Research the history relevant to your specific topic. For example, if the report is on ethics concerned with the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, then it is important to understand what those rights are, how they were won and why they are considered important. Although you may not use much of that information directly in the report, it will help to give direction and may provide an insightful quote from a famous person.
Define justice. Whatever else you may include in the report, a clear definition of justice is essential because it is the target of all systems of ethics. If the report will show the merits of a rights-based system of ethics, it needs to demonstrate how basing ethics on rights can help to create justice.
Develop a concise and focused thesis statement. Whether it is written for a boss or a college professor, a good report will present a coherent argument for rights-based ethics. Having a good thesis statement will ensure that the individual points composing the report work together. Ensure that the argument you try to prove is neither too narrow nor too broad, or else you will have difficulties finding the right amount of points to support your thesis statement.
Find strong examples of rights-based ethics helping people. Pick examples with which you are familiar; it is easier for most people today to write about the ethical complications of rights over public Wi-Fi usage or camera phone-related privacy issues than about the rights of merchants 3.000 years ago. Since the rise of democracy, rights have been the cornerstone of government and social interaction in the Western world. Examples of rights-based ethical systems today abound and will strengthen your argument significantly.
Explain the process by which rights-based ethics work. Rights serve two purposes: they grant man the justification to do something, and they prevent other men from interfering with that justified activity. Demonstrate how both the positive and prohibitive aspects to rights-based ethics help form a functional society.
Contrast rights-based ethics with other systems of ethics. Showing how utility-based (utilitarian) ethics are very likely to mistreat the underprivileged will strengthen the argument for rights-based ethics. Other examples could include divine command ethics, deontological ethics or relativist ethics.
Close your argument strongly. No report on rights-based ethics should finish weakly; rights-based ethics themselves work only if practiced with firm conviction. Reiterate your thesis statement in such a way that all of the arguments given throughout the report support it as a fact.
Review your report. Not only double- and triple-check grammar, style and references, but ensure that the content is accurate, honest and supports the thesis statement. It is also important to ensure that examples and contrasts are used in a way that is relevant to the overall goal of the report; the rights-based ethical procedures of government in ancient Athens might be interesting historically, but they are probably of little relevance to why rights-based ethics should be used in the modern office setting.