what different report and essay

Essay vs. Report: What's the Difference?

Key Differences

Comparison chart, tone and style, inclusion of opinion, essay and report definitions, what is the primary aim of an essay, are reports subjective, how is a report typically structured, can essays contain personal opinions, is a report a detailed account, are essays longer than reports, what's the tone of a report, are essays always formal, should essays be persuasive, can an essay be a literary composition, can essays explore philosophical concepts, do essays have a rigid structure, can reports include tables and figures, who is the typical audience for an essay, what's the main objective of a report, do reports always result from research, who typically reads a report, can a report be spoken, is critical thinking essential in essay writing, do reports make recommendations.

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Home » Language » Difference Between Essay and Report

Difference Between Essay and Report

Main difference – essay vs report.

Essay and report writing is an area that confuses many people . Despite having some similarities, they both are written in different styles. Both Essays and Reports must be written in a formal academic style while carefully checking grammar, spelling, and presentations. There are some common features in essay and report writing as both start with an introduction, body with discussions and analysis, and finally conclusions that demonstrate writer’s analytical thinking ability. However, there are some significant differences between Essays and Reports, and writers should be well aware of these differences before starting to write. The main difference between these two types of writings is their purpose ; an essay presents writer’s personal ideas and opinions about a certain topic while a report provides unbiased information about a certain issue.

What is an Essay

Essay is a piece of writing that describes, analyzes and evaluates a certain topic or an issue . An essay generally contains a combination of facts, statistics and writer’s personal view and opinions. An essay can be categorized into various types, depending on the nature of the title and the style of the author. Descriptive, Narrative, Argumentative, Persuasive, and Expository are some of these types of Essays. Though there is no strict format for essay writing, an essay generally includes an introduction, body, and conclusion. Essays are mostly used in the field of Education and are usually about academic subjects.

What are the Different Types of Essays

How to write an essay, what is a report.

A report is a systematic, well-organised document that defines and analyses a certain issue or a problem . The primary aim of a report is to provide information. A report is divided into several sections, headings, and sub-headings. A report is divided into sections in this manner so that anyone can scan the document and find quickly, the specific information he/she needs. Reports are used in different fields, and various types of reports written for different purposes can be found in our day to day life. Reports are generally written for practical purposes. Academic reports, Business reports, Laboratory reports are examples of such reports. Another significant feature that can be observed in a report is that the writer indicates recommendations, solutions to the issue at the end of the report. Graphs, tables, sentences in bullet points can also be used in report writing.

Let us now look at the difference between essay and report separately. One of the main difference between essay and report is the purpose. An essay is written to present writer’s personal ideas and opinions while a report is written to provide information about a certain issue. Another significant difference between essay and report is the format. A report is divided into sections, headings, and sub-headings, but an essay is never divided into sections and headings; it has interconnecting paragraphs. The conclusion of a report is unbiased and recommendations are provided at the end while the conclusion of an essay depends heavily on the opinion of the author. A report contains graphs and tables while an essay rarely contains graphs and tables. An appendix can be attached to the report for further reference. One of the most efficient features of a report, is that the information can be found quickly by scanning the headings and sections but, in an essay, it is difficult to find a specific information without reading the whole essay.

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Reports vs essays

Students are sometimes unclear about different genres of assessment tasks.

Students often ask the question "What is the difference between a report and an essay?" This short video explains what a report is in academic writing, how it is used in different situations, and the structure of a report including executive summary, introduction, findings and conclusion.

What is a report?

A report is a piece of writing that tells you about some experience, event, or situation. This could include just doing research on some topic, a practical experiment, some issue that has arisen in a company/organisation, or a system, or even a piece of equipment, maybe.

Reports are often problem-based, but not always. It describes what you have found out, and it goes deeper - it explains and analyses what you have found out. Reports are very structured and there is an expected format. They always have sections and headings.

Have a look at this report outline:

“The aim of this report was to investigate Unilab staff attitudes to the use of mobile phones in staff and team meetings. A staff survey and policies on mobile phone use from a number of similar companies were analysed. There was significant support for a clear company policy on mobile phone use, including their banning in certain situations. The results of this research reflected the findings from similar studies. The report concluded that personal mobile phones should not be turned on during all staff meeting times.”

Most reports have executive summaries. In some disciplines, we call it an “abstract”. They are not the same as the introduction. An executive summary summarises the whole report. That means that there will be a sentence or two representing each section of the report. You always write it after you have completed the full report. Have a look at how the writer summarises each main section in one sentence (refer to executive summary above). As you can see, it’s got a very definite structure drawn from the larger report. It is very different to the introduction which just talks about the broad context, the purpose of the report, and what is going to be covered in the following sections. It gives the reader an idea of what is ahead – it does not give the overview like the executive summary.

The other important sections are the Findings and Discussion. This is where you would describe and then analyse your findings. Your findings will be reporting what you have discovered during your research, or your experiment, or an observation you have made. In the discussion section, you must delve deeper: you have to analyse and make sense of these findings and not just state what they are.

Finally, in the conclusion, you summarise your findings or use your findings or to come out with a more unified understanding or outcome. In some disciplines like business, you might be asked to give solutions or recommendations to overcome a problem that you have noticed. Recommendations might have their own section or be included in the conclusion, too.

For more information about reports, try the tutorials. Thanks for watching!

The table below shows the main differences between reports and essays.

