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10 teacher tips for writing truly effective report card comments.
So it’s report card time again, and you want to write report card comments that show parents you’re thinking about their child’s individual needs and convey exactly what families need to know to help kids move forward. But you also have grades to compile, lessons to plan, and more than 20 of these report cards to ready before they have to be posted to students’ online portals.
You need help writing report card comments, and you know what? You aren’t alone. In a 2018 survey of teachers by the non-profit Learning Heroes, most teachers said they felt untrained and unsupported when it comes to having tough conversations with parents, and a third felt like they had pressure from the administration not to put too many low grades on their students’ report cards. What’s more, while 6 in 10 parents told Learning Heroes they assume As and Bs on their report card means their kids are on track, most teachers said a report card ranks third in terms of the tools they’re using to help parents understand student achievement — showing a disconnect regarding report cards.
Of course, there’s added stress knowing that report card time is not always a happy time for students. A study published in 2018 JAMA Pediatrics showed that when report cards were sent out on Fridays , child maltreatment seemed to increase on the Saturdays immediately following — proof of what teachers have long suspected.
So where does that leave teachers who have a pile of report card writing to do? To help bridge the divide, these report card writing tips may help.
Tips for Writing Report Card Comments
Use simple language.
Most parents are not experts in pedagogy and are unlikely to know the acronyms you use on a daily basis and may not even be familiar with your school’s particular grading system. Stick to simple language in your report card comment writing, and when possible add explanations of things they may not know about. It’s better to overexplain than to have frustrated parents bombarding your email the night after report cards go out!
For example: Instead of “Grace applies a range of higher-order thinking skills and comprehension strategies when decoding texts,” write “When reading, Grace uses a range of skills to identify the meaning of the text.”
Don’t wait until report cards are due
We know you have a lot on your plate, but making notes throughout the marking period and collecting data in a student folder can make report card writing a whole lot easier! So don’t leave your collection of data and report writing to the last minute. The more you collect, the more evidence you will have, and the easier it will be to write your report card comments.
Stick to the point
When you’re working your way through more than a dozen report cards, sometimes you can feel like you’re repeating yourself and be tempted to deviate from the point at hand. But remember, parents only need to hear about important matters that are relevant to their child. Unnecessary information will only cause confusion.
For example: Instead of “John delightfully expresses a range of different ideas during whole-class discussions,” write “John participates well in class discussions and shares his ideas with others.”
Focus on levels of achievement over specific achievements
There are myriad steps that kids take toward proficiency, and parents don’t need to a long list of all the units and activities you’ve covered in class during the marking period. instead, they need to know how their child is performing in relation to the expected levels of achievement and how they might need to improve.
For example: Instead of “Jayshawn has developed efficient mental and written strategies and uses appropriate digital technologies for multiplication and division where there is no remainder,” write “Jayshawn uses his knowledge of multiplication facts to solve a range of division problems. He is now working towards solving problems with larger numbers.”
Refer to the child’s ongoing performance
When reading their child’s report, parents want to know what was learned, how well their child performed, whether there are any areas for improvement, and what should be done for their child to meet the next achievement standard. Avoid comments that may only refer to task completion or that only provide an evaluation.
For example: Instead of “Kia has completed the required writing task,” write “Kia has achieved a personal writing goal by constructing an informative text. She is now working towards punctuating her writing correctly.”
Download a free list of report card comments !
Use evidence to support your comments.
When writing reports, continuously refer back to samples of students’ work. Use these work samples as evidence to indicate individual student achievements against the standards, or in comparison to other students in the class. Base your comments on quality evidence, and be prepared to provide parents with examples of their child’s work.
Use sentence starters
Your students aren’t the only ones who could use a little bit of help to get their creative juices flowing. Start off with a series of basic sentence starters such as:
- Claire challenged herself this marking period by …
- Jose has shown improvement in …
- Some of the best examples of Tamika’s work …
Use a checklist
Prevent the chance of leaving something out or writing too much by using a report card comment writing checklist. The checklist will ensure that you have included student achievements, areas for improvement, what the school is doing to support the student and their learning, suggestions for the parents to help their child progress, and a general comment with new learning goals.
Find something positive to say
Even when a child is struggling or behaving poorly in the classroom, there is always something positive to say about your students — and this gives both kids and their parents something positive to build from. The areas of improvement should not be ignored, and you don’t have to ignore a child’s disciplinary actions entirely, but the report card comments section should be about building toward student success and not a forum for complaints.
Prepare the parents
There will be times when you will need to write a report that doesn’t reflect the expectations of the parents. If you are aware that a child is not going to achieve a standard or has required additional support to complete set tasks, then it is strongly recommended that you reach out to the parents of those children prior to them receiving their child’s report. Parents greatly appreciate being informed about their child personally by their teacher, instead of waiting for a report card to read about it, and you can start working together immediately to form a game plan for support and improvement.
When meeting with parents, have an open conversation about how their child is performing in class and what support you are already providing with suggestions for the future. Create a partnership with the parents, and provide them with suggested activities to support the child at home.
A Final Word
For many parents, opening a report card with their child can be a challenge. To help them — and you — we’ve created this helpful list of tips teachers can share with parents in their classroom about how to discuss a report card.
You may also want to download a list of suggested report card comments to make your job just a little bit easier — created by the teachers on the Teach Starter team!
Banner image shutterstock/Aleksandar Malivuk
- Classroom Management Us
- Teaching Ideas
- Goals and Feedback
- Report Card Writing
- Monitoring Student Progress
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How to Write a Report: A Guide
A report is a nonfiction account that presents and/or summarizes the facts about a particular event, topic, or issue. The idea is that people who are unfamiliar with the subject can find everything they need to know from a good report.
Reports make it easy to catch someone up to speed on a subject, but actually writing a report is anything but easy. So to help you understand what to do, below we present a little report of our own, all about report writing.
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What is a report?
In technical terms, the definition of a report is pretty vague: any account, spoken or written, of the matters concerning a particular topic. This could refer to anything from a courtroom testimony to a grade schooler’s book report.
Really, when people talk about “reports,” they’re usually referring to official documents outlining the facts of a topic, typically written by an expert on the subject or someone assigned to investigate it. There are different types of reports, explained in the next section, but they mostly fit this description.
What kind of information is shared in reports? Although all facts are welcome, reports, in particular, tend to feature these types of content:
- Details of an event or situation
- The consequences or ongoing effect of an event or situation
- Evaluation of statistical data or analytics
- Interpretations from the information in the report
- Predictions or recommendations based on the information in the report
- How the information relates to other events or reports
Reports are closely related to essay writing , although there are some clear distinctions. While both rely on facts, essays add the personal opinions and arguments of the authors. Reports typically stick only to the facts, although they may include some of the author’s interpretation of these facts, most likely in the conclusion.
Moreover, reports are heavily organized, commonly with tables of contents and copious headings and subheadings. This makes it easier for readers to scan reports for the information they’re looking for. Essays, on the other hand, are meant to be read start to finish, not browsed for specific insights.
Types of reports
There are a few different types of reports, depending on the purpose and to whom you present your report. Here’s a quick list of the common types of reports:
- Academic report: Tests a student’s comprehension of the subject matter, such as book reports, reports on historical events, and biographies
- Business reports: Identifies information useful in business strategy, such as marketing reports, internal memos, SWOT analysis, and feasibility reports
- Scientific reports: Shares research findings, such as research papers and case studies, typically in science journals
Reports can be further divided into categories based on how they are written. For example, a report could be formal or informal, short or long, and internal or external. In business, a vertical report shares information with people on different levels of the hierarchy (i.e., people who work above you and below you), while a lateral report is for people on the author’s same level, but in different departments.
There are as many types of reports as there are writing styles, but in this guide, we focus on academic reports, which tend to be formal and informational.
>>Read More: What Is Academic Writing?
What is the structure of a report?
The structure of a report depends on the type of report and the requirements of the assignment. While reports can use their own unique structure, most follow this basic template:
- Executive summary: Just like an abstract in an academic paper, an executive summary is a standalone section that summarizes the findings in your report so readers know what to expect. These are mostly for official reports and less so for school reports.
- Introduction: Setting up the body of the report, your introduction explains the overall topic that you’re about to discuss, with your thesis statement and any need-to-know background information before you get into your own findings.
- Body: The body of the report explains all your major discoveries, broken up into headings and subheadings. The body makes up the majority of the entire report; whereas the introduction and conclusion are just a few paragraphs each, the body can go on for pages.
