information report homework

5 Informational Text Lesson Plans Students and Teachers Love

Teach Informational Text Writing like a boss in Just One Week

Bringing your student from zero to hero in a single week is a BIG ask! Especially when we consider the school week only has five days instead of the seven allotted to a calendar week.

In this article, we’ll explore how you can introduce your students to informational texts before guiding them through a series of steps and lesson plans to see them produce their reports by the end of the school week.

BE SURE TO READ OUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO WRITING AN INFORMATION REPORT WRITING HERE FIRST

What Is an Informational Text?

Before we can do that, we need to precisely understand what an information report is.

Informational Texts, also known as Information reports and Informative Writing, are nonfiction texts written to inform the reader about a specific theme or topic. They provide the reader with factual details and descriptions but avoid expressing the writer’s personal opinion on the subject.

We can find informational texts in many places, including encyclopedias, research reports, books on animals, and in history, geography, and science textbooks.

You will frequently encounter them in social studies and nonfiction subject areas in the classroom.

A COMPLETE TEACHING UNIT ON WRITING INFORMATION REPORTS

Get an entire unit on INFORMATIONAL TEXTS with no prep required. The editable DIGITAL & PRINT bundle offers a proven model based on research skills, writing strategies, and engaging content with 96 PAGES of material.

How to Master Informational Text Writing in a Single Week

The best way to master anything is to do it. Students should be encouraged to see mistakes as opportunities for learning rather than failures. 

This article will outline a path from introducing this fun text type on a Monday to the students producing their information report by Friday. Getting stuck in and having a go is the key to students gaining their black belts in information report writing .

Let’s get started!

Lesson Plan 1: Introduce the Text Structure

First, you’ll need to be sure your students gain a firm grasp of the genre’s defining features. Luckily, informational texts possess a text structure commonly found in most reading schemes. 

For your opening activity, gather up a collection of information reports on any theme or topic. Animals, history, people, sport, cities – it’s not essential what the subjects of these books are, as long as they are information reports.

Now, organize your students into smaller working groups of around 4 to 5 students and give them a selection of books written in the information report style.

Give the students about 10 minutes to review the books and compile a list of their similarities and differences. 

When they’ve finished, ask them to share some of their answers with the whole class. You can help draw out the students’ observations by asking open-ended questions.

Explain to the students that the books they have been exploring are information reports, and they’re designed to inform the reader about specific topics in a factual way. 

Inform the students that they will learn about how information texts work before producing one of their own by the end of the week. To do this, they’ll first have to precisely identify the structure and features of an information report.

Instruct students to work together to reverse engineer a list of criteria for information reports divided under the two headings Structure and Features .

When students have finished, have them share their ideas as a whole class. 

As a shared writing activity, complete a master Information Reports Checklist detailing the essential criteria of information reports. It should look something like this:

Informational Text Checklist

• Introduction : defines the topic
• Subheadings : gives a logical order to the information
• Body Paragraphs : provides detail on the subject and further organize information.
• Images support the text through labelled diagrams, illustrations, etc.
• Tense : uses timeless present tense
• Perspective : uses 3rd person perspective
• Definition : provides definitions of uncommon language
• Language : speaks in generalizations
• Language : uses technical, subject-specific terms and vocabulary
• Language : describes using adjectives and lots of detail
• Language: compares and contrasts to give context to the subject

Once you’ve completed the master checklist on the whiteboard, give the students some time to use it against the information report texts they’ve been provided with. 

Can they select one as their best example of an information report? 

Students can then briefly present their choice explaining how it fulfills the criteria for information texts.

At the end of this session, have your students copy down the checklist into their books or, better still, type up and print off a copy. This checklist will prove helpful later on in the week.

Lesson Plan 2: Research

In the second session, it’s time for your students to gather the necessary information to produce a well-written report.

First, students will need to choose a topic to write about. You can assign a subject for the class or individual students or allow students to choose their topics.

The advantage of assigning a single topic (or offering a limited choice) to the class is that it will be much easier to assess the completed work.

However, allowing students to choose their topic can help ensure they are more engaged in the writing process. What you decide about topic selection will depend on several factors, including age, ability, and number of students.

Once suitable topics have been selected, it’s time for your students to begin the research process. 

The aim here is to gather enough relevant information, facts, and data to fuel the writing process to completion.

While the school or class library will be a useful resource, the Internet will most likely be the primary resource tool your students will use.

While the Internet is undoubtedly a fantastic tool for research, students are often unskilled at searching and sorting the most relevant material to help them write. 

To ensure they make the most of their research time, ensure your students know how to perform targeted keyword searches. One effective way to do this is by making use of Boolean operators .

Boolean operators are commands that help students combine words and phrases that narrow the results returned when they use the search function. 

Not all Boolean operators work on every search engine. In the table below, you’ll find some of the most common operators that work with Google Search.

