Report Writing

Academic and Employability Skills

Semester 1
Academic Learning Outcomes

By the end of the session, you will be better able to:

• format and structure a report

• write academic paragraphs
• include critical evaluation
• choose an appropriate focus
Employability Skills Development

Professional Writing:
Through the analysis of paragraphs and the crafting of well-
structured content, you will improve your professional writing
skills, essential for producing clear and concise reports in a
professional setting.
What is a report?
Write four words that you associate with
reports
Definition
A report is informative, highly structured, for a specific audience and
should enable quick and easy navigation to find specific information.

Clear sections and subheadings

Assessment Task
Part A: Academic Report (750 words)

Write a critical evaluation of employment, career

and entrepreneurial opportunities within your
chosen field of work. Use a range of relevant
literature, both academic and professional sources,
to inform your writing.
Front Page
Look at this front page. What subheadings/sections do you
expect?

Employment, Career, and Entrepreneurial Opportunities in

Journalism.

Mick McNally. (10021223)

Northumbria University, London Campus.
MP6047 Employability Portfolio
Dr Lavya Khatun
20 September 2023
Table of contents
Task 1
1. Match the paragraphs to the correct sections from the table of
contents
Skills and
Example: Paragraph a) _______________________
Knowledge
The radically changing news environment means that journalists have had
to develop additional skills and knowledge to compete. Traditionally, the ability
to write precise, unbiassed, information-rich reports which had been responsibly
researched and edited was most prized (Himma-Kadakas & Ojamets, 2022;
Kovach & Rosenstiel, 2003; Örnebring, & Mellado, 2018; Pingree et al., 2018;
Zahay et al., 2021). In the digital era, however, an ever-expanding skills-set is
required (Cokely, 2019; Guo & Volz, 2019; Wenger et al., 2018). For example,
Guo and Volz (2019) identified 26 different skills in their analysis of 667 job
announcements over a six-month period. Figure 1 shows that core traditional
skills are still valued even though many other skills are gaining traction. Given
the increasing complexity, it is important the established skills set is not
abandoned in pursuit of new way of gathering and distributing news.
Task 1.2
1.2 Analyse these paragraphs. How are they structured?
Example:
The radically changing news environment means that journalists have had to
develop additional skills and knowledge to compete. Traditionally, the ability to
write precise, unbiassed, information-rich reports which had been responsibly
researched and edited was most prized (Himma-Kadakas & Ojamets, 2022;
Kovach & Rosenstiel, 2003; Örnebring, & Mellado, 2018; Pingree et al., 2018;
Zahay et al., 2021). In the digital era, however, an ever-expanding skills-set is
required (Cokely, 2019; Guo & Volz, 2019; Wenger et al., 2018). For example,
Guo and Volz (2019) identified 26 different skills in their analysis of 667 job
announcements over a six-month period. Figure 1 shows that core traditional
skills are still valued even though many other skills are gaining traction. Given
the increasing complexity, it is important the established skills set is not
abandoned in pursuit of new way of gathering and distributing news.
Task 1.2
1.2 Analyse these paragraphs. How are they structured?
Example:
The radically changing news environment means that journalists have had to
develop additional skills and knowledge to compete. Traditionally, the ability to
write precise, unbiassed, information-rich reports which had been responsibly
researched and edited was most prized (Himma-Kadakas & Ojamets, 2022;
Kovach & Rosenstiel, 2003; Örnebring, & Mellado, 2018; Pingree et al., 2018;
Zahay et al., 2021). In the digital era, however, an ever-expanding skills-set is
required (Cokely, 2019; Guo & Volz, 2019; Wenger et al., 2018). For example,
Guo and Volz (2019) identified 26 different skills in their analysis of 667 job
announcements over a six-month period. Figure 1 shows that core traditional
skills are still valued even though many other skills are gaining traction. Given
the increasing complexity, it is important the established skills set is not
abandoned in pursuit of new way of gathering and distributing news.

Topic sentence: what is the main point/ focus of the

paragraph
Task 1.2
1.2 Analyse these paragraphs. How are they structured?
Example:
The radically changing news environment means that journalists have had to
develop additional skills and knowledge to compete. Traditionally, the ability to
write precise, unbiassed, information-rich reports which had been responsibly
researched and edited was most prized (Himma-Kadakas & Ojamets, 2022;
Kovach & Rosenstiel, 2003; Örnebring, & Mellado, 2018; Pingree et al., 2018;
Zahay et al., 2021). In the digital era, however, an ever-expanding skills-set is
required (Cokely, 2019; Guo & Volz, 2019; Wenger et al., 2018). For example,
Guo and Volz (2019) identified 26 different skills in their analysis of 667 job
announcements over a six-month period. Figure 1 shows that core traditional
skills are still valued even though many other skills are gaining traction. Given
the increasing complexity, it is important the established skills set is not
abandoned in pursuit of new way of gathering and distributing news.

