them?
                                                                      * or even if you know something 
   •                                                                   about them. e.g. age, interests.
      How will this effect       the 
   way you write?                                   If you don’t know the reader
         Think about your audience when you          • you’ll have to give plenty of 
         plan the layout.  How can you make it       detail
               easy for them to read?
                                                     • writing might have to be    more formal.
                       Planning and organising reports 1
  •                                                                     who?                                    what?
      BRAINSTORM what you know                                                             Intro 
  •                                                                     when?                                   where?
      ORGANISE your information
      under headings (find out more                    facts if                  Heading                  Heading
  you need to).
  •                                                                                        Topic
      Make a SPIDERGRAM skeleton
     – write the topic in the middle                      blob                                               Heading
                                                                             Heading
     – write your headings in the outer                   blobs
                                                                                                               Sub
                                                                                            End               Heading
     – jot your memory-joggers round                      each 
     heading.                                                             Each spider-leg gives you one paragraph 
                                                           Heading        (or section) in your writing.
          Memory joggers can be           Heading
                                                   Topic          Heading            To turn the skeleton into writing, 
         words, phrases, pictures.                                                     make the memory joggers into 
                                                                                                 sentences.
                                             Heading      Heading