Request full copy

Report It in Writing, 6th edition

Published by Pearson (May 28, 2014) © 2015

  • Debbie J. Goodman Miami Dade Community College

eTextbook

$59.99

  • Easy-to-use search and navigation
  • Add notes and highlights
  • Search by keyword or page
$90.66

  • Hardcover, paperback or looseleaf edition
  • Affordable rental option for select titles
For all courses covering criminal justice writing, communications, report writing, and/or police reporting in any law enforcement or public safety program.
The most complete and up-to-date guide to writing in law enforcement: covers every aspect of effective writing, including report writing elements, basic writing skills, and interpersonal skills for ethically identifying the most effective information to include.
Report It In Writing, 6E is the most up-to-date and comprehensive guide to effective report writing for all law enforcement and public safety professionals. Organized in an easy-to-follow A to Z format, it covers both report writing elements and basic writing skills, as well as the interpersonal skills that are indispensable to effective information gathering. Throughout, integrated exercises focus on identifying basic facts and reinforcing basic rules of the English language. This edition contains many new exercises, as well as expanded 100-question pre- and post-tests, helping students more effectively review spelling, punctuation, grammar, proofreading, chronological order, and much more. Readers will find new or expanded coverage of many crucial topics, including ethical investigation and reporting; listening and rapport; observation, description, and other key topics.
Teaching and Learning Experience
This book will help law enforcement professionals become more effective writers, thereby making them more successful in gaining solid convictions, participating in more effective investigations, and advancing in their own careers. It provides:
  • Comprehensive, well-organized coverage of both report writing elements and basic writing skills: Covers crucial topics and skills ranging from separating fact from opinion to using active voice, avoiding run-on sentences to careful proofreading
  • Thorough coverage of the interpersonal skills that are crucial to fact-gathering for effective written communication: Prepares students to write highly effective reports by promoting the communications skills they need to ethically discover the information those reports should include
  • Builds skills through extensive, realistic hands-on practice: Offers comprehensive exercises, pre-test, and post-test addressing all facets of effective report writing in law enforcement
Comprehensive, well-organized coverage of both report writing elements and basic writing skills:
  • NEW! Up-to-date coverage of all components and characteristics of effective reports---providing expert, modern guidance on issues ranging from note-taking to clarity and organization
Thorough coverage of the interpersonal skills that are crucial to fact-gathering for effective written communication:
  • NEW! Brand-new, expanded, and improved coverage throughout---including new or improved sections on good listening skills, observation and description, interpersonal communication, establishing rapport, and much more
  • NEW! Even more coverage of investigative reporting and interviewing skills---providing readers with proper, lawful techniques for effectively interviewing victims, witnesses, and suspects
  • NEW! Focuses even more strongly on ethical reporting---containing added coverage and new scenarios that reinforce the importance of making ethical decisions when writing police and corrections reports, helping students and their agencies reduce legal exposure and improve justice
Builds skills through extensive, realistic hands-on practice:
  • NEW! Expanded pre-test and post-test, now 100 questions each---helping students identify weaknesses, assess what they have learned, and review to fill any remaining gaps
  • NEW! Many new and revamped exercises on punctuation, grammar, proofreading, and chronological order---offering extensive hands-on practice that reinforces knowledge and increases student confidence
Features
  • NEW! Up-to-date coverage of all components and characteristics of effective reports---providing expert, modern guidance on issues ranging from note-taking to clarity and organization
  • Teaches core writing skills for a student's entire career: not just what to write, but how to do it well---helping students properly use punctuation and forms of speech, avoid "homophone" and spelling errors, and structure sentences more effectively
  • Easy-to-follow A-to-Z organization---a clear, complete, and cohesive approach, structured for fast, intuitive learning
    • Thorough coverage of the interpersonal skills that are crucial to fact-gathering for effective written communication:
  • NEW! Brand-new, expanded, and improved coverage throughout---including new or improved sections on good listening skills, observation and description, interpersonal communication, establishing rapport, and much more
  • NEW! Even more coverage of investigative reporting and interviewing skills---providing readers with proper, lawful techniques for effectively interviewing victims, witnesses, and suspects
  • NEW! Focuses even more strongly on ethical reporting---containing added coverage and new scenarios that reinforce the importance of making ethical decisions when writing police and corrections reports, helping students and their agencies reduce legal exposure and improve justice
Builds skills through extensive, realistic hands-on practice:
  • NEW! Expanded pre-test and post-test, now 100 questions each---helping students identify weaknesses, assess what they have learned, and review to fill any remaining gaps
  • NEW! Many new and revamped exercises on punctuation, grammar, proofreading, and chronological order---offering extensive hands-on practice that reinforces knowledge and increases student confidence
  • Report-writing exercises---encouraging students to identify the basic facts about a situation and summarize them into a coherent and accurate account
  • Sample police and correction reports throughout---teaching by example and helping students discover what excellent reports look like
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Top Twelve Reasons Why You Should Write Well
Pretest

I. THE A-Z'S OF REPORT WRITING
A. Report-Writing Rules
B. Ten Good Questions
C. Ethical Reporting
D. Chronological Order
E. Fact vs. Opinion
F. Vague vs. Specific Language
G. Common Abbreviations for Note Taking
H. Who vs. Whom
I. Proofreading
J. First- vs. Third-Person Reporting
K. Report-Writing "Shoulds"
L. Note Taking
M. Organizing the Report
N. Observation and Description
O. Your A-Z Guide at a Glance
P. Report-Writing Exercises for Police, Probation, and Corrections Officers
Q. Interviewing Skills and Investigative Reporting
R. Ten Steps for Becoming a Good Listener
S. CPR: Courtesy, Professionalism, and Respect
T. Establishing Rapport
U. Interpersonal Communication
V. Nonverbal Communication
W. When to Write a Report?
X. The Four C's
Y. Document, Document, Document
Z. Get a Writing Mentor

II. PARTS OF SPEECH
A. Nouns
B. Pronouns
C. Verbs
D. Adjectives
E. Adverbs
F. Prepositions
G. Conjunctions
H. Interjections
Final Note

III. HOMOPHONES

IV. THE SENTENCE

A. What Is a Sentence?
B. Changing Fragments to Sentences
C. Misplaced Phrases D. Run-on Sentence (Fused Sentence)
E. Subject Identification
F. Capitalization

V. ACTIVE VS. PASSIVE VOICE, SUBJECT AND VERB AGREEMENT, AND GRAMMAR
A. Active and Passive Voice
B. Subject and Verb Agreement
C. Pronoun Agreement

VI. SPELLING

VII. PUNCTUATION
A. The Comma
B. The Comma Splice
C. The Semicolon
D. The Colon
E. Quotation Marks
F. The Apostrophe

Posttest
Glossary of Writing, Grammar and Word Usage Rules
Recommended Reading
Index

Need help? Get in touch

Video
Play
Privacy and cookies
By watching, you agree Pearson can share your viewership data for marketing and analytics for one year, revocable by deleting your cookies.

Video transcript (PDF | 16KB) 

Pearson eTextbook: What’s on the inside just might surprise you

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover. It’s the same with your students. Meet each one right where they are with an engaging, interactive, personalized learning experience that goes beyond the textbook to fit any schedule, any budget, and any lifestyle. 

Digital Learning NOW

Extend your professional development and meet your students where they are with free weekly Digital Learning NOW webinars. Attend live, watch on-demand, or listen at your leisure to expand your teaching strategies. Earn digital professional development badges for attending a live session.

Explore webinars