Report Characteristics
Characteristics of Effective Reports
Factual:
- Must show facts, which can be proven.
- Must be objective and restricted to facts only.
- No opinions, suppositions, or hearsay – only what can be proven.
Accurate:
- Requires correct information based on good field notes.
- Achieved by carefully, thoughtfully, and impartially recording all relevant information and facts.
Complete:
- Who, What, When, Where, How, Why (Usually not relevant but admissible)
Clear:
- Proper language requires using words that cannot be misunderstood.
- Logical sequence of events makes the report easier to understand and shows the reader from A to Z what happened and in what sequence.
- Never leave room for doubt as to what is being reported
- Write in plain English free from jargon
- Report should be grammatically correct.
Timely:
- Reports should be completed in an appropriate amount of time and forwarded for review as soon as possible.