Department of Arts and Sciences Education

Mabini Street, Tagum City

Telefax: (084) 655-9591

UNIVERSITY OF MINDANAO
Tagum College

Department of Arts & Social Sciences Education

Language Discipline

Physically Distanced but Academically Engaged

Self-Instructional Manual (SIM) for Self-Directed Learning (SDL)

Course/Subject: CRI 316 – Technical English 1 (Legal Forms)

Name of Teacher: ________________________________

THIS SIM/SDL MANUAL IS A DRAFT VERSION ONLY; NOT FOR

REPRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE OF ITS INTENDED USE.
THIS IS INTENDED ONLY FOR THE USE OF THE STUDENTS WHO ARE
OFFICIALLY ENROLLED IN THE COURSE/SUBJECT.

EXPECT REVISIONS OF THE MANUAL.

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 Department of Arts and Sciences Education
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084) 655-9591

SELF-INSTRUCTIONAL & SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING COURSE MANUAL For

Online Blended Delivery (OBD) and Distance Education Delivery (DED) During
the Quarantine/Lockdown Period

I. Rationale

The University of Mindanao is fully committed to cater to the different needs of

its students in terms of alternative modes of instructional delivery. In order to serve the
purpose of alternative modes of delivery, a Self-Directed Learning (SDL) program is
developed through Self-Instructional Manuals (SIM). In fact, the development of
SIM/SDL for the online and blended learning alternative modes is already in the
University’s pipeline for academic year 2020-2021. Prior to the development of these
manuals, the University has already instituted industry-leading academic innovations
and initiatives for outcome-based education such as the Student Portal; online student
consultation program; Student Advising Program (SAP); Outcomes Assessment
Threshold (OATH program); various interactive learning resources; and the
subscription use of the BlackBoard Open as the official learning management system
(LMS) for virtual/online classes to further enhance the quality of teaching and learning
experiences of students.

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has resulted in massive social and
physical distancing, prohibition of mass gatherings, suspension of classes and
extended community quarantine/lockdown, there is a need to fast-track the
development of the SIM/SDL manuals to respond to the segmentized and unique
instructional needs of students.

The University is fully aware of the drawbacks and limitations of the online
blended teaching modes using self-instructional manuals particularly for laboratory
and practicum courses, competency appraisal courses, undergraduate research
courses, and a host of demonstration courses, not to mention the lack or poor internet
connections among the faculty and students. But with the quality assurance
procedures and academic innovations in place, the institution is confident that the
same quality of teaching and learning will be enjoyed by the students.

II. Objectives

1. The SIM/SDL Manual aims to provide the guidelines for instructional development
by the teachers and directed learning by the students; and

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 Department of Arts and Sciences Education
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084) 655-9591

2. The SIM/SDL Manual aims to provide avenues for innovative and flexible
alternative modes of delivery in response to the quarantine/lockdown
requirements.

III. Definition of Terms

(1) Self-Instructional Manual (SIM) refers to the teachers’ manual that consists of all
instructional contents and activities necessary for students’ learning. SIMs come
from the context of teachers; SIMs are conceptualized, designed, developed,
monitored and evaluation by the teachers.

(2) Self-Directed Learning (SDL) refers to the learning processes of the students. It is
self-directed because the students manage their own learning. It is directed
learning because the students follow the instructions provided in the SIMs. SDL
comes from the context of students and is intended for the students.

(3) Online Learning refers to the virtual class through the Blackboard (BB) Learning
Management System (LMS). Online learning requires computer hardware and
internet connection at home.

(4) Blended Learning refers to the combination of online learning and on-campus/on-
site learning (face to face). The SIMs shall provide the distribution of instructions
and activities done online and done on-campus/on-site.

(5) Distance Education refers to off-campus learning, which can be done with or
without online learning. It is a modular and seminar type of instructional delivery
that requires the use of traditional contact and social media platforms combined
with on-campus/onsite learning (face-to-face). The SIMs shall provide the
distribution of instructions and activities for distance education mode.

(6) Traditional contact refers to faculty and student interaction via cellphone/telephone
for communication and SMS.

(7) Social media platforms refer to email, Private Messenger, Facebook, Viber,
WhatsApp, Line, Zoom and other similar applications.

IV. Delivery Implementation Guidelines

There are 2 modes to implement the alternative delivery of instructions, with

their corresponding general guidelines: Online Blended Delivery (OBD) and Distance
Education Delivery (DED). Students can choose to enroll in OBD or DED, whichever
suits their needs and contexts as long as they meet the requirements of what they

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 Department of Arts and Sciences Education
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084) 655-9591

choose. OBD and DED courses shall continue to be based on the appropriate course
syllabi in terms of learning outcomes, content and coverage.

