Art of Presentations

Presentation vs Report Writing: What’s the Difference?

By: Author Shrot Katewa

Presentation vs Report Writing: What’s the Difference?

I was sitting at my desk today while I stumbled upon a question by one of our patrons. It got me thinking if there was ever a difference between a Presentation and Report Writing? So, I did some research, and here’s what I found out!

The main difference between a Presentation and Report Writing is that a report is usually fairly extensive and gives a detailed account of the information on a particular topic. Whereas, a presentation is mostly a synopsis which highlights the key points that are important for the audience.

Since one of the key objectives of both – a presentation and a report is to give information to its intended audience, people often tend to confuse between the two. So, let’s understand the nuances in further detail.

Key Differences between Presentation and Report Writing

In order to make sure that we don’t end up creating an incorrect document the next we are tasked with an assignment, it is important for us to understand the differences between a presentation and report writing.

As I mentioned earlier, one of the purposes of both a presentation and a report is typically to provide insights or useful information about a certain topic.

However, the purpose of creating a presentation is to share information in a short period of time; usually not more than 15-20 minutes. Thus, it ends up being a synopsis of a topic rather than giving a detailed account on a particular topic.

Report Writing on the other hand goes into the intricacies involved within a particular topic.

For a research oriented report writing, the purpose of the report is often to capture the detailed account for the research conducted including (but not limited to) purpose of the research, methodology adopted for conducting research, observations and findings, discrepancies (if any), and the conclusion.

Writing a report often scientific approach and requires a technical understand of the subject.

2. Depth of Information

Another difference between a report and a presentation is the depth of information that is shared in the two types of documents.

As mentioned in the previous point, a report goes in great depth capturing the thought behind almost every single action taken by the researcher; thereby giving an in-depth understanding on the topic.

A presentation on the other hand picks up key pieces of information and aims to provide very specific details usually in the interest of the available time of the audience.

A typical example of a report would be a corporate annual report which explains the details of actions taken by the organisation and how it performed. This information is shared across multiple paragraphs usually accompanied by a table giving the performance details. Whereas, a presentation of the annual report only summarizes the key points on the performance of the company throughout the year.

3. Information Delivery

A person giving a presentation to a large audience

Another major difference between a presentation and report writing is the mode of information delivery.

Since a presentation is a piece of summarized information, it requires a person to share additional information while delivering the presentation. A presentation mostly contains visual cues along with a few points on each slide, which is accompanied with a talk given by an individual giving the presentation.

A presentation can be given in-person to a small group of people or even to a few hundred individuals in a large auditorium. Alternatively, a presentation can also be delivered online to several thousands of people across the globe using different softwares.

A report on the other hand doesn’t necessarily require to be presented. Since it contains detailed information, it can be independently read by people at their comfort.

Reading a report can take time as it is often spread across several hundreds of pages.

4. Method of Engaging the Audience

Yet another difference between a presentation and report writing is the manner in which it engages its audience.

A presentation depends upon the skill of the presenter to engage the audience. A person giving a presentation not only needs to make the presentation visually appealing, it also requires the presenter to entertain the audience by means of story-telling and humor (as deemed necessary) while delivering the presentation.

A report on the other hand depends on the capability of an individual to command a language to engage its readers. It needs the person writing a report to have a good grasp of the language in order to describe the information accurately and as briefly as possible while holding the interest of the audience.

In a research study done in order to compare the understanding capability of science students based information consumed in the two formats – Presentation versus Report format , it was observed that students understood the topic better when it was explained through a presentation rather than a report.

Perhaps, one can conclude that presentation is usually more engaging than a detailed report.

5. Skills Needed

A cropped image of a person holding a pen while writing with a coffee mug in the background

Lastly, another difference between a presentation and report writing is the skills needed for each of the two activities.

Creating an effective presentation requires not only design skills, but also mastering the art of giving presentations! While the task of designing a presentation can often be outsourced, the knack of picking the correct topics to be covered in the presentation can’t be outsourced and is dependent on the presenter.

As a presenter, you don’t necessarily need to have great writing skills, but you surely need to know the art of story-telling, and leverage this for giving a presentation.

On the other hand, report writing requires creative (sometimes technical) writing skills. One also needs to be analytical.

How to Choose between a Presentation and a Report? Which is Better?

Choosing between creating a presentation or writing a report can be a difficult task for some. But, not being able to do so correctly can often lead to drastic (sometimes even embarrassing) circumstances.

Here are a few questions that you should ask yourself before starting creating a presentation or writing a report –

  • How much time do I have with my audience? If you have only about 20 to 30 minutes with you audience to share the required information, it is perhaps better to give a presentation than to write a report. A report (unless written in less than 10 pages), will usually take more than this much time to be completely understood.
  • Does your intended audience prefer to read or to hear/watch? People have their own preferences when it comes to consuming information. Some people like to read, while others prefer hearing or visual comprehension to gain knowledge. Be sure to ask them their preference, and make your decision accordingly.
  • What are you good at – Presentation or Report Writing? If the above two questions are not important or if your audience doesn’t have a preference, a good way to start would be to focus on your strengths. Ask yourself – what are you more comfortable with? Is a creating and delivering a presentation? Or, is it writing a report? Make a decision based on your capability. A little introspection can definitely go a long way in helping you choose the right direction.

How to Create an Attractive Presentation?

If you end up deciding to go down the presentation route, then we’ve got you covered.

The main objective of this site is to help you create better presentations!

Thus, be sure to check out a few other posts on this website that provide little ninja tips on how you can make your presentations attractive in a few easy steps!

A good place to start would be by reading this post –

7 EASY tips that ALWAYS make your PPT presentation attractive (even for beginners)

Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any specific questions. We would love to help you create better presentations!

Final Thoughts

As we understood in this article, even though delivering a presentation and report writing have a similar objective of sharing interesting information, they both have their differences.

Knowing what mode of information sharing to choose can often be critical. Thus, I hope this post has helped you understand some of the key differences between the two and how to choose whether to create a presentation or write a report.

The Unspoken Pitch

What is the Difference Between a Presentation and a Report?

report and presentation differences

Both have their place in corporate communications but it is important to know the difference and where and when to use each

A report is extensive and provides a detailed account of a subject. Facts, features and benefits are hallmarks of a report

A presentation is a story, a journey from one place to another with the intention to inform, educate or excite, highlighting key points to the audience.

???? Follow The Unspoken Pitch on the journey into selling with visual storytelling

#arrangement #design #suggestions

How to Take the Jargon Out of Your Presentations

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Blog Beginner Guides 8 Types of Presentations You Should Know [+Examples & Tips]

8 Types of Presentations You Should Know [+Examples & Tips]

Written by: Krystle Wong Aug 11, 2023

Types of Presentation

From persuasive pitches that influence opinions to instructional demonstrations that teach skills, the different types of presentations serve a unique purpose, tailored to specific objectives and audiences.

Presentations that are tailored to its objectives and audiences are more engaging and memorable. They capture attention, maintain interest and leave a lasting impression. 

Don’t worry if you’re no designer —  Whether you need data-driven visuals, persuasive graphics or engaging design elements, Venngage can empower you to craft presentations that stand out and effectively convey your message.

Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface, extensive presentation template library and customizable design options make it a valuable tool for creating slides that align with your specific goals and target audience. 

Click to jump ahead:

8 Different types of presentations every presenter must know

How do i choose the right type of presentation for my topic or audience, types of presentation faq, 5 steps to create a presentation with venngage .

report and presentation differences

When it comes to presentations, versatility is the name of the game. Having a variety of presentation styles up your sleeve can make a world of difference in keeping your audience engaged. Here are 8 essential presentation types that every presenter should be well-acquainted with:

1. Informative presentation

Ever sat through a presentation that left you feeling enlightened? That’s the power of an informative presentation. 

This presentation style is all about sharing knowledge and shedding light on a particular topic. Whether you’re diving into the depths of quantum physics or explaining the intricacies of the latest social media trends, informative presentations aim to increase the audience’s understanding.

When delivering an informative presentation, simplify complex topics with clear visuals and relatable examples. Organize your content logically, starting with the basics and gradually delving deeper and always remember to keep jargon to a minimum and encourage questions for clarity.

Academic presentations and research presentations are great examples of informative presentations. An effective academic presentation involves having clear structure, credible evidence, engaging delivery and supporting visuals. Provide context to emphasize the topic’s significance, practice to perfect timing, and be ready to address anticipated questions. 

report and presentation differences

2. Persuasive presentation

If you’ve ever been swayed by a passionate speaker armed with compelling arguments, you’ve experienced a persuasive presentation . 

This type of presentation is like a verbal tug-of-war, aiming to convince the audience to see things from a specific perspective. Expect to encounter solid evidence, logical reasoning and a dash of emotional appeal.

With persuasive presentations, it’s important to know your audience inside out and tailor your message to their interests and concerns. Craft a compelling narrative with a strong opening, a solid argument and a memorable closing. Additionally, use visuals strategically to enhance your points.

Examples of persuasive presentations include presentations for environmental conservations, policy change, social issues and more. Here are some engaging presentation templates you can use to get started with: 

report and presentation differences

3. Demonstration or how-to presentation

A Demonstration or How-To Presentation is a type of presentation where the speaker showcases a process, technique, or procedure step by step, providing the audience with clear instructions on how to replicate the demonstrated action. 

A demonstrative presentation is particularly useful when teaching practical skills or showing how something is done in a hands-on manner.

These presentations are commonly used in various settings, including educational workshops, training sessions, cooking classes, DIY tutorials, technology demonstrations and more. Designing creative slides for your how-to presentations can heighten engagement and foster better information retention. 

