Report Writing: Format, Topics, Examples for Class 10 & 12

Nowadays, report writing is an essential skill for students. It helps students organise their thoughts and present them clearly to the teacher. Also, it encourages critical thinking, as writing a report requires analysing data based on objective evidence. Students must gather relevant data from various sources to write an authentic report. It enhances their research skills. They learn how to collect and sort relevant data to present it in a structured way. 

Moreover, students must have a great vocabulary to write a curated report. Report writing helps students improve their language learning for both academics and future careers. Besides students, report writing prepares employees for office-related work, such as creating business reports, project summaries or sometimes describing certain events. Therefore, writing a report is an essential skill for a person.

What Is Report Writing?

Report writing involves gathering, organizing, and sharing information for a specific purpose. It requires good planning, research and analysis. A good report is clear, concise, and professional. 

Reports are usually written for specific audiences and purposes. Some are written for official purposes, and some describe a situation or analyse a company’s financial state. To write a perfect report, one needs to collect enough data. It is important to remember that reports are mainly used for professional purposes, so the person reading them will have less time. The written report should adhere to specifications and have a clear, highlighted central message. 

Elements Of Report Writing 

A clear and constructed report has several essential elements. A report should always include key elements that define its purpose, audience and topic. These fundamental elements ensure the report is well-written and effectively communicates information. These components must be included to keep the report adequately structured. Some of them are-

Executive Summary

The targeted audience will likely read the only executive summary part to keep up with the vast amount of reports they need daily. So, in this part, you must summarise the essential elements of the entire report.

Table Of Content (TOC)

Like any other book, the table of contents also helps the readers quickly locate the section they want to read.

Introduction

The introduction is an essential part of a report. It defines the target audience’s main objective and purpose and covers the main topics that will be covered in the body part of the report.

Body

The body broadly covers the main problem. It is often divided into smaller sections with clear subheadings. These subheadings help break down key points, making it easier for the reader to follow the content. Report writing typically focuses on clarity, so headings and subheadings are essential for maintaining a logical flow.

Since reports avoid personal opinions or biases, they can sometimes be dry and more challenging to read. To keep readers engaged, it’s helpful to present information in short, simple bullet points, to make the content more digestible.

Conclusion

At the end of the main body, we have the conclusion, which brings everything together. The conclusion interprets the data presented in the report and explains the findings or insights that can be drawn from it. It often includes suggestions on how the data can be used to improve a specific aspect of the business or recommends further research for deeper insights. The concluding section usually offers a solution that can be implemented to address the problem the report aimed to solve.

Reference 

If you used external sources, like a government database, to help write your report, these should be listed in the references section. This section lists all the resources used for researching or gathering data. References give credibility to your points and allow readers to check the sources themselves. It’s important to credit the authors or organisations from whom you obtained the information.

Appendix

Finally, we have the appendix, which is optional. It contains additional technical information that may not be essential to the main body or conclusion explanation but still supports the findings. This section could include tables, charts, images or extra research that wasn’t directly cited but is relevant to the report.

Types Of Report Writing

Report writing can be of several types. Some of them are-

• Informational report: The main purpose of this type of report is to give factual information without analysis, for example, meeting minutes.
• Research report: These types of reports are mainly based on the in-depth research analysis and investigation of a specific topic. 
• Analytical Report: Analytical reports mainly include analysing various collected information while identifying specific patterns. They help provide specific insights, such as SWOT analysis reports.
• Progress Report: This type of report is mainly written to update the stakeholders about the project’s ongoing progress.
• Financial report: Such reports provide an overall insight into the economic performance of any specific organisation.
• Field report: It focuses on describing and analysing the data collected during the fieldwork or observation.
• Technical Report: It mainly collects technical information about a specific subject that meets an organisation’s needs.

Report Writing Format 

A standard report has a specific format that includes several elements. Different reports have different forms. 

Here’s a magazine report format-

• Heading: A title that reflects what the report is about.
• Byline: The name of the person writing the report. You don’t need to include any personal details here.
• Opening paragraph (introduction): This section should answer the ‘5 Ws’: WHAT happened, WHY it happened, WHEN it took place, WHERE it was held, and WHO was the chief guest.
• Detailed account of the event: This part describes what happened during the event to give specific details. You can divide it into two shorter paragraphs if needed.
• Conclusion: This section summarises the report and explains how the event ended. You can include memorable quotes from the chief guest’s speech or describe how everything concluded.

A newspaper report format is as follows- 

• Headline: A title that clearly describes what the report is about.
• Byline: The name and position of the person writing the report. Personal details should not be included.
• Place and date of reporting: While this is usually not mentioned separately in magazine reports, it should be included here.
• Opening paragraph: This section expands on the headline and provides a brief overview of the report. It should be concise.
• Account of the event in detail: This part is typically divided into two sections. One section will be a complete description of what happened, presented chronologically. The other section will include comments or remarks from witnesses.
• Concluding paragraph: This final section summarises any actions taken or will be taken following the event.