A. Online Blended Delivery (OBD)

(1) OBD courses and classes shall be offered during the quarantine/lockdown period.
For Summer Classes and Semestral Classes determined by the University, the
online component shall be held for the entire Summer and Semestral periods and
the on-campus/onsite component can be conducted anytime on the last week,
where the quarantine/lockdown period shall be slowly lifted and allows resumption
of classes. In the event that the quarantine/lockdown period is neither lifted nor
eased off, proper instructions shall be given for flexible arrangements. What is
important is for one 3-unit course/subject to meet the 54-hours class requirement.

(2) The on-campus/onsite component shall be conducted in 2 days – one whole day
for review and synthesis, and another one whole day for final examinations. The
review and examination schedules shall be determined and announced in the
proper time depending on the quarantine/lockdown conditions.

(3) The faculty who will teach/handle an OBD course is required to have and use their
computer hardware and internet connection at home. The faculty in charge of a
course shall design the SIM and deploy in the BlackBoard LMS after the review
and approval by the Program Head and the Dean.

(4) The students who wish to enroll in OBD course are required to have and use their
own computer hardware and internet connection at home. After receiving the
course SIM, the students shall follow the instructions and activities as provided and
shall proceed their paced learning through SDL.

(5) Both the faculty and students under the OBD mode need to use their umindanao
email account and BlackBoard LMS account to access the BlackBoard LMS
virtual/online classes.

(6) For safety and security, SIMs and all its lecture and reading materials, need to be
converted to PDF files before distribution to enrolled students.

(7) A separate Blackboard LMS manual shall be given to the faculty for the use of the
Blackboard LMS program. The faculty shall be in charge of giving instructions to
the students on how to use the Blackboard LMS virtual class.

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 Department of Arts and Sciences Education
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084) 655-9591

B. Distance Education Delivery (DED)

(1) DED courses shall be offered with caution by the University, taking into
consideration the quarantine/lockdown prohibitions as well as quality delivery. The
University may opt to limit the offering of DED courses for reasons of instructional
delivery and logistical constraints.

(2) Depending on the available DED courses, the students can choose the DED mode
if they do not have computer hardware and internet connection at home, and thus
they do not have access to the BlackBoard LMS.

(3) The students can claim their course manual or course SIM from the University
(home college) and follow instructions for paced learning for SDL. If prohibited by
the quarantine/lockdown orders, the University through the Admissions Office shall
send the course manual/SIM to the students by courier.

(4) For safety and security, SIMs and all its lecture and reading materials, need to be
converted to PDF files before distribution to enrolled students.

(5) Faculty and student interactions in DED mode can be supplemented by traditional
contact and social media platforms, depending on what is available for both
teachers and students.

(6) Deadlines and submission of requirements can be arranged with flexibility: by

email, by courier if reliable or by personal submission (on-campus/onsite) if
allowed. The faculty in-charge shall design specific instructional delivery
requirements appropriate for DED mode.

(7) Final examinations in DED mode shall be done on-campus/onsite. Schedules shall
be determined and announced depending on the quarantine/lockdown conditions.

V. Components of the SIM

The course manual or SIM which shall be designed by the faculty and used by the
students for their SDL shall contain the following components or parts:

Part 1. Quality Assurance Policies and Course Outline Policies

Part 2. Instruction Delivery

Under the Instruction Delivery are the following parts:

(a) Unit Learning Outcomes (Big Picture)
(b) Course Outcomes (Chunks)
(c) Course Facilitator (Faculty/Teacher/Course Coordinator)

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 Department of Arts and Sciences Education
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084) 655-9591

(d) Facilitator’s Voice (Coordinator’s Voice)

(e) Metalanguage
(f) Essential Knowledge (Concepts, theories, lessons, computations)
(g) Self-Help
(h) Let’s Check (Activities/Exercises)
(i) Let’s Analyze (Activities/Exercises)
(j) Nutshell
(k) Q&A List
(l) Keywords Index

Part 3. Course Schedules – daily and weekly programming of all lectures, activities
and requirements stipulated in Essential Knowledge, Let’s Check, and Let’s Analyze
portions.

The Online Code of Conduct, as provided herein as part of the guidelines, shall
be incorporated as part of the SIM/SDL manuals. This is to ensure that all
faculty/Course Facilitators and students are made aware of their agreement,
adherence and observance of professional conduct in OBD and DED courses.