Speakers can also consider breaking down the process into manageable steps, using visual aids, props and sometimes even live demonstrations to illustrate each step. The key is to provide clear and concise instructions, engage the audience with interactive elements and address any questions that may arise during the presentation.

report and presentation differences

4. Training or instructional presentation

Training presentations are geared towards imparting practical skills, procedures or concepts — think of this as the more focused cousin of the demonstration presentation. 

Whether you’re teaching a group of new employees the ins and outs of a software or enlightening budding chefs on the art of soufflé-making, training presentations are all about turning novices into experts.

To maximize the impact of your training or instructional presentation, break down complex concepts into digestible segments. Consider using real-life examples to illustrate each point and create a connection. 

You can also create an interactive presentation by incorporating elements like quizzes or group activities to reinforce understanding.

report and presentation differences

5. Sales presentation

Sales presentations are one of the many types of business presentations and the bread and butter of businesses looking to woo potential clients or customers. With a sprinkle of charm and a dash of persuasion, these presentations showcase products, services or ideas with one end goal in mind: sealing the deal.

A successful sales presentation often has key characteristics such as a clear value proposition, strong storytelling, confidence and a compelling call to action. Hence, when presenting to your clients or stakeholders, focus on benefits rather than just features. 

Anticipate and address potential objections before they arise and use storytelling to showcase how your offering solves a specific problem for your audience. Utilizing visual aids is also a great way to make your points stand out and stay memorable.

A sales presentation can be used to promote service offerings, product launches or even consultancy proposals that outline the expertise and industry experience of a business. Here are some template examples you can use for your next sales presentation:

report and presentation differences

6. Pitch presentation

Pitch presentations are your ticket to garnering the interest and support of potential investors, partners or stakeholders. Think of your pitch deck as your chance to paint a vivid picture of your business idea or proposal and secure the resources you need to bring it to life. 

Business presentations aside, individuals can also create a portfolio presentation to showcase their skills, experience and achievements to potential clients, employers or investors. 

Craft a concise and compelling narrative. Clearly define the problem your idea solves and how it stands out in the market. Anticipate questions and practice your answers. Project confidence and passion for your idea.

report and presentation differences

7. Motivational or inspirational presentation

Feeling the need for a morale boost? That’s where motivational presentations step in. These talks are designed to uplift and inspire, often featuring personal anecdotes, heartwarming stories and a generous serving of encouragement.

Form a connection with your audience by sharing personal stories that resonate with your message. Use a storytelling style with relatable anecdotes and powerful metaphors to create an emotional connection. Keep the energy high and wrap up your inspirational presentations with a clear call to action.

Inspirational talks and leadership presentations aside, a motivational or inspirational presentation can also be a simple presentation aimed at boosting confidence, a motivational speech focused on embracing change and more.

report and presentation differences

8. Status or progress report presentation

Projects and businesses are like living organisms, constantly evolving and changing. Status or progress report presentations keep everyone in the loop by providing updates on achievements, challenges and future plans. It’s like a GPS for your team, ensuring everyone stays on track.

Be transparent about achievements, challenges and future plans. Utilize infographics, charts and diagrams to present your data visually and simplify information. By visually representing data, it becomes easier to identify trends, make predictions and strategize based on evidence.

report and presentation differences

Now that you’ve learned about the different types of presentation methods and how to use them, you’re on the right track to creating a good presentation that can boost your confidence and enhance your presentation skills . 

Selecting the most suitable presentation style is akin to choosing the right outfit for an occasion – it greatly influences how your message is perceived. Here’s a more detailed guide to help you make that crucial decision:

1. Define your objectives

Begin by clarifying your presentation’s goals. Are you aiming to educate, persuade, motivate, train or perhaps sell a concept? Your objectives will guide you to the most suitable presentation type. 

For instance, if you’re aiming to inform, an informative presentation would be a natural fit. On the other hand, a persuasive presentation suits the goal of swaying opinions.

2. Know your audience

Regardless if you’re giving an in-person or a virtual presentation — delve into the characteristics of your audience. Consider factors like their expertise level, familiarity with the topic, interests and expectations. 

If your audience consists of professionals in your field, a more technical presentation might be suitable. However, if your audience is diverse and includes newcomers, an approachable and engaging style might work better.

report and presentation differences

3. Analyze your content

Reflect on the content you intend to present. Is it data-heavy, rich in personal stories or focused on practical skills? Different presentation styles serve different content types. 

For data-driven content, an informative or instructional presentation might work best. For emotional stories, a motivational presentation could be a compelling choice.

4. Consider time constraints

Evaluate the time you have at your disposal. If your presentation needs to be concise due to time limitations, opt for a presentation style that allows you to convey your key points effectively within the available timeframe. A pitch presentation, for example, often requires delivering impactful information within a short span.

5. Leverage visuals

Visual aids are powerful tools in presentations. Consider whether your content would benefit from visual representation. If your PowerPoint presentations involve step-by-step instructions or demonstrations, a how-to presentation with clear visuals would be advantageous. Conversely, if your content is more conceptual, a motivational presentation could rely more on spoken words.

report and presentation differences

6. Align with the setting

Take the presentation environment into account. Are you presenting in a formal business setting, a casual workshop or a conference? Your setting can influence the level of formality and interactivity in your presentation. For instance, a demonstration presentation might be ideal for a hands-on workshop, while a persuasive presentation is great for conferences.

7. Gauge audience interaction

Determine the level of audience engagement you want. Interactive presentations work well for training sessions, workshops and small group settings, while informative or persuasive presentations might be more one-sided.

8. Flexibility

Stay open to adjusting your presentation style on the fly. Sometimes, unexpected factors might require a change of presentation style. Be prepared to adjust on the spot if audience engagement or reactions indicate that a different approach would be more effective.

Remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and the best type of presentation may vary depending on the specific situation and your unique communication goals. By carefully considering these factors, you can choose the most effective presentation type to successfully engage and communicate with your audience.

To save time, use a presentation software or check out these presentation design and presentation background guides to create a presentation that stands out.    

report and presentation differences

What are some effective ways to begin and end a presentation?

Capture your audience’s attention from the start of your presentation by using a surprising statistic, a compelling story or a thought-provoking question related to your topic. 

To conclude your presentation , summarize your main points, reinforce your key message and leave a lasting impression with a powerful call to action or a memorable quote that resonates with your presentation’s theme.

How can I make my presentation more engaging and interactive?

To create an engaging and interactive presentation for your audience, incorporate visual elements such as images, graphs and videos to illustrate your points visually. Share relatable anecdotes or real-life examples to create a connection with your audience. 

You can also integrate interactive elements like live polls, open-ended questions or small group discussions to encourage participation and keep your audience actively engaged throughout your presentation.

Which types of presentations require special markings

Some presentation types require special markings such as how sales presentations require persuasive techniques like emphasizing benefits, addressing objections and using compelling visuals to showcase products or services. 

Demonstrations and how-to presentations on the other hand require clear markings for each step, ensuring the audience can follow along seamlessly. 

That aside, pitch presentations require highlighting unique selling points, market potential and the competitive edge of your idea, making it stand out to potential investors or partners.

Need some inspiration on how to make a presentation that will captivate an audience? Here are 120+ presentation ideas to help you get started. 

Creating a stunning and impactful presentation with Venngage is a breeze. Whether you’re crafting a business pitch, a training presentation or any other type of presentation, follow these five steps to create a professional presentation that stands out:

  • Sign up and log in to Venngage to access the editor.
  • Choose a presentation template that matches your topic or style.
  • Customize content, colors, fonts, and background to personalize your presentation.
  • Add images, icons, and charts to enhancevisual style and clarity.
  • Save, export, and share your presentation as PDF or PNG files, or use Venngage’s Presentation Mode for online showcasing.

In the realm of presentations, understanding the different types of presentation formats is like having a versatile set of tools that empower you to craft compelling narratives for every occasion.

Remember, the key to a successful presentation lies not only in the content you deliver but also in the way you connect with your audience. Whether you’re informing, persuading or entertaining, tailoring your approach to the specific type of presentation you’re delivering can make all the difference.

Presentations are a powerful tool, and with practice and dedication (and a little help from Venngage), you’ll find yourself becoming a presentation pro in no time. Now, let’s get started and customize your next presentation!

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Princeton Correspondents on Undergraduate Research

How to Make a Successful Research Presentation

Turning a research paper into a visual presentation is difficult; there are pitfalls, and navigating the path to a brief, informative presentation takes time and practice. As a TA for  GEO/WRI 201: Methods in Data Analysis & Scientific Writing this past fall, I saw how this process works from an instructor’s standpoint. I’ve presented my own research before, but helping others present theirs taught me a bit more about the process. Here are some tips I learned that may help you with your next research presentation:

More is more

In general, your presentation will always benefit from more practice, more feedback, and more revision. By practicing in front of friends, you can get comfortable with presenting your work while receiving feedback. It is hard to know how to revise your presentation if you never practice. If you are presenting to a general audience, getting feedback from someone outside of your discipline is crucial. Terms and ideas that seem intuitive to you may be completely foreign to someone else, and your well-crafted presentation could fall flat.

Less is more

Limit the scope of your presentation, the number of slides, and the text on each slide. In my experience, text works well for organizing slides, orienting the audience to key terms, and annotating important figures–not for explaining complex ideas. Having fewer slides is usually better as well. In general, about one slide per minute of presentation is an appropriate budget. Too many slides is usually a sign that your topic is too broad.

report and presentation differences

Limit the scope of your presentation

Don’t present your paper. Presentations are usually around 10 min long. You will not have time to explain all of the research you did in a semester (or a year!) in such a short span of time. Instead, focus on the highlight(s). Identify a single compelling research question which your work addressed, and craft a succinct but complete narrative around it.

You will not have time to explain all of the research you did. Instead, focus on the highlights. Identify a single compelling research question which your work addressed, and craft a succinct but complete narrative around it.