- Conclusion: The conclusion is where you bring together all the information in your report and come to a definitive interpretation or judgment. This is usually where the author inputs their own personal opinions or inferences.
If you’re familiar with how to write a research paper , you’ll notice that report writing follows the same introduction-body-conclusion structure, sometimes adding an executive summary. Reports usually have their own additional requirements as well, such as title pages and tables of content, which we explain in the next section.
What should be included in a report?
There are no firm requirements for what’s included in a report. Every school, company, laboratory, task manager, and teacher can make their own format, depending on their unique needs. In general, though, be on the lookout for these particular requirements—they tend to crop up a lot:
- Title page: Official reports often use a title page to keep things organized; if a person has to read multiple reports, title pages make them easier to keep track of.
- Table of contents: Just like in books, the table of contents helps readers go directly to the section they’re interested in, allowing for faster browsing.
- Page numbering: A common courtesy if you’re writing a longer report, page numbering makes sure the pages are in order in the case of mix-ups or misprints.
- Headings and subheadings: Reports are typically broken up into sections, divided by headings and subheadings, to facilitate browsing and scanning.
- Citations: If you’re citing information from another source, the citations guidelines tell you the recommended format.
- Works cited page: A bibliography at the end of the report lists credits and the legal information for the other sources you got information from.
As always, refer to the assignment for the specific guidelines on each of these. The people who read the report should tell you which style guides or formatting they require.
How to write a report in 7 steps
Now let’s get into the specifics of how to write a report. Follow the seven steps on report writing below to take you from an idea to a completed paper.
1 Choose a topic based on the assignment
Before you start writing, you need to pick the topic of your report. Often, the topic is assigned for you, as with most business reports, or predetermined by the nature of your work, as with scientific reports. If that’s the case, you can ignore this step and move on.
If you’re in charge of choosing your own topic, as with a lot of academic reports, then this is one of the most important steps in the whole writing process. Try to pick a topic that fits these two criteria:
- There’s adequate information: Choose a topic that’s not too general but not too specific, with enough information to fill your report without padding, but not too much that you can’t cover everything.
- It’s something you’re interested in: Although this isn’t a strict requirement, it does help the quality of a report if you’re engaged by the subject matter.
Of course, don’t forget the instructions of the assignment, including length, so keep those in the back of your head when deciding.
2 Conduct research
With business and scientific reports, the research is usually your own or provided by the company—although there’s still plenty of digging for external sources in both.
For academic papers, you’re largely on your own for research, unless you’re required to use class materials. That’s one of the reasons why choosing the right topic is so crucial; you won’t go far if the topic you picked doesn’t have enough available research.
The key is to search only for reputable sources: official documents, other reports, research papers, case studies, books from respected authors, etc. Feel free to use research cited in other similar reports. You can often find a lot of information online through search engines, but a quick trip to the library can also help in a pinch.
3 Write a thesis statement
Before you go any further, write a thesis statement to help you conceptualize the main theme of your report. Just like the topic sentence of a paragraph, the thesis statement summarizes the main point of your writing, in this case, the report.
Once you’ve collected enough research, you should notice some trends and patterns in the information. If these patterns all infer or lead up to a bigger, overarching point, that’s your thesis statement.
For example, if you were writing a report on the wages of fast-food employees, your thesis might be something like, “Although wages used to be commensurate with living expenses, after years of stagnation they are no longer adequate.” From there, the rest of your report will elaborate on that thesis, with ample evidence and supporting arguments.
It’s good to include your thesis statement in both the executive summary and introduction of your report, but you still want to figure it out early so you know which direction to go when you work on your outline next.
4 Prepare an outline
Writing an outline is recommended for all kinds of writing, but it’s especially useful for reports given their emphasis on organization. Because reports are often separated by headings and subheadings, a solid outline makes sure you stay on track while writing without missing anything.
Really, you should start thinking about your outline during the research phase, when you start to notice patterns and trends. If you’re stuck, try making a list of all the key points, details, and evidence you want to mention. See if you can fit them into general and specific categories, which you can turn into headings and subheadings respectively.
5 Write a rough draft
Actually writing the rough draft , or first draft, is usually the most time-consuming step. Here’s where you take all the information from your research and put it into words. To avoid getting overwhelmed, simply follow your outline step by step to make sure you don’t accidentally leave out anything.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; that’s the number one rule for writing a rough draft. Expecting your first draft to be perfect adds a lot of pressure. Instead, write in a natural and relaxed way, and worry about the specific details like word choice and correcting mistakes later. That’s what the last two steps are for, anyway.
6 Revise and edit your report
Once your rough draft is finished, it’s time to go back and start fixing the mistakes you ignored the first time around. (Before you dive right back in, though, it helps to sleep on it to start editing fresh, or at least take a small break to unwind from writing the rough draft.)
We recommend first rereading your report for any major issues, such as cutting or moving around entire sentences and paragraphs. Sometimes you’ll find your data doesn’t line up, or that you misinterpreted a key piece of evidence. This is the right time to fix the “big picture” mistakes and rewrite any longer sections as needed.
If you’re unfamiliar with what to look for when editing, you can read our previous guide with some more advanced self-editing tips .
7 Proofread and check for mistakes
Last, it pays to go over your report one final time, just to optimize your wording and check for grammatical or spelling mistakes. In the previous step you checked for “big picture” mistakes, but here you’re looking for specific, even nitpicky problems.
A writing assistant like Grammarly flags those issues for you. Grammarly’s free version points out any spelling and grammatical mistakes while you write, with suggestions to improve your writing that you can apply with just one click. The Premium version offers even more advanced features, such as tone adjustments and word choice recommendations for taking your writing to the next level.
Ultimate Report Writing Tips for Students: Best Ideas [Free]
At some point, whether in school or university, you will be required to do report writing. Generally, reports are used to communicate information, which was compiled as a result of studies and analysis. For instance, academic reports are to discuss the findings of studies or surveys.
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The tips on report writing are easy to follow:
- Don’t use jargon.
- Check the formatting.
- State facts.
- Elaborate on meaning.
- Check grammar.
To assist with academic work, our team has prepared several report writing tips for students for you. In the present article, we will talk about the report’s definition and structure. Besides, check the report writing tips according to the type.
So, if you’re wondering about the rules of report writing, proceed to the next part.
- 📋 What Is a Report?
- 🧩 Report Structure
- Financial Report
- Medical Report
- 🔗 References
📋 What Is a Report?
A report is a way to communicate data that you have collected and analyzed so that the intended audience can understand the information concerning a specific issue or problem. Reports always follow a clear and defined structure. It includes sections and subsections and allows the information to be organized logically.
But that’s not all:
There are several essential report writing tips you have to learn as a student :
- Use formal language. A report is an analysis or a description based on research. Therefore, a writer has to use formal language. It requires passive voice use, little to no personal pronouns, neutral verbs.
- Ensure the correct format. For the readers to clearly understand the report, a specific format should be followed. All sections should be in plain English. The body might be written using jargon or specific terminology.
- Prepare in advance. Before starting to write the report, identify the audience and its purpose. Once you do that, collect and outline the information. With the proper organization, the writing part will be easier to conduct.
- Keep to the facts. Focus your writings on the facts. Seek relevant and appropriate information for your report. Find credible sources and provide evidence and illustrative examples based on the information found.
- Make your points clear. Write clearly and concisely. Make sure to write short and simple sentences in plain English. Use linking words and active voice. Also, don’t forget about the punctuation.
- Reference your sources. Referring to someone’s idea in your report, make sure to reference it in the text. After you do that, don’t forget to check whether the sources are correctly referenced. Also, see whether in-text citations match the reference list.
- The guidelines. Did you do what you’ve been asked to?
- The structure . Make sure that the required sections of the report are present.
- The information. No gaps in the literature should be present.
- The argument. The information should support the point.
- The terminology. Explain every unknown word and phrase.
- The formatting. Font, headings, and numbers should be consistent throughout the text.
- The effectiveness. The report should be easy to read and effectively convey the info.
🧩 Academic Report Structure
There are many different types of academic reports that depend on the various disciplines for which they are written. Yet, each one relies on a similar structure, which is a minimum requirement.
Let’s take a look at report writing structure:
- Overview : This is where you will write a summary of the whole report informing the reader what is covered. At the very least, this summary will introduce the purpose and the primary features. You might also mention any conclusions reached and offer up recommendations.
- Background : This is the section in which you provide the purpose of the report in greater detail. The background information for the text is also introduced here. This background addresses the 5 Ws: Who, What, Where, When, and Why.
