The Module Approach to Writing Reports

The module approach to writing reports suggests thinking and note-taking in “modules” of thought. For this approach, we will roughly define a module to be a relatively short group of thoughts that come together as one idea, formed all at one time or with the latter parts flowing from the former.

Ex: “It was a beautiful day. The sun was brightly shining, the sky was as blue as could be, and there was hardly a cloud to be seen. The heavenly temperature was accented by a light, fragrant breeze. The parks would be crowded today, people young and old out enjoying nature's best. The scent of the flowers would tingle their noses even in their dreams that night, and the breeze would tousle their hair as they slept.” {This module begins by describing the weather of the day, then flows on to the conclusion that the parks will be crowded, then on to the next conclusion about the people's dreams.}

The main idea behind this approach is that allowing your thoughts to flow freely will provide a bigger picture, as well as aid in the formation of your own conclusions and viewpoints. This is opposed to the approach of simply grouping like facts, without allowing the mind to flow from fact to implication, etc. An example of this might be: “It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining brightly, with hardly a cloud to be seen, and the sky was extraordinarily blue. Even the temperature was perfect!” {While there is nothing exactly wrong with it, this statement does fail to draw any conclusions or illustrate any implications. It is simply a list of facts.}

Steps

1. Begin by reading (what you anticipate to be) your source documents. You may need to read them through once (or even twice) before you start taking notes. Your notes will flow more freely (in the form of modules) if you already have the big picture in mind. (Of course, it is always a good idea to write down anything that jumps out at you. And whenever your mind starts formulating sentences, paraphrases, sequences, etc., you should definitely write it down.)

2. Re-read the information, paraphrasing and writing down these modules of thought. These will be your notes. It is a good idea to go ahead and cite your source for each module. This will make it much easier to compile the final bibliography.

3. Look through your notes. Group similar statements, or ones that talk about the same thing, together. Try highlighting them, with a different color for each group.

4. Form the groups of statements into paragraphs. Try not to say the same thing over and over. Pay special attention to citing your sources; if you mix them up, it may be difficult to find the correct source again.

5. Organize the paragraphs into the outline of the report. They should flow in a logical order.

6. Review the paper. Put on finishing touches and embellishments. Smooth it out. Check for any errors. A small prayer might be helpful.

7. Finished! Now a day of rest!