Craft a compelling research narrative

After identifying the focused research question, walk your audience through your research as if it were a story. Presentations with strong narrative arcs are clear, captivating, and compelling.

  • Introduction (exposition — rising action)

Orient the audience and draw them in by demonstrating the relevance and importance of your research story with strong global motive. Provide them with the necessary vocabulary and background knowledge to understand the plot of your story. Introduce the key studies (characters) relevant in your story and build tension and conflict with scholarly and data motive. By the end of your introduction, your audience should clearly understand your research question and be dying to know how you resolve the tension built through motive.

report and presentation differences

  • Methods (rising action)

The methods section should transition smoothly and logically from the introduction. Beware of presenting your methods in a boring, arc-killing, ‘this is what I did.’ Focus on the details that set your story apart from the stories other people have already told. Keep the audience interested by clearly motivating your decisions based on your original research question or the tension built in your introduction.

  • Results (climax)

Less is usually more here. Only present results which are clearly related to the focused research question you are presenting. Make sure you explain the results clearly so that your audience understands what your research found. This is the peak of tension in your narrative arc, so don’t undercut it by quickly clicking through to your discussion.

  • Discussion (falling action)

By now your audience should be dying for a satisfying resolution. Here is where you contextualize your results and begin resolving the tension between past research. Be thorough. If you have too many conflicts left unresolved, or you don’t have enough time to present all of the resolutions, you probably need to further narrow the scope of your presentation.

  • Conclusion (denouement)

Return back to your initial research question and motive, resolving any final conflicts and tying up loose ends. Leave the audience with a clear resolution of your focus research question, and use unresolved tension to set up potential sequels (i.e. further research).

Use your medium to enhance the narrative

Visual presentations should be dominated by clear, intentional graphics. Subtle animation in key moments (usually during the results or discussion) can add drama to the narrative arc and make conflict resolutions more satisfying. You are narrating a story written in images, videos, cartoons, and graphs. While your paper is mostly text, with graphics to highlight crucial points, your slides should be the opposite. Adapting to the new medium may require you to create or acquire far more graphics than you included in your paper, but it is necessary to create an engaging presentation.

The most important thing you can do for your presentation is to practice and revise. Bother your friends, your roommates, TAs–anybody who will sit down and listen to your work. Beyond that, think about presentations you have found compelling and try to incorporate some of those elements into your own. Remember you want your work to be comprehensible; you aren’t creating experts in 10 minutes. Above all, try to stay passionate about what you did and why. You put the time in, so show your audience that it’s worth it.

For more insight into research presentations, check out these past PCUR posts written by Emma and Ellie .

— Alec Getraer, Natural Sciences Correspondent

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PresentationLoad

How to Create an Outstanding Report Presentation!

A report presentation is a daily necessity for most companies. Employees are constantly working on compiling data and facts about their company and department and presenting them in PowerPoint presentations. But often, the presentation design fails to impress.

In this article, you’ll learn how to visualize hard data into an appealing and engaging report presentation for your audience.

What exactly is a report?

A business report is a formal document that communicates corporate information clearly and concisely .

In a report presentation, a company presents data, facts and information, quarterly balance sheets, turnover, HR developments , and so on.

Why report presentations are so important

Report presentations are essential to the success of your business . Why? It’s simple.

Report presentations provide a coherent overview of your company’s performance : What is the current status quo? Which strategic decisions need to be made in the future? How are resources being allocated?

This clear presentation forms the basis for future fact-based decisions . This means it must present facts transparently and answer any business-related questions .

What does a good report presentation look like?

A report presentation has to be clear and concise – after all, you want your audience to understand what you’re saying.

Reporting on data is often very dry. You need to present it in the most visually interesting way possible . An attractive report design will help your audience understand your key messages immediately, without having to delve into specific corporate figures . Keep reading for tips on how to do this.

How to create an engaging report presentation: 5 tips

Report presentations are usually time-limited, so focus on the essential information . The key is to communicate facts clearly and concisely .

Give your information visual interest. Microsoft PowerPoint offers numerous possibilities for enhancing the look of your presentation. Below we have compiled 5 tips for you on how to create an appealing report.

Tip 1: Prepare properly

Report presentation 5 tips

Preparation lays the foundation for a successful report presentation. Think carefully about how you want to present specific facts and data. Know what you want to say and what your goals are – that’s key for a great report presentation layout. Each slide must have a specific purpose . Only include data that is essential to convey your message .

Give your slides variety but don’t overload them with information or graphics. Less is often more. Try out the unique features of PowerPoint and see which option best suits your presentation.

Focus on the most important key figures and avoid unnecessary details . A good report presentation should make your key statements understandable without your audience having to delve deeper into the company’s key figures.

For 11 helpful tips on preparing your presentations, check out our post, Preparing a PowerPoint Presentation .

Tip 2: Chose the right charts and diagrams

Charts and diagrams are the best way to visualize figures and data. Not only are they visually appealing, but they also summarize your statements in a way that is easy to understand .

PowerPoint offers a wide range of charts and diagrams . You can choose from pie charts, bar charts and area charts, as well as other customizable diagram options. We’ve summarized an overview of the best diagram styles and when to use them in our article, 10 Chart Types: Which One Is Right for My Data?

Some chart types are more suited to specific data . For example, a pie chart is a terrific way to show gender distribution in your company. Bar or column charts can be used to visualize sales, balance sheets and profits.

If you want to illustrate aspects that have happened over a longer period of time, area charts, line charts and of course timelines are ideal.

Feel free to combine several chart types . Let your creativity run free. You can also add icons to your diagrams. The possibilities are endless! Just keep it simple and don’t overload your slides. You can find professionally designed icons in our shop . Take a look at these:

business icons for report presentation

Once you’ve found the right type of chart or diagram, it’s time to highlight the most vital information in it . This helps your audience understand your key messages and quickly identify the most important aspects of your report presentation. If you need to, you can further explain these aspects as you go along.

You’ll find professionally designed slide templates for various charts in our shop . For example, this template:

Waterfall skaliert jpg

Tip 3: Reuse layouts

Certain topics often reappear in report presentations. A good example of this is quarterly figures or annual financial statements. With these kinds of topics, it makes sense to the invest time in creating an optimal layout that you can reuse .

If you want to compare quarterly figures or annual financial statements, using the same layout makes any differences clear and obvious to your audience.

You can find out how to create your own layouts and other tips & tricks here .

Tip 4: Other design elements

You can also use additional design elements to enhance your report presentation . There are unlimited, creative options to choose from. Think carefully about which elements will visually support your statements.

Try to include transparent images . These are more attractive than normal images and set visual accents when combined with text or graphics. Transparent images are also effective as customized backgrounds, like on title slides. We’ve put together more information on transparent images for you here .

Another design idea is icons . These small images help to break up blocks of text and reduce presentation content to a bare minimum. The simple messages behind icons are universally understood and save space on slides. More information can be found here .

Tip 5: Practice, practice, practice

Ideally, a report presentation should need little accompanying information – your slides should speak for themselves . But that doesn’t mean you don’t need to practice. Especially with diagrams, extra information can further support the infographics. Put particular focus on getting your key messages across.

Think about any questions that your audience may have. Even when your report presentation covers only key content, it’s still important to know and convey more in-depth background information on data, facts and figures in case of follow-up questions .

Of course, there’s so much more that goes into a convincing presentation. Here are some articles with helpful tips:

  • 16 Ways to Kick-Start Your Presentation
  • Body Language in PPT Presentations: 8 Tips & Tricks
  • Rhetoric Skills: How to Speak and Present Effectively
  • Presentation Hack: Always Focus on Your Audience’s Needs
  • Because First Impressions Aren’t Everything: 20 Tips and Ideas to End Your Presentation in Style

You can find more helpful articles in our blog. ► To the blog

Create expert report presentations

Report presentations are a common part of day-to-day business. With their clear graphic elements, reports communicate unambiguous information that is essential for a company’s success.

No doubt your next report presentation is already in your business calendar. Take our tips to heart and try them in your next report.

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Is Your PowerPoint a Presentation or a Business Report?

Did you know that there is an unspoken fact in the presentations’ world? This fact is that nearly half, or even more, of the PowerPoint presentations, and presentations created in other programs are not going to be projected onscreen and presented in a boardroom or a conference venue, or even used in a webinar.

Really? Where did these presentations come from? The other half of all presentations created are internal business reports that contain millions of slides floating within the mail inboxes and other folders of most business, educational, and other entities.

So what is a business report presentation? It is everything your normal presentation isn’t, and business reports unabashedly flout every rule framed to create better presentations! Some examples of these rules are using less text, and respecting white space–and that happens even though you can create good business reports even after you follow all rules.

Now, before we proceed further, let me tell you that it is entirely possible to create business report slides that look good, are enjoyable to read, and use good aesthetic sense. Nancy Duarte created a simple framework within PowerPoint called SlideDocs that lets you create better business reports, but most business report slides don’t worry too much about looking good. They just need to get the job done!

Now look at these two sample slides.

Typical Presentation

If you look at examples of both slide types above, you will see that while the first slide is a typical presentation slide with less supporting content, the second slide is a business report with more content. The reason is simple; while the typical presentation slide will most likely be delivered by a live presenter, the business report slide will journey alone to inboxes, and will be viewed by recipients without the benefit of a live presenter.

Expectations from both slide types are different. And that’s the reason why someone who creates boardroom slides should not judge business report slides wearing colored glasses. The reverse is equally true.

Let us now look at what is expected from both these delivery mechanisms:

Typical, Boardroom Presentations

A typical presentation should follow certain guidelines:

  • Use less text
  • Employ good use of visuals
  • Have an underlying story
  • Be relevant to someone who is new to a certain approach, product, service, or idea
  • Be useful, even when presented to perfect strangers
  • Most often, these are presented in person or delivered via a webinar
  • Aesthetics are expected, but not necessarily provided

Most importantly, typical presentations need to be different from other presentations. They need to stand apart, provide a message, and help convince someone else.