- Discussion : This is where you present your results and findings. You will include all your evidence, data, findings, and arguments in this section. It must be well-organized. Use headings and subheadings to ensure your information makes sense to the reader.
- Conclusion : This is where you review the primary points from the discussion and state all conclusions to which you have arrived. You should first discuss the main result, followed by the remaining findings, present logically. You can also provide recommendations if it’s relevant to your report.
Each of these must be present in a general report structure and format. However, specialized types of report writing might call these sections by different names. They might include additional parts to help deliver the required information.
At the very least, you should generally include a title page, a table of contents, and appendices. The University of Leicester provides excellent examples of a report writing format.
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🔬 Report Writing Tips According to Type
Let’s take a look at some specific and common types of reports that you might be asked to write with that in mind.
But remember:
Regardless of whether you see a specific format for report writing here or elsewhere, you have to ensure that it fits with the type you are required to write.
To make sure this is the case, here are some helpful tips for report writing:
- Read all formatting guidelines carefully. Pay close attention to the language used in report writing guidelines. It is rare for an official website to use colloquialisms, so they might not be reliable if you see them.
- Make sure the guidelines are suitable. Some can be unfitting for the type of report you will be writing. Since there are many types, there is a good chance that the guidelines you have come across are for a different kind of report.
- Do not carelessly follow any guidelines. Even if the guidelines for writing a report essay are written according to high standards, it does not mean that you need to include all sections recommended in the guidelines. Only add the parts that are relevant to your report and modify them if necessary.
The academic writing format varies with the type of report. Therefore, it’s time to start learning about the most popular ones.
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Financial Report Tips
A financial report is a type of business report writing, and its structure is very similar to the organization provided above. If you are a student of business, then you need to learn how to write them.
What should be included in a financial report?
- External financial statements. These include income statements, comprehensive income statements, balance sheets, statements of cash flow, and statements of stockholders’ equity.
- Notes to financial statements.
- Communication concerning quarterly profit and related data through press releases and conference calls.
- Quarterly and annual reports to stockholders.
- Information about finances posted on the business’ website.
- Financial reports to legislative offices, including quarterly and annual reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
- Documentation relating to the issuance of common stock and various securities.
A financial statement consists of several elements. Two elements are essential: the balance sheet and the income statement. Additionally, cash flow statements and notes to financial statements are prepared.
The main elements of a financial report are as follows:
- Title Page. The part includes the title of your report, your name, and the date of submission.
- Executive Summary . It is essentially the Overview discussed above, with which you present a summary of the entire report, including the methods of analysis used, findings, and recommendations.
- Table of Contents . Here you provide a thorough list of the sections and subsections in the report.
- Introduction . It is the equivalent of the Background discussed in the general structure. You should include an outline of the report and any relevant background information and terms of reference the reader needs.
- Body . It is the equivalent of the Discussion presented above. You should divide the discussion of the data and findings into organized sections and subsections.
- Conclusion . As discussed above, here you will summarize the report’s main points, the findings, the conclusions drawn, and any recommendations, if relevant.
You can refer to the University of Wollongong for detailed information on how to write a financial report.
Lab Report Tips
The time will come when you have to present your lab results in the form of a formatted laboratory report. This is where you might be wondering how to write one. Relax. It’s easier than you think.
A lab report is a scientific paper that summarizes the goal of the lab you conducted, including your methods and findings. Its purpose is to demonstrate to your instructor that you understood the lab and adequately present your findings.
A lab report generally consists of seven primary sections, as follows:
- Title Page . The part is where you will include the title of your experiment, your name (and the names of other group members), the course’s name, your instructor’s name, and the date of the experiment. The title page of the scientific report should indicate what the experiment is about. The variables of the study should be there.
- The point and reasoning to the examination within one/two sentences.
- The participants and setting.
- The technique: what design, what surveys or questionnaires were used?
- The significant findings. You can mention specific statistical findings or simply summarize the results.
- How does the study contribute to the knowledge within the literature? What was the research done for?
- Introduction . It is a summary of the experiment and why you are conducting it. You should include any research questions or hypotheses addressed in the investigation. Remember that you only need to use one of them. The introduction should present general information about the topic. Ideally, the writer should start broad and then narrow down to a specific point. That way, the study’s aim does not appear out of thin air but has a theoretical background. A research question example: Can background rock music improve students’ math performance? The equivalent research hypothesis example: Background rock music can have a positive impact on students’ math performance. Keep in mind: The question allows for both a positive and a negative answer, while the hypothesis gives a specific direction.
- Participants . Provide information on how many participants were recruited and how you obtained the sample. Add any necessary and relevant demographic data.
- Design . State the experimental design. Provide the information on the variables, how were they operationalized, and what controls were used?
- Materials . Provide the list of the materials used. Include the reliability of the measures used in the study.
- Procedure . Describe the exact process briefly but in sufficient detail to allow the replication of the studies.
- Results . Briefly state what you found when conducting your experiment. You can use several methods to display your data, including use tables and graphs, to ensure your results are easy to understand. Present the descriptive statistics followed by inferential. Name the statistical test. Report the means, standard deviations, confidence intervals, and any other appropriate statistics. The effect size is optional to be reported.
- Discussion . It is the most significant section of your lab report, which means it will be the longest. Here, you will discuss the critical analysis of your findings and provide an interpretation of them. Make sure to write the discussion in plain English, avoiding statistical terminology. Compare the results of the present study to the ones used in the Introduction section. Discuss the similarities/differences. Be sure to link this discussion to your original research question or hypothesis and discuss your methods’ potential limitations. Upon that, discuss constructive ways your study could be improved. In case there were incidents in your research, mention them. Provide an idea for future research.
- Conclusion . Briefly summarize the experiment or lab you conducted and the results. It is not a section to include new information. Summarize the key points and findings in no more than 3-4 sentences.
- References . Consult the required citation style guidelines, and be sure to include all your sources in this section. Find out more about format styles and APA citation style in particular. Remember that it is not a bibliography. Every time you refer to an idea or a name, you need to cite the information source.
Naturally, you might be writing lab reports in many sciences, such as physics, biology, chemistry, and geology. However, they, along with technical report writing, tend to follow the same format. Here is a lab report example for students:
Students’ math performance depends upon a number of factors. Among these, the learners’ innate abilities, the effectiveness of instruction, and the psychological climate in the classroom are the most important. Manthei and Kelly (2010) concluded that classical and popular music has no effect on academic performance.
The goal of this research is to investigate the impact of rock music on the math performance of high school students. The hypothesis of this study is that background rock music can have a positive impact on the psychological climate in the classroom and on students’ math performance. The same math test was carried out in two different classes with and without background rock music…
The University of Toronto provides a great breakdown of the structure of a lab report. For a lab report sample, check out the University of Delaware .
Medical Report Tips
If you are a medical student, then you are bound to be required to write medical reports. Since prominent doctors began to announce their significant findings concerning their progress, medical reports became an essential part of delivering responsible medical care.
There are three essential tips for writing a medical report:
Unlike many other types, when writing a medical report that you intend to share with a third-party, you will need the patient’s consent or their legal guardian prior. A formal request might also be a reason to write a report in the medical profession.
All original notes to accompany a medical report. The Royal Children’s Hospital of Melbourne provides an excellent set of guidelines for writing a medical paper. Monash University also provides a tutorial on how to write a case report with the use of a medical report sample.
A case study is one of the most common types of medical reports, which involves examining a particular subject, like a person or a group. A case study can be used as a foundation for all other types of medical reports.
The following is its general writing format:
- Background : It provides an introduction to the report. In it, you should outline all the background information that is relevant to the patient’s situation. It includes the date, time, place, and reason for all examinations and consultations.
- Medical History : The section provides you with an opportunity to describe the patient’s medical history briefly. Here you will include all personal and family medical history. Show how that relates to the current situation.
- Examination : Here, you will present information on the examination results, including the mental, emotional, and physical state of the patient at the time of the study. You should also note the condition of any areas of the body relevant to the reason for the examination. Negative findings relating to the case should also be noted.
- Specimens : If any of them are taken, or tests are conducted, you must detail this first. Obtain them in the medico-legal report. It should provide information about the reasons for obtaining the specimen, the place it was found, and the way it was labeled. Refer to any photos taken, and the text should identify each one.
- Management : If you have any comments on patient management, you should include them here. It might be inappropriate to comment on a patient’s investigations, procedures, and management. However, if the treatment is continuing, a further report might be required.
- Opinion : While the facts must be presented, the physician’s professional opinion is also of interest, and you should provide this. You should formulate this opinion from an objective and impartial position. Some thoughts might be beyond the author’s expertise. Therefore, it is possible to avoid writing a statement.
