Some courses will assign you a different type of assessment other than a traditional essay or presentation. These assessments are to develop a range of different skills from communication to reflection, challenging our critical thinking in different ways.
Here you will find some of the most common alternative assignment types that could appear on your course with some guidance on how to approach the task. Always check your module handbook for specific advice and guidance on your assessment as well as the marking criteria.
Report writing
Reports are a structured piece of writing designed to be read quickly and easily. They are built on the same principles of essay writing; formal, academic writing using critical thinking, research and communication skills, however with some key differences. To learn more about the foundations of essay writing, please refer to the essay writing page
Essays
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Used to explore a topic for discussion and analysis
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Commonly used in academic publication for a wide audience
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Uses storytelling with a beginning (introduction), middle (main body) and end (conclusion) structure
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Paragraphs flow from one to the next
Reports
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Used to examine a project, event or situation
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Commonly used in working environments for a specific reader looking for certain information
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Has multiple sections, divided by headings and subheadings
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Paragraphs are independent to their sections
In a report, information is provided in headed sections of writing, enabling the reader to easily find the information they want. They typically include;
- A description, analysis and interpretation of a sequence of events, project or a situation.
- An evaluation of the facts or results of your project.
- A recommendation for change and/or future action.
The content of a report can vary depending on your subject of study and the criteria of the assignment. Check your assignment criteria to find out the focus of your report. Are you reporting on an experiment you conducted or providing information based on your research? The focus of your report will dictate the type of information that needs to be in your report. Always consult your module handbook for guidance.
Report purpose
It is important to know who you are writing for and why. Different people will want to know different information and a report should only include the relevant information to the appropriate reader. Ask yourself some basic questions before you begin to organise your information for your report. Such as;
- Why are your writing this report (other than because it’s an assignment)?
- What is your project trying to present or argue?
- What is your research question or the research objective(s)?
- Who is this report for and what will they need to know about?
The answers to these questions will help you define the purpose of your report. Always keep your answers in mind when writing. Remember, your report sections should be brief and concise, therefore keeping your information focussed and to the right audience will help you to stay on topic and avoid deviation.
Report structure
You should have completed your project before you start to write about it. Gather your information and group it into categories. Find the key points you will want to report on that are relevant to your reader. Consider the following questions when analysing your information:
- What facts and/or evidence do you have to support your key points?
- What are your conclusions?
- Are there any limitations or flaws in your findings?
- Is any of your evidence inconsistent or contradicting one another?
Analysing and grouping your work first will help you find an order to your information. You may already start to see sections of your report emerging.
Activity
Watch the video below to learn more about the different sections of in writing. Compare these sections to your assignment brief - do they match or will you have to adapt these sections to meet your module assessment?
Using images, graphs and tables
A common feature of report writing is to include graphs, charts and/or images to visually illustrate your work. It is important to ensure these graphics are accompanied with appropriate information for the reader to understand what they’re looking at and why. The example below shows a standard layout of a graph and details the information which must be included.
Graphs, charts and images are labelled as ‘figures’ e.g. Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3 etc. Tables are labelled as ‘tables’ e.g. Table 1, Table 2, Table 3 etc. Your report should include a ‘List of figures’ and a ‘List of tables’ after your contents page (if you have one) and before your abstract/executive summary (if you have one) or introduction.
Appendices
Appendices are at the very back of your report as the last part to your report structure. The section also requires a strict format to tell the reader what each appendix entry is. Look at the image below for more details on how your appendices should be formatted. Click on the dots for more information.
Here are some key points for organising your appendices:
- Alphabetical or numeral headings e.g. Appendix A or Appendix 1 etc.
- Refer to your appendices in the main body of your report e.g. ‘see Appendix A for the survey questions’
- Organise by the order they appear in the main body of your report
- List your Appendices in your contents page
Remember, each appendix entry is additional information to the main body of your report to support your work. If you have not mentioned the information in your report, it should not be in your appendices.
Reflection
Reflection is a life-long learning tool that is useful for studying, working and living intentionally, based on the assumption that we can learn from our experiences. Reflective writing is the considered recording of the thinking process of reflection, a method for turning lived experience into self-directed, personalised learning.
Reflection can be formal or informal, private or for an audience, structured or free-form. There are many ways to produce a reflective piece. Whatever format you choose, remember that to be reflective you need to consciously examine elements of an experience, ask questions that challenge assumptions, and aim to bring meaning to your understanding to inform future actions and behaviour.
Watch the video below to begin learning about reflection and its purpose for our lives and work.