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 Department of Arts and Sciences Education
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084) 655-9591

Table of Contents
Page

Part 1. Quality Assurance Policies and Course Outline Policies ................... 1

Part 2. Instruction Delivery
Unit Learning Outcomes (ULO) .............................................................. 5
Course Coordinator’s Voice ......................................................................... 6
Course Outcomes .................................................................................... 6

Week 1-3
ULO a............................................................................................................6
Metalanguage .................................................................................... 5
Essential Knowledge ......................................................................... 6
Self-Help ............................................................................................... 10
Let’s Check ............................................................................................... 11
Let’s Analyze .................................................................................... 11
Nutshell ............................................................................................... 12
Q&A List ............................................................................................... 12
Keywords Index .................................................................................... 13

ULO b ......................................................................................................... 14
Metalanguage .................................................................................... 14
Essential Knowledge ......................................................................... 14
Self-Help ............................................................................................... 18
Let’s Check ............................................................................................... 19
Let’s Analyze .................................................................................... 20
Nutshell ............................................................................................... 20
Q&A List ............................................................................................... 21
Keywords Index .................................................................................... 21

Week 4-5
ULO a ......................................................................................................... 22
Metalanguage .................................................................................... 22
Essential Knowledge ......................................................................... 22
Self-Help ............................................................................................... 30
Let’s Check ............................................................................................... 31
Let’s Analyze .................................................................................... 32
Nutshell ............................................................................................... 32
Q&A List ............................................................................................... 33
Keywords Index .................................................................................... 33

Week 6-7
ULO a ......................................................................................................... 34
Metalanguage .................................................................................... 34
Essential Knowledge ......................................................................... 34

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 Department of Arts and Sciences Education
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084) 655-9591

Self-Help …............................................................................................ 41
Let’s Check …............................................................................................ 42
Let’s Analyze …................................................................................. 43
Nutshell …............................................................................................ 44
Q&A List …............................................................................................ 45
Keywords Index …................................................................................. 45

Week 8-9
ULO a …...................................................................................................... 46
Metalanguage …................................................................................. 46
Essential Knowledge …...................................................................... 46
Self-Help …............................................................................................ 51
Let’s Check …............................................................................................ 51
Let’s Analyze …................................................................................. 51
Nutshell …............................................................................................ 52
Q&A List …............................................................................................ 52
Keywords Index …................................................................................. 52

Part 3. Course Schedule …................................................................................. 54

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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

PART 1: QUALITY ASSURANCE POLICIES

This is the first part of the manual which explicitly reflects the quality assurance
procedures unique to this course. These include the attendance requirements (face to
face or virtual), schedule of examination, submission and return of assessment papers,
schedule and extension of deadlines, appeal on the grades, penalties, communication
and special learning needs of students. Also included in this section are the contact details
of the Dean, Program Head, Faculty or Course Facilitator, Guidance Facilitator, Librarian,
and Help Desks to promptly respond to your needs.

Course Outline: CRI 316 - Technical English 1 (Legal Forms)

Course Coordinator: Genesis G. Genelza

Email: genelzagenesis@gmail.com
Student Consultation: By appointment
Mobile:
Phone:
Effectivity Date: August 2020
Mode of Delivery: Distance Education Delivery (DED)
Time Frame: 54 hours
Student Workload: Expected Self-Directed Learning
Requisites: CR1 326
Credit: 3
Attendance Requirements: Minimum of 95% attendance in all scheduled virtual
or face to face sessions and the Learning
Management System (LMS)

Course Outline Policy

Areas of Concern Details

Contact and Non-contact Hours This 3-unit course self-instructional manual is
designed for blended learning mode of instructional
delivery with scheduled face to face or virtual
sessions. The expected number of hours will be 54
including the face to face or virtual sessions. A
Learning Management System (LMS), Quipper, will
be used to facilitate your learning. Other sessions
may also be conducted through online
communication channels such as Facebook,
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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, E-mail, Line, Zoom,

Skype, or any other similar applications. You may
also contact the course coordinator through a
mobile number or telephone. The face to face
sessions shall include the summative assessment
tasks (exams) since this course is crucial in the
licensure examination
for criminologists.
Assessment Task Submission Submission of assessment tasks shall be on 3rd, 5th,
7th and 9th week of the term. The assessment paper
shall be attached with a cover page indicating the
title of the assessment task (if the task is
performance), the name of the course coordinator,
date of submission and name of the student. The
document should be emailed to the course
coordinator. It is also expected that you already paid
your tuition and other fees before the submission of
the assessment task.

