ABSTRACT
To meet your deadline it helps to break what you need to do into smaller tasks and make a plan, identifying how long each task will take. On average drafting, editing and presenting the report will take as long as gathering the information - it is common to underestimate this. In identifying your tasks, refer back to your aims (Section 7.1). In the resources/support column, identify what and who might be useful (eg specialists for advice on information or designing methods; materials to help you use a particular IT package).its
Tasks Resources/ support needed Time needed to complete Deadline
You might find Chapters 3 and 20 on ‘Organising Yourself and Your Time’ and Chapters 18 and 32 on ‘Action Planning’ helpful. 7.3.2 Gathering information
This chapter focuses on writing the report rather than on gathering information for it. Chapter 5 on ‘Gathering and Using Information’ in Part I will help you here. Your information may be gathered from: • your own research/investigations• published material• unpublished work by others. The following are particularly important to keep in mind. • Identifying your purpose will help you see what information you need.• The reader should be able to trace your information. This means you need a good recording system when you gather it, with all the details needed for when you produce the report. For further help on referencing, see Chapter 5 on ‘Gathering and Using Information’ in Part I or ask learning centre/library staff for advice.• You need to give evidence for any arguments, views or conclusions. You need to identify any information based on opinion or biased in any way - see Chapter 22 on ‘Critical Analysis’ in Part II. If you have collected the evidence yourself (eg from an experiment or a survey) you need to include how you gathered it, as well as what the evidence is. Again, this means having a good recording system. • You may need permission to use the material (eg from an author, employer or other source of the information). 7.4 Your content On university/college courses, you may need to manage complex information/ideas, where you must identify underlying aspects and make links between different ideas. These will need to be presented in a logical and clear manner. 7.4.1 Main points
You should identify the key points to include in your report. Look back at your audience and aims (Section 7.1).
