A reading report may include a literary criticism.
A reading report is a report that a person prepares after reading a certain text . This report must include certain data that allows the individual to demonstrate that, in fact, they have read the text and understood it.
It should be noted that a report is a document or writing that is used to make something known. Different types of information are transmitted through the reports, for very diverse purposes.
Reading report features
Among the information that is usually included in a reading report, there is the title of the work , its author, a description of the topic , a summary of the most important concepts and a conclusion .
It is also common that the creator of the report must include an opinion on the contents of the book in question.
As for the report itself, it usually includes a synopsis of the work with data about the plot and characters. You can also refer to the context and its literary genre .
In some cases, the reading report presents a critical commentary on the author 's interpretation or point of view. In this framework it is very important that an argument be included to justify the development in question. The impressions and assessment of the person responsible for the report must have a motivation or origin that must be detailed in the text. Otherwise, the personal assessment is not valid.
The main thematic lines of a book should be mentioned in the reading report.
Its functions
Reading reports have a double function. On the one hand, they help to establish the concepts that the reader has just assimilated: by putting knowledge in writing, the report works as a study technique .
On the other hand, the reading report can be evaluated by a third party (a teacher, a hierarchical superior, etc.) who will determine if the person understood what they read.
A reading report can analyze the cultural impact of a work.
Reading report types
Specifically, we can establish that there are three different types of reading reports:
- Analysis report , which consists not only of the usual report but also of adding to it an analysis of the topic that is discussed in greater depth and, in the same way, a personal opinion on the matter to end with some conclusions.
- Commentary report , which addresses the usual aspects in these documents but with special emphasis on the inclusion of a synthesis of the argument .
- General reading report . This type of report is also known as an informative reading report , which is the traditional one, the one that is easiest to carry out and the one that does not require delving in depth into any specific aspect.
How to develop it
In order to carry out an optimal reading report of a text, it is important that, in addition to everything stated so far, certain relevant considerations are taken into account:
- The data must include the names and surnames of the person doing so, as well as the title of the work, its author, the date of publication and the publisher. All this without forgetting that, if it is a report such as school work, the name of the subject, the name of the teacher and the course must also be included.
- The main topic should not exceed two lines of text.
- It is advisable to include an outline so that the parts into which the report is divided are clear.
- It should always be written in clear and simple language, including the sources that have been used to prepare it.
The way you develop a reading report may vary. Generally, after a first general reading , the text is reread more carefully and the most important ideas are underlined . Once this is done, the underlining is used to write a summary and/or create a table . From this stage, the information that must be included in the reading report begins to be developed.
Reading report examples
Let's look at an example of a reading report. A secondary school student, at the request of his teacher, prepares a report about "One Hundred Years of Solitude" , the famous novel by the Colombian Gabriel García Márquez .
In their reading report, the student includes a bibliographic record with data about the book : its title, when it was first published, by which publisher, etc. Then develop a review of the book, summarizing the story. The reading report continues with a literary analysis and with references to the historical context of the book, mentioning the so-called boom in Latin American literature. By way of closing, the young man makes known his impression of "One Hundred Years of Solitude" , explaining the reason for his opinion.
Let us now take the case of an employee who receives from his boss a compilation of all the presentations from a marketing conference. The manager asks the worker for a reading report that includes the central topic of each dissertation , with relevant quotes. It also asks you to develop your perspective on the presentations based on what you have read. In this way, the reading report is based on all this content.