If the assessment task is done in real time through

the features in the Blackboard Learning
Management System, the schedule shall be
arranged ahead of time by the course coordinator.
Since this course is included in the licensure
examination for criminologists, you will be required
to take the Multiple-Choice Question exam inside
the University. This should be scheduled ahead of
time by your course coordinator. This is non-
negotiable for all licensure-based programs.
Turnitin Submission To ensure honesty and authenticity, all assessment
(if necessary) tasks are required to be submitted through Turnitin
with a maximum similarity index of 30% allowed.
This means that if your paper goes beyond 30%, the
students will either opt to redo her/his paper or
explain in writing addressed to the course
coordinator the reasons for the similarity. In
addition, if the paper has reached more than 30%
similarity index, the student may be called for a
disciplinary action in accordance with the
University’s OPM on Intellectual and Academic
Honesty.

Please note that academic dishonesty such as

cheating and commissioning other students or
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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

people to complete the task for you have severe

punishments (reprimand, warning, expulsion).
Penalties for Late The score for an assessment item submitted after
Assignments/Assessments the designated time on the due date, without an
approved extension of time, will be reduced by 5%
of the possible maximum score for that assessment
item for each day or part day that the assessment
item is late.

However, if the late submission of assessment

paper has a valid reason, a letter of explanation
should be submitted and approved by the course
coordinator. If necessary, you will also be required
to present/attach evidence.
Return of Assignments/ Assessment tasks will be returned to you two (2)
Assessments weeks after the submission. This will be returned by
email or via the Quipper.

For group assessment tasks, the course coordinator

will require some or few of the students for online or
virtual sessions to ask clarificatory questions to
validate the originality of the assessment task
submitted and to ensure that all the group members
are involved.
Assignment Resubmission You should request in writing addressed to the
course coordinator his/her intention to resubmit an
assessment task. The resubmission is premised on
the student’s failure to comply with the similarity
index and other reasonable grounds such as
academic literacy standards or other reasonable
circumstances e.g. illness, accidents financial
constraints.
Re-marking of Assessment You should request in writing addressed to the
Papers and Appeal program coordinator your intention to appeal or
contest the score given to an assessment task. The
letter should explicitly explain the reasons/points to
contest the grade. The program coordinator shall
communicate with the students on the approval and
disapproval of the request.

If disapproved by the course coordinator, you can

elevate your case to the program head or the dean
with the original letter of request. The final decision
will come from the dean of the college.
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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

Grading System All culled from Quipper sessions and traditional

contact

Course discussions/exercises– 40%

1st formative assessment – 10%
2nd formative assessment – 10%
3rd formative assessment – 10%

All culled from on-campus/onsite sessions (TBA):

Final exam – 30%

Submission of the final grades shall follow the usual

University system and procedures.
Preferred Referencing Style Depends on the discipline; if uncertain or
inadequate, use the general practice of the APA 6th
Edition.
Student Communication You are required to create a umindanao email
account which is a requirement to access the LMS
portal. Then, the course coordinator shall enroll the
students to have access to the materials and
resources of the course. All communication formats:
chat, submission of assessment tasks, requests etc.
shall be through the portal and other university
recognized platforms.

You can also meet the course coordinator in person

through the scheduled face to face sessions to raise
your issues and concerns.

For students who have not created their student

email, please contact the course coordinator or
program head.
Contact Details of the Dean Gina Fe G. Israel, Ed.D.
Email: deansofficetagum@umindanao.edu.ph
Phone: 09158325092
Contact Details of the Program Rosa Maria T. Pineda, EdD
Head Email: rmtpineda@gmail.com
Phone: 09330322468
Students with Special Needs Students with special needs shall communicate with
the course coordinator about the nature of his or her
special needs. Depending on the nature of the need,
the course coordinator with the approval of the

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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

program coordinator may provide alternative

assessment tasks or extension of the deadline of
submission of assessment tasks. However, the
alternative assessment tasks should still be in the
service of achieving the desired course learning
outcomes.
Online Tutorial Registration You are required to enroll in a specific tutorial time
for this course via the www.cte.edu.ph portal.
Please note that there is a deadline for enrollment
to the tutorial.
Help Desk Contact 09771712622
Library Contact Email: lictagum@umindanao.edu.ph
Phone:09273951639

Course Information – See or download the course syllabus in Quipper.

CC’s Voice: Hello prospective police officer! Welcome to this course CRI 316: Technical
English 1 (Legal Forms). By now, I am confident that you really wanted to become a police
officer and that you have visualized yourself already be of service to the nation. This
course aims to distinguish types and purposes of technical reports in criminology and the
use of appropriate terms and phraseologies to meet the needs of the readers.

CO: Before the actual performance, you have to identify the importance of Police
report writing and its purpose in serving the public and administrative roles
on the PNP; write with accurate grammar structure with correct use of Police
terminologies and lingos; and demonstrate competence and broad
understanding in law enforcement administration, public safety and criminal
justice.

Let us begin!

