Short Report Writing: Structure Matters

Writing short reports is a rather useful activity. It is applied in cases when the general outline with some explanation is needed. The short reports are suitable for this role because they are easy to read and understand.

Furthermore, short report writing is easy to write. To be more exact, it is easier than traditional report writing. However, just like any type of writing, it has certain rules to be followed.

Short report writing: Minimum words, maximum effect

With no exaggeration, in the phrase short report writing “short” is a keyword. This has to become the main rule of your work on it. Your task is to learn putting maximum of sense in a minimum of words. How to do it? Look through the list of needed and needless things for your short report writing.

Include:

• Clear structure (E.g. for book analysis you may include such sections as: introduction, style, devices used, impression, conclusion.)
• Main points (Theses expressed in simple sentences. Main points of the analyzed material have to be organized consecutively.)
• General idea (A fabula of the film/book, which can be seen throughout the plot.)

Avoid:

• Personal comments (Short report writing leaves place only for formal, unprejudiced tone. Try to be objective, use informative tone rather than persuasive one.)
• Descriptions (Facts are enough to convey the main idea; long descriptions are not typical of short report writings.)
• Details (Do not be too specific: details are not included in short reports.)

All in all, you can try writing a usual report based on the “include” points, and then cut off everything that is extra according to the “avoid” section. Good luck!