A report is a paper that portrays detailed, clear and exact content which is mainly as a result of experimentation, research or investigation. It is presented to an audience or for personal use and they are mainly used in education, business or science. The main objective of writing a report is to enlighten the reader with detailed information relevant to the topic. University students should be encouraged to write reports in their assessments in order to broaden their minds in various fields. The students should be able to portray a positive attitude while writing reports in order to write relevant material. They should also be able to understand the aim of writing a report rather than writing irrelevant material in any section of the report. (Dzelme n.d)
Reports are important in assessing students at the university level in all the courses that they are undertaking. This is because these reports help to assess and document the performance of the students in their course work. Reports help students to have a positive and open mind while inquiring and investigating the delegated assignment. They give students a lot of experience in their field of study thus allowing them to achieve high standards while preparing themselves for their future careers. The reports help the students to understand the topic they are researching more than when they do it theoretically in class. In this way, reports help students to achieve self-confidence in their course work as well as a good presentation of information. (Jackson, Watty, & Yu 2005)
When reports are well written and presented, they give the candidate a chance to see where they shine and especially when it comes to career choice. In cases where reports are poorly written and presented, it may cause a problem for a candidate since the integrity of their work gets at stake. This gives chance to the course instructor to know the students better depending on how much effort they put into their assignments. It is very important for the students to write clear and relevant reports so that they can be able to measure how much they have learned during the course work. Assessments that are in form of reports should be taken seriously because they help a student present the work to the instructor in a precise form thus they are able to prove their potential. (Dzelme n.d)
Report writing helps portray and improve one’s communication skills. It is essential that reports are written without any grammatical errors so that the work can come out clear and to the point. They are used to examine a candidate’s skills as well as their knowledge on various issues some of which affect society. They help bring out the potential of the candidate not just in theoretical form but also practically in their line of study. This helps to give a student confidence to follow the career of their choice in the course of study. Report writing in a way helps a student know how knowledgeable they are in their field of study and decide if they made the right choice in career. The reports should therefore be well organized and presented well in a concise manner. (Dzelme n.d)
Reports help students to know their abilities in terms of their performance on academic success and also outside the course work in the class. This is achieved through the process of gathering and conducting an investigation on the delegated assignment of the report. The student is able to associate with many people while gathering information and in this way, they are able to know more about what they can achieve. This interaction with many different people helps one gain more experience in their field of study. It is therefore very important that university students should have reported in the assessments because they are about to go and face the world with what they have acquired in school. The experience they gain while practicing the reports will help them while looking for jobs once they complete school. (Jackson, Watty, & Yu 2005)
Report writing is also important because it helps University students achieve the required standards before leaving school. This is because the students are exposed to many relevant materials that will help them make the right decisions. There is a method of learning whereby errors are easy to correct and remember the next time one is presented with the same problem. They allow one to remember more material when sitting for the examinations because the reports are practical and not theoretical. The assessments where students are supposed to present in reports are more precise and relevant to the area of study. The student becomes more keen and aware of the various studies they are undertaking. (McMillan, & Weyers 2006)
Reports also help the instructors to be able to help students more in their academic work. This is because the instructors are able to understand how students learn under different conditions thus they will be able to help students with different problems. The students are able to form clear, defined and relevant goals that are focused and important in their studies. This is because reports are written with a specific purpose in mind and the writer is aware of what is happening around him. The information that is presented should be logical and concise so that the instructor can be able to analyze the work well. In this way, the method of learning will be improved by a great deal. (Weinert., & Kluwe 1987)
Students should be able to maintain a level of responsibility in their work and report writing is one way that students maintain this responsibility. This is because they keep the students involved in their academic work since they require a lot of detail and planning. In this way, students are given an opportunity to keep their academic work shining while at the same time being responsible. It is important to note that academic work is not just for the sake of completing the assigned work but to learn more in that field. This report writing method of assessing students helps their dreams be accomplished by getting students involved in relevant course work. (Bligh 1971)
Reports in most cases deal with real issues that are affecting society at large. This is important because it gives students an opportunity to interact with many issues that are projected in the report. The student is able to acquire knowledge even in matters that are happening in the society and thus creates more knowledge and understanding on applicable issues. This is also important because it will give the candidate the opportunity to gather more credible materials to use on the assigned project. It is also important to involve the students in this kind of project so that they remain focused on their work all the time. This diversity in report writing is what makes it so important in assessing students. (Weinert., & Kluwe 1987)
Reports help improve the students’ academic performance as a whole. This is because it improves the quality of learning in general thus giving learning the value it deserves. Improving the quality of learning is very essential in achieving the necessary to the students since they are the next leaders in the society. The objective of the academic performance is to make sure that all the procedures are followed. This is fundamental in ensuring that the education sector is solid and that students are able to achieve their goals and objectives. In ensuring the academic standards are maintained in the Universities, the reports also make sure that all students are engaged in a worthy course. (Bligh 1971)
Report writing is very essential to student assessments during their University life because it is important for all students to keep the report writing procedures in mind. This allows them to be able to write their work in a well-defined manner and thus improve their writing skills. This will help them to keep their work well organized and coordinated which is also important in their future careers. Reports are not just for providing results but to ensure that they are well managed and well kept. They allow coordination in both the classwork and their other activities involved while preparing and writing the reports. (Bligh 1971)
Conclusion
Report writing is fundamental in assessing students because of the many advantages it brings to the students. The students are presented with an opportunity to make good judgments while taking their various courses for their future careers. The student assessment is essential to ensuring that they maintain good standards in academic performance. The main aim of the reports is to provide the students with an open mind while they are taking their respective courses. It is also necessary to write well-designed reports where all the relevant materials are collected. Reports guide students on the work they are doing and thus helps to keep them prepared at all times.
References List
Bligh, D. A.1971, What’s the Use of Lecturing? Devon, England: Teaching Services Centre, University of Exeter.
Dzelme, J. (n.d), Use of general and specific standards for the evaluation in higher education.
Jackson, M, Watty, K, & Yu, L. (2005), Assessing Students Unfamiliar with Assessment Practices in Australian Universities. Web.
McMillan, K, & Weyers, J. (Ed) 2006, smarter student: study skills & strategies for success at university, Pearson Prentice Hall, Print.
Weinert, F. E., and Kluwe, R. H. 1987, Metacognition, Motivation and Understanding, Hillsdale, N.J.: Erlbaum.