Business Reports

Business reports also consist of slides, but they don’t need to follow most of the above guidelines. They have their own characteristics:

  • They contain tons of text
  • Nearly half of the content is sourced from spreadsheet and/or database applications, and PowerPoint or another presentation program is merely a glue to hold everything together
  • They can be presented in person, but are often emailed and printed
  • They follow the same format repeatedly. In fact, recipients expect them to follow the same format.
  • They may use visuals, but often these don’t relate to stories. They provide proof of events or objectives
  • Aesthetics are not always expected, but still welcome

Most business reports are sent to superiors/seniors within the organization.

So as you can see, both presentations and business reports may be slide-based, but that’s probably the only similar factor they share.

This post originated from an answer I posted on Quora .

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  • Undergraduate Studies
  • Presentations
  • Table of Contents
  • Styles (Why Slides?)
  • Differences with Reports
  • Differences with Lectures and Marketing
  • Introduction
  • Enthusiasm and Expertise
  • Organization
  • Visual Aids
  • Presentation Skills
  • Answering Questions

1.2 Differences with Technical Reports

Two formal means of communication available to engineers when passing information onto a general audience include written reports and the oral presentations. Each has its own characteristics and when an engineer gives a technical presentation, he or she should focus on those aspects unique to presentations. Table 1 gives a summary of some of the differences.

As a technical presentation is meant primarily to inform or to persuade, a plethora of text is not required: the presentation should give a summary of the details and any audience member interested in delving further may ask the speaker further questions, or—even better—read the report. The audience is only exposed to each slide for at most one minute, and consequently, a detailed discussion which requires specific knowledge of previous slides may loose the audience. Certain presenters are capable of using dueling projectors , though this requires significant skill and set-up time. Each additional difference should be considered when preparing a presentation.

Data Exploration Vs. Data Presentation – Learn More About The 5 Key Differences

Datapine's Key differences between Data Exploration and Data Presentation

The verdict is in: Data is big and business intelligence (BI) and data visualization tools are here to stay. Organizations of all sizes are now able to easily connect to their various data sources, interact and make sense of their data, and share their analyses. As the BI marketplace matures, organizations are realizing they need robust tools that can handle a wide range of analysis types. Just as there are various dashboard types and different data visualization types tell different data stories, there are multiple intentions for data reporting and analysis. There are two overarching business intelligence buckets that can help determine what type of data report to build: data exploration reports and data presentation reports. Let’s dig deeper into each one and showcase the different data visualization techniques between the two.

Data Exploration And Data Discovery

Data exploration, or data discovery, is the bread and butter of business intelligence software . These exploration tools help ensure users are bringing quality real-time data into their analytics. The software then blends these various data sources. This ease of access to business data allows a wide range of users to perform analyses and gain insights that were previously difficult to acquire, even for data scientists. It is key to the success of these tools and analytics.

Data discovery is the first step in data analysis. Before businesses can make data-driven decisions, they need to understand the data. As Martin Wattenberg, co-leader of Google's Big Picture visualization research group, recently tweeted, “Visualization doesn't add insight, it multiplies. If you know nothing about your data to start with, visualization won't help.”

The first step to understanding data is ensuring the data is properly prepped for  exploration . Luckily, business intelligence can do a lot of this heavy lifting. Data discovery typically involves summarizing the main characteristics of a dataset. This is key to accurate data analysis. Before a formal data analysis can be conducted, data explorers must know how many cases are in the dataset, what variables are included, how many missing observations there are and what general hypotheses the data is likely to support. Without this initial exploration of the database, analysts and data viz tool users are unable to direct their analyses. Even worse, they may end up presenting misleading data and insights.

Data visualization software is powerful for exploratory data analysis (EDA) because it allows users to quickly and simply view most of the relevant features of their dataset. Data exploration techniques enable users to easily identify variables that are likely to have interesting observations. By displaying data visually/graphically, users can quickly visualize if two or more variables correlate and determine if they are good candidates for further in-depth analysis. A  cloud-based BI software allows various users to collaborate and interact with the same data, bringing various subject matter experts (SME) to the same table. These acting analysts can then continue to build off the unearthed insights, using data exploration techniques for formal data analysis.

Data Presentation and Data Storytelling

Book illustration - data exploration and data storytelling

Data presentation is in a different class, due to its distinct use cases, goals and audience needs. Data presentation is the data storytelling side of business intelligence. This is where analysts get to be data journalists. Exploration is a key step in business analytics. However, as digital marketing evangelist, Avinash Kaushik, put it in his 7 Data Presentation Tips , “The actual output that is almost singularly responsible for driving the change we want in our organizations. The thing that is the difference between an organization that data pukes and the one that influences actions based on understandable insights.” Without the right data presentation, the results of data discovery and analysis lose significance.

While data visualization techniques are significant for the exploration, they are just as crucial for the presentation. A well-visualized, formatted, designed and simple data presentation is extremely powerful. The intended audience for a data presentation often was not part of the exploration and analysis stage. Data presentation techniques need to focus on giving the appropriate amount of background and calling out the actionable insights. To further differentiate between exploration and presentation, let’s delve into the key differences!

5 Key Differences Between Data Exploration and Data Presentation

1. Intended Audience For the exploration, the primary audience is usually the data analyst(s) - even though with new BI tools, anyone can act as an analyst. These BI tool users are both manipulating the data and visualizing the results. The analysts work with tight feedback cycles of defining hypotheses, analyzing data and visualizing results.

For data presentation, the audience is a separate group of end users, usually not the initial data explorers or analysts. These end users are often less analytical and are often on the frontlines of business decision making. Without direction, they have difficulty connecting the dots between an analysis and the implications for their job.

Make sure to keep your intended audience and purpose in mind when directing your analyses and how they are presented.

Crowd of people illustrating the intended audieince you should target

2. Analysis Message Data discovery is about the journey to find a message in your data. The explorer (analyst) is trying to put together the pieces of a puzzle. It is often about the journey through the data and should be treated as a treasure hunt.

Data presentation is about sharing the treasures unearthed through the data discovery process. These messages are then presented to the intended audience who can take action on the insights. Authors of data presentations need to guide an audience through the content with a purpose and point of view.

3. Depth of Explanation I think you are starting to get the message here, but data exploration and presentation should be dealt with differently. The depth of explanation provided in both is no different.

With data discovery, the meaning of the analysis can be self-evident to the analyst. A big change in an important business key performance indicator (KPI) will require action. The important mission for the analysts is to answer the question of why this is happening.

Data presenters need to explain the results of analysis and deliver possible solutions. When presenting data to an audience, explaining the underlying data gives the audience confidence in the findings. While visualizing data is still key for data presentations, the increased depth of explanation often means there will be more text provided in a data presentation than with the exploration.

4. Best Visualizations, Formats and Interactivity Capabilities As we just mentioned, data visualization is key to data discovery and data presentation. That said, the data visualization techniques are often different between the two.

For data discovery, the visualizations need to be easy to create and may often show multiple dimensions to unearth complex patterns. Because of this, data discovery is best done through real-time business analytics reporting and dashboard software . These dashboards allow for easier collaboration and tracking of trends and outliers. Interactive capabilities of these dashboards allow for continuous discovery. Design should be focused on the best visualizations and keeping it simple, with minimal text whenever possible.

For data presentation, it is important that the visualizations be simple and intuitive. The audience often doesn’t have the time or need to decipher the meaning of a chart. Data presentation is guided storytelling complete with compelling visuals and thoughtful text descriptions. These presentations should be easily exported to PDF files for easy dissemination. Since these presentations are often shared outside of organizations, design plans should include appropriate branding: logo, colors, font, etc. Make sure you guide the audience through a focused data story. With new BI software, it is easy to be tempted to throw in every data visualization possible. Simple is better. Make sure you choose the best fit for your message.

5. End Goal The goal of data exploration is often to ask a better question. It is an iterative process of finding better questions to continually gain new insights and a better understanding of how your organization works. Real-time data is extra beneficial because it is an ongoing process. Cloud-based and easily shared business dashboards are also key to exploration, for the same reasons.

Data presentations are about guiding decision makers to make smarter choices. The goal is to communicate the insights found through the exploration phase and the business actions that should result. These presentations are often made on more set schedules: monthly, quarterly, bi-annually, annually, etc. They are also dispersed to a wider audience on various platforms, making design and the ability for the presentations to stand alone more imperative.

Explore and Present Your Data With Ease

With the right online BI tool , organizations can easily explore and effectively present their data. Now a wide range of business users can act as analysts and data storytellers. It is an exciting time for business intelligence. However, as with anything, having a plan and focus leads to the best results. Just use this list to help determine the purpose of your analysis before you start!

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Reports and essays: key differences

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Know what to expect

Explore the main differences between reports and essays and how to write for your assignments

You'll complete assignments with different requirements throughout your degree, so it's important to understand what you need to do for each of them. Here we explore the key differences between reports and essays. 

This page describes general features of academic reports and essays. Depending on your subject you may use all of these features, a selection of them, or you may have additional requirements. 

There is no single right way to write a report or essay, but they are different assignments. At a glance: 

  • Reports depend heavily on your subject and the type of report.
  • Essays usually have specific content and a planned structure with a focus on sense and flow. You subject might need different types of information in your introduction –  some disciplines include a short background and context here, while others begin their discussion, discuss their resources or briefly signpost the topic.

Differences between reports and essays

This table compares reports and essays and provides an outline of the standard structure for each. Your assignment will also depend on your discipline, the purpose of your work, and your audience – so you should check what you need to do in your course and module handbooks, instructions from your lecturer, and your subject conventions.

Table adapted from Cottrell, 2003, p. 209.