Standard Boolean Operators for Search Engines

(Limits Results)

Students should use “AND” to combine terms and return only information where both terms occur.

For example, “mouse AND rat” will find only results where both keywords occur.

(One term or another)

The “OR” operator allows students to search for one term or another.

For example, searching for “mouse OR rat” will return results that contain either of these terms.

(Exclude a term from the search)

The “-” operator excludes a term from the results.

For example, “mouse -computer” will return only results in which “mouse” appears, and “computer” does not.

(Search for exact phrase)

Quotation marks allow the student to search for words or phrases exactly as typed. 

For example, placing quotation marks around the words “mouse’s diet” will only return results containing those two words in that exact order.

Once students have gathered enough information to complete their reports, it’s time to whip it into a usable shape. And that’s precisely what Day 3 is all about…

Lesson Plan 3: Plan & Organize

Taking the time to organize the information they have gathered and adequately plan their writing ahead of time goes a long way to ensuring students make the most of their writing time.

There is no equivalent of a lucky punch in writing. A well-structured text is the result of good planning and organization.

Make sure your students have a strong understanding of the underlying structure of a well-written information report. Some key elements to reinforce include:

A Table of Contents

While a table of contents might only be required for longer texts, it’s useful for your students to understand how they work. As longer texts will be broken down into distinct sections, these can be listed with their corresponding page numbers to help readers to find specific information.

Though the Table of Contents comes at the front of the text, they are usually compiled at the end when it’s easiest to see where each section falls.

Introduction The purpose of the introduction to an information report is similar to its role in other nonfiction texts. That is, it orients the reader to the subject of the text. 

Students will want their information report to be engaging and to seize the readers’ attention from the outset. One way to achieve this is by opening the text with a fascinating fact about the topic.

Body Paragraphs

A comprehensive information report’s body or ‘meat’ will require subheadings to help students organize their texts.

Often, each paragraph or small group of paragraphs will have its subheading, and these subheadings will provide the entries for the table of contents.

Each paragraph (or collection of paragraphs under a single subheading) will focus on a specific aspect of the text’s subject. 

For example, suppose the text is about robins, the red-breasted garden bird. In this case, the paragraphs might be grouped under subheadings such as Key Information , What They Eat , Measurements , and Identifying Features .

Conclusion:

The conclusion is often used in an information report to summarize the topic. It can also point the reader toward further resources where they can learn more about the subject.

For online information texts, this may include supplementary hyperlinks to other pages on the website or outbound links to other websites. For printed texts, the conclusion may suggest further options for the reader.

At the end of some information reports, sometimes a glossary will help readers understand any technical vocabulary used in the text.

These are the main sections the students will need to plan for. Graphic organizers containing these or similar elements are an excellent way to help students organize their ideas and information before the writing in earnest begins.

Lesson Plan 4: Write

With a clear understanding of the genre’s structure and features, the topic chosen, and the research gathered and organized into a plan, it’s finally time for the students to begin writing their information report.

‘Write’ is a verb, an action. Students must understand the importance of forward momentum here. 

Sometimes the fear of making mistakes can cause a kind of ‘analysis paralysis’ in our students. It’s critical at this point to help them to understand that writing is a many-stage process. 

The important thing now is for the student to write their ideas down on paper. Allotting the students a specific amount of time to complete their writing can effectively focus their minds on the task. Be sure to allocate time suited to the student’s age and general ability. 

By this stage, students will have completed adequate planning and preparation to fuel a complete draft of their information report by the end of the session.

Of course, some further tweaking will still be required to get that draft up to scratch – and that’s what the final session is all about.

Lesson Plan 5: Edit and Proofread

It’s time to take the rough and ready draft to polished perfection in the week’s final session. This is where the checklists produced in the first session come into play.

Sometimes students find it difficult to identify errors in their work, even with a checklist to work from. Due to this, peer assessment is a good starting point for the editing process.

To do this, organize the students into pairs to assess each other’s work against the checklist. Students can give feedback to each other before they move on to the next stage of the editing process.

Students themselves then decide on the final changes to make to their draft based on their partner’s feedback and their reading of the text. 

When they’ve satisfactorily edited their text for structure and features, they’ll need to perform a final close reading for spelling and punctuation.

Report Back Monday Morning!

You’ll now have a nice fresh pile of papers to take home just in time for the weekend! But don’t worry, you won’t be the only one swamped with information reports on a Sunday afternoon.

To get to grips with this text type within a week will require students to make the most of the weekend to consolidate their understanding of the genre.

An easy and effective way to do this is to assign your students some reading for homework. Let them take home an informational text or two to read and, if you’re so minded, you might even ask them to write an information report on it!

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Information report: structure and language features

Structure of an information report.

• Share the information report with students and have labels ready for each of the report sections.