Models for reflection
A reflective model is a step-by-step framework that helps you to analyse your experience. It links your practice to theory enabling you to evaluate and learn from what happened, and identify opportunities for development in your future practice.
There are many reflective models, and your tutor may specify one they'd prefer you to use as a guide for your reflective writing. Look at the slides below to learn about a selection of reflective models, their similarities and differences.
Reflective writing
An academic reflection is different to a personal reflection as it is likely it will be read by someone else and presented for grading as a part of a module assignment. As academic reflections have to make sense to other people, they need to follow a structure and use language that a reader can follow without you being there to explain it.
Activity
How is reflective writing different from core academic writing? Watch the video below to identify the key focus of reflective writing.
Academic reflections share certain characteristics with academic essays, in that they require further reading, evidence and referencing, and criticality. However, in some aspects they differ, such as using both the 1st and 3rd person writing.
Reflections pass through 3 main stages: description, analysis and planning. Description involves 'who', 'when', 'what' and 'where'. 'What' also includes thoughts, feelings and emotions. There are many ways to produce these stages of reflection in writing.
Activity
Try using these examples to kick-start your reflective writing. Open each drop-down to see a different reflective writing example and exercise.
The Six Minute Write (Bolton, G. (2014) Reflective Practice: Writing and Professional
Development. 4th edn. Sage).
If you are being asked to write reflectively you may feel that you do not know where to begin. Bolton’s Six Minute Writing exercise is a useful way to help get you started. You can use Bolton’s (2014, p. 136) Six Minute Write exercise to begin any writing exercise, whether academic or reflective, personal or formal. Here are Bolton’s pointers:
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Write for six minutes without stopping.
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Write whatever comes to mind and let your writing flow freely.
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Keep writing and do not think too much about what you are writing.
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Do not pause to analyse what you have written, otherwise you will be tempted to write what you think you should write rather than what you want to write.
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Keep writing even if it does not make much sense to you.
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Do not worry about spelling, punctuation, grammar or jargon.
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This is your writing and whatever you write is correct because it is yours. Remember, no-one else needs to read what you have written.
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Stop after six minutes and look at how much you have been able to write.
Example: Peter has just started a course to train to be a counsellor and his tutor is asking every student to reflect on their learning and the development of their interpersonal skills. Peter is unsure where to start as reflective writing is a new thing for him so he decides to try the Six Minute Write.
“Well, I’ve never written anything like this before! When I wrote at school I was always told to be really careful – make sure your spelling and grammar are correct, don’t use abbreviations, make it sound formal. This feels quite liberating! But, is it any good? The tutor says ‘Just write what’s in your head’ so here goes.
Today we did our first role play exercises and how scary was that? I always knew that the course would involve this and I do enjoy talking with people, but trying out listening skills and asking open questions is all really difficult. I felt so nervous and forgot what to do. The people I was working with seemed so much better than me – I know I’ve got so much to learn it’s frightening. Will I ever be able to do this? I really don’t know, but I’m going to try.”
Adapted from: Bassot, B. (2015) The Reflective Practice Guide: An Interdisciplinary
Approach to Critical Reflection. Taylor & Francis Group.
If we pay attention to how we think, we will soon notice that we are often in conversation with ourselves. We have a kind of internal dialogue as we go about our day, making decisions (“The red top or the blue one?”) observing the world (“Beautiful day but chilly. Where did I put my gloves?”) and maintaining self-awareness (“Oh goodness, she’s heading this way. You’re nervous? Calm down. Be polite”).
Reflective writing can take the shape of dialogue and be structured as a conversation with different aspects of yourself. We all have multiple identities (child, parent, student, employee, friend etc.) and each aspect of ourselves can take a different perspective on a situation. Dialogic reflection harnesses these multiple perspectives to explore and inquire about ourselves in a certain situation, often when the purpose or outcome is unknown.
Example: Focus on an issue or concern that you have relating to your studies or practice. Imagine you are having a conversation with a friend about the issue because you want to get their perspective. Write a dialogue with “them” that explores your concerns. Raise any questions you would like answered. If need be, write another dialogue on the same issue with another “friend” to explore another perspective. Once you have finished, re-read your conversation. Did your “friend” offer any new perspectives on the issue that had not occurred to you before you began writing? Are any of these worth reflecting on further?
Driscoll (2007): What? So what? Now what?
Driscoll’s (2007) ‘What?’ model is a straightforward reflective cycle of 3 parts. Evolved from Borton’s (1970) Developmental Framework, it has 3 stages that ask us to consider What?, so what?, and now what?
Step 1 – What? involves writing a description of an event or an experience.
- How did I react and what did others do who were involved?