The structure of reports

Most reports use an IMRaD structure: Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion.

Below are some common sections that also appear in reports. Some sections include alternative headings.

1. Table of contents

Your contents shows the number of each report section, its title, page number and any sub-sections. Sub-section numbers and details start under the section title, not the margin or the number.

2. Abstract or Executive summary

This brief summary of the report is usually the last thing you write.

3. Introduction

Your introduction describes the purpose of the report, explains why it necessary or useful, and sets out its precise aims and objectives.

4. Literature review

This describes current research and thinking about the problem or research question, and is often incorporated into the introduction.

5. Methods or Methodology

This describes and justifies the methods or processes used to collect your data.

6. Results or Findings

This section presents the results (or processed data) from the research and may consist of mainly tables, charts and or diagrams.

7. Discussion, or Analysis, or Interpretation

This section analyses the results and evaluates the research carried out.

8. Conclusion

The conclusion summarises the report and usually revisits the aims and objectives.

9. Recommendations

In this section the writer uses the results and conclusions from the report to make practical suggestions about a problem or issue. This may not be required.

10. Appendices

You can include raw data or materials that your report refers to in the appendix, if you need to. The data is often presented as charts, diagrams and tables. Each item should be numbered : for example, write Table 1 and its title; Table 2 and its title, and so on as needed.

Structure of essays

Introduction.

Your essay introduction contextualises and gives background information about the topic or questions being discussed, and sets out what the essay is going to cover.

Your essay body is divided into paragraphs. These paragraphs help make a continuous, flowing text.

The conclusion summarises the main points made in the essay. Avoid introducing new information in your conclusion.

Bibliography or Reference list

This is a list of the resources you've used in your essay. This is usually presented alphabetically by authors’ surname.

Reference for the Table of Distinctions above: 

Cottrell, S. (2003).  The Study Skills Handbook  (2nd ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave.

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Key features of academic reports

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Know the Differences & Comparisons

Difference Between Essay and Report

essay vs report

On the other hand, an essay can be understood as a piece of writing, on a specific topic or subject, which expresses the author’s own ideas and knowledge about the subject.

The basic difference between essay and report is that while an essay is argumentative and idea-based, reports are informative and fact-based. Now, let us move further to understand some more points of differences.

Content: Essay Vs Report

Comparison chart, definition of essay.

An essay can be understood as a comprehensive literary composition, written in a narrative style and presents a particular topic, supports an argument and highlights the writer’s view or ideology. An essay is used to check a person’s outlook and understanding on specific matters and also his/her ability to describe and argue in a way which convinces the reader or informs him/her about a specific topic.

One can make use of learned materials, along with his/her own research, to write an essay effectively. It includes both narrative and subjective thoughts. Further, an essay supports a single idea at a time, for which several components need to be covered in it so as to appear logical and chronological.

It can be a learned argument, observation of day to day life, literary criticism, political manifestos, recollections, and reflections of the writer. It starts with a question and attempts to answer or give suggestions to the problem, on the basis of the existing theories or the writer’s personal opinion and assessment.

While writing an essay, it must be kept in mind that the approach used by the writer should be positive, even if the topic of argument is negative.

Definition of Report

The report implies a well structured factual document which is created and presented after conducting an independent enquiry, research or investigation on a specific subject. It serves as a basis for problem-solving and decision making.

Reports are prepared for a definite purpose and contain relevant information in a proper format, for a particular audience. It is used to identify, observe and analyse the issues, events, findings, that occurred practically, i.e. in real life.

A report is designed with the aim of informing the reader about the event, situation or issue, in a very simple and objective manner, while enabling them to get the desired information quickly and easily. It provides recommendations for future actions. Information collected from research, or from carrying out a project work is presented in a clear and concise manner, under a set of headings and subheadings, that helps the reader to get the desired information quickly and easily.

Characteristics of an Ideal Report

  • It must be clear and concise.
  • It is written in easy language which the readers can understand easily.
  • It has to be appropriate and accurate.
  • It should be well drafted and organised, with specific sections, headings and sub-headings.

A report summary can be provided orally, however detailed reports are usually in the form of written documents. It contains – Title Page, Acknowledgement, Authorization Letter, Table of Contents, Executive Summary, Introduction, Discussion, Results, Conclusion, Recommendations and References.

Moreover, Cover letter, Copyright notice, Bibliography, Glossary and Appendices may also form part of a report.

Key Differences Between Essay and Report

The difference Between report and essay is discussed here in detail:

  • An essay is a brief literary composition, which is used to describe, present, argue, and analyse the idea or topic. Conversely, a report is a formal and concise document consisting of findings from the practical research. It aims at investigating and exploring the problem under study.
  • An essay is written on the basis of subjective analysis of theories and past research, by other people and own ideas, on the concerned subject. As against, a report is objective and factual, which is based on past research, as well as present data and findings.
  • An essay talks about general facts and events along with the writer’s personal ideas and views, on the topic in a non-fictional manner. On the contrary, a report contains information which the reader can use to identify the facts or support in decision making or solving issues if any.
  • When it comes to sections, a report usually contains different sections, with catchy headings which may attract the attention of the audience. As against, an essay does not have any section, its flow is continuous. However, it is divided into cohesive paragraphs.
  • A report uses tables, charts, graphs, diagrams, statistics and many more for a clear and better presentation of the information. But, in the case of essays, they are not used.
  • The conclusion in an essay is based on the writer’s personal opinion and views on the topic itself which must be optimistic, and it does not provide any recommendations for future actions. On the other hand, a report gives an independent conclusion, but it may contain the opinion of the experts or previous researchers and recommendations are included, about how the research can be improved and extended.

In a nutshell, Essays are descriptive, subjective and evaluative, whereas, a report is descriptive, objective and analytical. Essays are mainly used in an academic context, whereas reports are preferred in the field of research.

The report is used to present the researched information in a written format, to the audience. Conversely, essays are used to identify what the writer knows about the topic and how well the writer understand the question.

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theme vs topic

Anna H. Smith says

November 26, 2020 at 3:22 pm

Thank you for explaining this so eloquently. Excellent post, I will keep this handy and refer to it often from now on, the information is so clear and so insightful, thanks for giving a clear difference. It’s a very educative article.!

Presley Dube says

November 20, 2021 at 3:43 pm

very useful to me thank you.

Leonard says

August 8, 2022 at 2:52 pm

Thanks for sharing such nice information about this topic.

Ignatius Phiri says

March 20, 2023 at 10:39 pm

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16 Oral Presentations

Chapter attribution.

David McMurrey and Cassandra Race

Oral Presentations

A common assignment in technical writing courses—not to mention in the workplace—is to prepare and deliver an oral presentation, a task most of us would be happy to avoid. However, while employers look for coursework and experience in preparing written documents,  they also look for experience in oral presentations as well. Look back at the first chapter. Remember how important interpersonal communication skills are in the workplace.

The following was written for a standard face-to-face classroom setting. If you are taking an online technical writing course, oral reports can be sent in as “scripts,” or audio versions can be transmitted live or recorded. In any case, students may evaluate each other’s oral reports by filling out a form like the one provided at the end of this chapter or responding through the discussion board.

If you can believe the research, most people would rather have root canal surgery without novocaine than stand up in front of a group and speak. It truly is one of the great stressors. But with some help from the resources that follow, you can be a champion presenter.

For additional information on oral presentations and public speaking in general, see Effective Presentations . This is part of an online tutorial series provided by Kansas University Medical Center. This section has many resources that will be helpful to you.

Topic and Situation for the Oral Presentation

For the oral report in a technical writing course, imagine that you are formally handing over your final written report to the people with whom you set up the hypothetical contract or agreement. For example, imagine that you had contracted with a software company to write its user guide. Once you had completed it, you’d have a meeting with chief officers to formally deliver the guide. You’d spend some time orienting them to the guide, showing them how it is organized and written, and discussing some of its highlights. Your goal is to get them acquainted with the guide and to prompt them for any concerns or questions. (Your class will gladly pretend to be whoever you tell them to be during your talk.)

As you can see, you shouldn’t have to do any research to prepare for this assignment—just plan the details of your talk and get at least one visual ready. If you have a report topic that you’d prefer not to present orally, discuss other possibilities with your instructor. Here are some brainstorming possibilities in case you want to present something else:

  • Informative purpose: An oral report can be primarily informative. For example, as a member of a committee involved in a project to relocate the plant, your job might be to give an oral report on the condition of the building and grounds at one of the sites proposed for purchase. Or, you might be required to go before the city council and report on the success of the new city-sponsored recycling project.
  • Instructional purpose: An oral report can be instructional. Your task might be to train new employees to use certain equipment or to perform certain routine tasks.
  • Persuasive purpose: An oral report can be persuasive. You might want to convince members of local civic organizations to support a city-wide recycling program. You might appear before the city council to persuade its members to reserve certain city-owned lands for park areas, softball and baseball parks, or community gardens.
  • Topics: You can start by thinking of a technical subject, for example, solar panels, microprocessors, drip irrigation, or laser surgery. For your oral report, think of a subject you’d be interested in talking about, but find a reason why an audience would want to hear your oral report.
  • Place or situation: You can find topics for oral reports or make more detailed plans for them by thinking about the place or the situation in which your oral report might naturally be given: at a neighborhood association? at the parent–teachers’ association meeting? at a church meeting? at the gardening club? at a city council meeting? at a meeting of the board of directors or high-level executives of a company? Thinking about an oral report this way makes you focus on the audience, their reasons for listening to you, and their interests and background. As in all technical writing situations, identifying and understanding your audience is of the utmost importance.

Content and Requirements for the Oral Presentation

The focus for your oral presentation is clear, understandable presentation; well-organized, well-planned, well-timed discussion. You don’t need to be Mr. or Ms. Slick-Operator—just present the essentials of what you have to say in a calm, organized, well-planned manner.