Provides objective information: Can be constructed collaboratively.
Highly structured into sections identified using headings.
Sections can be read in isolation of the most of the text: the reader can dip in and out.
Objective report and analysis of facts.
Grounded in practice but often links to theory.
For a specific audience.
Includes tables, graphs and diagrams.
Dot points used for conciseness.
Presents a particular writer's claim or argument.
Structured by paragraphing with key points identified in topic sentences.
Paragraphs are read in the context of the whole: the reader starts at the beginning and reads the entire text.
Subjective argument or interpretation.
Grounded in theory but sometimes linked to practice.
For a generalised audience.
Meaning is conveyed through text.
Meaning constructed through sentences.
Purpose of reports and sources to use
Overall structure of a report
Sample report structures

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What is the Difference Between Essays and Reports?

Published by Alaxendra Bets at August 19th, 2021 , Revised On August 23, 2023

What is the difference between essays and reports? Report writing is a specialised skill that your academic tutor would like you to develop.

Whether you are writing a report in university or business, report writing skills are equally important to get your message across to the readers effectively.

Generally, your academic tutor decides what form of writing you must undertake and will provide the layout requirements in the assignment brief.

However, as you move towards university-level study, you will have the freedom of choice to decide what form of writing you must undertake to address the problem question .

This means that you will need a critical evaluation of what form of writing will be the most appropriate for you, considering a given academic assignment’s requirements.

Whether you are a student or a professional, it is important to understand the key differences between an essay and a report to work out why you should prefer one form of writing over the other.

This article lists the most notable differences between a report and an essay, so whenever you are unsure about which form of writing is the most suitable, you will know exactly what decision is right or wrong.

Difference Between Essays and Reports – Purpose

Purpose of a report.

Typically you will be asked to write a report if you must present an analysis of practical research results. All reports start with the topic background, research aim, and objectives to provide details of what your work will examine.

You may also include a hypothesis in your report if you are testing a proposition with your research. Depending on your topic’s nature and the report writing guidelines laid out by your tutor, you may also have to include a separate section for future recommendations in your report.

Purpose of an Essay

On the other hand, Essays find answers to a question using the researcher’s own critical evaluation of the existing theories. An essay does not directly include any practical research because it only uses the existing literature material.

Difference Between Essays and Reports – Content

The report starts with introducing the topic and lists the aim and objectives your practical research will address.

It quickly moves to report chronological actions such as gathering data and presenting findings from primary research activities and laboratory experiments before the writer finally provides an assessment of the results in the conclusion and recommendations for future sections.

The content of an essay depends on the essay question you need to answer. Whether your essay must be evaluative, argumentative , narrative , discursive, or descriptive will be determined by the nature of your essay question.

However, in general, all essays involve a synthesis of knowledge obtained from existing literature on the given question and the writer’s personal arguments and opinions based on the evidence collected during research.

Whether you have been asked to write an essay or a report, ResearchProspect writers can help you achieve the highest academic grade. We have a large team of academic writers who can meet every bit of your requirements regardless of your academic level and the academic subject.

Difference Between Essays and Reports – Formatting

A report and an essay format are similar as both include an introduction , main body , and conclusion sections. Reports include methodology and analysis in the main body and have a fixed structure.

It is recommended to check your school’s formatting guidelines if you are unsure how to format your report. Further, you can get our professional report writing service that will help you achieve your desired grades.

If you are writing an essay, the essay question’s critical evaluation will determine the structure you must follow in your essay.

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Difference Between Essays and Reports in a Table

Despite describing these differences, it may not be easy to distinguish between an essay and a report. For example , in some academic disciplines, essays are structured like reports, with headings separating the different parts of an essay. The best practice regarding the style and format suitable to your academic discipline would be to consult your academic tutor.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you differentiate between an essay or a report.

An essay is a concise piece of writing that presents an argument, opinion, or analysis with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. A report is a structured document that conveys information, often including data, findings, and recommendations, typically with headings, sections, and sometimes visual aids.

Differences between reports and essays

A report is a piece of informative writing that describes a set of actions and analyses any results in response to a specific brief. A quick definition might be: “This is what I did and this is what it means.”

You may also have assignments which are not called reports but which are still pieces of informative writing; for instance, some dissertations and project write-ups fall into this category.

A good way to understand the key features of reports is to see how they differ from essays as a type of academic writing.

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The purpose of an essay

When we write an essay we are often looking at topics in depth. The essay may voice an opinion, or explain something in detail. The essay may include arguments or counter arguments or offer solutions to problems.Tthere are many different ways to approach writing an essay. The purpose of an essay is to provide a detailed insight in to an aspect of a topic.

The purpose of a report

A report often discusses the results of a practical investigation. For example a report could discuss an experiment and its results or discuss research that has been undertaken. The purpose of a report is to help people to find the information they need quickly . For example they may need to see the results of an experiment but not want to know how it was carried out.

The common structure of an essay

An essay has the following structure: introduction, main body of the essay and conclusion. Each part of the essay is written in paragraphs. It is not common practice to use headings within an essay. The paragraphs within the essay should link together clearly as the reader is going to be reading every section. This can be done by trying to link each paragraph to the other.

The common structure of a report

Reports often include the following features:

A list of contents - this shows your reader where they can find the exact information they are looking for.

An abstract - an abstract is a brief summary of the report journal article or research. It usually outlines its purpose, methodology and findings ( results)

An introduction - h ere you say what you are going to be discussing in the report and why the report is important .

A literature review - this shows what you have read before completing your report.

Methodology - this explains what you did and how you did it

The results - here you present your findings

Discussion - i n this section you discuss your results.