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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

Big Picture A
Week 1-3: Unit Learning Outcomes (ULO)
At the end of the unit, you are expected to:

a. Identify the importance of Police report writing and its purpose in serving
the public and administrative roles on the PNP; and
b. Establish deep knowledge on the purposes of Police Report Writing
principles for effective justification of Police Writing and Definition of
Good Police Writing, by knowing its background and methods.

Big Picture in Focus: ULOa. Identify the importance of Police report

writing and its purpose in serving the public and administrative roles
on the PNP.

Metalanguage
In this section, the most essential terms relevant to the subject and to demonstrate
ULOa will be operationally defined to establish a common frame of reference as to how
the texts work in your chosen field or career. You will encounter these terms as we go
through the study. Please refer to these definitions in case you will encounter difficulty in
the in understanding the concepts.

Please proceed immediately to the “Essential Knowledge” part since the first
lesson is also definition of essential terms.

Essential Knowledge
To perform the aforesaid big picture (unit learning outcomes) for the first three (3)
weeks of the course, you need to fully understand the following essential knowledge that
will be laid down in the succeeding pages. Please note that you are not limited to
exclusively refer to these resources. Thus, you are expected to utilize other books,
research articles and other resources that are available in the university’s library e.g.
ebrary, search.proquest.com etc.

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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

POLICE REPORT WRITING:

• Significance of Technical Writing:

o Law enforcers are required to write beat patrol reports, fill up routing slips,
write traffic accident reports, compose blotter entries, and submit various
kinds of police reports.
o The technical writer has the expertise and skills in writing to be able to
produce good reports.

• Definition of Technical Writing

o The word “technical” comes from the Greek word ‘techne’ that means “skill”.
o Form of technical skills and is used in fields like the military, police,
computer industry, robotics, finance, consumer electronics, biotechnology
and many other fields.
o According to Alcantara and Espina (2003) that communication in any field
where the primary aim of which is to convey a particular piece of
information, for a particular purpose, to a particular group or group of
readers. The technical writer is expected to be objective, clear and accurate,
concise and unemotional in the presentation of facts.

• Basic Principles of Good Technical Writing

o According Mills and Walter (1988)
▪ Has a specific reader
▪ Has a specific purpose
▪ Uses familiar language
▪ Produces reports that are presentable

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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

• Two Important Factors of Technical Writing:

1. Subject Matter – refers to the objective information that the writer wants to
convey.
▪ Objective information of a written material.
▪ Tells readers what to do, and how to do a particular reading task.
▪ Gives information about recorded data in criminology, military,
business, education, and the like.
2. Purpose – refers to the goals that the writer wants to achieve for himself and
his readers after presenting his written output.
▪ The concepts and information that point to the completion of a
specific task and decision on the part of the writer and the reader.
▪ The analysis on the events and its implications in relation to the
written text.
▪ It convinces, persuades, and influences the readers.

• Qualities of a Good Technical Report

o Brevity
▪ Characterized by the shortness of briefness of the writing material
▪ Achieved through presentation of ideas in a short but complete
manner
o Clarity
▪ A condition of writing where ideas are simplified by making it easier
for the readers to understand.
▪ Achieved by providing further examples, illustrations, or diagrams in
order to clarify the text.
o Completeness
▪ This is where the ideas in the paragraph are entirely and absolutely
free from inconsistencies and errors in any form.
o Accuracy
▪ Refers to the exactness and correctness of writing, as this is a result
from precision, conformity to grammar, and adherence to writing
standards.

• The Technical Communication

o The process of conveying technical information through writing, speech,
and other medium to an intended audience.
o The main function is to convey specific messages to a specific reader.
o In law enforcement and its related agencies, law enforcers communicate
with each other using coded messages, they communicate jargons that they
can decipher.

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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

• The Technical Communicator

o A person whose job involves technical communication.

o Those who design reading materials, edit proposals, write manuals, create
web pages, write lab reports, write newsletters, and submit various kinds of
professional documents.
o They are responsible for writing text that are accurate, readable,
acceptable, and helpful to its intended audience.