• Students create a mind map, to record what they know about goats. Each section of the mentor text can provide information for a section of the mind map.
• Provide students with a copy of the goat report, which has some key words removed. Students work with a partner to complete a cloze activity.

Language features of an information report

Note: Not every word or choice needs to be highlighted. For example, in the mentor text, there are many nouns. The focus for teaching is on simple noun groups which include an adjective + common noun.

Our website uses a free tool to translate into other languages. This tool is a guide and may not be accurate. For more, see: Information in your language

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The Not So WImpy Teacher creates resources for busy teachers in grades 2-5 who are looking to deliver engaging and meaningful lessons without overwhelm and chaos.

Informational Report Writing Unit THIRD GRADE

Grade Level: 3rd Grade

My third grade informational report writing unit includes 8 weeks of done-for-you writing lessons about how to write an engaging informational report essay, including research, note taking, and paraphrasing skills. This unit contains detailed lesson plans, mentor texts, anchor charts, student writing tasks, and rubrics –everything you need to be a capable, confident writing teacher with students who love to write.

More about this resource

If teaching writing has ever made you cry, weep, tear out your hair, question your existence, or binge-watch reality television—because it’s just that frustrating and overwhelming—this writing unit is perfect for you. 

If your students dread writing time more than meatloaf in the school cafeteria…this writing unit is perfect for them, too. 

Teaching writing can be tough. Teachers tell me that their district-provided writing curriculum is:

• too complicated

Or worse, they don’t have any curriculum at all. Yikes! 

But my third grade informational report writing unit makes teaching writing easy . It takes all the guesswork out of teaching writing and gives you the tools you need to teach engaging and effective writing lessons without breaking a sweat.

The ready-to-use lessons and activities in this informational report writing unit will teach your students h ow to conduct research, take note, paraphrase, craft a strong lead, choose interesting details, write topic and concluding sentences, and structure paragraphs .   And all you have to do is print and teach . The lesson plans are that simple. Seriously.

Student-friendly mentor texts make it easy to provide illustrative examples of new writing skills. You don’t have to waste your time and money hunting down just the right book.  Focused mini lessons and daily writing tasks simplify the writing process helping ALL students, even reluctant writers, experience success. Preprinted anchor charts make it easy to model new skills and engage in shared writing without wasting valuable time. And best of all, my informational report writing unit  makes writing fun  for  ALL  your students – from  reluctant writers  to  excited writers . The  Student Success Path  helps you identify where your students are on their writing journey and plan just-right lessons and  interventions .  Short, focused lessons  keep students engaged. Simple, direct writing tasks help kids develop confidence.  Conference materials,  including outlines and topic cards, you can use to guide small group discussion make it easy for you to  differentiate lessons.

Choice empowers students to write about things they care about and makes them more invested in their writing. And that’s a big deal because students who enjoy writing and get lots of practice perform better on standardized testing. 

Plus, these materials are  easy-to-use . Everything is organized in folders to help you find just what you need. A  Quick Start Guide  makes it simple to get started and provides tips on how to prep materials for long-term use.

The 2-week  Starting Writing Workshop mini-unit  will help you start your writing instruction on the right foot. Detailed teacher directions show you exactly how to use all the resources and activities.  

How Our Writing Curriculum is Aligned with the Science of Reading :

• Structured writing routine: Our writing curriculum is organized into 4 genres. Each 8-week unit is carefully structured, beginning with foundational skills before moving into more advanced skills. Students are taught a systematic approach to writing including: brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.
• Explicit instruction: Daily lessons begin with explicit instruction including access to examples via mentor texts, modeling, and directed practice. Each skill is broken down into bite-size pieces so that students can learn one skill at a time. Students practice skills independently, working on one sentence or paragraph at a time.
• Differentiation: Writing is differentiated through small group instruction that provides reteaching, additional practice, and support at appropriate levels.
• Daily opportunities to write: The majority of the writing lesson is reserved for independent writing time, providing students with large blocks of time to write and practice skills every day. 
• Demonstrates the connection between reading and writing: Mentor texts provide concrete examples of writing skills and allow children to experiment with and apply sophisticated skills and language in their own writing. In addition, constructing their own writing pieces helps students recognize, connect, and understand these strategies when reading.  

