Workshop Plan:
Focusing on sections of a report
1 hour
Main points:
- Each section of a report has a particular role to play in communicating information
- Each section has a writing style which suits that role
- Writing a good section means understanding what its role is, and how it helps the audience to understand the information in the report
Timing / Section / Description / Notes
0 – 15 mins / Icebreaker:Thinking about your audience / Working in groups of three:
- Give each group a topic (e.g. The Government is planning to raise fees for university students).
- Each group to number their members 1, 2 and 3.
- Ask 1s to write the story in the style of a tabloid newspaper headline, 2s in the style of the title for an academic report and 3s as a text message to a friend. (5 mins)
- Get students to share within groups, and then with whole class. (10 mins)
15 – 20 mins / What is the role of this section in a report? / If the group has written reports before this can be done interactively as a group brainstorm asking them what they know about this report section
e.g.
- What do you know about...[discussion] sections?
- Why do we include ...[discussion] sections in reports?
- What is the most challenging thing about writing ...[discussion] sections?
20– 25 mins / The main features of this section / This can build on the initial brainstorm by sorting the brainstorm into the essential features of this report section.
The group can produce a checklist of features which the students can then refer back to when writing their own reports.
25 – 30 mins / What is the appropriate writing style for this section? / Compare this section to the other sections of reports and note the differences in writing styles and why there might be these differences in style.
Show how the writing style fits with the purpose of this section.
30 – 50 mins / Interactive activity: Analysing examples of this section of a report / Working in small groups:
- Each group is given 3 short extracts from different ...[discussion] sections.
- Their task is to compare the extracts and identify the strengths and weaknesses in each extract – are they good examples of a ...[discussion] section and why? (15 mins)
- Have a whole group discussion on the best / worst features of the extracts and see which would get the highest marks and why (5 mins)
50 – 55 mins / How to write a good... / This can be done as a series of top tips for writing a good...[discussion] section
If there is time, you could ask students what their own tips are – how would they advise a friend to go about writing a ...[discussion] section?
55 mins - 1 hour / Any questions?
Feedback:
We would be interested to receive your feedback on this workshop. Email Michelle Reid at or Kim Shahabudin at .