Tips for Writing Great Reports in this virtual age

Report length and format:
There is not a set length for each report but in order to cover the pertinent issues on these topics, good reports should average around 12-15 pages. Reports should be double-spaced and written in report (not term paper) style. Just imagine you are the country representative giving this report at a SAARC forum and write with clean, succinct “diplomatic” type lingo. Reports can incorporate bulleted points and/or headings to pinpoint ideas and divide sections within your document. However, the reports should NOT be just a compilation of bulleted notes –they are still papers and should be written with correct sentence/paragraph structure. During your research you will probably read actual reports written in similar format by your country, the World Bank, NGOs, etc., so pay some attention to their format and wording for examples. Be careful not to plagiarize wording, however –cite sources within the paper itself, use quotations if you have to (although be careful again of not making it sound like a term paper), and include a bibliography.
Be sure to use verifiable, substantive sources. You should always strive for a mixture of books and on-line resources. Beware of using ‘opinion’ resources such as Wikipedia (which is not acceptable as facts cannot be based on consensus) or heavily biased and non-verifiable websites. Remember that you are writing from the bias of your country and represent its interests and perspectives. While you may want to bring up some political issues tied to development, also remember that SAARC is a forum for regional cooperation, so do so diplomatically. Also remember that this is a multilateral forum so keep bilateral concerns to a minimum.
Be sure to email your paper to Professor Weiss no later than 10 am on the date it is due, so she can post it by our classtime.

Research tips:

• AT LEAST one printed source (i.e. a good old-fashioned book with paper pages!) must be used for each report. I have deleted this requirement for this term — but do keep it in mind when you write similar reports in the future!
• A great place to start is on the UO Libraries home page where you can get to the International Studies research guide. This website lists, explains, and gives direct web access to many sources, most of which are available full-text online.
• The official website of the respective countries may also have important information and will give you a better idea of your country’s perspectives/biases.
• Check out media sources and NGOs from your country.

PowerPoint Presentations:
Create a 5-7 minute PowerPoint presentation and click on audio (under Insert) to provide a voice-over to the presentation. This should cover the main points you wish to convey to the class.
Be sure to email your presentation to Professor Weiss no later than 10 am on the Wednesday when it is due. If I can find a more reliable way of sending it, I’ll tell you.