The key difference between written report and oral report is that written reports present the findings or results of an issue in a more formal way, whereas oral reports involve face-to-face communication of findings and results of an issue.
Although these two types of reports present the analysis of findings, there are slight differences between written reports and oral reports.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is a Written Report
3. What is an Oral Report
4. Written Report vs Oral Report in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Written Report vs Oral Report
What is a Written Report?
Written reports present information and results of particular investigations while making recommendations and making proposals. They are a formal method to present the findings of an investigation. There is a specific format to follow when writing reports. Moreover, there are different types of reports, such as research reports, building reports, and science reports. Although the content and details are different in each of these, they all follow a similar structure. The structure of the report can include a title page, a summary, a content page, an introduction, terms of reference, procedure, findings, conclusion, recommendations, references, and appendices. Due to the structure of written reports, the details and information can be presented in a more clear and more accurate way. The writing style of the report is very simple and concise in order to present clear details.
Pros of Written Reports
- Able to present information more clearly.
- Details and information can be presented in a more organized manner.
- Reports help in decision-making. Most of the important decisions of an organization are taken, referring to research reports and justification reports.
Cons of Written Report
- Writing and structuring reports consume a lot of time.
- Sometimes, recommendations given in reports can be unrealistic when practically implanting them.
What is an Oral Report?
An oral report presents the findings of a research-based experiment. It may also have a format to present the information clearly to an audience. Basically, the elements of an oral presentation may consist of an introduction, body, and conclusion. At the same time, posters, slide shows, videos, movies, and other demonstrations can also be used in presenting. When presenting an oral report, the speaker should also pay attention to the presentation skills. Maintaining eye contact, use of correct body language and use of facial expression may appeal to the audience. They also help to present an effective oral report. When presenting the oral reports, the speaker should memorize the information and details. Oral reports can be used for formal gatherings as well as for informal gatherings.
Pros of Oral Reports
- Oral reports save time, especially since they have very simple structures.
- Immediate feedback is received when presenting oral reports.
Cons of Oral Reports
- Both speaker and listener cannot be accountable for the vocal information presented in oral reports.
- Since oral reports consist of low evidence, the legality is also questioned.
What is the Difference Between Written Report and Oral Report?
Although both written and oral reports are used in presenting the findings of a particular investigation, there are slight differences between these two reports. The key difference between written report and oral report is the structure. A written report follows a complex structure whereas an oral report follows a simple structure. Also, the other main difference between written report and oral report is that written reports are time-consuming, while oral reports save time. Moreover, written reports may serve as good legal evidence, whereas oral reports contain no legality.
The below infographic presents the differences between written report and oral report in tabular form for side by side comparison.
Summary – Written Report vs Oral Report
The key difference between written report and oral report is that a written report presents findings or results of an investigation in a more formal way, whereas an oral report involves face-to-face communication of findings and results of an issue.
Reference:
1. “Report Writing.” Library, University of Leeds.
2. “Advantages and Disadvantages of Written Communication.” Business Communication Article.
3. “Advantages and Disadvantages of Oral Communication.” Articles Junction Blog.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Photo of writing, growth, keyboard, business, paper, brand, design, text, graph, report, diagram, document, multimedia, success, marketing, screenshot, data, progress, statistics, charts, computer program” (CC0) via Pxhere
2. “Public-speaking-speaker-man-cartoon” (CC0) via Pixabay