Article and Report Writing

What an article is, and how it differs from other formats

An article is a piece of writing meant for publication in a magazine, newspaper, or newsletter, addressed to a general readership rather than a specific individual. Unlike a formal letter (addressed to one recipient) or a report (a factual record of an event), an article typically develops a viewpoint or argument on a topic of general interest, aiming to inform, persuade, or provoke thought.

Required format

1. Title — catchy and specific to the topic, not generic.
2. By-line — the writer's name (e.g., 'By Aditi Sharma'), directly below the title.
3. Body, typically 3-4 paragraphs, developing the topic with a clear structure.

A reliable structure for the body

• Opening paragraph: a hook — a striking fact, question, or observation — that draws the reader in and introduces the topic's relevance.
• Middle paragraph(s): develop the argument or information with specific points, examples, or evidence, organised logically (e.g., cause then effect, or problem then solutions).
• Closing paragraph: a conclusion that reinforces the central point, often with a forward-looking statement, a call to action, or a memorable closing thought.

Tone and voice

Articles are generally written in a more engaging, personal voice than formal letters or reports — first person is often appropriate, and rhetorical questions, vivid examples, and a clear point of view are welcome, though the writing should remain organised and purposeful rather than rambling.

Common mistakes

• Missing or generic title that does not reflect the specific angle of the article.
• No clear point of view — simply listing facts without developing an argument or perspective.
• Weak opening that fails to hook the reader or clearly introduce the topic.
• No real conclusion — the article simply stops rather than closing with a reinforcing final thought.

What a report is, and its purpose

A report is a factual, objective account of an event that has already taken place (a school function, a natural disaster, a survey) or a formal investigation into a specific matter, typically written for publication in a newspaper/newsletter or submission to an organisation. Unlike an article, a report does not argue a personal opinion — it presents facts objectively and impersonally.

Required format

1. Headline/title — brief and informative, summarising the event.
2. By-line — the reporter's name, below the headline.
3. Place and date of the event/report, often given at the start of the first paragraph (e.g., 'New Delhi, 12 September:').
4. Body, typically 3-4 paragraphs, covering the event's essential facts.

The inverted pyramid structure

Good reports front-load the most important information, following what is often called the inverted pyramid: the opening paragraph should answer the essential who, what, when, where (and briefly why/how) so a reader who stops after one paragraph still has the core facts. Subsequent paragraphs add supporting detail, context, and, where relevant, quotations or statistics, in decreasing order of importance.

Tone and voice

Reports are written in the third person, in a strictly factual, impersonal tone — no personal opinions, no first-person voice, and no persuasive or emotional language. Precision (exact figures, names, dates) matters more here than in almost any other writing format tested.

Common mistakes

• Including personal opinion where only facts should be reported.
• Burying essential facts (who, what, when, where) deep in the report instead of the opening paragraph.
• Vague or missing figures where specific numbers (attendance, dates, statistics) are expected.
• Using first-person language, which is inappropriate for the objective register a report requires.

Sample article

Why Every Student Should Learn to Code — Even If They Never Become Programmers
By Rhea Kapoor

Ask most students why they should learn to code, and you'll likely hear one answer: 'to get a tech job.' But that misses something far more valuable.

Coding teaches a specific kind of thinking — breaking a large, confusing problem into small, precise, logical steps. This skill transfers directly to subjects far outside computer science: structuring an essay's argument, planning a science experiment, even organising a debate. Students who learn to code report feeling more confident approaching any complex problem, not just technical ones.

There is also a quieter benefit: coding rewards patience and iteration. A program rarely works on the first attempt, and learning to debug — calmly, methodically — builds a resilience that most school subjects rarely teach directly.

So the next time someone asks why they should bother learning to code without wanting to become a software engineer, the answer is simple: not for the career it might lead to, but for the mind it helps build along the way.

Sample report

School Hosts Inter-House Coding Competition
By Rhea Kapoor

New Delhi, 18 September: Sunrise Public School organised its first Inter-House Coding Competition on 17 September, with over 120 students from Classes 9 to 12 participating across four houses.

The event, held in the school's computer laboratory, required teams to solve a series of programming challenges within a two-hour window. The Blue House emerged winners, followed closely by Red House in second place, with the Principal awarding certificates to the top three teams at a brief ceremony afterwards.

Speaking after the event, the Computer Science Head of Department noted that participation had more than doubled compared to an informal event held the previous year, reflecting growing student interest in programming.

The school has announced plans to make the competition an annual fixture, with an inter-school edition being considered for the following academic year.

What the comparison shows

Notice how the article develops a personal argument ('coding builds a transferable way of thinking') using rhetorical framing and first-person-adjacent engagement, while the report on a related event sticks strictly to verifiable facts — numbers, dates, names, outcomes — in the third person, with no personal opinion offered by the writer.

Telling article and report questions apart

Exam prompts sometimes use similar-sounding language, so check carefully: a prompt asking you to 'express your views on...' or 'discuss the impact of...' is asking for an article; a prompt asking you to 'report on an event that took place...' or referencing a specific date/occasion that already happened is asking for a report. Using the wrong format for the prompt given is one of the most costly possible errors, regardless of writing quality.

Time budgeting

Budget roughly 18-20 minutes for a full article or report answer (typically 150-200 words), including a brief 1-2 minute planning step to outline the paragraph structure before writing, which prevents rambling and missed points under time pressure.

A final pre-submission checklist — article

• Is there a specific, catchy title (not generic) and a by-line?
• Does the opening paragraph hook the reader and introduce the topic clearly?
• Is there a genuine, developed point of view, not just a list of facts?
• Does the conclusion reinforce the central argument?

A final pre-submission checklist — report

• Is there a headline, by-line, and place/date?
• Does the opening paragraph cover who, what, when, and where?
• Is the tone strictly factual and impersonal, in the third person, throughout?
• Are specific figures, names, and dates included wherever relevant?

Mistakes that cost marks

• Writing an article when a report was asked for, or vice versa — a fundamental format error.
• Including personal opinion in a report.
• A generic, uninteresting title on an article.
• Missing specific facts (numbers, dates, names) in a report.