English 301

Drafting Formal Report

In the process of drafting the formal report for the unit three assignment, I found my topic to be more challenging than expected in regards to research. In the past, I have completed several research papers and am familiar with what good sources are compiled of and the techniques that can be used to find the desired topic of research. However, my chosen topic proved to be quite specific. Although there was ample data available on the general topic, there was limited research specifically for individuals with special health care needs. Organizing my formal report draft was less challenging as we had created an outline for the formal report and the topics of discussion were already organized in the progress report completed prior to the draft. When completing the outline, I kept in mind the flow of the formal report that I wanted for easier organization in the future. While compiling my draft, I followed the outline I had created as well as the guidelines provided by the instructor. Something that I learned during this process was how to write a letter of transmission and the abstract. In my previous research papers, I had not been required to write these. An error on my part was that I spent a good amount of time researching and learning how to write the letter of transmission and abstract as this was my first writing experience with it, I did not allocate enough time to work on “data selected” or report of the actual draft prior to the peer review. I also learned that the letter of transmission and abstract are not usually submitted with the initial draft.

Peer Review

As the course progresses, I have learned more about the process of peer reviewing. This particular peer review was interesting as I had also reviewed my partners proposal for this assignment. Seeing the progress of the report from the proposal provided good background information on what to expect in the formal report. During the peer review, I learned that proper formatting with any type of writing is critical. My teammate had posted a great draft with ample amount of information and research; however, due to incorrect formatting, the research paper was not reader friendly and made for a challenging read. I also learned that the tone of the paper is very important. We all chose topics that we feel strongly about and hope to see some positive change. Although, as a writer we may be biased, it is important to keep an objective, professional and positive tone throughout the paper and follow the YOU-attitude. This ensures that the reader does not feel attacked and appreciates the time and effort put into the research and the report.

DRAFT – formal report engl 301