Report Writing Format For Class 10 And 12

Reports writing formats are slightly different in classes 10 and 12. To understand the difference, we will see both the format in detail below-

Class 10 Report Writing Format

• Title: The title should always be specific and concise. Such as ‘25th Annual Day in School’.
• Date:  Include the date of the report written in the heading. The date when the incident happened can be written in the body of the report. Remember it is important to mention both the dates.
• Introduction: In the body, we should briefly state the purpose of the report while providing a transparent background. 
• Body: The body section can be divided into three parts. First, we should include detailed information about the incidents, such as location, time, activities, people who participated, and so on. Next, we should include specific observations or highlighted events, such as ‘the principal sang a song for the first time for her ex-students. ‘ In the last part, we can conclude the key points of the whole report.
• Recommendation: This section is not mandatory. If you want to add some suggestions or do not want to relate to future actions, you can write them in this section.
• Signature: At the end of the report you need to write the name and designation of the person who is writing the report.

Class 12 Report Writing Format

• Title: Same criteria as class 10. It should be relevant and specific.
• Date: Same as class 10
• Introduction: More detailed information is needed here, including the context and objectives.
• Body: Same as class 10. In the conclusion, add the impact and significance of the event in detail.
• Recommendation: Here, you can give constructive suggestions for improving the following events.
• Signature: Conclude the report with the name, signature, email ID, and contact number of the person writing it.

NOTE- The report writing process for classes 10 and 12 is almost the same, with a few differences. For example, the Class 12 report should be more in-depth and structured. Additionally, the language used in the class 12 report is always expected to be more refined.

How To Write a Report 

Writing a report includes many steps before and after writing it. Steps of writing a report-

• Identify and understand the topic clearly before starting writing.
• Understand the targeted audience and tailor your language according to the needs of it.
• Now, the most important part of report writing is research. You need to conduct detailed research to gather information about the relevant information related to the topic.
• Now you have to create and outline according to the format (refer to the report writing format part)
• After writing it, you must review it for clarity and accuracy. In this part, all the proofreading should be done.
• When you finish editing, save it and send it to the proper place.

Report Writing Examples

Example 1

Q1. Your school held a seminar on the conservation of water as an activity during the Water Day celebration. Write a report on the details of the event as a leader of the school’s pupil group in the local magazine.

Seminar on Water Conservation

By: Preeti, Maryland School, Gurgaon

16th March, Gurgaon: Maryland School organised a workshop on ‘Water Conservation’ on 13th August as part of World Water Day celebrations. The workshop aimed to highlight the importance of saving water, which is essential for our survival. Several environmentalists and other notable guests spoke at the event, emphasizing the urgent need to conserve water.

Dr. Yashraj, a well-known environmentalist, discussed rainwater harvesting as an effective way to save water. He used visuals to explain that water usage should not exceed the natural rate at which it is replenished. The seminar concluded with a reminder that conserving water is the most eco-friendly and cost-effective way to meet our water needs, and everyone must contribute to this effort.

Example 2 

Q2. You are a Reporter of the National Herald. Write your views on using plastic bags.

Harmful Plastic Bags

By: Amarjeet, Staff Reporter

The National Herald

In 2002, the government banned the use of plastic bags in our country. Unfortunately, they are now being used everywhere again. People use and throw away many plastic bags daily, often dumping them in drains, which blocks water flow. Plastic bags seriously threaten the environment; they pollute our surroundings, harm wildlife, and deplete natural resources. They also make our landscapes look dirty. When burned, they release harmful fumes into the air.

The main issue with plastic bags is that they do not break down naturally. Plastic takes around a thousand years to decompose, so with the amount of plastic waste produced daily, this problem may never be resolved. While the government seeks solutions, we all must take responsibility for this issue, as it affects us all.

Report Writing Topics For Class 10 And 12 

Few report writing topics for class 10 students are-

• Sports day at school
• National Yoga day
• Debate competition in school
• World Environment Day celebrated at school
• Science Exhibition
• Health awareness program
• School Picnic

A few report writing topics for 12 students are-

• Annual literary fest
• School election
• Workshop on the use of digital library
• Community service project
• Inter school debate
• Science fair
• Global warming awareness campaign

Common Mistakes To Avoid While Writing A Report

While writing a report, students should avoid common mistakes, such as,

• You should not elaborate on the topic and make it more descriptive, in this way, the report will be too lengthy, and the reader will lose concentration.
• You should not put much information in the introduction.
• Do not use inadequate data or inappropriate and unclear language; the reader will get confused.
• You should strictly follow the format and the guidelines.

Conclusion 

Report writing is an essential skill every student should have. It is an integral component of classes 10 and 12, as students will soon be pursuing higher studies. The guidelines mentioned above will help you draft a good report that is brief and clear without any grammatical mistakes. Best of luck creating impressive reports!

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