Conclusions - here you say what the report has shown and what you think could be learnt from the report.

Recommendations - often a report will include your recommendations - what you think should be done next having considered the results.

The main differences between a report and an essay

Reports are divided into many sections whereas essays have three main sections divided into paragraphs.

Reports include an abstract, essays do not.

Reports can use bullet points, essays do not.

Reports can use subheadings for each of the sections, it is rare for essays to have subheadings.

Reports often include graphs and tables , essays do not.

Similarities between report writing and essay writing

Both use a formal style- this means that we don't use shortened words, we remember we are writing for an academic audience, we don't use slang, and we write in sentences, using a formal style.

Both avoid sounding personal - in academic writing it is important to sound objective . This means that you don't try to sway your reader with your own opinions and viewpoints but you put your points across using proof and evidence. With this in mind, in reports and essay writing personal pronouns (Example: I) should be avoided.

Both need to be clear- whatever you are writing it is important that you make your writing clear. In both reports and essays an introduction will be included to show the purpose of the piece of work, and a conclusion to sum up the key points. The main body of both texts should be written in a logical well ordered way.

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The four main types of essay | Quick guide with examples

The Four Main Types of Essay | Quick Guide with Examples

Published on September 4, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An essay is a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays.

Argumentative and expository essays are focused on conveying information and making clear points, while narrative and descriptive essays are about exercising creativity and writing in an interesting way. At university level, argumentative essays are the most common type.

In high school and college, you will also often have to write textual analysis essays, which test your skills in close reading and interpretation.

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Argumentative essays, expository essays, narrative essays, descriptive essays, textual analysis essays, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about types of essays.

An argumentative essay presents an extended, evidence-based argument. It requires a strong thesis statement —a clearly defined stance on your topic. Your aim is to convince the reader of your thesis using evidence (such as quotations ) and analysis.

Argumentative essays test your ability to research and present your own position on a topic. This is the most common type of essay at college level—most papers you write will involve some kind of argumentation.

The essay is divided into an introduction, body, and conclusion:

The introduction provides your topic and thesis statement
The body presents your evidence and arguments
The conclusion summarizes your argument and emphasizes its importance

The example below is a paragraph from the body of an argumentative essay about the effects of the internet on education. Mouse over it to learn more.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

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An expository essay provides a clear, focused explanation of a topic. It doesn’t require an original argument, just a balanced and well-organized view of the topic.

Expository essays test your familiarity with a topic and your ability to organize and convey information. They are commonly assigned at high school or in exam questions at college level.

The introduction of an expository essay states your topic and provides some general background, the body presents the details, and the conclusion summarizes the information presented.

A typical body paragraph from an expository essay about the invention of the printing press is shown below. Mouse over it to learn more.

The invention of the printing press in 1440 changed this situation dramatically. Johannes Gutenberg, who had worked as a goldsmith, used his knowledge of metals in the design of the press. He made his type from an alloy of lead, tin, and antimony, whose durability allowed for the reliable production of high-quality books. This new technology allowed texts to be reproduced and disseminated on a much larger scale than was previously possible. The Gutenberg Bible appeared in the 1450s, and a large number of printing presses sprang up across the continent in the following decades. Gutenberg’s invention rapidly transformed cultural production in Europe; among other things, it would lead to the Protestant Reformation.

A narrative essay is one that tells a story. This is usually a story about a personal experience you had, but it may also be an imaginative exploration of something you have not experienced.

Narrative essays test your ability to build up a narrative in an engaging, well-structured way. They are much more personal and creative than other kinds of academic writing . Writing a personal statement for an application requires the same skills as a narrative essay.

A narrative essay isn’t strictly divided into introduction, body, and conclusion, but it should still begin by setting up the narrative and finish by expressing the point of the story—what you learned from your experience, or why it made an impression on you.

Mouse over the example below, a short narrative essay responding to the prompt “Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself,” to explore its structure.

Since elementary school, I have always favored subjects like science and math over the humanities. My instinct was always to think of these subjects as more solid and serious than classes like English. If there was no right answer, I thought, why bother? But recently I had an experience that taught me my academic interests are more flexible than I had thought: I took my first philosophy class.

Before I entered the classroom, I was skeptical. I waited outside with the other students and wondered what exactly philosophy would involve—I really had no idea. I imagined something pretty abstract: long, stilted conversations pondering the meaning of life. But what I got was something quite different.

A young man in jeans, Mr. Jones—“but you can call me Rob”—was far from the white-haired, buttoned-up old man I had half-expected. And rather than pulling us into pedantic arguments about obscure philosophical points, Rob engaged us on our level. To talk free will, we looked at our own choices. To talk ethics, we looked at dilemmas we had faced ourselves. By the end of class, I’d discovered that questions with no right answer can turn out to be the most interesting ones.

The experience has taught me to look at things a little more “philosophically”—and not just because it was a philosophy class! I learned that if I let go of my preconceptions, I can actually get a lot out of subjects I was previously dismissive of. The class taught me—in more ways than one—to look at things with an open mind.

A descriptive essay provides a detailed sensory description of something. Like narrative essays, they allow you to be more creative than most academic writing, but they are more tightly focused than narrative essays. You might describe a specific place or object, rather than telling a whole story.

Descriptive essays test your ability to use language creatively, making striking word choices to convey a memorable picture of what you’re describing.

A descriptive essay can be quite loosely structured, though it should usually begin by introducing the object of your description and end by drawing an overall picture of it. The important thing is to use careful word choices and figurative language to create an original description of your object.