When you give your oral presentation, we’ll all be listening for the same things. Use the following as a requirements list, as a way of focusing your preparations:

  • Situation : Plan to explain to the class what the situation of your oral report is, who you are, and who they should imagine they are. Make sure that there is a clean break between this brief explanation and the beginning of your actual oral report.
  • Timing : Make sure your oral report lasts no longer than the time allotted. Your instructor will work out some signals to indicate when the mark is approaching, has arrived, or has passed.
  • Indicate the purpose of your oral report
  • give an overview of its contents
  • find some way to interest the audience
  • Visuals : Use at least one visual—preferably slides using presentation software (such as Powerpoint) or transparencies for the overhead projector. Flip charts and objects for display are okay, but avoid scribbling stuff on the chalkboard or whiteboard or relying strictly on handouts. Make sure you discuss key elements of your visuals. Don’t just throw them up there and ignore them. Point out things about them; explain them to the audience.
  • Explanation : Plan to explain any technical aspect of your topic clearly and understandably. Don’t race through complex, technical stuff—slow down and explain it carefully so that we understand it.
  • Transitions : Use “verbal headings”—by now, you’ve gotten used to using headings in your written work. There is a corollary in oral reports. With these, you give your audience a very clear signal you are moving from one topic or part of your talk to the next  Your presentation visual can signal your headings.
  • Planning : Plan your report in advance and practice it so that it is organized. Make sure that listeners know what you are talking about and why, which part of the talk you are in, and what’s coming next. Overviews and verbal headings greatly contribute to this sense of organization.
  • summarize (go back over high points of what you’ve discussed)
  • conclude (state some logical conclusion based on what you have presented)
  • provide some last thought (end with some final interesting point but general enough not to require elaboration)
  • or some combination of these three
  • Questions : And certainly, you’ll want to prompt the audience for questions and concerns.
  • Timing (again) : As mentioned above, be sure your oral report is carefully timed. Some ideas on how to work within an allotted time frame are presented in the next section.

Preparing for the Oral Presentation

Pick the method of preparing for the talk that best suits your comfort level with public speaking and with your topic. However, plan to do ample preparation and rehearsal—some people assume that they can just jump up there and ad-lib for so many minutes and be relaxed and informal. It doesn’t often work that way—drawing a mental blank is the more common experience. A well-delivered presentation is the result of a lot of work and a lot of practice.

Here are the obvious possibilities for preparation and delivery:

  • Write a script, practice it; keep it around for quick-reference during your talk.
  • Set up an outline of your talk; practice with it, bring it for reference.
  • Set up cue cards, practice with them, and use them during your talk.
  • Write a script and read from it.

Of course, the extemporaneous or impromptu methods are also out there for the brave and the adventurous. However, please bear in mind that up to 25 people will be listening to you—you owe them a good presentation, one that is clear, understandable, well-planned, organized, and on target with your purpose and audience.

It doesn’t matter which method you use to prepare for the talk, but you want to make sure that you know your material.  The head-down style of reading your report directly from a script has problems. There is little or no eye contact or interaction with the audience. The delivery tends toward a dull, boring monotone that either puts listeners off or is hard to understand. And, most of us cannot stand to have reports read to us!

For many reasons, most people get nervous when they have to give oral presentations. Being well prepared is your best defense against the nerves. Try to remember that your classmates and instructor are a very forgiving, supportive group. You don’t have to be a slick entertainer—just be clear, organized, and understandable. The nerves will wear off someday, the more oral presenting you do. In the meantime, breathe deeply and enjoy.

The following is an example of an introduction to an oral presentation. Use it as a guide for planning your own.

Oral Presentation: Enhancement of the Recycling Program

Valerie and I represent the Austin Coalition for Recycling, a group that was founded in the late 1960s, partly in response to rising utility bills and partly out of a concern for the environment and its resources. High utility bills not only hurt each of us in our pocketbooks but also hurt the quality of life of our city as a whole.

We are all particularly proud of what a fine city we live in and what wonderful citizen involvement there is herein a whole range of civic activities. These things make our city special and ought to be the force that enables us to make a recycling program an integral part of the city’s waste management program. Backed by the City, a new powerful recycling program will contribute enormously to keeping Austin the wonderful place it is.

Valerie and I want to talk to you about how recycling works currently, how it will work once integrated with the city’s waste management program, how this integration will benefit our city, and what you can do to support this plan.

Delivering an Oral Presentation

When you give an oral report, focus on common problem areas such as these:

  • Timing —Make sure you keep within the time limit. Finishing more than a minute under the time limit is also a problem. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse until you get the timing just right.
  • Volume —Obviously, you must be sure to speak loud enough so that all of your audience can hear you. You might find some way to practice speaking a little louder in the days before the oral presentation.
  • Pacing, speed —Sometimes, oral presentators who are nervous talk too fast. All that adrenaline causes them to speed through their talk, making it hard for the audience to follow. In general, it helps listeners  understand you better if you speak a bit more slowly and deliberately than you do in normal conversation. Slow down, take it easy, be clear…and breathe.
  • Gestures and posture —Watch out for nervous hands flying all over the place. This too can be distracting—and a bit comical. At the same time, don’t turn yourself into a mannequin. Plan to keep your hands clasped together or holding onto the podium and only occasionally making some gesture. Definitely keep your hands out of your pockets or waistband. As for posture, avoid slouching at the podium or leaning against the wall. Stand up straight, and keep your head up.
  • Verbal crutches —Watch out for too much “uh,” “you know,” “okay” and other kinds of nervous verbal habits. Instead of saying “uh” or “you know” every three seconds, just don’t say anything at all. In the days before your oral presentation, practice speaking without these verbal crutches. The silence that replaces them is not a bad thing—it gives listeners time to process what you are saying.

The following is an example of how topic headings can make your presentation easy for your listeners to follow.

Excerpt from an oral report

As you can see from the preceding, our fairly average-size city produces a surprisingly large amount of solid waste. What is the cost of getting rid of it? I can tell you from the start that it is not cheap…

The next sentence indicates that the speaker is moving on to a new topic (“cost”).

[discussion of the costs of disposal]

…Not only are the costs of getting rid of our garbage high, as I have shown, but it’s getting harder and harder for city officials to find areas in which to get rid of it. The geographical problems in disposal…

Planning and Preparing Visuals for the Oral Presentation

Prepare at least one visual for this report. Here are some ideas for the “medium” to use for your visuals:

  • Presentation software slides —Projecting images (“slides”) using software such as Powerpoint has become the standard, even though maligned by some. One common problem with the construction of these slides is cramming too much information on individual slides. A quick search on terms like Powerpoint presentation will enable you to read about creating these slides and designing them intelligently. Of course, the room in which you use these slides has to have a computer projector.
  • Transparencies for overhead projector —The overhead projector used with transparencies seems to have been relegated to antiquity—but not entirely. If you have to use this method, you will design your visual on a sheet of blank paper, then photocopy it, and create a transparency of it.
  • Posterboard-size charts —Another possibility is to get some poster board and draw and letter what you want your audience to see. Of course, it’s not easy making charts look neat and professional.
  • Handouts —You can run off copies of what you want your listeners to see and hand them out before or during your talk. This option is even less effective than the first two because you can’t point to what you want your listeners to see and because handouts distract listeners’ attention away from you. Still, for certain visual needs, handouts are the only choice. Keep in mind that if you are not well prepared, the handouts become a place for your distracted audience to doodle.
  • Objects —If you need to demonstrate certain procedures, you may need to bring in actual physical objects. Rehearse what you are going to do with these objects; sometimes they can take up a lot more time than you expect.

Avoid just scribbling your visual on the chalkboard or whiteboard. Whatever you scribble can be neatly prepared and made into a presentation slide, transparency, or posterboard-size chart. Take some time to make your visuals look sharp and professional—do your best to ensure that they are legible to the entire audience.

As for the content of your visuals, consider these ideas:

  • Drawing or diagram of key objects —If you describe or refer to any objects during your talk, try to get visuals of them so that you can point to different components or features.
  • Tables, charts, graphs —If you discuss statistical data, present it in some form or table, chart, or graph. Many members of your audience may be less comfortable “hearing” such data as opposed to seeing it.
  • Outline of your talk, report, or both —If you are at a loss for visuals to use in your oral presentation, or if your presentation is complex, have an outline of it that you can show at various points during your talk.
  • Key terms and definitions —A good idea for visuals (especially when you can’t think of any others) is to set up a two-column list of key terms you use during your oral presentation with their definitions in the second column.
  • Key concepts or points —Similarly, you can list your key points and show them in visuals. (Outlines, key terms, and main points are all good, legitimate ways of incorporating visuals into oral presentations when you can’t think of any others.)

During your actual oral report, make sure to discuss your visuals, refer to them, guide your listeners through the key points in your visuals. It’s a big problem just to throw a visual up on the screen and never even refer to it.

As you prepare your visuals, look at resources that will help you. There are many rules for using PowerPoint, down to the font size and how many words to put on a single slide, but you will have to choose the style that best suits your subject and your presentation style.

The two videos that follow will provide some pointers. As you watch them, make some notes to help you remember what you learn from them. The first one is funny: Life After Death by PowerPoint by Don McMillan, an engineer turned comedian.

Life After Death by PowerPoint

You may also have heard about the presentation skills of Steve Jobs. The video that follows is the introduction of the I-Phone…and as you watch, take notes on how Jobs sets up his talk and his visuals. Observe how he connects with the audience…and then see if you can work some of his strategies into your own presentation skills. This is a long video…you don’t need to watch it all but do take enough time to form some good impressions.