• Characteristics of a Good Technical Communicator

o Know his audience well
▪ A technical writer who knows his/her students well and is in the
position to suggest and implement solutions to problems that nobody
else identifies.
o Serves as a “go-between”
▪ Whenever of group of people has specialized knowledge that other
groups do not share, the technical writer bridges the gap.
o A Generator of truth
▪ A technical writer chooses what will be written, with the full
knowledge that later readers will depend on the accuracy of what has
been written.
o A good teacher
▪ He excels at explaining difficult concepts for readers who will have
no time to read twice.
o Has an excellent eye for details
▪ He knows punctuations, syntax, and style. And can explain the rules
governing them.
o Knows how to coordinate

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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

▪ Though he works on his own much time, he also knows how to

coordinate with the collaborative work of graphic artists,
programmers, printers, and various subject matters experts.

o Has enough expertise

▪ He is an expert in understanding the audience’s background and
needs.
o He knows how to gather information
▪ He has a nose for information from existing documents and from
subject matter experts.
o He is respected and credible
▪ He is a person with credibility, and he is also valuable and reliable
source of information.
o Has a strong language skill
▪ He understands the highly evolved conventions of modern technical
communication.
• Technical Documentation
o Useful if the readers can understand and act on them without having to
decode wordy and ambiguous words.
o Technical documentation services comprise of all activities, means and
system that provide information to its specialized fields.

Self-Help: You can also refer to the sources below to help you
further understand the lesson:

❖ TEXTBOOK
✓ Fetalvo-Balares, M., Ananayo-Sanao, M.J. & Garcia, N. (2016).
Police report writing. Wiseman’s Books Trading INC. ISBN:
978-971-9617-68-6.

❖ BOOK AND ONLINE REFERENCES

✓ Paligat, E. (2014). Technical report writing 1.
✓ Paligat, E. (2015). Police report writing: A handbook for police
officers, trainees, and public safety students. Quezon City: Author
✓ Bajado, M. & Pioquito, V. (2014). Technical report writing.
Wiseman’s Books Trading, Inc. Quezon City.

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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

Let’s Check
Activity 1. Now that you know the most essential terms of this course, let us try to check
your understanding of these terms. In the space provided, write the term/s being asked
in the following statements:

_______________1. The word “technical” comes from the Greek word ________ that
means “skill”.
_______________2. It refers to the objective information that the writer wants to convey.
_______________3. It refers to the goals that the writer wants to achieve for himself and
his readers after presenting his written output.
_______________4. The process of conveying technical information through writing,
speech, and other medium to an intended audience.
_______________5. It refers to the exactness and correctness of writing, as this is a
result from precision, conformity to grammar, and adherence to writing standards.
_______________6. A condition of writing where ideas are simplified by making it easier
for the readers to understand.
_______________7. This is where the ideas in the paragraph are entirely and absolutely
free from inconsistencies and errors in any form.
_______________8. They are responsible for writing text that are accurate, readable,
acceptable, and helpful to its intended audience.
_______________9. They communicate with each other using coded messages, they
communicate jargons that they can decipher.
_______________10. Characterized by the shortness of briefness of the writing material.

Let’s Analyze

Writing Activity: Essay on “The Significance of Technical Communication in Criminal

Justice Education.”

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

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In a Nutshell…

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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

Question & Answer (Q&A)

You are free to list down all the emerging questions or issues in the provided
spaces below. These questions or concerns may also be raised in the LMS or other
modes. You may answer these questions on your own after clarification. The Q&A portion
helps in the review of concepts and essential knowledge.

Questions/Issues Answers

1.

2.

3.

4.

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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

5.

Keywords

Accuracy Letters Report

Brevity Memo Technical Report
Communication Police Report Technical Writing

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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

Big Picture in Focus: ULOb. Establish deep knowledge on the purposes of Police
Report Writing principles for effective justification of Police Writing and Definition of
Good Police Writing, by knowing its background and methods.

Metalanguage
For you to demonstrate ULOb, you will need to understand the following definition
of terms and concepts. Please note that you will also be required to refer to the previous
definitions found in ULOa section.

Definition of Terms:
1. Assumption – this pertains to the belief of somebody that something is true
without having any proof.
2. Chronological order – It refers to the arrangement of events and/or actions in
the order by the time of their occurrence.
3. Communication – defined as the use of language, spoken or written to
exchange ideas or transfer information.
4. Coherence – means to be logically or aesthetically consistent so that all the
separate facts or information fit together and add up to a harmonious or credible
whole report.
5. Conclusion – it pertains to a decision made or an opinion formed after
considering relevant facts or evidence.
6. Corpus Delicti – it refers to the body of facts that show that a crime has been
committed, including physical evidence such as a corpse.
7. Fact – it refers to anything which either through careful observation or
investigation, has been proven to exist as to have happened.
8. Hearsay – this pertains to information that is heard from other people.
9. Jargon – this refers to the language or technical terms that is used by group,
profession, or culture, especially when the words and phrases are not
understood or used by other people.
10. Logical – it is a characteristic or trait which one is able to think sensibly and
come to a rational conclusion based on facts rather than emotion.
11. Narrative – this pertains to the story or an account of a sequence of events in
the order in which they happened.
12. Note Taking – it is a brief notation concerning specific events while fresh in
one’s mind and used to prepare a report.
13. Opinion – it refers to a personal view about an issue especially when in it is
based on personal judgment.
14. Proof reading – a way of reading the proofs of a text and marking corrections
to be made.
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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