What’s Included:

• Detailed teacher directions and suggestions for simple implementation
• Unit-at-a-glance calendar for each unit
• 7 exclusive videos walking you through how to get the most out of these writing units
• 40 days of lesson plans that include guiding questions, materials, mini lessons, student work tasks, student share tasks, intervention, and several extension activities
• 13 original mentor text passages
• 24 informational report task cards
• 24 paraphrasing facts task cards
• 24 informational report writing prompt task cards
• 11 teacher anchor charts (blank and filled in versions)
• Student anchor charts and printable for writing notebooks
• Conference and goal tracking forms
• Writing grades tracking forms
• List of 10 additional mentor text books (Remember, using them is optional, because I’ve included all the mentor texts you need) 
• 6 different writing publishing papers
• Student writing notebook cover and dividers
• Teacher notebook covers and binder spines
• Multiple ideas for author share celebration
• DIGITAL writing notebooks on Google Slides
• Conferencing Materials – Conference outlines, a sample conference, and topic cards you can use to guide your small-group conferences
• Student Success Path – Identify where your students are on their writing journey
• Starting Writing Workshop Bonus – Two weeks of writing lesson plans to help build stamina and set your students up for writing success

Skills Covered:

Students learn h ow to use research, take notes, and paraphrase, and write an engaging information report with a strong lead, topic and concluding sentences and details. Lessons include:

• Setting goals
• What is an informational report?
• Generating report ideas
• Narrowing your report idea to a seed
• Research and note taking
• Paraphrasing
• Table of contents
• Writing a lead
• Topic and concluding sentences
• Word choice-adding vocabulary and definitions
• Adding details
• Transitions
• Writing a conclusion
• Text features

How to Use it in the Classroom: 

A typical day of writing:.

I recommend you set aside 30-45 minutes for writing each day (or more if you have it). Check out the sample schedules below. Each day follows the same plan:

• Mini-Lesson (8-10 minutes): The day kicks off with a mini-lesson to teach a particular skill. The mini-lesson uses mentor text (remember, it’s included in the unit) and anchor charts. For the teacher version of the anchor charts, you can project and fill them out with the class, or print and display them in your classroom. The student versions are smaller so they can fill them out and keep them in their writing notebooks for reference.
• Work Time (18-20 minutes) : Students will apply the skill they just learned into their writing each day. The included writing tasks make it crystal-clear what to do during independent writing time–for you and your students. By the end of the unit, they will have completed two full masterpieces and many other independent writings. 
• Share Time (2-5 minutes) : Students are encouraged to share a piece of their writing with a partner or with the entire class. This makes writing more meaningful to kids and holds them accountable.

Organization made easy:

• The informational report writing unit is organized into multiple folders and files so it’s easy for you to find what you need.
• A 40-day daily schedule so you know exactly what to teach each day.
• Detailed daily lesson plans make teaching writing easy.

Differentiation:

There are many ways to differentiate writing assignments:

• These daily writing prompts are intentionally short and sweet so that all students, even those below grade level, can feel successful. Most tasks can be completed in 1-2 sentences.
• More advanced writers can write longer responses, or work on a second masterpiece if they finish early.
• Students can complete fewer task cards or work with a partner; you can also provide support to students as they work on task cards.
• The process for teaching writing includes group conferencing time. These groups should be based on ability so that you can individualize your instruction to meet the specific needs of the group.

Why you’ll love this writing unit:

• You’ll save hours of prepping and planning time. The daily lesson plans are easy to implement. All you have to do is print and teach. 
• Mentor texts are included. You do not need to hunt down or purchase any additional books! (Unless you want to. Far be it from me to stand between a teacher and new books.) 
• Digital anchor charts project onto your white board-so you don’t have to be Picasso or Renoir to anchor your kids in the lesson.
• Pre-printed student anchor charts make it easy for students to follow along without having to write every word and draw complicated diagrams.
• Digital student notebooks are perfect for 1:1 classrooms and a great way to save paper.
• These lessons work for all students, even students below grade level.
• Task cards incorporate movement, reinforce concepts, and make learning fun. Daily share time encourages students to take pride in their writing.
• Direct writing instruction provides a solid foundation of writing skills that leads to increased test scores.
• Aligned with the Science of Reading .

*****************************

More Third Grade Writing Units:

Personal Narrative for Third Grade

Opinion Writing for Third Grade

Fiction Narrative for Third Grade

Frequently Asked

Yes. I also have personal narrative , opinion essay , and fiction narrative writing units available.

This informational writing unit is available for grade 3. I also have informational writing units available for grades two , four , and five .

I prefer composition notebooks because they are sturdy and easy to use and store. But other teachers have used spiral bound notebooks or three-ring binders.

Yes. These writing lessons are based on Common Core standards.

The lessons for consecutive grade levels are very similar because the standards are similar. The biggest difference is that the reading level on the mentor text passages is modified to meet the specific grade level. Other differences include new examples in the lesson plans and anchor charts and new task cards. It is generally fine to use units that are one level above or below grade level. You might want to select the lower grade level to ensure that the mentor texts are easier for students to read.

Each unit includes eight weeks of materials. I recommend spending 30-45 on writing each day. The lesson takes 8-10 minutes and the rest of the time would be used for independent writing.

Students complete two masterpieces in each unit. But they may work on additional pieces if they finish daily assignments early.

My writing units are a standalone curriculum. They are not based on or aligned with any other curriculum. However, they are based on the writing standards. My curriculum is organized into units of study and formatted in the workshop model and hundreds of teachers have successfully used my writing units with their district provided curriculum.

