You are here

The SAGE Guide to Writing in Policing
Share

The SAGE Guide to Writing in Policing
Report Writing Essentials



December 2019 | 168 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
The SAGE Guide to Writing in Policing: Report Writing Essentials equips students with transferable writing skills that can be applied across the field of policing - both academically and professionally. Authors Steven Hougland and Jennifer M. Allen interweave professional and applied writing, academic writing, and information literacy, with the result being a stronger, more confident report writer. Students are also exposed to a number of best practices for various elements of report writing, such as the face page, incident reports, supplemental reports, investigative reports, and traffic reports, as well as search warrants and affidavits.

 
Chapter 1: The Basics of Writing
Basic Grammar Rules

 
Critical Thinking Skills, Academic Writing, and Professional Writing

 
Writing for the Criminal Justice Professions

 
 
Chapter 2: What Is Information Literacy?
Information Literacy

 
Digital Literacy, Computer Literacy, and Technology Literacy Skills

 
 
Chapter 3: Police Report Writing: The Face Page
Common Data Fields

 
Uses of Face Page Data

 
Tips for Writing the Incident Report

 
Writing the Narrative

 
Formatting the Incident Report

 
Editing

 
 
Chapter 4: Supplemental, Investigative, and Traffic Crash Reports
Incident Report

 
Evidence Report

 
Arrest Warrants

 
Arrest Report or Booking Report

 
Traffic Crash Reports

 
 
Chapter 5: Search Warrants, Affidavits, and Sworn Statements
What is a Search Warrant?

 
How to Obtain a Search Warrant

 
The Scope of a Warrant

 
Sworn Statements

 
 
Chapter 6: Other Documents: Memos, Letters, Emails, Cover Letters, and Resumes
Writing Business-Related Documents

 
Memos

 
Letters

 
Emails

 
Social Media

 
Cover Letters and Resumes

 
 
Chapter 7: Academic Paper Formats: What Is APA Formatting?
Research, Publication, and the APA Style Rules

 
Types of Publications

 
APA Formatting and Ethical and Legal Standards

 
Modern Language Association and the Chicago Manual of Style

 
 
Chapter 8: The Academic Research Paper
The Research Writing Process

 
Locating Sources

 
Evaluating Sources

 
How to Read a Scholarly Article

 
Writing a Literature Review

 
Writing the Essay

 
Working and Annotated Bibliographies

 
Key features
  • Effective writing strategies for report writing guide students through the legal requirements and best practices for creating and completing reports commonly found in the field of policing. 

  • Writing assignments and exercises provide students with opportunities to apply course material.

  • Examples of resumes and cover letters offer students real-world tips to help prepare them for the workforce. 

  • A discussion on plagiarism clearly defines the concept to students as well as offers advice on how plagiarism can be avoided. 

  • An entire chapter devoted to information literacy explains to students how to better identify, obtain, and evaluate information. 

  • For instructors

    Select a Purchasing Option


    Rent or Buy eBook
    ISBN: 9781544364629

    Paperback
    ISBN: 9781544364643
    $42.00

    This title is also available on SAGE Knowledge, the ultimate social sciences online library. If your library doesn’t have access, ask your librarian to start a trial.