What should the second paragraph of a narrative report contain?

What should the second paragraph of a narrative report contain?

• A. What they were told by witnesses
• B. The opening sentence
• C. What was done with the information
• D. The disposition of the case

Answer: (A)

In a narrative report, the second paragraph is where you present the accounts provided by witnesses. This places the initial, firsthand information at the forefront of the story, laying out what those involved or observing told you. Presenting witness statements early helps establish a clear, chronological foundation you can later build on with what you did in response. Why this works best: starting with what witnesses reported gives an objective basis for the incident, separated from your later actions or conclusions. It helps the reader understand the sequence of events as they were reported, which is essential for credibility and for evaluating how the investigation progressed. What comes after would typically cover how the information was handled, what evidence was collected, and the case’s disposition. The opening sentence or details about actions taken with the information, or the final disposition, belong in other parts of the narrative rather than in the second paragraph. The opening sentence sets the scene, the actions taken with the information appear in later sections, and the disposition wraps up the report. When writing, attribute statements to witnesses and distinguish those statements from the investigator’s observations or conclusions.

In a narrative report, the second paragraph is where you present the accounts provided by witnesses. This places the initial, firsthand information at the forefront of the story, laying out what those involved or observing told you. Presenting witness statements early helps establish a clear, chronological foundation you can later build on with what you did in response.

Why this works best: starting with what witnesses reported gives an objective basis for the incident, separated from your later actions or conclusions. It helps the reader understand the sequence of events as they were reported, which is essential for credibility and for evaluating how the investigation progressed.

What comes after would typically cover how the information was handled, what evidence was collected, and the case’s disposition. The opening sentence or details about actions taken with the information, or the final disposition, belong in other parts of the narrative rather than in the second paragraph. The opening sentence sets the scene, the actions taken with the information appear in later sections, and the disposition wraps up the report. When writing, attribute statements to witnesses and distinguish those statements from the investigator’s observations or conclusions.