To see how it all works out, check a medical report sample .
Thanks for reading! We hope that now you understand how to write a report. We’d love to see your opinion on the article in the comment section below.
This might be interesting for you:
- Top Report Writing Tips: How to Make a Great Report
- Good Book Report: How to Write, Topics, Tips and Ideas
🔗 References
- Types of Sources and Where to Find Them: Primary Sources (Illinois University Library)
- Profreading: UW Madison Writing Center
- August Vollmer biography explores famous police chief’s UC Berkeley ties: Berkeley News
- Report Structure: Western Sydney University
- Here Are 5 Financial Reports You Should Be Running: Forbes
- How To Write a Lab Report: ThoughtCo.
- MEDICAL REPORT FOR DETERMINATION OF DISABILITY: NY State Government
- Writing a good medical report: Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne
- HOW TO READ A FINANCIAL REPORT: Stanford University
- Sample Laboratory Report: Hamilton College
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How to Write a Student Report
Daniel smith.
Students begin writing reports as early as middle school. A student report can be for a science project or to summarize a book read during the summer reading program. Several basic concepts should be followed to write a student report regardless of topic or class. Following the basic concepts to write a student report will help you be successful and earn better grades.
Explore this article
- Find out topic
- Write an outline
- Write an introduction to the student report
- Write a closing paragraph for the student report
- Write the body
- Fill in transitional sentences
- Set the student report aside for a few hours
- Check the student report for grammar
- Read the student report
1 Find out topic
Find out what topic will be covered in the student report. If you do not understand what the topic is about, the report will not be a success. Research, study, and understand the topic as much as possible before beginning the task.
2 Write an outline
Write an outline of the basic information from the topic. Review the outline. Number the information in order of importance. This will help you organize the information before beginning the actual report.
3 Write an introduction to the student report
Write an introduction to the student report. The introduction lets the reader know what topic will be discussed. A thesis sentence provides the reader with what information they will learn. A solid introductory paragraph tells the reader the basic concepts and ideas that will be discussed in the report.
4 Write a closing paragraph for the student report
Write a closing paragraph for the student report. In the closing paragraph, restate the basic concepts and ideas. Provide readers with a conclusion as to why the information they learned in the student report was important. Tell readers what they should have learned from reading the report.
5 Write the body
Write the body of the student report. Use one or two paragraphs to support each concept introduced in the introductory paragraph and summarized in the closing paragraph.
6 Fill in transitional sentences
Fill in transitional sentences between the paragraphs to make the report flow. Use a word or phrase from the last sentence of the preceding paragraph in the following paragraph to improve flow.
7 Set the student report aside for a few hours
Set the student report aside for a few hours. Read the student report out loud. Fill in any areas that are awkward or need more explanation.
8 Check the student report for grammar
Check the student report for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Correct any mistakes.
9 Read the student report
Read the student report one final time. Make any required changes. Repeat this step until you are happy with how the report is written.
- 1 Homework Tips
About the Author
Daniel Smith graduated from technical school in 1993 and has been writing since 2005. His has written numerous articles for the instructional website called eHow in areas including gardening, home improvement, celebrating special events and health-related topics.
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105 Report Card Comments to Use and Adapt
Reviewed by Sarah Tino, M.Ed.
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- Teacher Resources
- Tips for writing effective report cards
Learning skills (positive comments)
Learning skills (needs improvement), addition and subtraction, skip counting, place value, comparing numbers, addition with regrouping.
- Word problems
Language (general)
Reading responses, reading comprehension, response journal, note taking, distance learning.
- Key considerations for effective end-of-year report cards
Just about every teacher agrees: report card comments are important to provide insights and next steps to students and families. But there are few who actually look forward to writing them.
Because every instructor knows working under tight deadlines to create upwards of 20 unique and detailed reports at the end of the year or term isn’t exactly straightforward (or particularly fun). That's especially true in the era of distance learning.
And while no one at your school knows your students better than you do, writing valuable report card comments for each of them can be a huge challenge.
That’s why we created a list of 105 sample report card comments — starters to help you find ideas, inspiration, and insights while writing your own report cards.
The 105 report card comments in this list will help you:
- Instill a growth mindset in students
- Build stronger home-to-school connections
- Write stronger leads and use livelier language
- Choose the right phrasing when writing positive and constructive report card comments
Report card comment starters
You'll notice that the report card comments below can act as a springboard for more fully developed ones. But don't worry, using them you'll be able to take some of these one-liners and turn them into insightful and actionable next steps!
For example, you'll be able to take a 1st grade number sense comment like "Your child is able to add and subtract numbers up to 20 using various manipulatives" and transform it into:
Your child is able to add and subtract numbers up to 20 using various manipulatives. This was evident when he was working independently to solve a real-world problem by adding toys in the classroom toy bin. As a next step, they should continue to add to larger numbers to encourage his skills. You can support him by asking him to add his own toy piles at home.
Or taking a responsibility-related learning skill comment from "Your child is able to take responsibility for her own actions both in and out of the classroom" to:
Your child is able to take responsibility for her own actions both in and out of the classroom. She often checks her agenda and day planner to make sure she has all of the necessary materials to complete work at home before leaving. During indoor recess, she takes time to tidy up everything she was playing with.
Notice the difference?
Compared to a single number or letter grade, report card comments can provide even more value to your students and their families. In other words, a number or letter or grade captures the what , while an accompanying comment captures the how .
Depending on the age group or grade level you teach, a letter or grade letter might be enough. However, research in Phi Delta Kappan, the professional journal for educators, suggests:
Comments that identify what students did well, what improvements they need to make, and how to make those improvements, provided with sensitivity to important contextual elements, can guide students on their pathways to learning success and ensure that all learn excellently.
Gather insights into student performance all year long and make report card writing easier with Prodigy, the adaptive math game that students love.
- ________ is confident, positive and a great role model for his/her classmates.
- ________ is frequently among the first to help and mentor other classmates. He/she is a valuable part of the classroom.
- ________ has shown excellent ability to set goals and be persistent in achieving them.
- ________ is interested in his/her own learning, listens attentively, and makes a solid effort to avoid distractions that could interrupt the learning process.
- ________ is accountable and responsible. He/she makes smart decisions, admits mistakes and listens to opportunities to improve.
- ________ relates well to classmates and is appreciative of different perspectives and experiences.
- ________ manages his/her emotions maturely and responds to feedback appropriately.
- ________ always looks for ways to be helpful in the classroom.
- ________ is dependable and reliable, follows directions effectively, and follows through on his/her commitments to him/herself and others.
- ________ is thoughtful, insightful and thorough in written and verbal communication, and has a talent for expressing his/her ideas clearly.
- ________ works well with classmates in group work and often takes a leadership role.
- ________ shows a positive attitude with classmates in group projects and activities, and both takes and gives suggestions and directions effectively.
- ________ shows maturity when solving problems with classmates and uses good communication.
- ________ excels at applying what he/she learns in the classroom to real-world and real-life situations.
- It has been a pleasure to have _______'s enthusiasm, positivity and maturity in my class.
- ________ is an enthusiastic member of the class and shows a willingness to learn.
- ________ shows responsible behavior, works well with a group and shows appreciation for the efforts of classmates.
- ________ is focused during classroom activities and willingly participated in class discussions.
- ________ performs independent work with confidence and focus.
- ________ works independently and takes pride in work done well.
- ________ is focused in class and willingly participates in group discussion.
- ________ is very conscientious and shows excellent effort and care with daily work.
- ________ demonstrates a willing and conscientious effort in his/her daily work.
- ________ shows a conscientious effort to learn.
- ________ has done a great job facing and overcoming big challenges this year. Please continue to nurture and encourage this behavior over the summer.
- ________ shows responsibility and follows directions whenever they are given.
- ________ listens to and follows directions precisely and attentively.
- ________ follows directions promptly and accurately.
- ________ is encouraged to demonstrate more responsible attitudes and behavior in the classroom.
- ________ needs to show more appropriate behavior when interacting with classmates.
- ________ needs to pay attention to the use of appropriate language at all times
- ________ requires encouragement to listen attentively during group sharing times.
- ________ needs to listen to directions more attentively during lessons.
- ________ would benefit from showing a greater desire to contribute ideas in class.
- ________ needs frequent reminders to be attentive during instructions and lessons.
- ________ needs to improve his/her cooperation in group settings. He/she should work on voicing feelings and opinions and listening to others.
- ________ needs to improve his/her work with others. He/she must ensure to accept a share of the work when participating in a group assignment.
