Technical and factual reports are a lot different than fictional stories. They involve a lot more work and planning. You should always know what you want to write about before you even start planning. These are the steps you need to follow:
Step #1
Topics
Whenever you write any report you always want to know what you’re writing about. You can get some ideas by clicking on Story Ideas above.
Step #2
Making a Web
It is always a good idea to create a web. In your web you need to include questions you’ll answer, interesting facts, etc., etc. Below is an example of a web.
Step #3
Where is Information?
You can find useful information in books, encyclopedias, people, magazines, and the internet. The search engine I recommend is http://www.google.com/, which has billions and billions of facts and links. Another search engine is http://www.ask.com/.
Step #4
Finding Information
Finding information is a little bit harder. You can use Online Library Lookup (which you can reach if you go to the Shawnee Mission School District website) to find a book or encyclopedia. If you’re looking on the Internet go to http://www.google.com/ or http://www.ask.com/.
Step #5
Organizing Information
I extremely recommend note cards. They’re a great way of keeping you organized. You can color code them by making language orange, food purple, etc., etc.
Step #6
Outline
It’s hard to take a bunch of note cards and make it into a story. You want to start with the main character. At the beginning tell about him a little. Find a way to introduce all of the characters. An example is if (using characters from above) Tommy gets a ride to school from his mom and dad. He meets Maggie there and then they both run into Nick, the bully. You’ve just introduced all the characters.
Step #7
Rough Draft
It’s always a good idea to write a rough draft before the final copy. Remember to not jump around, and if you color coded the note cards, it will be a lot easier.
Step #8
Final Copy
When typing up your final copy, keep in mind that you can make changes here and there if you want. That’s why it’s better to write a rough draft first, so you can make changes.
Step #9
Oral Report
This is the most important part of writing and presenting a story. You can have a great story, but if you don’t present just right, people may not want to read it. You can have a very bad story, but if you do a fantastic presentation, people may really want to read it. Remember to include a little bit about the topic, and leave them wanting to know what happens. Here are some tips for an oral presentation:
1. Stand up straight.
2. Speak clearly and with enthusiasm.
3. Make eye contact with the audience.
4. Don’t sway or bounce.
5. Don’t fiddle around with anything (hands, pants).
6. Keep your hands at your sides, not in your pockets.
7. Smile.