Effective report writing and presentation slides for school students
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Transcript of Effective report writing and presentation slides for school students
Early Career Planning ProgramTIPS FOR
EFFECTIVE REPORT WRITING AND PRESENTATION MATERIALS PREPARATION
FOR
SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
By
ZAINI ABDUL WAHAB2015
Outline
Introduction & Definitions
Types Of Reports
Steps In Report Writing
Preparing The Presentation Materials
Discussion & What’s next?
Learning Outcomes
Students would be able to:› Explain the purpose of report writing &
types of reports
› Prepare effective reports based on given guidelines
› Prepare effective presentation materials for the report written
Definition A document that presents
information in an organized format for a specific audience and purpose.
Types of reports › Memos, minutes, lab reports, book
reports, progress reports, justification reports, compliance reports, annual reports & policies and procedures
Report or Essay?
What is a good report?
Documents that are accurate, objective and complete
Well-written, clearly structured & expressed in a way that holds the reader's attention & meets their expectations
Common Writing MythsGood writers are born that way No one is born with a natural understanding
of grammar, punctuation, or proper mechanics
All writers must learn the same basics in order to improve
Only professional writers need to know how to write Nearly every job requires some form of
writing The better a particular person writes, the
more job opportunities that person will have
Unless a person is a good writer, he or she shouldn’t write at all All writers with all levels of skill can become
better by writing frequently
Common Writing MythsWriters wait for inspiration to write Successful writers attempt to chase down
creativity through the act of writing rather than waiting for it to naturally appear
Writing is always hard Writing can be made easier through practice
& patience
Using the proper mechanics & techniques,
Acquiring a proper understanding of grammar & punctuation
As a columnist in GREEN+ magazine(2013-present)
As a columnist in THE HEAT weekly newspaper(2013)
KEYS TO WRITING GOOD REPORTS Understanding the types of writing a
report involves
Being able to identify the audience & purpose of your report
Knowing how reports are read by your audience
Knowing the purpose of each section in a report (not just where the information goes)
Understanding how good structure of your report helps the reader find the information they want
Being able to communicate well both in writing,using graphical data & photos
The ability to write good reports will stay with you.
Once you leave school & university, good report writing principles of writing informatively for a specific audience & purpose will help you communicate well in whichever career you choose.
Common report structure
Short report
Title page Introduction Discussion Recommendations References
Science report
Title page Introduction Method & materials Results Discussion Conclusion Appendices References
Business report
Title page Executive summary Table of contents Introduction Discussion Conclusion Recommendations Appendices References
Engineering report
Title page Executive summary
(optional) Introduction Objectives Analysis Discussion Recommendations &
action plan Conclusion Appendices References
Research report
Title page Executive summary Introduction Method / methodology Results / findings Discussion Conclusions Recommendations Appendices Bibliography
STEPS IN REPORT WRITING
Step 1: Decide on the 'Terms of reference’
The purpose of the report› what's it about› what's required & why is it
needed?
How to know? Read the request for a
report› Instructions & any other
information you've been given about the report.
Reread the request or instructions,then answer these questions› What,why & when is it
required? › Who requires it?
Do you need help with answering any of these questions?
Once you're clear about the above, use your answers to draft your 'Terms of reference
Step 2: Decide on the procedure
The steps you've taken to prepare the report
Decide on the procedure you'll follow & how you'll write the report
Ask yourself: What information do I need? Do I need to do any background
reading? What articles or documents do I
need? Do I need to contact the library
for assistance? Do I need to interview or observe
people? Do I have to record data? How will I go about this?
Also ask yourself: When do I need to do it & when
to start?› Mark this date in your
calendar› How much time do I need to
complete it?
Decide when you're going to complete the various sections › Mark these 'mini deadlines' in
your calendar
Step 3: Find the information
You've planned your investigation/research. This is what you need to do next:
Find the information you need
Keep careful notes of what you find & don’t assume you’ll remember everything you read or find
Make sure the information you find is relevant and appropriate.
Check your assessment requirements & guidelines
Checl marking schedule regularly to make sure you're on the right track.
What you find out form the information gathering will form the basis, or main body, of your report,
Step 4: Decide on the structure
All reports are divided into sections› they have a similar structure
but some details may differ› If you're not sure what's
required, ask your teacher/lecturer
More formal reports often have a title page
The parts/sections, of a report usually have headings and subheadings› headings are often numbered
Step 5:Draft the first part of your report Use the structure you've
decided› Write the headings down,
and start filling in the gaps
Terms of reference/Purpose
Procedure
Findings› The basis of your report› Result of your reading,
observations, interviews & investigation
› Graphs are a highly effective form of communication and useful for summarising complex material
To include additional information in an appendix/attachment› Usually labelled Appendix
A, Appendix B, etc
› Each appendix should start on a new page
Step 6: Analyse your findings and draw conclusions Interpret the information you
have found
How to start?› Read through your findings & ask
yourself:› What have I found?› What's significant or important
about my findings?› What do my findings suggest?
Write your conclusions› The conclusions must be based on
your findings – don't include any new information
Step 7: Make recommendations What you think the
solution to the problem/what should happen next
How to decide on what to recommend?› Reread your findings & your
conclusions› Think about them.› What actions should the reader
of the report carry out?› Are your recommendations
practical?› Have you included enough
detail so that the reader knows what needs to be done & who should do it?
Your recommendations must be based logically on your conclusions› Ordered from most to
least important & written as a numbered list
Step 8: Draft the executive summary & table of contents
You may be required to include a executive summary or list of contents Check your instructions to make
sure
The executive summary tells the readers what the report
is about
includes a summary of the recommendations
Usually about 100 words long
Step 9: Compile a reference list
This is a list of all the sources you've referred to in the report
Step 10: Revise your draft report-What to check?
Have you followed the instructions?
Have you included all the required sections? Are they in the correct order? Check your structure & make sure.
Is your information accurate?
Are there any gaps? Do you need more information?
Does your report read well? Would adding a graph or table make it easier to follow?
Is your argument logical? Does the information you present support your conclusions & recommendations?
Have you explained the terms, symbols and abbreviations that you've used?
Are the diagrams, tables, graphs, and illustrations numbered & labelled?
Have you formatted your report correctly?
Have you edited and proofread your report? If possible, get someone else to check your report.
PREPARING THE PRESENTATION MATERIALS
Top Slide Tips
1. Keep it Simple2. Limit bullet points & text3. Limit transitions & builds
(animation)4. Use high-quality graphics5. Have a visual theme, but avoid
using PowerPoint templates6. Use appropriate charts7. Use color & choose your fonts well8. Spend time in the slide sorterSource: www.garrreynolds.com
Limit bullet points & text
Limit transitions & builds (animation)
Use high-quality graphics
Have a visual theme, but avoid using PowerPoint templates
It’s too familiar & predictable!
Use appropriate charts
Use color & choose your fonts well
Use video or audio when appropriate
Spend time in the slide sorter
According to the Segmentation Principle of multimedia learning theory, people comprehend better when information is presented in small chunks or segments
By getting out of the Slide View and into the Slide Sorter view, you can see how the logical flow of your presentation is progressing
The structure of your presentation…
TITLE OF THE PRESENTATION
Simple & reflecting the main objective & contents of the presentation
Attractive to create the immediate interest of the audience-to suite their expectations
OUTLINE/CONTENTS Purpose/Objective
Overview of the topic/key concepts/key definitions
Process/Procedures/Steps involved
Results & analysis
Findings/Observations
Recommendations
Conclusions
Final messages
DISCUSSION & WHAT’S NEXT?
GOOD LUCK & THANK YOU!
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