Structuring your Report :Artefacts

What is a report and why is this the format of your final written submission?

A report as a style of writing gives you a little bit more flexibility than a traditional essay. For example, with a report you can include subheadings and some ideas in point form where appropriate. It also means that you don’t need to argue a point as you would in an essay so you have a little bit more freedom to discuss what you have discovered through your research.

This document offers a simple suggested structure. This is super, super basic. Please don’t feel like you need to stick to this guide. It you have other ideas, go for it. If you are totally stuck and have no idea how to start you can use this to begin and then alter to suit your own project.

You have 1800 - 2000 words. 10% is for your introduction and conclusion (200 words each), which means you have about 10 paragraphs at 150 words each. How to write a paragraph.

An example of a very simple structure for your report might be:

Introduction: 200 words<

• What is your topic/ the key connection between your three artefacts.
• What are your 3 chosen artefacts? Describe them Who, what, where, how?
• How do the chosen artefacts relate to your topic?

Contextualising your topic: 2 paragraphs x 150 words<

• What are they key ideas that link your 3 artefacts? Expand, provide context.
• What do I need to understand about history/ design/ society so that I can understand your artefacts?
• What are the key terms that you explored through your research?

Section 1: 2 paragraphs x 150 words<

• Discuss how your first artefact relates to your research
• Remember that each paragraph should be a single point that is backed up by evidence. That means that in this section you can introduce two key points about how your artefact relates to the research topic.
• Evidence can come from formal and semiotic analysis that you have conducted or from insights gained from your research sources (quoting, paraphrasing).

Section 2: 2 paragraphs x 150 words<

• Discuss your second artefact in relation to the research
• Two points One discussed with evidence in each paragraph.

Section 3: 2 paragraphs x 150 words<

• Discuss your third artefact in relation to the research
• Two points One discussed with evidence in each paragraph.

Section 4: 2 paragraphs x 150 words<

• What are some connections that you can make between your chosen artefacts in relation to the research topic?
• You have room in this structure to discuss two points of intersection between your

Conclusion: 200 words<

• What are some key insights that you have gathered in relation to your research topic through studying the artefacts you have chosen?
• Here is a handy resource about conclusions.
• In your conclusion/ introduction stay away from sweeping generalisations. No talk about ‘since the beginning of man’ anything. Focus on what you have actually learned from your If you have not learned much and only copied and pasted phrases that you found on the internet, you will find conclusions really difficult to write and we can get a very good sense of your engagement (how much you have actually thought about stuff) from your conclusions.