Mouse over the example below, a response to the prompt “Describe a place you love to spend time in,” to learn more about descriptive essays.

On Sunday afternoons I like to spend my time in the garden behind my house. The garden is narrow but long, a corridor of green extending from the back of the house, and I sit on a lawn chair at the far end to read and relax. I am in my small peaceful paradise: the shade of the tree, the feel of the grass on my feet, the gentle activity of the fish in the pond beside me.

My cat crosses the garden nimbly and leaps onto the fence to survey it from above. From his perch he can watch over his little kingdom and keep an eye on the neighbours. He does this until the barking of next door’s dog scares him from his post and he bolts for the cat flap to govern from the safety of the kitchen.

With that, I am left alone with the fish, whose whole world is the pond by my feet. The fish explore the pond every day as if for the first time, prodding and inspecting every stone. I sometimes feel the same about sitting here in the garden; I know the place better than anyone, but whenever I return I still feel compelled to pay attention to all its details and novelties—a new bird perched in the tree, the growth of the grass, and the movement of the insects it shelters…

Sitting out in the garden, I feel serene. I feel at home. And yet I always feel there is more to discover. The bounds of my garden may be small, but there is a whole world contained within it, and it is one I will never get tired of inhabiting.

Though every essay type tests your writing skills, some essays also test your ability to read carefully and critically. In a textual analysis essay, you don’t just present information on a topic, but closely analyze a text to explain how it achieves certain effects.

Rhetorical analysis

A rhetorical analysis looks at a persuasive text (e.g. a speech, an essay, a political cartoon) in terms of the rhetorical devices it uses, and evaluates their effectiveness.

The goal is not to state whether you agree with the author’s argument but to look at how they have constructed it.

The introduction of a rhetorical analysis presents the text, some background information, and your thesis statement; the body comprises the analysis itself; and the conclusion wraps up your analysis of the text, emphasizing its relevance to broader concerns.

The example below is from a rhetorical analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech . Mouse over it to learn more.

King’s speech is infused with prophetic language throughout. Even before the famous “dream” part of the speech, King’s language consistently strikes a prophetic tone. He refers to the Lincoln Memorial as a “hallowed spot” and speaks of rising “from the dark and desolate valley of segregation” to “make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” The assumption of this prophetic voice constitutes the text’s strongest ethical appeal; after linking himself with political figures like Lincoln and the Founding Fathers, King’s ethos adopts a distinctly religious tone, recalling Biblical prophets and preachers of change from across history. This adds significant force to his words; standing before an audience of hundreds of thousands, he states not just what the future should be, but what it will be: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This warning is almost apocalyptic in tone, though it concludes with the positive image of the “bright day of justice.” The power of King’s rhetoric thus stems not only from the pathos of his vision of a brighter future, but from the ethos of the prophetic voice he adopts in expressing this vision.

Literary analysis

A literary analysis essay presents a close reading of a work of literature—e.g. a poem or novel—to explore the choices made by the author and how they help to convey the text’s theme. It is not simply a book report or a review, but an in-depth interpretation of the text.

Literary analysis looks at things like setting, characters, themes, and figurative language. The goal is to closely analyze what the author conveys and how.

The introduction of a literary analysis essay presents the text and background, and provides your thesis statement; the body consists of close readings of the text with quotations and analysis in support of your argument; and the conclusion emphasizes what your approach tells us about the text.

Mouse over the example below, the introduction to a literary analysis essay on Frankenstein , to learn more.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, protagonist Victor Frankenstein is a stable representation of the callous ambition of modern science throughout the novel. This essay, however, argues that far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as. This essay begins by exploring the positive portrayal of Frankenstein in the first volume, then moves on to the creature’s perception of him, and finally discusses the third volume’s narrative shift toward viewing Frankenstein as the creature views him.

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At high school and in composition classes at university, you’ll often be told to write a specific type of essay , but you might also just be given prompts.

Look for keywords in these prompts that suggest a certain approach: The word “explain” suggests you should write an expository essay , while the word “describe” implies a descriptive essay . An argumentative essay might be prompted with the word “assess” or “argue.”

The vast majority of essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Almost all academic writing involves building up an argument, though other types of essay might be assigned in composition classes.

Essays can present arguments about all kinds of different topics. For example:

In a literary analysis essay, you might make an argument for a specific interpretation of a text
In a history essay, you might present an argument for the importance of a particular event
In a politics essay, you might argue for the validity of a certain political theory

An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

The key difference is that a narrative essay is designed to tell a complete story, while a descriptive essay is meant to convey an intense description of a particular place, object, or concept.

Narrative and descriptive essays both allow you to write more personally and creatively than other kinds of essays , and similar writing skills can apply to both.

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Explore the Key Difference Between Essay and Report

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Meaning of Essay and Report

Advantages of essay and report in academics, difference between essay and report, how our experts can help you.

When it comes to academic writing, understanding the difference between " Essay vs Report " is crucial. These two forms may seem similar initially, but each has unique characteristics and purposes. Therefore, it is important to grasp the differences, as you'll be better equipped to decide when to use an essay or a report for your writing tasks.

In this blog, we'll delve into the critical disparities between a "report vs essay" to help you with this academic writing more effectively. We'll break down their specific features so that you have a clear understanding of how to choose between an essay and a report and meet their respective requirements. So, if you are aiming for top grades, this guide will empower you to write confidently in both styles. But before that, you should know the meaning of essay and report.

