Final answer:
Reported speech refers to describing someone else's words, thoughts, or writings in one's own words, distinguishing it from direct speech that uses the original speaker's exact words. In academic reports, paraphrasing is an important tool, and quotations must be properly attributed to maintain credibility.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question is about reported speech, which is a grammatical structure used in English. When a speaker or writer communicates what someone else has said, thought, or written without using their exact words, this is considered reported speech. This contrasts with direct speech, where the exact words of the speaker are quoted. An example of reported speech is, 'He said he was going to the store,' as opposed to direct speech, 'He said, “I am going to the store.”' In a report, especially in academic writing, paraphrasing is a form of reported speech where the original message is conveyed in the writer's own words, often followed by proper attribution to maintain credibility and avoid plagiarism.
It is also important for a student to understand the aspects of a third-person narration which relates a story without the use of first-person pronouns, thus keeping the writer's voice objective. This is essential for maintaining trustworthiness in academic reports. Quotations, on the other hand, directly reproduce someone else's exact words and must be attributed to the original author or speaker to avoid plagiarism.