My writing units are a standalone curriculum. They are not based on or aligned with any other curriculum. With that being said, I have hundreds of teachers who have chosen to use my units as a supplement to their Lucy curriculum because it is more manageable and engaging for students.

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How to Write an Information Report

Published by Boni on May 18, 2021 May 18, 2021

No matter the task you are handling in an information report, you need to know the characteristics and structure of the paper. Information reports are based on different topics like pollution, computers, and so on, where you are required to provide the audience with information about the topic. Thus, you must know what the report entails before writing it.

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What is an Informational Report?

An informational report is a formal report that provides facts, data, or details about an area of study, subject matter, or incident. Its primary objective is to enlighten a certain audience in a clear and straightforward way. Informational reports are frequently used to guide decision-making, summarize research findings, or give updates on certain topics in various disciplines, including research, business, government organizations, and academia. An informational report focuses on giving factual, impartial facts free of interpretations or personal viewpoints.

The report clearly outlines the facts, information, or statistics so readers can easily understand the main points. An informational report’s material is logically organized into sections such as an introduction, an executive summary, the body of the report, and the conclusion. It may also incorporate illustrative materials like tables, charts, or graphs to aid understanding. An informational report is useful for informing and educating the intended audience by efficiently presenting the information.

Information Reports Categories

When writing an information report, you have to understand which category you are dealing with to ease your work.

• Reports on social studies. These are information reports where you are required to describe culture and economy, history, people, and society.
• Scientific reports. These reports major on describing the behavior and appearance of the subject of your information report.
• Technological reports. They focus on information related to the uses and components of technology.

We understand that students always have a lot to do from participating in extra-curricular activities to going on compulsory class events; hence they have to ensure that they try to balance the time for all these activities which to many is stressful and comes along with a lot of pressure. You can relieve yourself from all these by choosing professional help from our English Literature homework help service and have your report handled by a team of professionals.

Difference Between Informational and Analytical Reports

Their primary focus is the first obvious distinction between informational and analytical reports. The main goal of an informational report is to offer facts, figures, or other information about a topic. Its goal is to give readers precise information free of interpretation or analysis. The report serves as a comprehensive assessment of data and findings, providing a thorough grasp of the subject.

An analytical report, however, goes beyond merely presenting the data. It includes interpreting and analyzing data to reach conclusions, spot patterns, or offer wise advice. The analytical report aims to offer analyses, interpretations, and assessments of the data acquired. It could include statistical analysis, trend predictions, or comparative research, providing a more thorough grasp of the issue.

The objectives of an analytical report and its influence on the decision-making process differ from those of an informational report. Informational reports are written to educate and inform readers about a specific subject. Its purpose is to inform and clarify without trying to sway any particular actions or views. The report is an informative summary and a useful resource for future reference.

In contrast, the influence of an analytical report on the decision-making process is greater. Its purpose is to help decision-makers by providing them with information and analysis. The report does more than show the facts; it analyzes them, draws conclusions, and suggests next steps. Strategic decisions, policy formulation, and future direction development frequently rely on analytical reports’ findings.

How to Write an Informational Report                          

To effectively convey information to your audience in a written report, you must prepare ahead, conduct thorough research, and organize your findings. Mastering the art of writing an effective informational report is essential whether you are a student, working professional or aspiring researcher. If you want your report to be well organized and helpful, follow the guidelines below:

• Define the scope of the topic

It is crucial to determine the subject’s scope before beginning the report. Choose the precise methods you want to use and the elements or boundaries you want to include.

• Evaluate important keywords and phrases

Choose and consider relevant words and phrases for your theme. These are crucial for carrying out fruitful research and making sure that your report is accurate and relevant. Look for information from credible sources using these keywords. Using keywords will help you know the words/vocabulary to use in your report.

• Present facts objectively

A fact-based report should be objective and free of personal biases or prejudices. Keep your information accurate and backed up by reliable sources. Be careful not to speak emotionally or subjectively. In this case, any other party can then examine the same data and draw their own interpretations of the facts.

• Evaluate sources

It is critical to assess the reliability and credibility of your sources when performing research for your informational report. Think about the author’s credentials, the source’s reputation (publication or website), and the accuracy of the data. Use reliable resources, such as scholarly publications, official reports, and recognized specialists in the field.

• Develop note-taking skills

It is crucial to have strong note-taking abilities to organize and synthesize material during the research process. Take thorough notes, underlining important ideas, arguments, and applicable references. This will make later structuring and writing your report simpler and less time-consuming.

Structure of Informational Report

When creating a report, the report’s goal should always come first. An informational report often has the following format.

