Report Writing Assessment for Postgraduate Students: Lecturer’s Perspective

Abstract

Report writing aims to prompt the student’s learning processes, including professional and personal skills, since it becomes widely utilised in higher education globally. Organisations worldwide are actively seeking graduates with outstanding professional, personal and technological skills. These skills can be achieved by completing various assessments from report writing, reflective journals, wikis and assessments requiring teamwork in postgraduate units. This paper aims to discuss report writing assessment, design and implementation in postgraduate units in Australia to enhance students’ skills in communication (writing, interpersonal interaction and presenting), critical and creative thinking (problem-solving and decision-making) technological literacy and information literacy. Furthermore, assigning this form of assessment at the postgraduate level will improve students’ work performance, productivity and self-confidence as these skills are needed for master’s level study as well as for the workplace in the future. This paper presents guidelines and instructions for report writing assessment, implementation and the marking guide. The study findings indicated that completing report writing assessments at master’s level allows students to expand their knowledge and skills in the unit and their professional and personal skills are improved.