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Academic essays and academic reports are two distinct forms of academic writing that serve different purposes and have different structures. Here are the key differences between an essay vs report :

This academic writing allows you to express your opinions on a particular topic. Essays are more flexible and subjective, emphasizing critical thinking, and the use of supporting evidence to back up the writer's claims. Moreover, they are frequently used to explore complex ideas, engage in academic discourse, and develop writing skills. In case of difficulty, you can always pay for essay to experts.

These are structured and objective documents that present factual information and findings on a specific topic. Unlike essays, reports are more focused on providing information rather than presenting personal opinions or arguments. These are often based on research, investigation, or data analysis.

Understanding the meaning of both essay vs report can help you approach each type of writing appropriately and effectively.However, if you need assistance with either form, you can ask, Can you write my essay for me or report? Now, let's further check out the advantages of writing these tasks.

In school or college, when you have to write things, there are two significant ways to do it: essays and reports. They each have their good sides, and it's essential to understand the strengths of "essay vs report " in academics. In this part, we will look at the advantages of using essays and reports for your college work. Let's see why essays and reports are excellent and how they can help you improve in universities.

Advantages of Essays:

Here are the advantages of essay in academics that you need to know:

Expressiv e : Essays, in the context of essay vs report, enable writers to express their thoughts, opinions, and analyses on a topic, fostering creativity and critical thinking. They provide a platform to present arguments persuasively and engage readers.
Flexibility : Essays offer flexibility in structure and content, allowing writers to adapt their approach based on the topic and purpose, you may require essay help . This versatility enables the exploration of complex ideas and encourages individual writing styles.
Personal Development : Writing essays enhances various skills such as research, critical thinking, organization, and communication. It helps writers develop their ability to articulate ideas, analyze information, and construct logical arguments.
Academic Discourse : Essays contribute to academic discourse by facilitating discussions and debates on various subjects. They encourage scholars to engage with existing research, challenge ideas, and contribute to the body of knowledge.

Now, as you know, the advantages of writing an academic essay. Let's discuss some advantages of report writing, to know the difference between report vs essay more clearly.

Advantages of Reports:

Here are the advantages of report writing in academics that you need to learn:

Accuracy : Reports prioritize objectivity and provide accurate and reliable information. They present data, research findings, and evidence-based conclusions, making them valuable for decision-making and informing actions.
Structure Clarity : Reports follow a structured format, making them easy to navigate and comprehend, whether for professional communication or presenting research findings. It allows readers to locate specific information quickly.
Professional Communication : Reports are commonly used in professional and scientific contexts to communicate research findings, project outcomes, or business insights. They provide a concise and standardized way to present complex information.
Evidence-Based : Reports aid evidence-based decision-making by systematically presenting data and research findings. They help students assess the validity and reliability of information.

It's important to note that the advantages mentioned above, in the context of essay vs report , can offer a great help in your academics. Both essays and reports have unique strengths and serve different purposes in academia and professional settings. Let's move forward to understand the differences between the academic writing tasks.

Need Academic Writing Help?

Seek the Best Academic Writing Help in the UK

Remember that these distinctions can vary based on specific academic requirements or disciplines, so it's important to refer to your guidelines for precise instructions on structuring your essay vs report. However, if you are still struggling with writing any of these academic writing tasks, then it is best to seek help from experts and learn how to write a report or an essay. Check out the below section to know how our experts can help you.

At Assignment Desk, our expertise in e ssay v s r eport writing can be invaluable to individuals seeking academic or professional assistance. By leveraging our skills, you can access comprehensive, well-researched, and expertly crafted essays and reports on a wide range of topics. Our "Report Writing Services" can help clients save time, reduce stress, and achieve better grades or outcomes. Here's how we can assist:

Quality Content:

We deliver high-quality, original content tailored to your specific requirements, adhering to academic standards and guidelines for both "Essays" and "Reports."

Thorough Research:

We conduct in-depth research, compile relevant data, and cite sources properly to support arguments and claims in both essays and reports.

Structured Writing:

We ensure a clear, logical structure for essays, and appropriate headings, subheadings, and sections for reports.

Editing and Proofreading:

We review and refine content for grammar, spelling, and formatting errors, enhancing the overall clarity and coherence of the work in both essay vs report.

Customization:

Our experts tailor each piece to individual needs, respecting specific guidelines, formats, and deadlines for both essays and reports.

Our experts can be a valuable resource for those seeking help with " Essay Vs Report " writing. Also, we offer them the opportunity to excel in their academic or professional endeavors through our specialized report writing services that you can get help with.I hope we have resolved your query and you would seek assistance in case you are still in dilemma.

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The purpose of a report

A report is a practical document that describes, details or analyses something so that the reader can make decisions or take specific action concerning it. A report can be written about anything; a business issue, a recent event, a piece of research, however it is likely to be one or more of the following in character:

Informative Defining or establishing the facts surrounding a current situation

Explanatory Exploring and explaining a situation and suggesting a range of possible actions

Persuasive Investigating a problem and recommending a specific course of action

The difference between reports and essays

As a part of the assessment for your course, you may be required to write both reports and essays; this table highlights the main differences between the two:

Report Writing: Differences between reports and essays

What's in this guide
Elements of a report

Differences between reports and essays

Steps to writing a report

What is a report?

The main purpose for a report is to be informative. .