• Table of contents

The table of contents is mostly included for long information reports to assist the audience in locating specific information in the text. For long information reports, ensure that each section corresponds to a page number on the table of contents for easier navigation through your report. For shorter information reports, number the sections instead of page numbers. Page numbers are entered in the table of contents after the written information report. A table of contents for a paper on climate change, for instance, would have headings like “Introduction,” “Causes of Climate Change,” “Effects of Climate Change,” and “Conclusion.” The table of contents aids readers in quickly locating specific material by giving a summary of the report’s organizational structure.

• Introduction

The introduction establishes the context for your report by summarizing the subject and its importance. It should draw the reader in and make the report’s goal evident. In this section, you can also briefly describe the methods used and the study’s overall scope. Finally, at the end of your introduction is the thesis statement of your information report, which should be a clear short sentence. If you are having troubles coming up with a clear and concise thesis statement, feel free to use our free thesis generator tool.

For instance, an introduction that highlights the worldwide energy situation introduces the idea of renewable energy and outlines the study’s goals for instance, can be included in an informational report on renewable energy sources.

• Subheadings

After introducing your report, the next step is to provide subheadings. Subheadings divide the report’s main body into several sections, making it simpler for readers to find a particular piece of information. The subheadings should be organized and descriptive. Arrange the subheadings chronologically, thematically, or according to any other pertinent factors, depending on the content. Using the renewable energy example once more, viable subheadings are “Solar Energy,” “Wind Energy,” and “Hydropower.” Include detailed information regarding each subheading.

This is where you summarize the data in the body paragraphs to remind the audience of what you have discussed in the information report. It is unlike a classic conclusion where one presents their opinion on the topic at the end. The conclusion could also include rhetorical questions and links to materials that will assist the audience in understanding more about the topic of discussion. You can also provide your thoughts, recommendations, or ideas for additional research. For example, in the case of our climate change study, the conclusion might highlight how urgent it is to address the issue, underlining the necessity for sustainable policies, and motivate readers to take action.

A glossary is especially helpful if your report uses jargon, acronyms, or technical phrases. To ensure that readers fully understand the text, the glossary defines and explains each of these terms. It aids in improving clarity and prevents confusion. For instance, the glossary might describe terminology like “UN,” in full, which is United Nations.

• Bibliography

In this section, you outline all the resources you have used in completing your information report. These could be websites, peer-reviewed journals, books, magazines, and other sources.

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General Language Features of an Informational Report

When creating an informational report, language is essential to deliver the intended information to the audience properly. These general features include:

• Present tense

Informational reports frequently use the present tense to portray a sense of urgency and to make the material seem current and relevant. You can give the facts you are presenting a timeless quality and draw readers in by employing present-tense verbs. For example, the research was conducted among young children.

• Subject-specific vocabulary

When writing an informational report, it is crucial to use subject-specific vocabulary to show your knowledge and accuracy. This entails using specialized vocabulary, technical jargon, or terminology associated with the subject under discussion. However, using general terms and expressions can take time for your reader to follow you. For instance, say the girl was 8 years old instead of the girl was between the ages of 8 to 10 years.

• General nouns

A neutral, objective tone is maintained in an informational report by using generic nouns rather than specific names or proper nouns. It could be a specific person, location, item, or concept.

• Passive voice

Writing an informational report requires a passive voice. When someone speaks in a passive voice, the focus is returned to the object rather than the speaker.

The exact purpose of the passive voice in informational reports also justifies using the third person. When writing in the third person, you establish an impersonal tone while maintaining the genre-appropriate formality.

For example, according to the research, the student’s performance is high.

• Facts vs opinion

It is crucial to distinguish between what counts as facts and what might be viewed as an opinion in a report because informational reports do not consider your perspective but instead focus on providing facts about the subject.

• Visual information

It is crucial to have visuals to support the text. Graphs, diagrams, tables, charts, and tables are a few examples of visuals. They facilitate faster information retention for the reader. Always label the captions when employing visuals so that they describe what they depict. Concise illustrations support the ideas made in the text. Each image used here should have a caption to explain what it contains, and images must be presented in a properly structured infographic format .

Information Report Writing Tips

• Always write your information reports in the present tense and in the third person point of view.
• Include some labeled diagrams in your information report where possible.
• Employ the correct technical and scientific terms in your report.
• Always assume that your readers are not informed about the topic you are discussing, which implies that you need to explain your topic before getting into the body.
• Make effective use of paragraphs and ensure that every new idea in your information report begins in a new paragraph.
• Comments or questions on your findings should only be included in the conclusion. Ensure that the rest of your information report is based on evidence and facts.

After writing the information report, the only remaining task is proofreading and editing. Take a break from the writing and read through the report a day after with a fresh mind. Reading through will help you identify any grammatical errors, inconsistencies and correct any structural errors. Also ensure that your final report is plagiarism free; you can use our free plagiarism checker tool to confirm if your work is 100% original.

