Developing the skill of report writing

There was a clash between the police and the students of Rajshahi University. Some students and workers were injured. The clash originated from a trifle issue. A second year student of History department got hurt a little bit when he was getting down from a local bus at the university gate. He instantly rebuked the helper and the driver. The same helper and driver reached Natore and told their union the matter. They came with bamboo, lathi, hockey sticks and arms and pounced on the students at the university gate. They started beating any student they met at the gate and the at the adjacent area. Students of the resident halls came to learn the news and they came to the spot in groups. The also started counter beating the attackers. The two sides fought and chased and counter chased for about one hour. Then two platoons of riot police arrived on the scene and brought the situation under control. They arrested some of the students and attackers. A tense situation is prevailing there.

A bus stand

A bus stand is a halting place for buses. Generally, it stands outside the town or city and sometimes it may stand in a town or a city as well. Passengers wait here for buses. When a bus arrives some passengers get down from it and some passengers get into it. All day long, buses come and go and it continues till midnight.

Most bus-stands have their sheds whereas some are open. Passengers wait here and take rest. Bus helpers and conductor shout to attract the passengers. Hawkers also shout to sell betel leaves, cigarettes, biscuits, chocolates, drinking water, newspaper etc. There are some tea stalls and other stalls in a bus stand. Some pickpockets and muggers loiter here to seek opportunity and create troubles. Moreover, it remains dirty and unhygienic place. Many diseases can spread from here. Steps should be taken to improve the condition of a bus stand as it is a very important and necessary place for all of us.

Food for thought:

o Have you gone through the two pieces of writing?

o Can you identify some similarities or dissimilarities between them?

o You see, both the passages contain titles/heading.

o The first one contains date and place but the second one does not.

o How can you name them? i. e. What kind of composition is the first one and the second one?

Suggested answers:

o Both the passages contain titles/ headings.

o The first one contains date and the place at the beginning.

o It tells where the incident took place

o The second one gives some common ideas and messages, not the incident of a particular place.

o The first one is objective and second one subjective.

o The first one contains no individual comment, just description of what happened.

o The second kind of writing bears some individual comments.

The first kind of writing is known as report writing and the second kind is paragraph writing.

Some techniques of writing a report:

o Write a catchy title to attract the readers and it will reflect the whole total incident.

o Even the readers the reader will be able to hold an idea what actually happened/ the matter was without going through the report in detail.

o Your title will rouse curiosity among the readers which will lead them to read the description.

o Put the date and name of the place where the incident takes place.

o Try to write the information concisely and accurately

Now, let us see some catchy titles

o Bangladesh polls to be fairest: McCain

o ACC Chairman ready to quit

o RMC declared closed amid students' clash.

o Bangladesh Bank traces 88 loan defaulters.

o Pakistan refuges fugitive ' handover' demand

o Thai Parliament set to vote for new PM next week

Suppose, an accident took place and you are asked to make a report on it. What you will have to do then? You will have to write-----

(i) When the accident took place

(ii) Where it took place

(iii) What happened then/ result of the accident.

(iv) How it happened ( collided with two buses/ it a rickshaw to save a child/the driver lost control etc.)

(v) How was the scene of the spot ( many people gathered)

(vi) When did the police arrive

(vii) The latest situation.

These are the questions/points which are usually related to an accident.

You just give language to these points.

Don't get afraid to write the answers of the above questions/points

There may be some grammatical mistake but don't bother about them.

You are just learning. Learning is done through mistakes.

Write and get them checked by your teachers or at least ask them where you have confusion.



Some more situational examples:

Suppose you are asked to write a report on the annual prize giving ceremony of your college. In this case, you will have to think of the following points-----------------------

(i) When did it happen

(ii) Where was it held

(iii) What was the objective

(iv) Who was the chief guest

(v) Who were participants

(vi) When did the function start

(vii) Who presided over the function

(viii) What did the president and the chief guest say

(ix) When/ how was the function closed

When you are to write a report on natural calamity, consider the following points--------

(i) When did it take place

(ii) Which area was affected

(iii) How many houses and institutions were affected

(iv) How many people were injured

(v) How many died

(vi) The response of the authorities concerned

(vii) The latest situation

When you are asked to make a report on garment workers' agitation, you may consider the points given below-------------

(i) Where did it take place

(ii) How much loss was faced/ how was the anarchy

(iii) How many workers took part in the agitation

(iv) What were the demands of the workers

(v) How was response of the law enforcing agencies

(vi) What was the comments/ responses of the owners

Suppose you are to write a report on the issue of creating awareness on road safety. Your focuses will be --------

(i) When did it take place

(ii) Where it took place

(iii) What were the objective

(iv) Who participated in the program me

(v) What were the steps to be and already taken

Making a report on the depression at the Bay of Bengal will cover the things----------------

(i) Where did the depression originate

(ii) When will it may start coming to the shore

(iii) Where is its present situation

(iv) Where it may move forward

(v) What is the impression of it at coastal areas and other parts of the country

(vi) What about the fishing boats and nets

(vii) What are the preparation taken by the administration

Writing a report on Jhatka fishing may include these things------------------------------------

(i) Which river/ which areas usually jhatka fishing go on

(ii) How may jhatka fish are caught everyday

(iii) Which nets and how many nets are being used

(iv) What other small fishes are caught

(v) Which authorities seize current nets

(vi) What actions are taken by the authorities concerned

For the students:

The topic of report writing is taken from our everyday life, from our social, national, international and educational happenings. These are not unknown to us. Think of the practical aspects of these incidents and write them in simple English.

For the teachers:

o For making the students write a report on any topic/incident, allow them time for barnstorming.

o Help them giving hints on the incident.

o Help them also in their language aspects.

o Ensure that all the students participate in the activities in the class.

o When all the students participate in activities in the class, it means they are actively learning and the class becomes interesting for all. 

Source- The Daily New Nation.