Report: Was the Late-Night Library Trial Worth It?
Evaluate a four-week trial in which the city library stayed open until midnight, using the figures and comments provided, and recommend whether it should become permanent.
- Time
- 45 min
- Length
- 280-330 words
Writadia · C2 · Reports
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The situation
For four weeks, the central library stayed open until midnight from Monday to Thursday instead of closing at 8 pm. The council has asked you to evaluate the trial for its culture committee. You have the following notes:
- average visitors 8 pm–midnight: 140 per night (week 1: 60, week 4: 210)
- 70% of late visitors were aged 16–25; most used study spaces
- extra cost: about €9,000 per month (staff and heating)
- two complaints about noise from neighbours; no security incidents
- a student wrote: "It's the only quiet, warm place I can work after my shift."
Your task
Write a report for the culture committee. Describe how the trial went, evaluate its costs and benefits, and make a clear recommendation.
Writing toolkit
Open these only when you need them. Try the first draft on your own.
Plan it in steps
- Read the notes and mark each one as a benefit, a cost or a risk.
- Notice the trend inside the average: week 1 and week 4 tell a different story.
- Use headings: Purpose, Findings, Evaluation, Recommendation.
- Make the recommendation specific: days, hours, conditions.
- Keep the tone impersonal and measured.
Useful phrases
Purpose
Findings
Evaluation
Recommendation
Tap a phrase to add it to your text. Gaps (…) are selected so you can type over them.
Vocabulary
- demand
- the need or wish of people to use a serviceDemand grew each week.
- cost per visit
- total cost divided by the number of visitsThe cost per visit fell sharply.
- subject to
- only if certain conditions are metSubject to a review in six months.
- underused
- not used as much as it could beThe building is underused at night.
- measured
- careful and calm, not extremeThe report takes a measured tone.
Model answer (301 words)
Read it after you’ve written your own version. Notice the highlighted parts. The numbers explain why they work.
Purpose
The aim of this report is to evaluate the four-week late-opening trial at the central library and to recommend whether it should continue.1
Findings
Late-evening attendance averaged 140 visitors a night, but this figure hides a clear upward trend: numbers rose from around 60 in the first week to 210 in the fourth, which suggests that demand was still growing when the trial ended.2 Seventy per cent of late visitors were aged between 16 and 25, and most came to use the study spaces rather than to borrow books. There were no security incidents, although two neighbours complained about noise as visitors left.
Evaluation
The trial cost roughly €9,000 a month. Set against approximately 2,240 late visits over four weeks, this is about €4 per visit, a figure that would fall further if attendance continued to rise. More importantly, the service reached a group the library otherwise struggles to attract. Comments such as one student's description of the library as "the only quiet, warm place I can work after my shift" indicate that the trial met a genuine need rather than simply extending an existing habit.3 Staff also reported that the building, which is otherwise empty after 8 pm, felt safer with people in it. The noise complaints were few, but they deserve a practical response, since the goodwill of neighbours will matter if the scheme becomes permanent.
Recommendation
It is recommended that late opening continue on a permanent basis from Monday to Thursday, subject to a review after six months. To address neighbours' concerns, the side exit should be used after 10 pm and a short reminder about noise displayed at the door. Attendance and costs should be monitored monthly, and the trial could later be extended to Fridays during exam periods if demand continues to grow.
- The purpose states both jobs of the report: evaluate and recommend.
- Interpreting the trend, not just repeating the numbers.
- Uses the quotation as evidence for a judgement, not as decoration.
Teacher notes
Maths check: 140 × 4 nights × 4 weeks = 2,240 visits; €9,000 ÷ 2,240 ≈ €4.
Focus: the difference between reporting ("attendance averaged 140") and evaluating ("this represents good value because..."). Students highlight each in a different colour.
Common weakness: recommendations like "the library should stay open". Push for days, times and conditions.
Extra challenge
Write a 60-word summary of your report for the council's newsletter, aimed at residents rather than committee members.
Lesson plan
- 5 minWarm-up
Show the situation on the classroom screen and ask: “What would you write in this situation?” Take two or three quick answers.
- 10 minWord pool
Open “Word pool” on the classroom screen. Students make one sentence each with: demand, cost per visit, subject to, underused, measured.
- 12 minModel text
Reveal the model sentence by sentence in “Model text” mode. At each sentence ask: “What job does this sentence do?” Write these phrases on the board: “The aim of this report is to evaluate ... and to recommend whether ...”, “Attendance grew steadily over the trial, rising from ... to ...”, “The figures suggest that demand was ..., rather than ...”.