Step 2 – So what? Here we reflect on the event or experience and start to analyse selected aspects of it, considering why they were important and how they impacted the whole.
- Do I feel troubled in any way, and if so, how?
Step 3 – Now what? A range of proposed action points are devised following the experience, focusing on what has been learned.
- How can I change my approach if I face a similar situation again and what are my main learning points?
- What different options are there for me?
Example: Dan is training to be a nurse in elderly care and wants to reflect on the experiences he is gaining on his placement. Dan decides to use the questions in Driscoll’s model to help him to begin to analyse what he is learning.
Step 1 – What? Today I was observing an experienced community nurse change a dressing on a man’s leg that is badly infected. The man was nervous and became very distressed – he has had dressings replaced regularly and knows that the process is very painful. I felt awful about causing him more pain. The community nurse seemed very calm and spoke to him in a reassuring way. She asked him if he would like some pain relief and he said yes. She sat with him for ten minutes to make sure that the pain relief was working and spoke with him about his grandson’s visit that he was looking forward to at the weekend. This definitely seemed to put him at ease.
Step 2 – So what? She made it all look so easy. How would I cope if I had to do this? As a nurse I am meant to relieve pain not cause it. She focused on the patient while I focused on myself.
Step 3 – Now what? I learned a lot from the community nurse. She was very caring but firm. She knew the man’s dressing needed to be changed but did everything in a very calm and kind way. She distracted him and helped him to relax. These are all strategies that I can try in the future if I have to do this. Nursing isn’t only about my clinical skills; my interpersonal skills are vital, as is compassion and understanding for my patients.
Exercise: Write some notes about an experience you have had recently where you feel you have learned a lot. Can you use the stages of Driscoll’s cycle to develop this into a short reflection?
Note: Driscoll’s model is useful when you are new to professional practice and it seems like there is so much to learn. In particular, the question ‘Do I feel troubled in any way?’ is useful as our feelings can act as a prompt to deeper thinking. However, after a while you may find that you want to explore at a more complex level and move on to other approaches. It’s important to allow space for your reflective skills to develop in the same way as your professional skills.
Some small scale reflective questions:
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What were three things that went well today/this week? How do you know?
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What was a situation today/this week where I could have done better? How?
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What was your biggest challenge today/this week? How did you overcome it?
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What was the predominant feeling you had today/this week? Why?
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What made you happy/sad/frustrated/angry/etc today/this week? Can you find some way of having more or less of the identified aspects?
Some larger scale reflective questions:
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Am I optimising my time, energy and performance according to my values, goals and objectives?
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Am I making the most of opportunities available to me? Am I working effectively within any fixed restrictions? Where there are barriers, am I identifying them and tackling or circumventing them where possible?
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Do my values, goals and objectives still align with each other? Is this reflected in how I am spending my time?
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Are my goals still the right ones to deliver on my values? Should/Can I refine or revise the strategies I am using for fulfilling my values and goals?
From: McCabe and Thejll-Madsen (2020) The Integrated Reflective Cycle. Available at: https://www.ed.ac.uk/reflection/reflectors-toolkit/
reflecting-on-experience/the-integrated-reflective-cycle (Accessed: 16 May 2026)
Adapted from: Bassot, B. (2015) The Reflective Practice Guide: An Interdisciplinary
Approach to Critical Reflection. Taylor & Francis Group.
Blogs
A blog is often compared to a journal or diary, although published online for other people to read. It is a type of website updated with new blog posts; short pieces of writing often on opinions, experiences, ideas or information. A newly published blog post will appear first, at the top of the webpage for readers to see the latest article, followed by previous blog posts in reverse chronological order. Some people like to theme their blog on a particular topic such as technology or sport, some focus on an experience such as being at university, and others will write about anything that interests them. Blogs can have one or more authors, often referred to as bloggers.
At university, you may be asked to write an academic blog post as part of an assessment. It could be a singular piece of writing or you might be asked to set up a blog and post multiple times, creating several articles to share your experience, track your project development or explore theories on a topic. Although still academic in nature, blog posts require a different style of academic writing than a traditional essay or report. It combines elements of both reflective writing and essay writing, with a less formal tone and are typically shorter in length.
Why write an academic blog?
What does an academic blog post look like?
Although the style of an academic blog may be different to some of your other course assignments, it should still follow the same beginning (introduction), middle (main body) and conclusion format. Your blog post should be constructed by a series of paragraphs (to the word count as set by your brief) and include relevant references to your research, following the referencing style of your course. For more information on paragraph writing, see our content on writing technique [insert link].
