Example of Report Text Paper

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

A.    Background

            Report text is one of the kinds of text in reading english skill subject. In this paper, will be explained the contents of report text as detail as possible. Hopefully, the readers are easier to understand the materials.

B.     Written Purpose

1.      To know the definition of report text

2.      To know the structure, fuction, and feature of report text

3.      To increase the readers’ knowledge about report text

CHAPTER 2

CONTENT

A.    Definition of Report Text

            Report text is a kind of text which  has social function to describe the way things are, with the reference  to a range of natural, man made and social phenomena in our environment.

            Report is a text which presents information about something, as it is. It is as a result of systematic observation and analysis.

            From the above definition, we can underline the points that :

1.      Report text aims to give the reader information about something. The information that given by a reporter must be real, factual, and objective.

2.      The information that given by a reporter is as a result of the analysis and systematic observation.

3.      It shows us clues to understand what problem does the report text tell about?

B.     Generic Structure of Report Text

1.      General classification:

·       Tells what the phenomenon under discussion is.

·      Stating classification of general aspect of thing; animal, public place, plant, etc which will be discussed in general.

2.      Description:

·      Tells what the phenomenon under discussion is like in item of behaviour, quantities, qualities (uses), pysical feature, food, habitat, habits, etc.

·      Describing the thing which will be discussed in detail; part per part, customs or deed for living creature and usage for materials.

C.    Language Feature of Report Text

·      Introducing group or general aspect.

·      Using conditional logical connection; when, so, etc.

·      Using simple present tense.

D.    Communicative Purpose

·      To inform factual information about specific subject

·      To inform the reader about...

·      To describe something systematically

E.     Generic Features

·      Report texts usually used Simple Present Tense, and seldom use past tenses (if the thing is extinct).

·      The language is neutral or should be objective: no expression of opinions, no reference to the reader (not using “I”, “we” or “you”).

·      Frequent use of “Passive Sentence”.

·      Use of “be”: is, am, are, was, were for the classification.

·      Use of verb “have”: have, has, had, in order to give detail description.

·      Use of action verbs related to the topic, especially when describing behaviours.

·      Use of adjectives in describing especially the qualities.

·      Often accompanied by photos, diagrams, maps and illustrations.

·      Some examples of reports are: scientific reports, recommendation reports, white papers, annual reports, auditor's reports, workplace reports, census reports, trip reports, progress reports, investigative reports, budget reports, policy reports, demographic reports, credit reports, appraisal reports, inspection reports, military reports, bound reports, etc.

F.     The Differences between Report Text and Descriptive Text

            Some text types are quite difficult to differ. Such report and descriptive text have the similarity in the social function and generic structure. However if they are analyzed carefully, the slight difference between the two text types will reveal.

            The purpose of the two texts are to give the live-description of the object/participant. Both the report and descriptive text try to show rather than tell the reader about the factual condition of the object. Readers by themselves will catch the impressive point of the object through that showing writing style.

            What make different, between report and descriptive text, is the scope of the written object. If we talk about, eg: bicycle, it belongs to report text. It will talk about bicycle in general; its parts, physical strengh, function for certain people or other general characters of bike. In the other hand, descriptive text will convey more focus, for example "my bicycle" with its specific characters; colour, lengh, wheel style, etc.

            In short, report text describes the way of certain things and frequently refer to phenomenon of nature, animal and scientific object. Mostly, report is written after getting careful observation. This scientific and technical sense make clearer difference from descriptive text. The way of descriptive text in showing thing is based on the objective fact of the thing. It describe the specific thing simply as the thing is.

G.    Example of Report and the Analysis

Kangaroo

            A kangaroo is an animal found only in Australia, although it has a smaller relative, called a wallaby, which lives on the Australian island of Tasmania and also in New Guinea.

