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Checklist for Final Review: Reports
Once you have made your review draft as complete and polished as possible, have it reviewed by
one or more people who understand the principles (analyzing content, engaging readers, and so on)
that you have been working with in this chapter.
- Give the reviewer a copy of your draft, one he or she can make notes on.
- Give the reviewer a copy of your context analysis. If necessary, revise that analysis before giving it to the reviewer.
- Ask your reviewer to begin his or her response by answering the following questions. (1) What are the main points I am
making in my report? (2) Given what I say in my context analysis, how likely does it seem that this report will be informative
and credible to my intended audience?
- Ask your reviewer to adopt the perspective of the audience described in your context analysis and then use the following
checklist in commenting on your work.
- In my context analysis, please highlight any statements that give you a good sense of the knowledge, values, and needs of my intended audience. Please indicate any statements that need to be clarified.
- In my context analysis, please highlight any statements that give you a good sense of the circumstances, purposes, and expected format for my report. Please indicate any statements that need to be clarified.
- In what specific passages have I developed my topic thoroughly, especially by answering questions my readers are likely to have? What are some passages in which you have questions about what I say, either because my writing seems unclear or because you think my audience would disagree? What are some strategies I might use to make my report clearer, more complete, or more credible?
- What portions of my introduction seem likely to engage the interest of my intended audience? What are some strategies that might make the introduction more engaging?
- How would you describe the voice I have created? At what points does that voice seem appropriate, given my intended audience and the subject matter of my report? What strategies might help me make the voice clearer or more appropriate?
- What are some words or phrases that provide a clear structure for my report, making information accessible, creating clear expectations for readers, and indicating links between paragraphs or larger sections of text? What strategies might I use to make the structure of my report clearer?
- Is the conclusion of my report effective? What strategies might I use to make it more effective?
- If the report includes photographs or other visual elements, how do they help make it informative and credible? Are there any points at which I need to add more visual elements? If so, what should they beÑheadings, pictures, bulleted lists? At what points do I need to add or revise captions for pictures or legends for charts, graphs, and maps?
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