Difference Between Short Report and Long Report
Report writing is a requirement in business and there are occasions when you need to write a comprehensive report as a manager and there are occasions when you have to pass on brief information in a summarized manner. These are called short and long reports and even if they have same information, they are different in layout, approach, depth and the length. Let us get a better idea of these two different types of reports.
All the reports are aimed at passing information and this is why whether it is a short report or long report, it has to be clear enough to convey a meaning. Report writing is a skill which is expected out of all the professional managers. Report should have facts and other important pieces of information rather than be an essay or an argument.
Both types of reports should have exact information which is sought after by the reader because no one can spend hours to read an essay like report. These have to be to the point. Uses of headings, subheadings, writing in points, underlining important points and using simple language which can be easily understood, are important aspects of a good report.
A short report is a type of informal report whereas a long report is at times called formal report. A short report is commonly not more than one page of information containing essential facts and statistics in very short way. A short report is more like a note and does not require wrapping up. This type of report is informal and relaxed. In this method we use first person like I and we whereas in long report we use complete names of people.
Long report for all time has a heading, introduction or opening, body, and involves wrapping up of the information. It is of more than a single page. At times it has a covering letter that includes the details mentioned in the long report. The end of a long report has a bibliography and addendum. Long report is usually printed and is bound with hard cover. The tone is controlled and serious in comparison to a short report.