The 10 types of journalistic reports, explained

Reporting is one of the most important journalistic genres, given its great versatility when describing any subject.

Depending on the topic they deal with and how the information is presented, we can talk about various types of journalistic reports, which we will see in more depth below.

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Types of journalistic reports

Reporting is one of the most important journalistic genres. This is fundamentally due to the fact that they are very versatile, being able to speak of any subject in them, as can be done real current affairs, travel, social problems, cultures, art, sports, government policy and any topic that can be occur.

In every report the author investigates and exposes its theme without forgetting the antecedents, circumstances, causes and those involved in the fact or subject in question. All notes exposed in the report are based on data, testimonies, expert statements and opinions of individuals, in addition to combining it with explicit quotes from important people, images or diagrams.

The reports fulfill several functions, among them the research an issue, describe it, entertain and inform the public and contribute to the expansion of documentation on the subject in question. These functions als achieves thanks to the fact that the information exposed in them has a deep character, almost bordering on what would be a scientific investigation.

There are different types of journalistic reports, being able to be classified according to their purpose, more related to the type of theme that is exposed in them, and they can also be classified according to how the contents.

Types of reports according to their purpose

Depending on the purpose of the work, we can classify journalistic reports in the following categories.

1. Demonstrative report

In the demonstration report, the journalist is dedicated to discovering problems, basing his work on social claims or on issues that have aroused great controversy or demand in society.

In this type of work, the text is not limited to a simple statement of the facts. In addition to describing what has happened, It is about investigating the causes of the problem, what has contributed to its occurrence and what consequences it has facing society. It is about offering a more complete picture of the matter in question.

Since these types of reports can be very dense, making the reader need to pay close attention to what is described in it, it is frequent that the author tries to liven up the story or event that he exposes in the document.

2. Autobiographical report

The autobiographical report has its origins in the journalist Tom Wolfe, an American known for having made important innovations in journalistic style.

In essence, the autobiographical report is nothing more than a research work in which the protagonist is the one who is writing itAlthough this does not mean that other people are not mentioned during its writing, people who may have acquired great importance in the life of the author.

This type of work is done when the writer has something important to tell related to his life, usually telling it in the first person and from his own perspective.

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3. Scientific report

Scientific reports are intended to demonstrate current scientific progress and advancements, speaking of topics as diverse as biology, genetics, psychology, mathematics... They approach scientific knowledge in an objective and well-documented way, explaining and interpreting it in lay terms, in order to adapt it to the level of people who are not necessarily experts in the theme.

4. Narrative report

Narrative reports take the form of a chronicle. They describe temporal events, structuring the information to describe the event or problem and exposing its development and evolution over time. It indicates what happened first and what came later, whether or not it is a consequence of the first.

In order to produce a quality narrative report, it is necessary to analyze documents and describe, in the most detailed way possible, people, objects and places that are related to the chronicle. In addition, the opinion and testimony of those who were involved in the event must be known.

5. Descriptive report

The descriptive report It is a text in which the reporter carries out a detailed observation of the subject that he intends to expose. His intention is to provide, through his work, a clear and detailed picture of all the characteristics of the subject he is going to talk about.

They can be of any subject, since these reports are intended to describe everything corresponding to a certain matter, such as objects, types of people, cities, regions, traditions... either objectively or adding a certain note of subjectivity.

In this type of reportage it is very important that an important investigative task has been carried out, but the observation capacity on the part of the reporter is also a fundamental part of it.

6. Retrospective-anecdotal report

The retrospective-anecdotal report has the purpose of reconstructing characteristics of a past event, based on the information that has reached the present. That is, history is built from the analysis of documents, diaries, testimonies and reinterpretations of the past.

Thanks to this type of report, it is possible to further expand the knowledge that one has of something that can no longer be observed directly, since it is past. It also serves to confirm or deny what was believed of the historical event in question.

Types of reports according to the type of content

Reports can also be classified according to how they structure and order their content, in this case the following types can be found.

1. Events report

The reporting of events consists of present a static view of the events. That is, the journalist acts as an observer, describing the events seen from the outside. Events do not have to be presented in chronological order, in fact, it is more common for them to be presented in order of importance and simultaneously.

2. Dating report

This type of report is usually known as interviews. The facts emerge from what the interviewee tells. The subject matter, that is, the life of the interviewee or the opinion of it, is assembled by alternating both descriptions made by the journalist and textual words mentioned by the interviewee. In this way, truth is given to what is described in the report.

Unlike with the rest of the types of journalistic reports, in the dating report there are no rules preset of how it should be carried out, although a script can be followed to structure and direct the interview. However, it is best to avoid forcing the dialogue, trying to establish a pleasant conversation, with questions that arouse interest and motivate the interviewee to answer sincerely.

3. Action report

Unlike event reports, action reports present events chronologically and dynamically, as if they were living at this very moment. This is the type of report that is used when describing historical events in the trenches, such as the multiple journalistic reports carried out in the 1990s during the Yugoslav Wars or when describing the Civil War from Syria.

4. Investigation report

Although in truth most reports carry out an important investigative task, the style and depth that is acquired in investigative reports is much greater.

In the investigative report they are works that acquire an almost detective character to be able to find all the details of the specific question. The intention is to know as much as possible about the subject at hand, and to see if there has been something that has escaped previous researchers.

But to carry out a true research work it is necessary for the author to consult truthful sources, quality information, from experts, and even, if possible, resort to confidential sources that provide evidence. In this type of work, information is usually contained either in the form of statistical data, updated figures or documents with official information.

Bibliographic references:

• Patterson, C. (2003). The good report, its structure and characteristics. Latin Magazine of Social Communication. Panama university. Recovered from ull.es.