Topic sentence: what is the main point/ focus of the

paragraph
Support: explanation, evidence, examples
Task 1.2
1.2 Analyse these paragraphs. How are they structured?
Example:
The radically changing news environment means that journalists have had to
develop additional skills and knowledge to compete. Traditionally, the ability to
write precise, unbiassed, information-rich reports which had been responsibly
researched and edited was most prized (Himma-Kadakas & Ojamets, 2022;
Kovach & Rosenstiel, 2003; Örnebring, & Mellado, 2018; Pingree et al., 2018;
Zahay et al., 2021). In the digital era, however, an ever-expanding skills-set is
required (Cokely, 2019; Guo & Volz, 2019; Wenger et al., 2018). For example,
Guo and Volz (2019) identified 26 different skills in their analysis of 667 job
announcements over a six-month period. Figure 1 shows that core traditional
skills are still valued even though many other skills are gaining traction. Given
the increasing complexity, it is important the established skills set is not
abandoned in pursuit of new way of gathering and distributing news.

Topic sentence: what is the main point/ focus of the

paragraph
Support: explanation, evidence, examples
Comment / Sum up / Transition
Task 2: Evaluating
Answer the following questions as your read and evaluate each
paragraph of the extract.

a. Is it well structured?
b. Are ideas expressed clearly?
c. Is it written in appropriate academic style?
d. Do all sections/findings relate to the brief/purpose?
e. Is all evidence (citations) current/relevant/valid?
f. Is critical analysis/evaluation included?
Task 2: Evaluating
Use the following questions as your read each paragraph.
2 Skills and Knowledge

a. Is it well structured? Ye
b.
s
Are ideas expressed clearly? Ye
c.
s
Is it written in appropriate academic style? Ye
d. Do all findings relate to the brief/purpose? sYe
e. s
Is all evidence (citations) current/relevant/valid? Ye
f. Is critical evaluation included? Yes, to some s
extent
Task 2: Tutor's comments
Well-structured with sufficient evidence of background reading in
the general area. However, large parts of the report are descriptive
and lack critical evaluation and some parts are not explicitly linked
to the brief / purpose (e.g. 3.1). Some references are out of date
(e.g. Guardian, 2012).- It is also more than 10% over the word limit.
In general, this is largely superficial and requires evidence of deeper
knowledge, understanding and critical evaluation. This is likely the
result of the choice of 'journalism' as a focus for the report.
‘Journalism’ is too broad a field for the limited word count in the
brief.
In order to achieve a pass, you'll need to narrow your focus (e.g.
investigative journalism / digital media etc) and ensure you include
critical analysis and evaluation.
Critical Writing
To what extent are
Outline the options government policies
available to the best way to
governments to reduce the market
control fiscal policy. failures caused by
airline flights?

Descriptive Critical

Everything you need is in The source material is the

the source material starting point for you to develop
your own position or argument
Critical Writing
Are these characteristic of descriptive or critical
writing? If descriptive, how do you make it critical?
Characteristic​ Critical or descriptive writing?​
States what happened​ ​
Weighs up one piece of ​
information against another​
Argues a case according to evidence​ ​
Notes the methods used ​ ​
Explains how and why something will work​ ​
Says when something happened​ ​
Structure information in ​
order of importance​
State links between events​ ​
Gives information​ ​
Critical Writing
Are these characteristic of descriptive or critical
writing? If descriptive, how do you make it critical?
Characteristic​ Critical or descriptive writing?​
States what happened​ ​Identifies significance of events
Weighs up one piece of ​
information against another​
Argues a case according to evidence​ ​
Notes the methods used ​ ​
Explains how and why something will work​ ​
Says when something happened​ ​
Structure information in ​
order of importance​
State links between events​ ​
Gives information​ ​
Summative Assessment Deadlines

Week 3. Portfolio Task A. Library Search DONE

Week 4. Portfolio Task B. Evaluating sources DONE
Week 5. Portfolio Task C. Annotated Reading List DONE
Week 6. Wednesday 23.59
Portfolio Task D. Report outline.
Week 7. Portfolio Task E. SWOT analysis
Week 8. Portfolio Task F. Smart Action Plan
Week 9. DRAFT Assessment
Week 12. FINAL Assessment
Summary and reflection
Indicate how confident you feel about putting each learning
outcome into practice by rating it 1 – 4:
1. Very confident
2. Quite confident
3. Not very confident
4. Not confident at all

Learning outcome Rating

Format and structure a report
Write academic paragraphs
Include critical evaluation/analysis
Choose an appropriately narrow focus