The biggest difference between reports and essays is the structure used
An essay is usually written in continuous text, but a report is broken into sections
Essays discuss ideas, but reports present the information that is available on a subject
The purpose of an essay is to make a convincing argument for a position, or discuss opinions, but a report outlines facts and figures and may give recommendations.

A report has:

1. Defined structure: information is organised under headings

2. Independent sections: a report contains stand-alone sections, to which a reader can refer selectively

3. Unbiased conclusions: reports are written objectively

For some subjects, you may have a more specific report structure, such as a lab report, or a business report. Most reports follow a section and sub-section structure. The challenge is to arrange the information in a way that is easy to follow.

Your report will have a specific purpose and audience, which will influence how you arrange the information to communicate clearly. Read carefully through your assessment question to make sure you are following the expected structure, including the right content, and incorporating the right sections.

Acknowledgements

The information in this guide has been adapted (with permission) from the University of Newcastle Library guide to report writing

Images sourced from Unsplash.com , by RawPixel

<< Previous: Elements of a report
Next: Steps to writing a report >>
Last Updated: Nov 14, 2023 12:53 PM
URL: https://libraryhome.witt.ac.nz/report_writing

Difference Between Essay and Report

When in college, you will expect to receive various assignments that require a different approach when writing. One of the assignments is essay and report writing which might confuse many students. Although their structure is almost similar, their content differs and you should not confuse one with the other.

Essays are divided into different categories according to their purpose but reports present factual facts about something and are backed by data and numbers. Essays give more details using words but reports have lesser words. Here are the main differences.

2 Where to get help with essay or report writing
3 Writing format
4 Biases in conclusion
5 Use of figures and diagrams
6 Conclusion

Students are encouraged on reading essays to improve writing and understand the various types of essays and their purposes. Essays are divided into four categories, namely the argumentative essay, an expository, narrative, and descriptive. Each type serves a certain purpose and a writer must stay within that purpose in the writing process. The writer presents their ideas about a topic.

A report does not rely on a personal idea but it entirely presents information concerning an issue. The information provided must the backed by facts and one of the best ways to present the facts is to use numbers and data.

Where to get help with essay or report writing

Essays and reports have major differences but despite this fact, most students cannot outrightly tell their differences. This is because some academic fields have writing style requirements for reports and essays that sometimes make one look like the other. Whether you’ve been assigned a college essay or report, you can buy thesis paper on StudyClerk and avoid confusion. When you buy a thesis online, you make your education experience better. You just need to search thesis papers for sale to get the best paper writer online.

Writing format

The general format for writing a report and an essay might look similar but there is a big difference. In an essay, the writer starts with an introduction where they tell the reader a few details about the topic. A thesis statement is usually included within the introduction.

The writer goes on to write the body of the essay and uses paragraphs. Each paragraph transitions into the next and it could contain between three to five paragraphs, with each covering a specific point. The writer summarizes the essay in the concluding statement and then adds references.

The format of a report is different and starts with an executive summary, where a writer gives a summary of the report. An index page follows, which contains the table of contents and then the introduction comes next. It discusses the origin and the components of the main heading. The main report is contained in the body and the conclusion depicts the measures taken and the projections. The references come after the conclusion, followed by the appendix. In general, a report has sections, headings, and subheadings but an essay is divided into paragraphs.

Biases in conclusion

The conclusion of an essay contains biases because it is written according to what the writer feels is their best opinion concerning the topic. Even though the majority might be in support of a topic, the writer is free to think otherwise and take a different view. They might decide to provide personal recommendations but they are not bound to do so.

A report cannot be biased because it is based on real data, statistics, or information. The writer doesn’t report about what they feel is best for the topic but reports strictly on what the facts say. In conclusion, the writer is bound to give recommendations based on the facts they provided in the body.

Use of figures and diagrams

Because a report must be based on facts and not opinions, a writer provides evidence to the facts using several ways. They create tables with figures, they use graphs and illustrations . At some point, they even use bullet points and use numbered or labeled headings and subheads.

An essay does not require facts to prove a point but only relies on the power of a writer to persuade their audience, argue a point, narrate a story, or describe a situation. They don’t require to use tables, bullets, figures, or graphs to prove their points.

A student who writes an essay presents their point of view and convinces their audience to agree with it. They give a conclusion that is biased based on their personal opinion. The writer of a report must give facts and back them with tables, figures, and graphs. The conclusions they give cannot be biased because it’s not about their opinion but facts. They must give recommendations to their audience.

Difference Between an Argumentative Essay and Creative Writing Essay

Key Differences

Know the Differences & Comparisons

Difference Between Article and Essay

An article is nothing but a piece of writing commonly found in newspapers or websites which contain fact-based information on a specific topic. It is published with the aim of making the reader aware of something and keeping them up to date.

An essay is a literary work, which often discusses ideas, experiences and concepts in a clear and coherent way. It reflects the author’s personal view, knowledge and research on a specific topic.

Content: Article Vs Essay

Comparison chart, definition of article.

An ‘article’ can be described as any form of written information which is produced either in a printed or electronic form, in newspaper, magazine, journal or website. It aims at spreading news, results of surveys, academic analysis or debates.

An article targets a large group of people, in order to fascinate the readers and engage them. Hence, it should be such that to retain the interest of the readers.

It discusses stories, reports and describes news, present balanced argument, express opinion, provides facts, offers advice, compares and contrast etc. in a formal or informal manner, depending upon the type of audience.

For writing an article one needs to perform a thorough research on the matter, so as to provide original and authentic information to the readers.

