How to Write a Fourth-Grade Report
To write a report, think about what you know about your subject. You might know a great deal about bicycles, for example, but not so much about nutrition. By the time you are ready to write, you will have enough information to put together an interesting report. You will get your information by doing some research. A good place to do research is in a library, where you will have access to a variety of sources, such as encyclopedias, magazines, video and books as well the computer resources. A library also will provide you with a quiet workspace where you can spread out, and work with another student if necessary.
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Instructions
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Fill out the K and W portion of a KWL chart. The K stands for what you know about your topic, the W stands for what you would like to find out about your topic. Leave the L for last, because the L stands for what you learned.
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Find out information about your topic by using a variety of sources. A good place to start is the encyclopedia because it condenses information into a few words and you will find out a lot in a short period of time.
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Take careful notes on index cards. Use one index card per source. For example, if you use one encyclopedia, one book and one website, you will have three cards. Of course, if you need more room, use more cards.
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Write the source on the front of the index card, and the notes on the back. Your teacher should give you guidelines for recording your source. Books should have the name, author, date and place of publication, and page numbers. Encyclopedia articles should have the name of the series, volume, date of publication and page numbers. Websites should have the specific site, not just the main page.
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Fill in the L portion of the KWL chart describing what you learned. Then put the information in an outline by writing down what will be in the introduction, the three body paragraphs and the conclusion.
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Write a first draft, edit and write a second draft. Include a list of all your sources.
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Create a graphic such as an illustration, a map, a photograph or a chart that relates to your topic. Your teacher might accept the KWL chart.
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Tips & Warnings
Work with a partner if possible, if you both have the same topic. You can share research, and then write your own report. After you edit by checking your spelling, grammar and punctuation, ask someone else to edit with you.
If you are using the exact words found in your source, use quotation marks and make sure the reader knows where the information came from Reports take time. Plan out when you will do your research, when you will write, when you will edit and when you will write the second draft.