- ________ needs to improve on working independently and be sure to ask for assistance only when it is needed.
- ________ often struggles to focus in class, which harms his/her ability to engage well with class activities and assignments.
- ________ is encouraged to use time wisely to finish tasks in the time required.
- ________ is encouraged to be more responsible in completing tasks without needing regular reminders.
- ________ needs to show by the quality of work and use of class time that he/she is properly engaged in the learning process.
- ________ consistently needs reminders to focus on time management.
- ________ needs to follow classroom rules more closely throughout the school day.
Math (general comments)
- ________ is having considerable difficulty with math. I recommend he/she work on studying ________ and ________. This extra practice will help him/her feel more relaxed when doing math in the classroom. Please contact me if you need materials to get him/her started.
- ________ has a good understanding of all math concepts taught so far this year. He/she continues to turn in excellent assignments and especially enjoys hands-on math activities.
- ________ has a positive attitude towards math but continues to have trouble in a few key areas. He should practice every evening at home. Areas that need extra attention are ________ and ________ .
- ________ demonstrates a good understanding of all math concepts studied and communicates with clarity and good justification of reasoning.
- ________ needs to work on increasing his/her speed in math facts. He/she should continue with daily practice with a focus on addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
- ________ seems to need continuous encouragement in math. He/she continues to struggle with basic math concepts for his/her grade level.
- ________ is having a difficult time in certain areas of math. Areas in need of extra work are ________ . Working on these problem areas every night would help improve his/her learning outcomes.
- ________ is struggling to keep up in math. He/she could benefit from practicing the multiplication table and should also continue to practice the long division process.
- ________ is easily distracted during math lessons and behavioral issues are interfering with his/her learning. We will be working on more difficult subjects and he/she will struggle if he/she does not pay attention in class.
- ________ is having trouble with math tests. He/she does well on assignments, but does not seem to retain information for tests. I always give a week’s notice before tests, so please be sure ________ studies and adequately prepares for them as they approach.
- ________ is able to calculate addition and subtraction facts to 18 with confidence and accuracy.
- ________ is becoming more able to calculate addition and subtraction facts to 18 with confidence and accuracy.
- ________ requires more time and practice in calculating addition and subtraction facts to 18
- ________ needs to put more effort into learning to calculate addition and subtraction facts to 18.
- ________ is able to skip count forward and backward by twos, fives, tens, and hundreds to complete short patterns.
- ________ is learning to skip count forward and backward by twos, fives, tens, and hundreds to complete short patterns.
- ________ needs practice with skip counting forward and backward by twos, fives, tens, and hundreds to complete short patterns.
- ________ needs considerable practice with skip counting forward and backward by twos, fives, tens, and hundreds to complete short patterns.
- ________ is able to demonstrate place value concepts to give meaning to numbers from zero to 1000, identifying ones, tens, and hundreds.
- ________ is developing an understanding of place value concepts to give meaning to numbers zero to identifying ones, tens, and hundreds.
- ________ requires more time and practice to demonstrate place value concepts to give meaning to numbers 0 to 1000, identifying ones, tens, and 100s.
- ________ is able to compare numbers to 1000 using terms such as greater or less and greatest or least.
- ________ is learning to compare numbers to 1000 using terms such as greater or less and greatest or least.
- ________ requires support to compare numbers to 1000 using terms such as greater or less and greatest or least.
- ________ demonstrates a limited understanding in comparing numbers to 1000 using terms such as greater or less and greatest or least.
- ________ can demonstrate and explain the process of addition of whole numbers up to 100, with and without regrouping.
- ________ requires ongoing support to demonstrate and explain the process of addition of whole numbers up to 100 with and without regrouping.
- ________ requires considerable attention and individual instruction to demonstrate and explain the process of addition of whole numbers up to 100 with and without regrouping.
Word problems (math)
- ________ is able to complete word problems using one- and two-digit addition, showing his/her work and writing a full sentence answer.
- ________ is becoming more confident in his/her ability to complete word problems using one- and two-digit addition, showing his/her work and writing a full sentence answer.
As we move into language and literacy, the following sections include starter report card comments which cover reading, writing, oral communication and critical thinking skills.
- ________ ’s (comprehension, spelling, reading) has greatly improved, but he/she still needs extra work in (comprehension, spelling, reading). Please contact me if you need supplemental learning materials to use at home for practice.
- ________ is conscious of putting care into his/her daily writing work, and frequently goes beyond the minimum requirements for assignments.
- ________ has trouble with his handwriting. I believe he/she can form letters well, but has to slow down and take a little more time. Neater handwriting will improve his/her schoolwork overall.
- ________ makes a good effort to make his/her handwriting legible. He/she is able to print on the lines, use good spacing, and form letters correctly.
- ________ needs to focus on her spelling. More improvement is needed in the areas of (dictation, weekly spelling tests, sentence structure). Daily practice at home will help improve his/her results.
- ________ shows the ability to quickly use spelling, punctuation and grammar rules that were recently taught. He/she is able to quickly learn new skills and is eager to apply them to his/her writing.
- ________ is having considerable difficulty with reading, particularly with fluency and comprehension.
- ________ speaks well in front of the class, but requires improvement in written language. He/she is having trouble with (dictation, copying words correctly, story writing, creating logical sequences). Further practice is needed in this area.
- ________ continues to make excellent progress in spelling and reading. He/she works hard to submit work that is free of grammatical errors.
- ________ has difficulty remembering previously discussed writing skills and often makes errors with punctuation, grammar, and overall sentence structure. Basic writing skills need improvement.
- ________ is able to offer direct responses to his/her readings and supports ideas with sound reasoning and specific examples.
- ________ is learning to offer more direct responses to her reading experiences supported by reasons, examples, and details.
- ________ needs frequent support to offer direct responses to his/her reading experiences supported by reasons, examples, and details.
- ________ shows good ability when completing reading comprehension tests.
- ________ would benefit from extra practice with reading aloud and discussion of content.
- ________ consistently demonstrates comprehension of short spoken texts by answering questions, and explaining the events described.
- ________ consistently reads grade-level material independently.
- ________ uses good editing skills and correctly places capitals, quotation marks, question marks, apostrophes, commas, and periods.
- ________ is doing a good job of breaking a story into paragraphs
- ________ determines various forms of writing and identifies important ideas through the development of insightful questions and answers.
- ________ is able to analyze character actions, story plots, and shows strong fluency with reading.
- ________ uses correct spelling, grammar and punctuation when writing simple sentences.
- ________ is encouraged to show increased attention to the use of correct spelling, grammar and punctuation with general writing skills.
- ________ needs more time and practice in the use of correct spelling, grammar and punctuation with general writing skills.
- ________ requires considerable assistance to achieve the correct spelling, grammar and punctuation when writing simple sentences.
- ________ shows an excellent understanding of note taking from lectures and readings in preparation for tests and assignments.
- ________ requires ongoing support to develop an understanding of note taking from lectures and readings in preparation for tests.
- ________ was very engaged and focused during distance learning activities, and participated in class discussions.
- ________ stayed motivated to complete assignments during distance learning, and turned in all required materials on time.
- ________ needed some extra prompting to stay engaged during online lessons, but participated well in discussions when called upon.
- ________ modeled good online learning behavior for other students.
- ________ was disruptive during online learning and did not meaningfully participate in class discussions.
- ________ handled technical problems well and was always prepared.
- Although he/she couldn’t always access a device, _________ consistently completed online assignments and asked thoughtful questions.
- ________ should ask more questions during online discussions to avoid confusion later.
- ________’s attendance during online lessons was infrequent and assignments were not always completed.
- ________ worked well independently and in a group setting during distance learning activities.
- ________ is excellent at completing distance learning activities independently, but struggled to engage with his/her classmates during breakout sessions or class discussions.
- ________ is a technology superstar! He/she rarely needed assistance and even helped other classmates troubleshoot issues.
- ________ asks good questions and always reaches out proactively when he/she needs help with an assignment or lesson.
Tips for teachers to write more effective report card comments
Somewhere around the halfway point to your deadline for report cards, you make your best effort to use time at the end of each week to reflect — and jot down notes — about your students’ performance and class week.
What are their strengths and weaknesses? How are their social skills developing with classmates? How is their class participation - are they an enthusiastic learner? Have they shown great improvement in one particular subject area? Are homework assignments getting done? Have any new challenges come up that affect learning?
Even just a few minutes of note-taking in the weeks preceding report card deadlines will help to ease your stress when the time comes to write your final comments.