            Kangaroos eat grass and plants. They have short front legs, but very long, and very strong back legs and a tail. These are used for sitting up and for jumping. Kangaroos have been known to make forward jumps of over eight metres, and leap across fences more than three metres high. They can also run at speeds of over 45 kilometres per hour.

Analysis :

General Classification

                 A kangaroo is an animal found only in Australia, although it has a smaller relative, called a wallaby, which lives on the Australian island of Tasmania and also in New Guinea.

Description

                 Kangaroos eat grass and plants. They have short front legs, but very long, and very strong back legs and a tail. These are used for sitting up and for jumping. Kangaroos have been known to make forward jumps of over eight metres, and leap across fences more than three metres high. They can also run at speeds of over 45 kilometres per hour.

Another Examples of Report Text :

Venice

Venice is a city in northern Italy. It is the capital of region Veneto. Together with Padua, the city is included in the Padua-Venice Metropolitan Area. Venice has been known as the “Queen of the Adriatic”, “City of Water”, “City of Bridges”, and “The City of Light”. The city stretches across 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy.

 Venice is world-famous for its canals. It is built on an archipelago of 117 islands formed by about 150 canals in a shallow lagoon. The islands on which the city is built are connected by about 400 bridges. In the old center, the canals serve the function of roads, and every form of transport is on water or on foot.

 You can ride gondola there. It is the classical Venetian boat which nowadays is mostly used for tourists, or for weddings, funerals, or other ceremonies. Now, most Venetians travel by motorised waterbuses (“vaporetti”) which ply regular routes along the major canals and between the city’s islands. The city also has many private boats. The only gondolas still in common use by Venetians are the traghetti, foot passenger ferries crossing the Grand Canal at certain points without bridges.

 You can see the amusing city’s landmarks such as Piazza San Marco, Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, Saint Mark’s Cathedral or villas of the Veneto. The villas of the Veneto, rural residences for nobles during the Republic, are one of the most interesting aspects of Venetian countryside.

They are surrounded by elegant gardens, suitable for fashionable parties of high society. The city is also well known for its beautiful and romantic view, especially at night.

What is a Tornado?

            Tornadoes are known as one of the most damaging disasters. What is the description of tornadoes? A tornado is a very powerful column of winds which spirals around a center of low atmospheric pressure. A tornado will look like a large black funnel which hangs down from a storm cloud.

            The name "tornado" derives from the Latin "tonare". It means "to thunder." While the Spanish developed the word into "tornear" which means "to turn or twist". This is why a tornado is sometimes called twister or cyclone.

            The winds inside a twister can spin around at speeds up to 500 miles an hour, but it usually travels at roughly 300 miles an hour. This speed twisting makes a tornado the most dangerous storm.

            The average tornado has a diameter of about 200 to 300 yards. The smaller tornadoes are known as satellite tornadoes. These small offspring, about 50 yards across, can be very fierce and do lots of damage.

            The forming of a tornado can be very quick. Sometimes it can form in a minute or less. A tornado can travel across the ground at high speeds, then it can suddenly vanish. Most tornadoes last less than twenty minutes and travel less than 15 miles. However, the super storms sometimes travel over 100 miles before they are exhausted.

CHAPTER 3

CONCLUSION

            From the explanations in chapter 2, the writer make a conclusion that :

Report is a text which presents information about something, as it is. It is as a result of systematic observation and analysis.
 The generic structures of report text are general classification, and description. 
 Language feature of report text is using simple present tense. 
The communicative purpose of report text is to inform factual information about specific subject.
The differences between report text and descriptive text is that mostly report text is written after getting careful observation. This scientific and technical sense make clearer difference from descriptive text. The way of descriptive text in showing thing is based on the objective fact of the thing. It describe the specific thing simply as the thing is.

REFERENCES

Hornby, AS. 2007. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: 7^th Edition. London:    Oxford University Press

Murphy, Raymond. 1995. English Grammar in USA. A Self Study Reference and   Practice book for intermediate students. London: Cambridge University       Press