Steve Jobs iPhone Presentation

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How to Compare Two PowerPoint Presentations

3-minute read

  • 1st May 2019

Microsoft PowerPoint is widely used for creating slideshow presentations in business and education . But how do you compare two versions of a presentation? And is there a way to flag edits in a PowerPoint file? Let us introduce the Compare and Comment functions in PowerPoint.

The Compare Function

You may need to compare two versions of a PowerPoint presentation to see the differences between them (e.g., if a colleague has edited it directly without noting the changes). And the quickest way to do this is with PowerPoint’s built-in Compare function. To use this:

  • Open the original version of your presentation.
  • Go to Review > Compare .
  • Click Compare to open a browser window.
  • Select the edited version of the presentation and click Merge .

The Compare tool in PowerPoint.

You will then enter Review Mode . This will open the Reviewing Pane , which shows a list of all edits in the presentation at the right of the screen.

Reviewing Edits in a PowerPoint Presentation

Lists of revisions

  • Slide Changes – A list of edits on the current slide.
  • Presentation Changes – A list of changes made to the presentation as a whole.

Clicking the edits in either section will take you to the relevant part of the presentation and bring up a list of individual changes. You can then review each edit in turn:

  • Select an edit from the list to view it, or select  All changes to… to see all edits from part of a slide (e.g., every change made in a text box ).
  • To reject an edit after you’ve viewed it, simply deselect it.

Selected edits in Microsoft PowerPoint

Finally, when you’ve finished reviewing edits, click End Review .

All selected edits will then become part of the open document, so don’t forget to save it after reviewing.

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Commenting on a PowerPoint Presentation

If you are editing a PowerPoint presentation, rather than relying on the Compare function, you can track changes between versions using the Comment tool . To do this:

  • Place the cursor at the point of the edit or issue you want to highlight.
  • Go to Review > Comments and click New Comment .
  • Add your comment text in the Comments pane.

The Comment tool in PowerPoint.

You can then view comments either via the Comments pane or by clicking the comment icons within the presentation. And you can delete comments by clicking the ✘ icon in the Comments pane or by right clicking the comment icon on the slide and selecting Delete Comment .

Deleting a comment.

You can also reply to comments in a PowerPoint presentation. To do this:

  • Select a comment or click Show Comments .
  • In the Comments pane, click Reply…
  • Add your response to the original comment.

Reply to a comment.

You can then repeat this process to reply to a reply on a comment (and so on). This can be useful if a presentation goes through several rounds of editing, as it allows each editor to provide feedback. And don’t forget to have your work checked by a professional to ensure it’s error free.

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Comparisons

Browse our extensive collection of 50 Comparison templates for PowerPoint and Google Slides, designed to help you present contrasting information effectively and professionally.

These customizable templates are perfect for showcasing differences, similarities, pros and cons, or any other type of comparison you need to highlight.

Comparison templates offer a variety of layouts and styles to display contrasting information clearly and concisely. Impress your audience with well-structured comparisons and leave a lasting impact.

Free Dichotomous Yin-Yang Infographic for PowerPoint

Dichotomous Yin-Yang Infographic for PowerPoint and Google Slides

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Abstract Textboxes for PowerPoint and Google Slides

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Positive Vs Negative Ideas for PowerPoint and Google Slides

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Card List for PowerPoint and Google Slides

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Comparison List for PowerPoint and Google Slides

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Comparison Frames for PowerPoint and Google Slides

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[Updated 2023]: Top 20 Comparison PPT Templates for Effective Data Visualization

[Updated 2023]: Top 20 Comparison PPT Templates for Effective Data Visualization

Gunjan Gupta

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Have you ever faced trouble making up your mind? Almost everyone does. Whether about daily routine tasks, or crucial business decision-making, options can sometimes serve to confuse. But how do you ensure that decisions you have made are right? The use of comparison templates is the answer.

In this article, we discuss ways to help businesses make the right decisions. We, at SlideTeam, offer you content-ready, 100% editable and customizable templates to save you the time and effort in creating these from scratch.  

What are comparison diagrams?

Comparison diagrams are the visual representation of multiple choices, which compares two or more options. 

A comparison infographic doesn’t come in a specific format, you can use types of charts. To know more about comparison templates , read our blog here .

Each of the templates we present below are 100% editable and customizable. Use these to great effect now! Let’s take a tour.

Template 1: Business Swot Analysis Product Comparison and Competitive Landscape PowerPoint Presentation Slides

SWOT Analysis is the most popular tools in modern business world. Businesses prefer to use organized planning methodologies to discover Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats for their company. Use this basic structured approach to estimate your business position with appealing infographics from SlideTeam. This complete deck in 50+ slides covers all bases. From details like company overview, goals, mission, problem and solution statement to crucial aspects like revenue model, shareholding pattern, financial projection and more, everything is covered. Download now and use it to compare and contrast each parameter and create a product roadmap with this PPT slideshow.

Business SWOT Analysis, Product Comparison and Competitive Landscape

Download Now!

Template 2: Comparison Matrix PowerPoint PPT Template Bundles

Deliver an inspiring pitch with this comparison matrix PowerPoint PPT template bundles and compare strategies with correct estimations of key factors. The slideshow contains over 20 slides and can be used to compare and contrast two and more alternatives essential for crucial business decisions. Using a wide range of infographics such as comparison charts, matrix in a PPT presentation, you can learn about market analysis, brand comparison, competitor analysis, financial reports, pricing and more. Download now to create elegant business presentations and enhance your presentation approach with structured data analysis.

Comparison Matrix

Template 3: Five-Year Comparison PowerPoint PPT Template Bundles

Improve your business insight and objectives using this standardized five- year comparison PPT design. Deliver innovative presentation on five-year comparison of organization revenue and expenses, financial position, profit and loss, core banking solutions etc. Use this PPT Template for taking decisions on business management, education, environment and more. Color, font size, shape, background everything can be customized to fit into your business requirements.

5 Years Comparison

Template 4: Data Comparison PowerPoint PPT Template Bundles

A data comparison PPT template makes user understand essential business data for decision making. This data may be business income statement data, revenue comparison, digital traffic data comparison, or number of acquired customers in past few years, monthly, quarterly, or annual sales data, annual pay scale comparison data or anything other than. Comprising 15+ professionally-designed template, you just need to include your details and present to your audience. The high-quality graphics that can be customized to your business needs. Therefore, download now and use in your presentations to support your business objectives.

Data Comparison

Template 5: Cost Comparison Chart PowerPoint PPT Template bundles

Making a purchase decision can be easier when you have a strong system like a cost comparison template. Whether it is about raw materials or the equipment you are buying for your business, or product advertising cost, content marketing cost, or anything else, there is a lot to consider. This presentation template is a combination of over 15 slides to allow you to display prices of homogeneous products to help your financial decisions. This slide is perfect for small business owners who operate on low budget. Grab it now and use to create perfect pricing strategy for your business.

Cost Comparison Chart

Template 6: Comparison three-group PowerPoint PPT Template Bundles

Comparison between groups like multiple vendors, hotel services, brand performance is essential to measure performance of each group, which helps businesses list options available and choose the best. Businesses can monitor groups to analyse how they can enhance their contribution towards business goals. Each of 10+ slides contain a kind of comparison. Some are designed to compare services, features, project group performance evaluation, research group skills comparison, or sales distribution among three groups. All are focused on key business and marketing activities.

Comparison 3 Group

Template 7: Competitive Analysis template 5 comparison table PowerPoint Guide

Capturing competitor’s data is essential to enhancing business performance. To execute a purposeful competitive analysis, you require readymade PPT Templates to glean details of marketing environment in which your business exists to make better business decisions. This PPT Guide helps you focus on collecting information on the competitive landscape around you to improve your business decisions. The innovative design offers an easy way to organize and communicate your competitive analysis details to your team members. Download now and capture competitor information, build roadmaps and create marketing strategy for your business.

Competitive Analysis Template 5- Comparison Table PowerPoint Guide

Template 8: Automation of HR Workflow Comparison between Manual and Automation Process

Managing HR activities is laborious and time-consuming. The HR team has to cover employee onboarding, employee engagement, performance appraisals, business process, and more. Automating HR workflow can optimize manual processes. Display the benefits of automating HR workflow with our professionally designed presentation template to discuss how businesses can use automated workflow solutions to enhance productivity and HR department performance. Download it now and customize to meet your business expectations.

Comparison Between Manual and Automation Process

Template 9: Outsourcing Finance Accounting Services Cost Comparison Part time Full Outsourcing

Businesses outsource their processes when these become expensive. The decision to be made is when they should they outsource? Our cost comparison part-time/full-time/ Outsourcing PPT diagram is a comprehensive way to compare and display costs with each kind of business process. You can highlight salaries, wages of part-time, full-time, and outsourced employees across departments. Analyse the cheapest way to get things done in your business. Grab this effective PPT Template that also give you annual pay scale comparison and is a pointer to better business decision making.

Cost Comparison

Template 10: Product Capability Comparison Table for Electronics Industry

Use our Product Capability Comparison template to compare your product or services with similar products/services already available in the market. It will help you to assess quality and let your team understand how your product fares against competition. Product managers use this visual representation to set criterion for their products against other options available in the market. A robust system like Product Capability Comparison Table for Electronics Industry will talk about the areas of product development needs to be improved to remain competitive. Download now to showcase your expertise in competitive analysis of products. 

Product capability comparison table for electronics industry

Template 11: Two-Year Comparison graph of Company Sales Revenue

Today, sales is not only about responding to random leads, it is more about decisions based on data that results into revenue enhancing opportunities. Sales chart is a great way to improve your performance. If you are looking for comprehensive view of business growth, this PPT design is for you. You can compare revenue year-on-year. The amazing combination of visuals allows you to display your sales drift over time. Download now and let your team have insight into expected revenue coming year.