Moreover, having a dated log of information detailed throughout the school year will help you remember how students are performing throughout each week, which can be valuable information come parent-teacher conference time.
This will also help to engage and reassure parents who want relevant and detailed commentary about their child’s performance at school.
Use Prodigy to write insightful report cards with a minimum of hassle. Prodigy Math is an engaging math adventure for students where success depends on correctly answering adaptive math questions.
As students play, you’ll get insights into:
- Which skills students are practicing
- How far they’ve progressed through the curriculum
- What they’ve mastered and where they need more support
Use one of Prodigy’s eight reports to track student progress throughout the year. When the time comes to write report card comments, you’ll have detailed reports on all your students’ achievements.
Just getting started with Prodigy? No problem! The first time students explore the world of Prodigy Math, they’ll start completing the Placement Test — without even knowing. Once they’re done, you’ll have a snapshot of the grade level they’re at, what they know and specific skills they still need to work on.
Spend more time teaching and less time grading
Prep for standardized tests, deliver adaptive skill practice or test students on a new skill — all while they play Prodigy Math, Prodigy English, or both!
Although every report card cannot be glowingly positive, do strive to write in an encouraging and informational tone. As you write constructive report card comments, use encouraging language that focuses on the student’s opportunity for improvement.
For example, instead of describing a student struggling with listening as a “bad listener,” remark that the student “would benefit from listening more carefully.”
If appropriate, frame a negative comment in terms of what students are doing well -- and consider how this more successful characteristic can help them bolster performance in other areas.
Lead your report card comments with the positive comments, followed by areas that need more attention.
Choosing the right format for reporting information will simplify the entire process, while resulting in a clearer and more organized final product.
If you are unclear about your school’s format for report cards, request samples or consult with other teachers or staff members to clarify.
Being open and honest about a student’s performance requires tact and consideration with regard to how you express those comments. Be transparent, and remain mindful that your goal is to improve your students’ learning experience.
Openness and honesty are key to ensuring that experience is the best it can be. If possible, discuss what intervention strategies you can use to help improve the student’s learning outcomes.
As elementary teacher Donna Donaghue remarks in her book A Guide for Beginning Elementary Teachers: Getting Hired and Staying Inspired :
If there is a problem, most parents will be grateful to you for telling them and will want to help you correct it as soon as possible. Many problems that show up at school are also problems noticed at home, so your comments will not surprise parents. Ideally, at some point prior to receiving the progress report, parents have already discussed the problem with you.
If you get stuck completing the comments for a particular student, move on to your other students and return to it later. You will likely have more trouble completing comments for students who have multiple areas needing further improvement and attention.
Feel free to move on and return to those students periodically or as you find the right language to express your insights.
While every report card comment is ultimately about your student, think of your students’ parents or guardians as much as possible and offer suggestions for their participation.
In fact, if you can, keep parents up to date on an ongoing basis. This will help ensure they don't get caught off guard by any of your comments.
As you make note of your students’ strengths and weaknesses, endeavor to include practical insights into how parents can involve and support their child at home. If possible, make reference to how you use differentiated instruction to support the student in question.
Simple examples of tips for parents include:
- "Encourage your child to read. It doesn't have to be on your own either. Dedicating time before bed to read together can help make it seem like less of a chore."
- "Find homework help for your child if needed. Myself and other parents who are also getting homework help for their child are great resources to get started."
- "Ensure that your child completes their homework by creating a homework routine with your family where incentives like TV or computer time come after homework."
- "Help your child with organization skills at home. If a room in your house could be tidier, try using that as an opportunity to sort things like toys or dishes and utensils."
- "Help your child prepare for math tests by focusing their skills in addition and subtraction. If they don't like studying with traditional worksheets, try a digital game-based learning tool to help get them excited about the process."
As high school educator and teaching comprehension expert Anne Goudvis writes in her book Strategies That Work:
It is important that you include the parents in your comment so they know the child’s education is a joint mission. Sometimes you need to sound firm so that parents know you need their help and that you will not allow their child to continue inappropriate behavior.
It is unlikely that your students or parents will compare their report card comments, but it is still a best practice to aim for unique commentary for each student that reflects each, individual learning outcome.
Report card time is perhaps your busiest period of the year, and it is understandable that you want to simply get them over with.
Despite this, you should make sure to double check all your comments before hitting print and handing them out. All your communications to parents are a reflection of you as a teacher, and should mirror the care and attention you show your students in class.
Make use of your school’s parent portal or email system to let parents know — as needed — that report card time is coming up.
This will help parents be prepared, and will also ensure that any important questions they may have are addressed before the final report cards are delivered.
Record and use classroom anecdotes in your assessments. No matter how involved you are in your students’ progress, it can still be difficult to produce specific examples related to their performance if you haven’t recorded them along the way.
When you notice a positive or negative skill, ability, strength, or weakness in a class activity or assignment, be sure to note it down so that you may refer to it in your report card comments. Likewise, consider noting a sample of a student’s work every week or two.
To help with ease of access, keep ongoing files of this work in a personal folder or use a digital tool such as a Google Doc.
Putting this into practice is a time-saver and helps prevent last-minute stress. A strategy like direct observation and note-taking (as soon as possible) is far more reliable than trying to recall information and behaviors from weeks or months prior.
Key considerations for report card comments at the end of the year
Report card comments should aim to deliver feedback to students and parents that is personalized, detailed, and meaningful .
Writing report card comments doesn’t have to be stressful. Use these strategies to create livelier, more meaningful evaluations.
Effective report card comments emphasize and discuss:
- The specific, notable strengths that a student has shown and should attempt to continue to show
- The specific elements of knowledge, skills, and other outcomes recognized in the curriculum that are the most pertinent to a student’s achievement or development in the period of assessment
- The major next steps for improvement that will: identify the student’s most important learning needs, offer next steps for students and offer specific recommendations for how parents and guardians can help the student’s learning habits and skills (or the development of those habits and skills)
Effective report card comments are personalized – customized to each, individual student – and discuss:
- The student’s learning preferences, willingness to learn, and interests
- Detailed evidence of learning or skill-development gathered from in-class observations, and/or student assignments
Effective report card comments are expressed with clear and simple phrasing, using:
- An encouraging and/or positive tone
- Language that is easy to understand for both students and parents, as opposed to educational jargon used from the curriculum
Report Card Comments: Final Thoughts
Common Sense Education observes that "effective parent communication is crucial in helping students learn. But, for busy teachers it can be challenging just to keep up... Transparency and equity are key to managing any communication between home and school."
Personalized report card comments that are clear, precise, and meaningful are essential for informing students and their parents about what students have learned, what their strengths are and how they can effectively progress.
Among the pressure and deadlines of writing report cards, it can be helpful to keep these key goals in mind.
Get inspired by the report card comment examples — and strategies for success — above to ensure that precision, clarity, and meaning shine through in your report card comments.
When it comes time to hand out your report cards, you can do so with the full confidence that you are doing yourself — and each of your students — the justice your hard work deserves.
Gather student insights on Prodigy
Create or log in to your free teacher account on Prodigy — a standards-aligned, game-based learning platform that assesses student progress and performance as they play. Use Prodigy to motivate student learning, control the questions they answer as they play and collect student learning insights all year long.
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125 report card comments.
It's report card time and you face the prospect of writing constructive, insightful, and original comments on a couple dozen report cards or more. Here are 125 positive report card comments for you to use and adapt!
You've reached the end of another grading period, and what could be more daunting than the task of composing insightful, original, and unique comments about every child in your class? The following positive statements will help you tailor your comments to specific children and highlight their strengths.
You can also use our statements to indicate a need for improvement. Turn the words around a bit, and you will transform each into a goal for a child to work toward. Sam cooperates consistently with others becomes Sam needs to cooperate more consistently with others, and Sally uses vivid language in writing may instead read With practice, Sally will learn to use vivid language in her writing. Make Jan seeks new challenges into a request for parental support by changing it to read Please encourage Jan to seek new challenges.
Whether you are tweaking statements from this page or creating original ones, check out our Report Card Thesaurus [see bottom of the page] that contains a list of appropriate adjectives and adverbs. There you will find the right words to keep your comments fresh and accurate.
We have organized our 125 report card comments by category. Read the entire list or click one of the category links below to jump to that list.
Attitude Behavior Character Communication Skills Group Work Interests and Talents Participation Social Skills Time Management Work Habits
The student:
- is an enthusiastic learner who seems to enjoy school.
- exhibits a positive outlook and attitude in the classroom.
- appears well rested and ready for each day's activities.
- shows enthusiasm for classroom activities.