15. Reporting – a way of knowingly passing along information to someone else.

16. Report Writing – a communication that lends itself to a useful tool for people in
a free society to express their thoughts and ideas and to obtain what they need
or want.
17. Slang – pertains to the words, expressions, and usage that are casual, vivid, or
playful replacement for standards ones which are often short-lived, and are
usually considered unsuitable for formal context.
18. Surveillance – refers to the discreet observation of places, persons and
vehicles for the purpose of obtaining information concerning the identity or
activities of the subjects.
19. Tone – a writer’s attitude toward a subject, an audience and the self. (First
Person – I; Second Person – You; Third Person – He/She)
20. Verbal – a way of using words, especially spoken words, as opposed to pictures
or physical action.

Essential Knowledge
Let’s begin to the thorough concepts and discussions. Please note that you are not
limited to exclusively refer to these resources. Thus, you are expected to utilize other
books, research articles and other resources that are available in the university’s library
e.g. ebrary, search.proquest.com etc.

POLICE REPORTS

• Report
o Account of some subject specially investigated or an official statement of
facts (Gammage, 1961)
o Defined as an account of any occurrence prepared after thorough
investigation.
o It also defined as an account or statement describing in detail an event,
situation, or the like, usually as the result of observation or inquiry.
• Police Report Writing
o Is considered technical writing, and as such, one needs to develop special
skills and techniques.
o It is the backbone of criminal investigation and prosecution.
o A chronological or step-by-step account of an incident that transpired in a
given time (Soriano, 2005).
o May be written or oral; detailed or brief; simple or complex
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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

o Must be complete, factual, accurate to speed up an investigation

o Follow standard format
o Can make the difference between a conviction and an acquittal.
• Purposes of Police Report Writing
PNP Standard Operating Procedure No. 2012-01
o To serve as the official document and permanent record of incidents in the
community;
o To compile statistical information and identify problems in the community;
o To facilitate investigations, prepare and defend court cases including
prosecution of criminals; and
o To identify training needs of the members of the Philippine National Police.
• Purpose of Written Reports
o To preserve knowledge
o To provide accurate details
o To aid the Personnel and other agencies
o To coordinate the activities within the organization
• Qualities of a Good Police Report
o Accurate
o Clear
o Complete
o Concise
o Factual
o Objective
o Prompt
• Important Uses of Police Report Writing
(Soriano, 2005)
o Serve as records for police administrators in planning, directing, and
organizing the unit’s duties and functions;
o Use as legal documents in the prosecution of criminals;
o Use as basis by law enforcement agencies and other government and
private organizations;
o Provide information to the media which need access to public documents;
o Be a basis for research; and
o Reflect the competence and personality of the police writer regarding his
written work.
• 5 Steps in Report Writing Process
o Interviewing – defined as asking somebody a series of questions to gather
information. The investigator’s interview of the victims, witnesses and
suspects is the backbone of the preliminary investigation.
o Note Taking – an investigator takes notes to assist his/her memory with
specific details, such as names, DOB, serial numbers, addresses phone
numbers. It would be of great help especially when an investigator is
subpoenaed or summoned to appear in court.

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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

o Organizing – the sequence of events must be followed in order to portray

the incident clearly.
o Writing the Narrative – you must write for the benefit of the reader.
o Proofreading – Review your work!

• The Contents of a Police Report (5W’s and 1H)

o The POLICE OFFICER needs not be a literary genius to write a good police
report. The 5 Ws and 1H can be a useful guide to report writers, especially
the beginners.
WHO?
▪ Complete and correct name. Wrong name usually results in
failure to locate a witness or apprehend a suspect. The
spelling of the name of witness, victim/s, and suspect/s should
be correct. Name including middle name must be exact.
WHAT?
▪ What type of property was attacked, e.g. building, residence,
alley, vacant lot, etc.
▪ What type of property was stolen, lost or found. What items
related to the crime were found at the crime scene. An
accurate description of all such properties stolen, lost or found
should be entered in the notes.
▪ What offense was committed, e.g. murder, homicide, rape,
physical injuries, robbery, theft and violation of special laws.
▪ What type of evidence was found or recovered?
WHERE?
▪ This question is concerned with the GEOGRAPHICAL
LOCATION of the crime scene, property or evidence.
WHEN?
▪ This question includes the DATE and the TIME when the
offense was committed; property found, suspect
apprehended, etc.
WHY?
▪ Under this heading is listed the object or desire which
motivated the offense.
▪ In crime against person, the object of the attack might be
revenge, ransom, or sexual pleasure.
▪ In crime against property, the reason may be to acquire
money and property.
HOW?
▪ This question refers to the general manner in which the
crime was committed.

