Writing Paper Part 2. Task Type: Report

Question
Your local community group is interested in the views that local people hold about crime in your area. You have been asked to write a report for the chairman of the community group. You should address the following points:

Write your report for the chairman. (around 300 - 350 words)

What you need to include to pass
Click here for our checklist first to understand what the examiner is looking for in a good answer.

Ideas for writing
Ask yourself the following questions to help you get started:

• First make a list of common crimes that are likely to concern young people:
  Examples
  - mugging
  - car crime (theft or vandalism)
  - physical assault
  Look at your list and decide which ones you are going to focus on. Choose at least three.
  
• For each crime, brainstorm why young people are likely to be afraid and how they and the community group can take precautions.
  Example notes:
  mugging - items like money, mobile phones, MP3 or personal CD players
  precautions - try to hide valuable items, travel with a group of friends, learn self-defence (individual)
  - better street lighting (action for the community group)
  Make notes like these for all of the crimes in your list.
  
• It is usual in a report to use subheadings. How can you divide your report into sections with appropriately succinct headings?
  E.g. 1. Fears of crime
  2. Precautions to avoid becoming a victim
  OR
  E.g. 1. Mugging
  2. Car theft
  3. Burglary
  

Drafting and proofreading your work
You should look at your first draft of the task and decide:

• Have you answered the question fully?
• Is the layout and organisation appropriate for your report?
• Is the language accurate with a good range of structures?
• Is the style appropriate and consistent throughout? Is the tone right?
• Will the chairman be informed about the fears of young people and crime?