Components of Article

Title : An article contains a noticeable title which should be intriguing and should not be very long and descriptive. However, it should be such that which suggests the theme or issue of the information provided.
Introduction : The introduction part must clearly define the topic, by giving a brief overview of the situation or event.
Body : An introduction is followed by the main body which presents the complete information or news, in an elaborative way, to let the reader know about the exact situation.
Conclusion : The article ends with a conclusion, which sums up the entire topic with a recommendation or comment.

Definition of Essay

An essay is just a formal and comprehensive piece of literature, in which a particular topic is discussed thoroughly. It usually highlights the writer’s outlook, knowledge and experiences on that particular topic. It is a short literary work, which elucidates, argues and analyzes a specific topic.

The word essay is originated from the Latin term ‘exagium’ which means ‘presentation of a case’. Hence, writing an essay means to state the reasons or causes of something, or why something should be done or should be the case, which validates a particular viewpoint, analysis, experience, stories, facts or interpretation.

An essay is written with the intent to convince or inform the reader about something. Further, for writing an essay one needs to have good knowledge of the subject to explain the concept, thoroughly. If not so, the writer will end up repeating the same points again and again.

Components of the Essay

Title : It should be a succinct statement of the proposition.
Introduction : The introduction section of the essay, should be so interesting which instantly grabs the attention of the reader and makes them read the essay further. Hence, one can start with a quote to make it more thought-provoking.
Body : In the main body of the essay, evidence or reasons in support of the writer’s ideas or arguments are provided. One should make sure that there is a sync in the paragraphs of the main body, as well as they, should maintain a logical flow.
Conclusion : In this part, the writer wraps up all the points in a summarized and simplified manner.

Key Differences Between Article and Essay

Upcoming points will discuss the difference between article and essay:

An article refers to a written work, published in newspapers, journals, website, magazines etc, containing news or information, in a specific format. On the other hand, an essay is a continuous piece of writing, written with the aim of convincing the reader with the argument or merely informing the reader about the fact.
An article is objective in the sense that it is based on facts and evidence, and simply describes the topic or narrate the event. As against, an essay is subjective, because it is based on fact or research-based opinion or outlook of a person on a specific topic. It analyses, argues and criticizes the topic.
The tone used in an article is conversational, so as to make the article easy to understand and also keeping the interest of the reader intact. On the contrary, an essay uses educational and analytical tone.
An article may contain headings, which makes it attractive and readable. In contrast, an essay does not have any headings, sections or bullet points, however, it is a coherent and organized form of writing.
An article is always written with a definite objective, which is to inform or make the readers aware of something. Further, it is written to cater to a specific niche of audience. Conversely, an essay is written in response to a particular assertion or question. Moreover, it is not written with a specific group of readers in mind.
An article is often supported by photographs, charts, statistics, graphs and tables. As opposed, an essay is not supported by any photographs, charts, or graphs.
Citations and references are a must in case of an essay, whereas there is no such requirement in case of an article.

By and large, an article is meant to inform the reader about something, through news, featured stories, product descriptions, reports, etc. On the flip side, an essay offers an analysis of a particular topic, while reflecting a detailed account of a person’s view on it.

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Anna H. Smith says

November 15, 2020 at 6:21 pm

Great! Thank you for explaining the difference between an article and an academic essay so eloquently. Your information is so detailed and very helpful. it’s very educative, Thanks for sharing.

Sunita Singh says

December 12, 2020 at 7:11 am

Thank you! That’s quite helpful.

Saba Zia says

March 8, 2021 at 12:33 am

Great job!! Thank u for sharing this explanation and detailed difference between essay and article. It is really helpful.

Khushi Chaudhary says

February 7, 2021 at 2:38 pm

Thank you so much! It is really very easy to understand & helpful for my test.

Dury Frizza says

July 25, 2022 at 8:18 pm

Thanks a lot for sharing such a clear and easily understood explanation!!!!.

Interview transcript shows more nuance on Biden's memory than special counsel report

Tamara Keith

President Biden speaks to reporters about the special counsel report on his handling of classified documents in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House on Feb. 8. Evan Vucci/AP hide caption

President Biden speaks to reporters about the special counsel report on his handling of classified documents in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House on Feb. 8.

During more than five hours of interviews over two days last October, President Biden cracked jokes, went into great detail about the design of his Wilmington home and spoke with confidence about world events from more than a decade ago. At times, he was defiant.

He also said some combination of "I don't know," "I don't recall," "I don't specifically remember," "I have no goddamn idea" and similar phrases more than 100 times during the deposition for a special counsel review of his handling of classified documents after he left office in 2017, according to an NPR review of the transcript.

The 258-page transcript of the interviews conducted by special counsel Robert Hur on Oct. 8 and 9 paints a more nuanced portrait of the president than was described in Hur's report last month. Hur is set to testify before Congress on Tuesday about that investigation.

Special counsel Hur defended Biden classified documents probe before Congress

Special counsel testifies on Capitol Hill about Biden classified documents probe

Read the special counsel's report on Biden's handling of classified documents

The transcript shows moments where Biden felt around trying to remember the year of certain events, like Donald Trump winning the election in 2016 and the death of his son Beau. Biden recalled the day, May 30, but not the year.

Hur concluded that criminal charges were not warranted because the evidence did not establish Biden's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. He said that Biden would come across to jurors as a "sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory," had trouble remembering timelines and details, and said it would have been "difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him ... of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness" in his retention of some of the classified documents.

