Clarify specific directions and requests about the report on the article. Are the two pages hand-written or typed? With a typed page being 250 words, ask if the report has a minimum word length such as 500 words. Consider whether the report is for secondary school, college or university, business or other organizations. Clarify what type of information should be in the report. Does the report involve a summary, and analysis or an opinion? Record the criteria and any directions or modifications as the report is in progress. Use the correct form of citing the article title, author, date of publication and publication information.
Article reports often require a summary of the article. Use the report directions or guidelines as a checklist to ensure that your summary includes all the requested information. During the drafting process, practice writing a neutral summary. Neutral summaries present the article information without providing opinions. In this case, adopt a journalist or reporter voice. Use attributive language such as ,"According to the article..." or "The author states..." With a neutral summary, the reader has an opportunity to receive the article's information in a condensed form without interfering opinions. As you write the summary, ensure that the summary contains the same information as the article, but in your own words. As an exercise, imagine explaining the article to a friend who doesn't know the topic. Then, use your own voice to compose the summary without plagiarism.
Analysis of the article can take several forms, again depending on your audience and purpose. Verify the facts of the article by researching credible sources. Report any discrepancies you find in numbers, dates, quantified data, summaries and conclusions. Use critical thinking skills. Note logical fallacies such as hasty generalizations, appeals to emotions, false analogies and questionable conclusions. Explain the logical fallacy if you think the article contains one. Note that you may agree with a conclusion in the article even if you don't agree with the article's reasoning. Read "between the lines." Does the article contain unstated information, attitudes or reasoning? Select sample quotes from the article include them in the report.
Prepare to include your opinion of the article. In drafts, keep a list or log of your questions and opinions as they arise. Try to answer the questions you have if the article doesn't provide them. As you note your opinions, include an explanation of how you arrived at your conclusions about the article. Be prepared to discuss your opinions in further detail using the article or other articles on the same topic. Develop and provide support for your informed opinions with additional research. Strengthen the opinion process by learning as much as possible about an article's author, topic and other lines of research.
Prepare your report for presentation. Check and double-check spelling, grammar and punctuation. Ask another writer to review your work for form, content and readability. Reread the report again. As the author, take the responsibility for the final report. Keep the report stored in several types of electronic format for easy retrieval. Create a hard copy if necessary. Note that you completed the report and any feedback you received. Use the report as a review if you agree to do another report on an article.