What should be avoided when detailing the reasons for an incident?

• A. Including assumptions or opinions; only factual information should be documented
• B. Documenting only facts
• C. Including only what is known to you
• D. Writing in first person

Answer: (A)

Objectivity in incident reporting hinges on keeping guesswork out and sticking to verifiable information. When you detail why an incident happened, base every statement on evidence you can support—dates, times, actions observed, records, logs, and physical or witness corroboration. If something isn’t verified, mark it as a hypothesis or a point for further investigation rather than presenting it as a fact. This approach preserves the report’s credibility, clarity, and usefulness for decisions, accountability, and potential follow-up.

Documenting only facts aligns with this idea, but the emphasis here is on avoiding any assumptions or opinions entirely. Other options touch on good practice (not adding personal opinions, avoiding first-person narration as a formal style), but the core safeguard is to prevent subjective conclusions from entering the detailed reasons for the incident.