The breadth of the issue must be clearly defined, the appropriate phrases and keywords must be assessed, facts must be presented, credible sources must be assessed, and excellent note-taking abilities must be developed to write a successful informational report. An informative report’s language should include the present tense, subject-specific vocabulary, common nouns, and passive voice and delineate between facts and opinions. Visual aids like charts, diagrams, and tables can improve comprehension and should be supported by clear captions.

An informational report’s structure often includes a glossary, introduction, table of contents, and subheadings. While the introduction establishes the report’s context and purpose, the table of contents aids readers in navigating the document. For easy comprehension, the main body is divided into sections by subheadings. The primary conclusions, which may offer advice or ideas, are outlined in the conclusion.

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About 1 in 5 U.S. teens who’ve heard of ChatGPT have used it for schoolwork

Roughly one-in-five teenagers who have heard of ChatGPT say they have used it to help them do their schoolwork, according to a new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17. With a majority of teens having heard of ChatGPT, that amounts to 13% of all U.S. teens who have used the generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot in their schoolwork.

Teens in higher grade levels are particularly likely to have used the chatbot to help them with schoolwork. About one-quarter of 11th and 12th graders who have heard of ChatGPT say they have done this. This share drops to 17% among 9th and 10th graders and 12% among 7th and 8th graders.

There is no significant difference between teen boys and girls who have used ChatGPT in this way.

The introduction of ChatGPT last year has led to much discussion about its role in schools , especially whether schools should integrate the new technology into the classroom or ban it .

Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to understand American teens’ use and understanding of ChatGPT in the school setting.

The Center conducted an online survey of 1,453 U.S. teens from Sept. 26 to Oct. 23, 2023, via Ipsos. Ipsos recruited the teens via their parents, who were part of its KnowledgePanel . The KnowledgePanel is a probability-based web panel recruited primarily through national, random sampling of residential addresses. The survey was weighted to be representative of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 who live with their parents by age, gender, race and ethnicity, household income, and other categories.

This research was reviewed and approved by an external institutional review board (IRB), Advarra, an independent committee of experts specializing in helping to protect the rights of research participants.

Here are the  questions used for this analysis , along with responses, and its  methodology .

Teens’ awareness of ChatGPT

Overall, two-thirds of U.S. teens say they have heard of ChatGPT, including 23% who have heard a lot about it. But awareness varies by race and ethnicity, as well as by household income:

• 72% of White teens say they’ve heard at least a little about ChatGPT, compared with 63% of Hispanic teens and 56% of Black teens.
• 75% of teens living in households that make $75,000 or more annually have heard of ChatGPT. Much smaller shares in households with incomes between $30,000 and $74,999 (58%) and less than $30,000 (41%) say the same.

Teens who are more aware of ChatGPT are more likely to use it for schoolwork. Roughly a third of teens who have heard a lot about ChatGPT (36%) have used it for schoolwork, far higher than the 10% among those who have heard a little about it.

When do teens think it’s OK for students to use ChatGPT?

For teens, whether it is – or is not – acceptable for students to use ChatGPT depends on what it is being used for.

There is a fair amount of support for using the chatbot to explore a topic. Roughly seven-in-ten teens who have heard of ChatGPT say it’s acceptable to use when they are researching something new, while 13% say it is not acceptable.

However, there is much less support for using ChatGPT to do the work itself. Just one-in-five teens who have heard of ChatGPT say it’s acceptable to use it to write essays, while 57% say it is not acceptable. And 39% say it’s acceptable to use ChatGPT to solve math problems, while a similar share of teens (36%) say it’s not acceptable.

Some teens are uncertain about whether it’s acceptable to use ChatGPT for these tasks. Between 18% and 24% say they aren’t sure whether these are acceptable use cases for ChatGPT.

Those who have heard a lot about ChatGPT are more likely than those who have only heard a little about it to say it’s acceptable to use the chatbot to research topics, solve math problems and write essays. For instance, 54% of teens who have heard a lot about ChatGPT say it’s acceptable to use it to solve math problems, compared with 32% among those who have heard a little about it.

Note: Here are the  questions used for this analysis , along with responses, and its  methodology .

• Artificial Intelligence
• Technology Adoption
• Teens & Tech

Olivia Sidoti is a research assistant focusing on internet and technology research at Pew Research Center

Jeffrey Gottfried is an associate director focusing on internet and technology research at Pew Research Center

Many Americans think generative AI programs should credit the sources they rely on

Americans’ use of chatgpt is ticking up, but few trust its election information, q&a: how we used large language models to identify guests on popular podcasts, striking findings from 2023, what the data says about americans’ views of artificial intelligence, most popular.

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After Reports About Trump Jurors, Judge Demands Restraint From the Press

Some news reports have included details about jurors that had been aired in open court. One was excused after she developed concerns about being identified.