- 38 minWriting
Start the timer. Students write their own text; anyone stuck can use the plan in the toolkit. (280-330 words)
- 10 minPeer review
Students swap texts and fill in the peer-review sheet.
- 5 minWrap-up
Set the extra challenge as homework.
The task’s own teacher notes give extra ideas for the warm-up and focus.
Assessment rubric
| Criterion | 4 · Excellent | 3 · Good | 2 · Developing | 1 · Beginning | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Task and content | In-depth, persuasive, fully suited to the reader. | Strong; one idea could go further. | Adequate but surface-level. | Below the task. | |
| Organisation and coherence | Seamless flow; elegant, unobtrusive transitions. | Clear structure; transitions sometimes mechanical. | Structure present but uneven. | Weak organisation. | |
| Vocabulary and style | Precise, natural collocations; consistent style. | Wide range; a few unnatural phrases. | Memorised phrases and repetition. | Style does not fit the task. | |
| Grammar and accuracy | Complex structures, flexible and accurate. | Minor, occasional slips. | Errors in complex structures. | Errors strain the reader. | |
| Total | / 16 | ||||
Each criterion scores 1–4 (total 16). Use the task checklist below to tick what the student actually did.
Task checklist
- I used headings.
- I interpreted the figures instead of only listing them.
- I weighed the cost against the benefits.
- My recommendation is specific and includes a condition.
Teacher comment
Peer-review sheet
Students swap texts and give each other feedback with this sheet.
Before you finish
Before you finish
- I used headings.
- I interpreted the figures instead of only listing them.
- I weighed the cost against the benefits.
- My recommendation is specific and includes a condition.
Writadia · C2 · Reports
Assessment rubric: Report: Was the Late-Night Library Trial Worth It?
| Criterion | 4 · Excellent | 3 · Good | 2 · Developing | 1 · Beginning | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Task and content | In-depth, persuasive, fully suited to the reader. | Strong; one idea could go further. | Adequate but surface-level. | Below the task. | |
| Organisation and coherence | Seamless flow; elegant, unobtrusive transitions. | Clear structure; transitions sometimes mechanical. | Structure present but uneven. | Weak organisation. | |
| Vocabulary and style | Precise, natural collocations; consistent style. | Wide range; a few unnatural phrases. | Memorised phrases and repetition. | Style does not fit the task. | |
| Grammar and accuracy | Complex structures, flexible and accurate. | Minor, occasional slips. | Errors in complex structures. | Errors strain the reader. | |
| Total | / 16 | ||||
Each criterion scores 1–4 (total 16). Use the task checklist below to tick what the student actually did.
Task checklist
- I used headings.
- I interpreted the figures instead of only listing them.
- I weighed the cost against the benefits.
- My recommendation is specific and includes a condition.
Teacher comment
Writadia · C2 · Reports
Peer-review sheet: Report: Was the Late-Night Library Trial Worth It?
WriterReviewer
Read your partner’s text carefully. Be kind and specific: say why, not just “good”.
Task checklist
| Yes | Partly | No | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I used headings. | |||
| I interpreted the figures instead of only listing them. | |||
| I weighed the cost against the benefits. | |||
| My recommendation is specific and includes a condition. |
Questions
- Is the main point clear in the first paragraph? Write it in one sentence.
- Which sentence is the most convincing? Why?
- Is there any repetition or memorised phrasing? Underline it.
- Does the style suit the reader and purpose?
Two stars and a wish
★ Something I liked
★ Another thing I liked
→ One suggestion
Writadia · C2 · Reports
Lesson plan: Report: Was the Late-Night Library Trial Worth It?
- 5 minWarm-up
Show the situation on the classroom screen and ask: “What would you write in this situation?” Take two or three quick answers.
- 10 minWord pool
Open “Word pool” on the classroom screen. Students make one sentence each with: demand, cost per visit, subject to, underused, measured.
- 12 minModel text
Reveal the model sentence by sentence in “Model text” mode. At each sentence ask: “What job does this sentence do?” Write these phrases on the board: “The aim of this report is to evaluate ... and to recommend whether ...”, “Attendance grew steadily over the trial, rising from ... to ...”, “The figures suggest that demand was ..., rather than ...”.
- 38 minWriting
Start the timer. Students write their own text; anyone stuck can use the plan in the toolkit. (280-330 words)
- 10 minPeer review
Students swap texts and fill in the peer-review sheet.
- 5 minWrap-up
Set the extra challenge as homework.
The task’s own teacher notes give extra ideas for the warm-up and focus.
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