【Report Format 】DSE English Report Writing Complete Guide
Structures, examples and high scoring techniques - taught by GetUtor's experienced tutors to help you get 5** with ease!
Mastering the Key Elements of Report Writing
Report formatting questions often appear in the DSE English exam, and mastering the correct format and writing skills is the key to getting high marks.
Standard Format Structure
Understand the standard structure of a Report, including the proper formatting and arrangement of sections such as Title, Introduction, Body, Conclusion, and Recommendations.
Professional Language Expression
Master professional vocabulary and sentence structure in Report writing to enhance the formality and professionalism of the essay and meet the examiner's expectations.
Data Presentation Techniques
Learn how to effectively present and analyse data in a Report to enhance the persuasiveness and professionalism of your articles.
Time Management Strategy
Master exam time allocation techniques to ensure that a well-structured and informative Report is completed within the limited time available.
Analysis of Marking Criteria
Understand the marking criteria and expectations of DSE examiners, target your score and avoid common pitfalls.
Practical Example Analysis
By analysing high scoring examples, you will be able to master the characteristics and writing skills of a good Report and improve your writing skills.
Overview of the basic structure of a report
A complete Report usually consists of the following key sections, each with its own specific functionality and formatting requirements:
- Title: clearly state the subject and purpose of the report
- Introduction/Preface (Introduction): to introduce the background, purpose and scope of the report
- Body: Presentation of survey findings or research results, usually in several subsections
- Conclusion: Summary of key findings and observations
- Recommendations: to make specific recommendations based on conclusions
Mastering the correct format and writing skills of these sections is the basis for writing a good Report. In the DSE exam, the examiner pays special attention to the structural integrity and coherence of each section.
Learn more about writing skills
Title Writing Guidelines
An effective report title should be concise and contain enough information for the reader to understand the topic and purpose of the report.
Headings are usually in capital letters and are centred at the top of the page. Correctly formatted headings can earn you base marks in the DSE exam.
Title example:
- report on the school library facilities
- A SURVEY OF STUDENT OPINIONS ON SCHOOL UNIFORMS
- investigation into environmental issues in our community
Note that headings do not need to start with an "A" or "The", nor do they need to end with a full stop.
Complete Report Sample Analysis
Below is an example of a high scoring report, we will analyse its features and scoring points section by section.
REPORT ON STUDENTS' READING HABITS
Prepared by: John Wong
Date: 15 March 2023
Introduction
This report aims to investigate the reading habits of secondary school students and provide recommendations to improve reading engagement. A survey was conducted among 200 students from Forms 1 to 6 during February 2023. A survey was conducted among 200 students from Forms 1 to 6 during February 2023.
Findings
Reading Frequency
The survey revealed that 65% of students read less than one book per month. Only 15% of respondents reported reading more than three books monthly. Only 15% of respondents reported reading more than three books monthly . Form 4-6 students showed the lowest reading frequency, with 75% reading less than one book per month.
Reading Preferences
Fiction was the most popular genre (58%), followed by comics and graphic novels (25%). Non-fiction and academic materials accounted for only 17% of students' reading choices. Digital reading platforms were preferred by 70% of respondents. 70% of respondents.
Barriers to Reading
The main obstacles to reading were identified as.
- Lack of time due to academic pressure (68%)
- Preference for social media and online entertainment (57%)
- Limited access to interesting books (42%)
Conclusion
The findings indicate that most students have limited reading habits, particularly those in senior forms. Digital platforms are increasingly popular, while traditional reading materials are becoming less favoured. Digital platforms are increasingly popular, while traditional reading materials are becoming less favoured. Academic pressure and digital distractions are significant barriers to developing regular reading habits. Academic pressure and digital distractions are significant barriers to developing regular reading habits.
Recommendations
Based on the findings, the following recommendations are made.
- Introduce a 20-minute daily reading session during school hours
- Develop a mobile application for the school library to facilitate digital reading
- Organise monthly book clubs with incentives for participation
- Expand the library collection based on students' genre preferences
- Invite authors and storytellers for regular school visits to promote reading interest
Grading Key Points:
- Structural integrity with all necessary components
- The title is clear and correctly formatted
- The introduction succinctly describes the purpose, methodology and scope of the report.
- The main section uses subheadings to organise information and uses lists effectively to present data
- Conclusion summarises the main findings without introducing new information
- Suggestions are specific, feasible, and directly related to the discovery
- Use formal, objective language with appropriate conjunctions and transitions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions students have when preparing for DSE English Report writing
There is a clear difference between a Report and an Essay in terms of structure, language style and purpose:
- structure: Reports use headings, subheadings and subsections, whereas Essays are usually continuous paragraphs.
- language: Reports use more formal, objective language, often in passive voice; Essays can be more subjective, using the first person.
- Purpose: Reports are designed to present information and make recommendations; essays are usually expressions of opinion and arguments.
- Format: A Report usually contains a title, introduction, findings, conclusion and recommendations; an Essay contains an introduction, body and conclusion.
Report question types commonly found on the DSE English exam include:
- Survey Report: Report on the results and findings of the survey.
- Event Report: describes the organisation and results of the event.
- Problem Analysis Report: Analyses the problem and proposes a solution.
- Proposal Report: To present and justify a programme or idea.
- Evaluation Report: Evaluates the effectiveness of a service, facility or programme.
Candidates should familiarise themselves with the characteristics and requirements of the various types of questions and be flexible in responding to different questions.
Strategies for efficiently completing a Report in a DSE exam:
- Quick planning (2-3 minutes): Identify the main parts of the report and the main points of the report.
- Write the framework first (5 minutes): Write down all headings and subheadings to create the basic structure.
- Completed part by part (25-30 minutes): Complete each section in order and don't spend too much time on a single section.
- Retention check time (5 minutes): check for grammar, spelling and formatting errors
Remember, a well-structured but more concise report will score more points than an informative but confusing report.
The use of tenses in the Report depends on the function of the different sections:
- introductory: Usually use the present tense to describe the purpose of the report (This report aims to...)
- method: Use the past tense to describe a completed survey or study (A survey was conducted...)
- Discovery: The results showed that.....
- in conclusion: The findings indicate that... can be used to summarise the current state of affairs
- suggestion: Make suggestions using modal verbs (The school should implement...)
Maintains temporal consistency and avoids unnecessary switching of tenses within the same context.
When the information provided in the question is limited:
- Make full use of all the clues and information in the topic
- Expansion based on common sense and reasonable assumptions
- Create sound data and examples to support your point of view
- Keep content relevant and consistent
- Make sure your recommendations are directly related to the issues raised in the report
Remember, the examiner is assessing your English language skills and ability to organise information, not the authenticity of the information.
Student Success Stories
See how our students have improved their DSE results by mastering Report writing skills!
"In the past, I used to write Reports with a confusing structure, and my marks hovered around level 3-4. After following the guidance of GetUtor tutors, I mastered the correct format and techniques, and ended up with a 5* in DSE English and almost full marks in the Report section!"
Mr Chan
DSE 2023 | English 5*
"I never knew the difference between Report and Essay and often confused the formatting.GetUtor's tutors gave me clear instructions and plenty of practice opportunities to get me from level 3 to level 5, thank you very much!"
Huang
DSE 2022 | English 5
"Originally, English writing was my weak point, especially the formal style of report. Through GetUtor's targeted training, I not only mastered the format, but also learnt professional vocabulary and sentence structure, and eventually achieved a good grade of Level 4 in English!"
Classmate Li
DSE 2023 | English 4
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