Short Report vs Long Report
Writing a report in business is a necessity and there are times when as a business manager you are required to write a detailed report and also times when you need to pass on concise information in a summarized fashion. These are known as short report and long reports and though they may contain similar information, there are differences in format, style, depth and of course the length. Let us take a closer look at the two types of reports.
The aim of any report, whether long or short is to be clear so that the information that is intended to be passed on is easily understood. Writing a report is a skill that is a must for all professional managers. It has to be understood that a report presents facts and figures and it is not to press for an argument which is the case in an essay. Any reader does not have an eternity to read a report leisurely and as such any report, whether long or short, must use short and concise paragraphs with headings and subheadings and important points underlined to stress their importance.
A short report is also called informal report while a long report is sometimes referred to as formal report. A short report is often no more than a single page of statement containing facts and figures in the most concise manner. A short report is like a memorandum and does not need a cover. This style of report is often casual and relaxed. The style of writing includes use of first person such as I and We in sharp contrast to long report where full names of people are used.
A long report always has a title, introduction, body, and then conclusion. It is always more than one page in length. It sometimes contains a covering letter that mentions all the details that are included in the long report. At the end of the long report, there is bibliography and appendix. It is common to have a long report printed and bound with hard cover. The tone in a long report is restrained and somber in contrast to a short letter.