- shows initiative and looks for new ways to get involved.
- uses instincts to deal with matters independently and in a positive way.
- strives to reach their full potential.
- is committed to doing their best.
- seeks new challenges.
- takes responsibility for their learning.
- cooperates consistently with the teacher and other students.
- transitions easily between classroom activities without distraction.
- is courteous and shows good manners in the classroom.
- follows classroom rules.
- conducts themselves with maturity.
- responds appropriately when corrected.
- remains focused on the activity at hand.
- resists the urge to be distracted by other students.
- is kind and helpful to everyone in the classroom.
- sets an example of excellence in behavior and cooperation.
- shows respect for teachers and peers.
- treats school property and the belongings of others with care and respect.
- is honest and trustworthy in dealings with others.
- displays good citizenship by assisting other students.
- joins in school community projects.
- is concerned about the feelings of peers.
- faithfully performs classroom tasks.
- can be depended on to do what they are asked to do.
- seeks responsibilities and follows through.
- is thoughtful in interactions with others.
- is kind, respectful and helpful when interacting with his/her peers
- is respectful of other students in our classroom and the school community
- demonstrates responsibility daily by caring for the materials in our classroom carefully and thoughtfully
- takes his/her classroom jobs seriously and demonstrates responsibility when completing them
- is always honest and can be counted on to recount information when asked
- is considerate when interacting with his/her teachers
- demonstrates his/her manners on a daily basis and is always respectful
- has incredible self-discipline and always gets his/her work done in a timely manner
- can be counted on to be one of the first students to begin working on the task that is given
- perseveres when faced with difficulty by asking questions and trying his/her best
- does not give up when facing a task that is difficult and always does his/her best
- is such a caring boy/girl and demonstrates concern for his/her peers
- demonstrates his/her caring nature when helping his/her peers when they need the assistance
- is a model citizen in our classroom
- is demonstrates his/her citizenship in our classroom by helping to keep it clean and taking care of the materials in it
- can always be counted on to cooperate with his/her peers
- is able to cooperate and work well with any of the other students in the class
- is exceptionally organized and takes care of his/her things
- is always enthusiastic when completing his/her work
- is agreeable and polite when working with others
- is thoughtful and kind in his/her interactions with others
- is creative when problem solving
- is very hardworking and always completes all of his/her work
- is patient and kind when working with his/her peers who need extra assistance
- trustworthy and can always be counted on to step in and help where needed
Communication Skills
- has a well-developed vocabulary.
- chooses words with care.
- expresses ideas clearly, both verbally and through writing.
- has a vibrant imagination and excels in creative writing.
- has found their voice through poetry writing.
- uses vivid language in writing.
- writes clearly and with purpose.
- writes with depth and insight.
- can make a logical and persuasive argument.
- listens to the comments and ideas of others without interrupting.
- offers constructive suggestions to peers to enhance their work.
- accepts the recommendations of peers and acts on them when appropriate.
- is sensitive to the thoughts and opinions of others in the group.
- takes on various roles in the work group as needed or assigned.
- welcomes leadership roles in groups.
- shows fairness in distributing group tasks.
- plans and carries out group activities carefully.
- works democratically with peers.
- encourages other members of the group.
- helps to keep the work group focused and on task.
Interests and Talents
- has a well-developed sense of humor.
- holds many varied interests.
- has a keen interest that has been shared with the class.
- displays and talks about personal items from home when they relate to topics of study.
- provides background knowledge about topics of particular interest to them.
- has an impressive understanding and depth of knowledge about their interests.
- seeks additional information independently about classroom topics that pique interest.
- reads extensively for enjoyment.
- frequently discusses concepts about which they have read.
- is a gifted performer.
- is a talented artist.
- has a flair for dramatic reading and acting.
- enjoys sharing their musical talent with the class.
Participation
- listens attentively to the responses of others.
- follows directions.
- takes an active role in discussions.
- enhances group discussion through insightful comments.
- shares personal experiences and opinions with peers.
- responds to what has been read or discussed in class and as homework.
- asks for clarification when needed.
- regularly volunteers to assist in classroom activities.
- remains an active learner throughout the school day.
Social Skills
- makes friends quickly in the classroom.
- is well-liked by classmates.
- handles disagreements with peers appropriately.
- treats other students with fairness and understanding.
- is a valued member of the class.
- has compassion for peers and others.
- seems comfortable in new situations.
- enjoys conversation with friends during free periods.
- chooses to spend free time with friends.
Time Management
- tackles classroom assignments, tasks, and group work in an organized manner.
- uses class time wisely.
- arrives on time for school (and/or class) every day.
- is well-prepared for class each day.
- works at an appropriate pace, neither too quickly or slowly.
- completes assignments in the time allotted.
- paces work on long-term assignments.
- sets achievable goals with respect to time.
- completes make-up work in a timely fashion.
Work Habits
- is a conscientious, hard-working student.
- works independently.
- is a self-motivated student.
- consistently completes homework assignments.
- puts forth their best effort into homework assignments.
- exceeds expectations with the quality of their work.
- readily grasps new concepts and ideas.
- generates neat and careful work.
- checks work thoroughly before submitting it.
- stays on task with little supervision.
- displays self-discipline.
- avoids careless errors through attention to detail.
- uses free minutes of class time constructively.
- creates impressive home projects.
Related: Needs Improvement Report Card Comments for even more comments!
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School Report Writing: 10 Top Tips and Expert Advice for 2022
Learning Ladders Blog School Report Writing: 10 Top Tips and Expert Advice for 2022
How to write a school report
We would all like to think that parents thoroughly read through our carefully crafted pupil school reports. How they must appreciate the hours we put into school report writing! However, the reality is that reports are often not as cherished as we would hope. It’s very easy to get them wrong. Wrong name in a copy and paste. Blanket statements for the class such as “We had a great time at Arundel Castle”, then finding out the student didn’t attend that day…
But it’s also just as easy to get them right. Being specific. Writing in simple language. Providing opportunities for parents to get more involved in their child’s education. All of these elements help to create a great school report.
To help you write great end of year reports, let’s answer the simple question: what is a school report? In a nutshell it’s a written assessment of a pupil’s performance and provides valuable guidance to parents and teachers, as well as students.
Reports take time
Unfortunately, school report writing can take time. To make them as personal as we would like to, they can take hours. We want to add personal touches. We want to tailor everything to every time. But if you are writing them frequently, end of year reports can eat into quite a few weekends. Writing them termly, or bulk writing huge reports yearly is very time consuming. Automation can help nowadays. No longer do you have to use the clunky systems of the past – many modern assessment systems can take away some of the strain. Ongoing communications with parents can streamline reports, so you don’t have to include those things which have already been discussed.
Personalising school reports can go wrong
Despite all attempts to the contrary, personalisation can go wrong. It can be difficult when trying to remember everything about every child over the whole year. Remembering exactly who did what at the nativity performance is difficult in June! For those teachers who teach one subject to many children it is even harder.
Teachers and parents each have a different focus Teachers may spend ages pouring over assessment data to pick out some key targets and achievements. Some parents may want to jump to the end of the report to see if their child has loads of friends. Other parents do want to have detailed information on their child’s successes and want to help from home. A lack of detail in this area could leave them feeling like they cannot build on the recommendations.
So how do you get it right?
Here are 10 top tips to assist you with school report writing:
- Ensure nothing is a total surprise . A parent should not be finding out via the report anything which will come as a total shock – good or bad! If their child has been off task 80% of the time, they shouldn’t be finding out just before the holidays. This doesn’t help them to support changes. The report should build on and confirm the ongoing conversations, adding to the parental engagement which has gone beforehand throughout the year.
- Keep it simple . Avoid the jargon and acronyms which abound in education. Add details and simple explanations where necessary. A glossary of terms relevant to the school could even be part of the template. This can be especially helpful if you have your own assessment terms. You may also want to add a quick guide to terms such as “fronted adverbials” also.
- Be specific . Statements should be simple, and in layman’s terms, but be based on solid evidence. “Joshua did well this year” is not specific enough. Parents may like to hear such a lovely statement, but it gives them nothing to engage with. They will end up asking Joshua what he did well in… which Joshua may also not be sure of the details.
- Use the ‘4 parts’ rule . Each statement in a school report should include 4 elements: the achievement/success; evidence of that success; the target; resources to help meet the target. So, a four-part phrase might be: “Joshua has progressed well in handwriting. He is now joining most of his letters in each word. His next step is to keep the sizing of his handwriting consistent. A great website to help model this is…” All too often we stop after 3 parts: success, evidence, target. This leaves parents stuck when they want to support that target. Directing them to resources that match the school’s curriculum helps the parents.