✓ Generally, the “who,” “when” and “where” appear at the beginning of the
report. The reader needs to know the persons involved, the date and time
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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

the incident happened and the location at which it took place. “What”
happened is usually unfolded throughout the report. The “How” is closely
related to the what. The “Why” belongs to before or after the what,
depending on the situation.
✓ A police report is written because a crime is committed and investigation of
it is made. If the writer has failed to ask important questions during
investigations in his/her field note or tickler, then he/she is in for an
incomplete report, which understandably will be unreliable.

• Security Classifications of Documents

o Classified information is a material that the government deems to contain
sensitive information and requires protection of confidentiality, integrity or
availability.
o Access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of people, and
mishandling can incur criminal penalties and loss of respect. A formal
security clearance is often required to handle classified documents or
access classified data.
▪ TOP SECRET
- A document which unauthorized disclosure of its contents
would cause exceptionally grave damage to the NATION,
politically economically or from security aspect.
- This category is reserved for the nation’s closest secrets and
is to be used with great reserve. This kind of document has
the highest level of sensitivity.
▪ SECRET MATTER
- A document which unauthorized disclosure of its contents
would endanger NATIONAL SECURITY, cause serious injury
to the interest or prestige of the nation or to any government
activity or would be of great advantage to a foreign nation.
▪ CONFIDENTIAL MATTER
- A document which unauthorized disclosure of its contents,
while not endangering the national security, would be
prejudicial to the interest or prestige of the nation or any
government activity or would cause administrative
embarrassment or unwarranted injury to an individual or
would be of advantage to a foreign nation.
▪ RESTRICTED
- A document which requires special protection other than that
determined to be TOP SECRET, SECRET or
CONFIDENTIAL.

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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

Self-Help: You can also refer to the sources below to help you
further understand the lesson:

❖ TEXTBOOK
✓ Fetalvo-Balares, M., Ananayo-Sanao, M.J. & Garcia, N. (2016).
Police report writing. Wiseman’s Books Trading INC. ISBN:
978-971-9617-68-6.

❖ BOOK AND ONLINE REFERENCES

✓ Paligat, E. (2014). Technical report writing 1.
✓ Paligat, E. (2015). Police report writing: A handbook for police
officers, trainees, and public safety students. Quezon City: Author
✓ Bajado, M. & Pioquito, V. (2014). Technical report writing.
Wiseman’s Books Trading, Inc. Quezon City.

Let’s Check

Activity 1: Identification. Based on the terms, concepts and discussion given, identify the
following sets of statements by writing your answers on the space provided.
_______________1. A communication that lends itself to a useful tool for people in a free
society to express their thoughts and ideas and to obtain what they need or want.
_______________2. It refers to the body of facts that show that a crime has been
committed, including physical evidence such as a corpse.
_______________3. This pertains to the belief of somebody that something is true
without having any proof.
_______________4. A document which requires special protection other than that
determined to be TOP SECRET, SECRET or CONFIDENTIAL.
_______________5. This question refers to the general manner in which the crime was
committed.
_______________6. A document which unauthorized disclosure of its contents, while not
endangering the national security, would be prejudicial to the interest or prestige of the
nation or any government activity or would cause administrative embarrassment or
unwarranted injury to an individual or would be of advantage to a foreign nation.
_______________7. A document which unauthorized disclosure of its contents would
cause exceptionally grave damage to the nation, politically economically or from security
aspect.

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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

_______________8. Under this heading is listed the object or desire which motivated the
offense.
_______________9. This question includes the date and the time when the offense was
committed; property found, suspect apprehended, etc.
_______________10. A document which unauthorized disclosure of its contents would
endanger national security, cause serious injury to the interest or prestige of the nation
or to any government activity or would be of great advantage to a foreign nation.

Let’s Analyze
Activity 1: Using this diagram, describe the similarities and differences of the four
classified documents based on what you have understood about them.

Top Secret

Confidential Matter Similarities Secret Matter

Restricted

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 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

TAKE
NOTE:

Question & Answer (Q&A)

You are free to list down all the emerging questions or issues in the provided
spaces below. These questions or concerns may also be raised in the LMS or other
modes. You may answer these questions on your own after clarification. The Q&A portion
helps in the review of concepts and essential knowledge.

Questions/Issues Answers

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

57
 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & SCIENCES EDUCATION
Mabini Street, Tagum City
Telefax: (084)655-9591 Local 116

Keywords

Assumption When Why

How Where Writing reports
What Who

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