by Adam Skimins 17th December 2022

Formatting

Level: C1

A report is a formal paper, it has to be concise, well-organized, which makes it recommended to use bullet points and headings so that the reader can quickly find the information they are looking for in your text.

The language of a report is expected to be formal and objective. For this reason, you should avoid including yourself or your views in most of your sentences. However, you must give your opinion in the conclusion or recommendations paragraph.

TIP: Pay attention to style and register

Me, myself, I

Everybody likes to talk about themselves, but when (for example) you’re writing about environmental issues, you should be talking about the environment and not about yourself.

YOU

The way word you is used in informal speech ‘You should have seen it!’ ‘if you know what I mean’ is not appropriate in formal writing. At best it sounds chatty and informal; at worst, disrespectful or even offensive. The word you points a finger at the reader. But the readers are not friends of yours, and you have no right to make assumptions about them.