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By Jesse McKinley ,  Kate Christobek and Matthew Haag

• April 18, 2024

The judge in former President Donald J. Trump’s criminal trial ordered reporters to not disclose employment information about potential jurors after he excused a woman who said she was worried about her identity becoming known.

The woman, who had been seated on the jury on Tuesday, told the judge that her friends and colleagues had warned her that she had been identified as a juror in the high-profile case. Although the judge has kept prospective jurors’ names private, some have disclosed their employers and other identifying information in court.

She also said that she did not believe she could be impartial.

The judge, Juan M. Merchan, promptly dismissed her.

Moments later, Justice Merchan ordered the press to not report the answer to two queries on a lengthy questionnaire for prospective jurors: “Who is your current employer?” and “Who was your prior employer?”

The judge conceded that the information about employers was necessary for lawyers to know. But he directed that those two answers be redacted from the transcript.

Justice Merchan also said that he was concerned about news outlets publishing physical descriptions of prospective or seated jurors, asking reporters to “simply apply common sense.”

“It serves no purpose,” Justice Merchan said about publishing physical descriptions, adding that he was directing the press to “refrain from writing about anything you observe with your eyes.”

William P. Marshall, a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Law in Chapel Hill, said that Justice Merchan’s order appeared “constitutionally suspect.” Professor Marshall said that a landmark Supreme Court ruling in a 1976 case, Nebraska Press Association v. Stuart, struck down a trial judge’s ruling barring the news media from reporting information introduced in open court.

“The presumption against prior restraint is incredibly high in First Amendment law,” Professor Marshall said. “It’s even higher when it’s publishing something that is already a matter of public record.”

Lawyers for news outlets, including The New York Times, were expected to seek clarification on the order.

With the loss of the female juror on Thursday morning, six seated jurors remain.

In early March, Justice Merchan issued an order prohibiting publicly disclosing the names of jurors, while allowing legal teams and the defendant to know their identities.

But before the trial, Mr. Trump’s lawyers requested that potential jurors not be told that the jury would be anonymous unless he or she expressed concerns. Justice Merchan told the parties that he’d “make every effort to not unnecessarily alert the jurors” to this secrecy, merely telling jurors that they would be identified in court by a number.

On Thursday, Justice Merchan seemed frustrated by news reports that included identifying characteristics of potential jurors that had been aired in open court. He said: “There’s a reason why this is an anonymous jury, and we’ve taken the measures we have taken.”

“It kind of defeats the purpose of that when so much information is put out there,” he said.

He added that “the press can write about anything the attorney and the courts discuss and anything you observe us do.”

But he also said he had the legal authority to prevent reporters from relaying employer information on prospective jurors. He added that “if you can’t stick to that, we’re going to have to see if there is anything else we can do to keep the jurors safe.”

Jesse McKinley is a Times reporter covering upstate New York, courts and politics. More about Jesse McKinley

Kate Christobek is a reporter covering the civil and criminal cases against former president Donald J. Trump for The Times. More about Kate Christobek

Matthew Haag writes about the intersection of real estate and politics in the New York region. He has been a journalist for two decades. More about Matthew Haag

Our Coverage of the Trump Hush-Money Trial

News and Analysis

Donald Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan is off to an ominous start for the former president, and it might not get any easier  in the days ahead. Here’s why.

The National Enquirer was more than a friendly media outlet  for Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016. It was a powerful, national political weapon that was thrust into the service of a single candidate , in violation of campaign finance law.

As prosecutors argued that Trump had repeatedly broken a gag order , they called one episode “very troubling”  — his sharing of a commentator’s quote disparaging prospective jurors as clandestine operators for the left.

More on Trump’s Legal Troubles

Key Inquiries: Trump faces several investigations  at both the state and the federal levels, into matters related to his business and political careers.

Case Tracker:  Keep track of the developments in the criminal cases  involving the former president.

What if Trump Is Convicted?: Could he go to prison ? And will any of the proceedings hinder Trump’s presidential campaign? Here is what we know , and what we don’t know .

Trump on Trial Newsletter: Sign up here  to get the latest news and analysis  on the cases in New York, Florida, Georgia and Washington, D.C.

UN rights chief 'horrified' by mass grave reports at Gaza hospitals

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• More than 300 bodies found at Nasser: Palestinian authorities
• Israel calls reports 'baseless and unfounded'
• UN investigating reports that victims' hands were tied

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Reporting by Emma Farge; additional reporting by Nidal Al Mughrabi in Cairo and Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem, Editing by Miranda Murray, William Maclean

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The Israeli military said artillery and fighter jet strikes had hit around 40 targets in southern Lebanon on Wednesday as the intense fighting of recent days continued to escalate, with Hezbollah firing dozens of rockets at an Israeli border village.

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A coalition vessel successfully engaged one anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) launched from the Iranian-backed Houthi "terrorist-controlled areas" in Yemen over the Gulf of Aden, the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) said on Thursday.