- Follow school guidance . Every school has their own ideas about what should be included. How many words to include, for example, and usually a template. If you’re new to a school but want to get started on reports early, make sure to ask for some examples from last year to get a sense of what is expected. You may think you got the reports done before the holidays, but there is nothing more deflating than finding you need to rewrite them completely.
- There is a place for automation . Teachers may have been stung by old report writing software. It may have messed up genders or come up with some grammatically terrible sentences. Many modern assessment platforms have much more advanced techniques and tools available now. You spend the term and year updating data for the graphs and assessment information. Why not then allow the system to take some of your workload? Your assessment knows exactly where the pupils are, based on your RAG ratings of statements and such. They will output sentences to reports which follow your own school’s curriculum, and it knows who is a girl or a boy! And gets the names right every time. Technology, at its very best, is efficient, which leaves you more time to write the personal statement parts.
- Add resources and links . Again, some systems have a reporting online option. This links parents to resources that are curriculum-linked. This means that for each target they are directed to high-quality resources to use at home. This can turn your school report writing into a significant part of your teaching. Also, your learning and assessment cycle. Parents being involved in their child’s education makes a huge difference. Where you are printing reports, you can add short links. These could be simple recommended resources such as YouTube channels, websites and even apps, which you know are educationally sound.
- Make the layout easy to follow . The school template can be important in making sure reports are easy to understand. If there are grades for some subjects and not others, a design change can help to make that seem strange. As with marketing rules, there are ways to bring the parent’s eye to the key information they need to see. At Learning Ladders, we have worked really hard to ensure our reports stand out. They are based on these principles outlined. You may not have control over your school template, but you can ensure sentences are concise and paragraphs are not too long. These make the report much easier to read.
- Don’t overdo it . A few key successes and a few targets are great. Make it manageable. A list of 20 successes might seem wonderful but will be very overwhelming. For the core subjects, 3-5 successes and 3 key targets are plenty. For foundation subjects, 3 successes and 1 or 2 things to work on would be perfect.
- Treat it like a parent’s evening . When writing the personal part of the report, I like to pretend the parent is in front of me, as though I am saying everything to their face, imagining their reaction. That helps me to be enthusiastic and realistic – which comes across even on the page. This also helps me to write each pupil’s report statement in one go, rather than going back and forth to edit (which is when I am more likely to make mistakes!). I also try to imagine their questions and add a bit of context or answer those upfront, as part of the report.
To find out how Learning Ladders makes school report writing easy, whilst keeping all those individual touches that parents love, have a read about our automated pupil reports .
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Some academic assignments ask for a ‘report’, rather than an essay, and students are often confused about what that really means.
Likewise, in business, confronted with a request for a ‘report’ to a senior manager, many people struggle to know what to write.
Confusion often arises about the writing style, what to include, the language to use, the length of the document and other factors.
This page aims to disentangle some of these elements, and provide you with some advice designed to help you to write a good report.
What is a Report?
In academia there is some overlap between reports and essays, and the two words are sometimes used interchangeably, but reports are more likely to be needed for business, scientific and technical subjects, and in the workplace.
Whereas an essay presents arguments and reasoning, a report concentrates on facts.
Essentially, a report is a short, sharp, concise document which is written for a particular purpose and audience. It generally sets outs and analyses a situation or problem, often making recommendations for future action. It is a factual paper, and needs to be clear and well-structured.
Requirements for the precise form and content of a report will vary between organisation and departments and in study between courses, from tutor to tutor, as well as between subjects, so it’s worth finding out if there are any specific guidelines before you start.
Reports may contain some or all of the following elements:
- A description of a sequence of events or a situation;
- Some interpretation of the significance of these events or situation, whether solely your own analysis or informed by the views of others, always carefully referenced of course (see our page on Academic Referencing for more information);
- An evaluation of the facts or the results of your research;
- Discussion of the likely outcomes of future courses of action;
- Your recommendations as to a course of action; and
- Conclusions.
Not all of these elements will be essential in every report.
If you’re writing a report in the workplace, check whether there are any standard guidelines or structure that you need to use.
For example, in the UK many government departments have outline structures for reports to ministers that must be followed exactly.
Sections and Numbering
A report is designed to lead people through the information in a structured way, but also to enable them to find the information that they want quickly and easily.
Reports usually, therefore, have numbered sections and subsections, and a clear and full contents page listing each heading. It follows that page numbering is important.
Modern word processors have features to add tables of contents (ToC) and page numbers as well as styled headings; you should take advantage of these as they update automatically as you edit your report, moving, adding or deleting sections.
Report Writing
Getting started: prior preparation and planning.
The structure of a report is very important to lead the reader through your thinking to a course of action and/or decision. It’s worth taking a bit of time to plan it out beforehand.
Step 1: Know your brief
You will usually receive a clear brief for a report, including what you are studying and for whom the report should be prepared.
First of all, consider your brief very carefully and make sure that you are clear who the report is for (if you're a student then not just your tutor, but who it is supposed to be written for), and why you are writing it, as well as what you want the reader to do at the end of reading: make a decision or agree a recommendation, perhaps.
Step 2: Keep your brief in mind at all times
During your planning and writing, make sure that you keep your brief in mind: who are you writing for, and why are you writing?
All your thinking needs to be focused on that, which may require you to be ruthless in your reading and thinking. Anything irrelevant should be discarded.
As you read and research, try to organise your work into sections by theme, a bit like writing a Literature Review .
Make sure that you keep track of your references, especially for academic work. Although referencing is perhaps less important in the workplace, it’s also important that you can substantiate any assertions that you make so it’s helpful to keep track of your sources of information.
The Structure of a Report
Like the precise content, requirements for structure vary, so do check what’s set out in any guidance.
However, as a rough guide, you should plan to include at the very least an executive summary, introduction, the main body of your report, and a section containing your conclusions and any recommendations.
Executive Summary
The executive summary or abstract , for a scientific report, is a brief summary of the contents. It’s worth writing this last, when you know the key points to draw out. It should be no more than half a page to a page in length.
Remember the executive summary is designed to give busy 'executives' a quick summary of the contents of the report.
Introduction
The introduction sets out what you plan to say and provides a brief summary of the problem under discussion. It should also touch briefly on your conclusions.
Report Main Body
The main body of the report should be carefully structured in a way that leads the reader through the issue.
You should split it into sections using numbered sub-headings relating to themes or areas for consideration. For each theme, you should aim to set out clearly and concisely the main issue under discussion and any areas of difficulty or disagreement. It may also include experimental results. All the information that you present should be related back to the brief and the precise subject under discussion.
If it’s not relevant, leave it out.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The conclusion sets out what inferences you draw from the information, including any experimental results. It may include recommendations, or these may be included in a separate section.
Recommendations suggest how you think the situation could be improved, and should be specific, achievable and measurable. If your recommendations have financial implications, you should set these out clearly, with estimated costs if possible.
A Word on Writing Style
When writing a report, your aim should be to be absolutely clear. Above all, it should be easy to read and understand, even to someone with little knowledge of the subject area.
You should therefore aim for crisp, precise text, using plain English, and shorter words rather than longer, with short sentences.
You should also avoid jargon. If you have to use specialist language, you should explain each word as you use it. If you find that you’ve had to explain more than about five words, you’re probably using too much jargon, and need to replace some of it with simpler words.
Consider your audience. If the report is designed to be written for a particular person, check whether you should be writing it to ‘you’ or perhaps in the third person to a job role: ‘The Chief Executive may like to consider…’, or ‘The minister is recommended to agree…’, for example.
A Final Warning
As with any academic assignment or formal piece of writing, your work will benefit from being read over again and edited ruthlessly for sense and style.
Pay particular attention to whether all the information that you have included is relevant. Also remember to check tenses, which person you have written in, grammar and spelling. It’s also worth one last check against any requirements on structure.
For an academic assignment, make sure that you have referenced fully and correctly. As always, check that you have not inadvertently or deliberately plagiarised or copied anything without acknowledging it.
Finally, ask yourself:
“Does my report fulfil its purpose?”
Only if the answer is a resounding ‘yes’ should you send it off to its intended recipient.
Continue to: How to Write a Business Case Planning an Essay
See also: Business Writing Tips Study Skills Writing a Dissertation or Thesis
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The definition of report writing is creating an account or statement that describes in detail an event, situation or occurrence, usually as the result of observation or inquiry. The two most common forms of report writing are news report wr...
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