Unit 12 Writing a report

Before you start

1. What is a report? Why do people write reports? Who reads them? Work in pairs. Discuss these questions.

1. How many hours a day do you spend watching TV?

a less than 1 hour c 2-3 hours

b 1-2 hours d more than 3 hours

2. . Do you watch more or less TV at weekends?

3. . What kind of programmes do you watch?

cartoons news documentaries quizzes

dramas/films comedies shows games

Reading

2. Look at the extracts (1-5) from a report. Who would be particularly interested in this report?

1. students

2. advertising companies

3. psychiatrists

3. Match the extracts (1-5) with the headings (a-e).

a Conclusion

b Findings

c Introduction

d Procedure

e Method

Report on research project into the TV-watching habits of school students.

1. The purpose of this research was to find out how many hours of TV students watch in a typical week. It also aimed to find out what kind of programmes they watch. In addition, it looked at the kind of programmes watched by male and female students to find out if if there was any difference in their preferences.

2. We carried out the research by interviewing; students in the target group - school students aged 14-18, both male and female. We spoke to students from a number of different schools in five different cities. We interviewed 120 students in total, 60 boys and 60 girls.

3. We asked all the interviewees the same questions. First, we asked them if they have a TV in their bedroom as well as the main TV in the house; then if they usually watch TV alone or with their family. Next, we asked what kind of TV programmes they like and how many hours of TV they watch in a typical week. After that, we asked how many hours they spend watching TV on school days (Monday to Friday) and how many hours at the weekend. Finally, we asked how many hours they spend watching the different kinds of programmes.

4. We found that 60% of interviewees have a TV in their bedroom and most watch it alone. On school days, 40% of boys and 50% of girls watch TV for two hours or more, mostly between 6.00 and 9.00 p.m. Only 20% of boys and 15% of girls watch less than one hour. However, at weekends, 60% of boys and 70% of girls watch more than two hours a day, in the mornings and in the evenings. Boys prefer to watch sport, cartoons and music programmes, whereas girls prefer to watch soaps, dramas and music. Only 18% of boys and 16% of girls say they watch news regularly. However, more girls than boys watch documentaries.

5. Our research shows that the best time for TV advertisements aimed at young people in this age group is between 6.00 and 9.00 p.m. on weekdays, and in the mornings. In addition, advertisers whose target market is mainly girls should aim to place their ads between soaps, dramas, and music programmes. If the target market is boys, they should place ads between sport, cartoons, and music programmes.