2 Year Comparison Graph of Company Sales Revenue

Template 12: Planning and Implementation of CRM software Different CRM solution comparison

Are you trying to choose the best CRM software for your business? This PPT Presentation Template provides the most comprehensive answer in the most palatable fashion. Using this template, one can compare options available on required features and functionality. Collate many CRM software solutions on pricing, customer data backup, business process analytics, product and price control and more before you take that call. Download now and prioritize your preferences!!!

Different CRM Solution Comparison

Template 13: Agile vs Scrum IT Scrum vs Agile Kanban a Quick Comparison

Whether you are an experienced software developer or a project manager, or a rookie, you need a collaborative methodology to efficiently accomplish tasks. Methodologies like Agile and Scrum works best across situations, so a good decision is still pending. Use our quick comparison template to present your ideas on agile vs scrum. Compare and contrast each methodology on parameters like planning, pricing, framework and other that suits into your business needs. Download this PPT Preset now and convey your ideas to your team.

Scrum Vs Agile kanban – A Quick Comparison

Template 14: Comparison PPT pictures Shapes

Use this presentation template to compare multiple options with images on both sides. This template can be used in many business instances. For e.g., you need to discuss pros or cons of some strategy, techniques for business management, analysis, product comparisons etc. Associate and compare each business strategy and identify areas of improvement to arrive at the correct and accurate decision. Get it now and use to effectively visualize data using unique icons, and images.

Comparison

Template 15: User Persona Comparison PPT PowerPoint Presentation Portrait

For businesses, target audience segmentation is a need. Department heads need to create a visual representation of their ideal users to monitor decision-making process and your brand’s perception. This PPT template helps you understand your prospects by segmenting audience into categories and disclosing qualities of each one. Using this PowerPoint theme, you will be able to compare and contrast and develop a complete user persona checklist. Download now and have complete knowledge of your ideal customers and their needs.

User Persona Comparison

Template 16: Product Category Comparison by Price PPT ideas Background Image

Business owners, sales and marketing professionals compare price of the similar product among vendors, suppliers, or outlets. Having an impressive graphics to represent it can reduce their workload. Download our off-the-shelf PPT template to aggregate this competitive analysis and display a short and crisp view of market perception of your company’s products. Highlight advantages and value of each product and help customers make beneficial decisions. Download now and present your ideas to your team.

Product Category Comparison by Price

Template 17: Comparison PPT PowerPoint Presentation Outline Slide

Compare and contrast characteristics across social media profiles and reach to effective decision by deploying our predesigned presentation template. You can edit/customize features to make the comparison more meaningful for your line of business. Based on these decisions, individual and businesses can create new business strategies to enhance performance and productivity. Download now and leverage the slideshow to make a flexible and versatile process around comparing social media profiles. 

Comparison.

Template 18: Two-Projects Scenario Comparison Timeline

When you are preparing for new project or planning to make major changes to existing ones, it’s advisable to compare project scenarios before finalizing anything. This PPT Layout helps project managers to visualize two-project scenarios in an easy-to-understand way. Give a brief insight on tasks associated with each scenario and analyse whether milestones have been achieved or not. Grab the slide and let your audience visualize project scenarios that create a real impact.

2 Projects Scenario Comparison Timeline

Template 19: Two-Product Comparison Chart to High-Risk Investments Infographic Template

Build a compelling presentation using this PPT Template. Product managers, business owners can use this PPT template to compare and contrast two products or same brand and evaluate their relevance to business goals. Download now!

2 Product Comparison Chart to High Risk Investments

Template 20: Annual Pay Scale Comparison Increase Employee Churn Rate IT industry PPT Gallery Sample

Annual Pay Scale Comparison is a challenging task for the HR department of any company. A pay scale chart determines how much an employee should get depending upon pre-decided factors. To ease the process, use this PPT Diagram from SlideTeam to help business owners, HR departments to have a view of the current salary and current market value of their employees. This helps them decide whether an employee’s salary must be revised or not. And if yes, then how much. Download now and make awesome presentations that ease this rather tricky decision. 

Annual Pay Scale Comparison – Our Company vs Other Companies

FAQs on Comparisons

What do you mean by comparison.

Comparison is the exploration of similarities and differences between two or more units. When you compare two or more things, you tend to look qualities or characteristics that exhibit similarities between objects, or anything else. 

Typically, we can say comparison is:

  • An act of comparing
  • The representation of two similar units
  • An evaluation of two or more units to find similarities and differences.

Example sentences – Comparison between prices of two products, data comparison from two studies

What is an example of a comparison?

We have to make a decision among a number of choices available on a daily basis. Whether it is about daily household needs or crucial business decisions, we must compare and weigh our options. A few examples of comparisons are:

  • People comparing the prices of similar items in a supermarket.
  • In education industry, students compare institutes, universities and their placement when they are planning to get enrolled into some courses.
  • When it is about hiring manpower, HR managers compare between many potential candidates available for the work role 
  • People compare the quality of electronic goods before purchasing them.

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    2. Goal of report writing A general goal of report writing is to show that students have good understanding on one specific topic of big data management and students can produce independently a well-formed and finished written report on it. Therefore, the following questions should be answered in the report. 1. What are the research problems? 2.

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    Presentations with strong narrative arcs are clear, captivating, and compelling. Orient the audience and draw them in by demonstrating the relevance and importance of your research story with strong global motive. Provide them with the necessary vocabulary and background knowledge to understand the plot of your story.

  8. Create an Impressive Report Presentation: Here's How!

    Tip 1: Prepare properly. Preparation lays the foundation for a successful report presentation. Think carefully about how you want to present specific facts and data. Know what you want to say and what your goals are - that's key for a great report presentation layout. Each slide must have a specific purpose.

  9. Is Your PowerPoint a Presentation or a Business Report?

    The reason is simple; while the typical presentation slide will most likely be delivered by a live presenter, the business report slide will journey alone to inboxes, and will be viewed by recipients without the benefit of a live presenter. Expectations from both slide types are different.

  10. 1.2 Differences with Technical Reports

    1.2 Differences with Technical Reports Two formal means of communication available to engineers when passing information onto a general audience include written reports and the oral presentations. Each has its own characteristics and when an engineer gives a technical presentation, he or she should focus on those aspects unique to presentations.

  11. 14 Types of Reports

    10. Vertical & Lateral Reports. Next, in our rundown of types of reports, we have vertical and lateral reports. This reporting type refers to the direction in which a report travels. A vertical report is meant to go upward or downward the hierarchy, for example, a management report.

  12. Data Exploration & Presentation

    5 Key Differences Between Data Exploration and Data Presentation. 1. Intended Audience. For the exploration, the primary audience is usually the data analyst (s) - even though with new BI tools, anyone can act as an analyst. These BI tool users are both manipulating the data and visualizing the results.

  13. Reports And Essays: Key Differences

    Here we explore the key differences between reports and essays. This page describes general features of academic reports and essays. Depending on your subject you may use all of these features, a selection of them, or you may have additional requirements. There is no single right way to write a report or essay, but they are different assignments.

  14. Difference Between Essay and Report (with Comparison Chart)

    It is the written presentation and analysis of the data, findings and results thereof that the researcher obtained during the research, using various methods such as survey, interview, observation, experiment, etc. ... Key Differences Between Essay and Report. The difference Between report and essay is discussed here in detail:

  15. Oral Presentations

    Oral Presentations. A common assignment in technical writing courses—not to mention in the workplace—is to prepare and deliver an oral presentation, a task most of us would be happy to avoid. However, while employers look for coursework and experience in preparing written documents, they also look for experience in oral presentations as well.

  16. Report vs Presentation

    Noun. ( en noun ) A piece of information describing, or an account of certain events given or presented to someone, with the most common adpositions being by (referring to creator of the report) and on (referring to the subject. A report by the telecommunications ministry on the phone network revealed a severe capacity problem.

  17. How to Compare Two PowerPoint Presentations

    Open the original version of your presentation. Go to Review > Compare. Click Compare to open a browser window. Select the edited version of the presentation and click Merge. The Compare tool in PowerPoint. You will then enter Review Mode. This will open the Reviewing Pane, which shows a list of all edits in the presentation at the right of the ...

  18. Essay vs Report: What Are the Key Differences?

    Objective Presentation: Reports aim to provide an objective overview of data, observations, and analysis without personal interpretation or opinion. ... Key Differences: Report vs Essay While both reports and essays involve research, analysis, and communication of ideas, there are key differences in their purpose, structure, and approach: ...

  19. Speeches vs. presentations

    In this video, learn about the differences between a presentation and a speech. Speeches and presentations are not technically the same, though the words are often used interchangeably.

  20. US GAAP vs. IFRS

    1. Financial Statement Presentation. The following differences outlined in this section affect what financial information is presented, how it is presented, and where it is presented. Income Statement. US GAAP requires presenting three periods, compared to two for IFRS. However, many companies following IFRS choose to report three periods ...

  21. Free Comparison Templates for PowerPoint and Google Slides

    Comparisons. Browse our extensive collection of 50 Comparison templates for PowerPoint and Google Slides, designed to help you present contrasting information effectively and professionally. These customizable templates are perfect for showcasing differences, similarities, pros and cons, or any other type of comparison you need to highlight.

  22. PDF The Reporting Currency—Measurement and Presentation of ...

    International Accounting Standard 21 The Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange Rates (IAS 21) is set out in paragraphs 1-62 and the Appendix. All the paragraphs have equal authority but retain the IASC format of the Standard when it was adopted by the IASB. IAS 21 should be read in the context of its objective and the Basis for Conclusions ...

  23. Top 20 Comparison PPT Templates for Effective Data ...

    Using a wide range of infographics such as comparison charts, matrix in a PPT presentation, you can learn about market analysis, brand comparison, competitor analysis, financial reports, pricing and more. Download now to create elegant business presentations and enhance your presentation approach with structured data analysis. Download Now!