Make sure the topic of your blog post is clear and unique to your other posts, if creating a series of posts as part of a longer blog. It should be easily distinguishable from your other posts and focus on one point of discussion. Below are some examples of blog post titles that clearly express the topic of the post (you can click on the titles to read the blog post, but bear in mind that these are not academic blog posts).
- New Library Postgraduate Study Space! (Scollard, 2026)
- Digging up the past: an Archaeology alumni story (Beverley, 2026)
- “Fruity and Fresh!” Forever chemicals the body cannot digest (Climpson, 2026)
- BFI Student Open Day is essential for industry access and inspiration (Kelly, 2025)
Like an essay, the main content of your blog post should still be formal in its style of writing (no colloquialisms or slang) however it can have much more of your personality shine through by using a less formal tone like a reflective piece.
Activity
Read and compare the two texts below. Which text do you think has a more formal tone, suitable for an essay, and which one is less formal like you would use for blog writing?
“Climate change refers to long-term alterations in global climate patterns, primarily driven by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions that intensify global warming. Its impacts—including rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and ecological disruption—necessitate coordinated global mitigation and adaptation efforts to ensure sustainable development and resilience.”
“Climate change is the long-term shift in global weather patterns and largely driven by human activities like burning fossil fuels, which release gases that trap heat and warm the planet. This warming is already leading to things like rising sea levels, more extreme weather, and damage to ecosystems, so tackling it means working together worldwide to cut emissions and adapt to the changes we can’t avoid.”
Below are some additional points to consider when drafting your blog post:
- You are responding to an assignment brief so always refer to this document for guidelines and the requirements of the assignment. Make sure you check the marking criteria as well to know the expectations of your tutor for this assignment.
- Plan your blog, just as you would any assignment with your reader in mind. Organise your ideas in a clear and logical structure, providing any definitions, contextual or background information at the start so that your topic can be more easily understood. You can learn more about planning for an assignment here [link]
- Evidence your work with discussion of your research, cited and referenced correctly.
- Critically engage with your research and any points you make on the topic of discussion.
- Blogs allow for visuals so add some appropriate and relevant images or videos to your content next to the related information in your text (either above or below the related paragragh).
- You can include titles, sub-titles, headings, bullet points, tables etc. However you format your blog, keep it coherent and consistent in style.
Annotated bibliographies
An annotated bibliography is a list of books, journal articles, and other sources which includes a descriptive and evaluative paragraph about each item (known as an annotation).
Their purpose is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy and quality of the sources cited.
Creating an annotated bibliography involves
- Undertaking a comprehensive literature search and record citations to books, journal articles, and other sources that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic.
- Examining and reviewing the items, selecting those works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic.
- Citing the book, journal article, or other source using the appropriate referencing style.
- Writing a concise annotation
Each source listed in the annotated bibliography has a citation and an annotation
Citation
The citation or reference is the information a reader needs to find the original source. You can find out more about citations in the Introduction to Referencing module. Each citation should be in a consistent format according to the citation style recommended by your course.
An example of a book citation in the Harvard style:
Marmot, M. and Wilkinson, R. (2006) Social determinants of health. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Annotation
The annotation is the descriptive and critical summary of the content of the source. It can be evaluative or reflective. Annotations are different from the abstracts which you find at the beginning of journal articles, which are mainly descriptive, as they include a critical element.
Annotations are usually about 150-200 words long and may contain about 4-6 sentences, but requirements can vary, so please do check your assignment brief.
The three key components are:
- Description of content - what is it about?
- Summary of argument - what is its argument?
- Evaluation of its benefit/relevance - why is it relevant?
This may include the following:
- A brief summary of the source outlining the focus/purpose of the work.
- An explanation of its relevance to your research topic/field of study and/or its relationships to other studies in the field.
- The strengths or weaknesses of the argument and/or research methodology.
- Information about the authority and credibility of the author.
- The conclusions or observations of the author and your reflection or response to this.
The content and language used to describe an item in an annotated bibliography should be consistent. Below are some top tips on the language and style used in writing annotations.
Here is an example of a completed citation with annotation. Note: the coloured text is for illustrative purposes only.
Key takeaways
- Always refer to your module handbook for advice and guidance on your assignment and your marking criteria for the assessment.
- Report writing uses the foundations and techniques of essay writing but follows a very different format and presentational style.
- Reflection has a unique style which uses first person writing. Refer to the different models of reflection for a structure to our work.
- Blogs are more informal in style and tone, however still require elements of academic writing.
- Annotated bibliographies require a knowledge of academic writing and referencing.
Credit
Written by Silvina Bishopp-Martin, Michelle Crowther, Claudia España, and Emma Scanlan
Last updated: 2026