Biden and the White House pushed back angrily against the characterization. Voters have questioned whether Biden, 81, is too old for a second term in office. Since the Hur report landed, Biden has made a public push to show otherwise, including in a vigorous State of the Union address last week.

Robert Hur is slated to testify on Tuesday about his probe of President Biden's handling of classified documents. In this file photo, he arrives at U.S. District Court in Baltimore on Nov. 21, 2019. Steve Ruark/AP hide caption

Robert Hur is slated to testify on Tuesday about his probe of President Biden's handling of classified documents. In this file photo, he arrives at U.S. District Court in Baltimore on Nov. 21, 2019.

During the interviews, the timelines bounced around

The first interview began at the White House at 12:15 p.m. on Oct. 8, the day after the deadly Hamas attacks in Israel. Hur thanked Biden for making time for it. "I just got off the phone with Bibi Netanyahu," Biden said.

Throughout the interview, Hur and his deputy Marc Krickbaum asked detailed questions about how documents were handled when Biden was vice president and once he had left office — including about specific rooms he was working in at various times, and even specific pieces of furniture. The timelines bounced around.

Biden defends how he handled classified docs after scathing special counsel report

About halfway through the first day, Hur asked Biden how he stored documents related to his work after he no longer was vice president. "Where did you keep papers that related to those things that you were actively working on?"

Biden said he wasn't sure. "This is what, 2017, 2018, that area?" he asked. "Yes, sir," Hur responded.

The most confusing part of the interview concerned the timeline surrounding his son's death

They discussed the nature of his work after he left office, work that included Biden's " cancer moonshot " push to find cures and treatments for the disease — and writing a book.

But Biden went further back in time and began talking about the death of his son Beau, from cancer, just as Biden was trying to decide whether to run for president. "Remember in this timeframe, my son is — either been deployed or is dying, and so it was — and by the way, there were still a lot of people at the time when I got out of the Senate that were encouraging me to run in this period, except the president," said Biden.

The Two-Way

Beau biden, vice president's son, remembered in delaware service.

"He (former President Barack Obama) just thought she had a better chance," Biden said, referring to Hillary Clinton, who ended up being the Democratic nominee in 2016. He briefly talked about how, by 2017-18, he hadn't ruled out trying to run for president again — then returned to talking about his son.

"And so what was happening, though — what month did Beau die? Oh God, May 30," Biden said, according to the transcript. An attorney from the White House counsel's office interjected to say "2015," a year then echoed by a second unidentified speaker.

"Was it 2015, he had died?" Biden said. Moments later, the president — still seemingly looking for his bearings in time — asked: "and what's happened in the meantime is that Trump gets elected in November of 2017?"

Two people corrected him, saying, "2016."

"2016. All right, so — why do I have 2017 here?" Biden asked. "That's when you left office, January of 2017," another of Biden's lawyers said.

Biden then launched into recounting how Beau implored him not to shrink from public life, which led to his book title, Promise Me, Dad .

Biden went into great detail about his Wilmington home

Early on, Hur thanked Biden for cooperating with the searches of his homes. "The FBI knows my house better than I do," Biden quipped, to laughter.

Hur asked Biden to try his hardest to recall details. "I acknowledge that some of the questions we are asking relate to events that happened years ago," Hur said. Biden replied: "I'm a young man, so it's not a problem."

Dela-Where He'd Rather Be: Come The Weekend, Biden Leaves D.C.

Why Biden spends his weekends away from the White House

At another point in the interview, Biden went into great detail about his home in Wilmington — so much detail that there were numerous redactions in the transcript by the U.S. Secret Service. Biden described himself as a "frustrated architect" as he went through minutiae about the home he helped design and decorate.

"This room cost one-third of the entirety of my entire home," Biden said. "Swear to God."

"It's very impressive," Hur replied.

Hur complimented Biden on his memory. "That was very helpful. We have some photographs to show you, but you have — appear to have a photographic understanding and recall of the house," Hur said.

He was less clear about the state of his garage

Biden had a less photographic memory when trying to explain when and how certain boxes appeared in his very cluttered garage, photographs of which appeared in Hur's report.

"I just came home and all of it was on the garage floor," Biden said.

He noted at one point that investigators who had searched his Wilmington home had "left everything in place," even some personal items.

"I just hope you didn't find any risqué pictures of my wife in a bathing suit. Which you probably did. She's beautiful," Biden said.

Asked at another point whether Jill Biden ever stored her files with his, the president was adamant in his reply. "She wanted nothing to do with my filing system," he said.

President Biden leaves the podium on Feb. 8 after speaking about the special counsel report on his handling of classified documents. Evan Vucci/AP hide caption

President Biden leaves the podium on Feb. 8 after speaking about the special counsel report on his handling of classified documents.

Biden was defiant about notebooks he kept from his time as vice president

Krickbaum attempted to ask Biden about whether he was authorized to have notebooks he kept full of handwritten notes about events and items he was briefed on. "You view those as yours —" Krickbaum began to ask.

"They are mine," Biden interrupted, in one of the more defiant moments of the interview.

"Every president before me has done the same exact thing," Biden said. Earlier in the conversation, Biden had described how former President Ronald Reagan had held onto his personal notes and diaries. It was a precedent Biden and his legal team have leaned on to explain why he kept notebooks that could have contained summaries of classified briefing materials.

"I'm not arguing with you about that right now, Mr. President," Krickbaum said. "I just want to make sure we are on the same page," Biden replied, before they moved on.

Then-Vice President Biden tries out archery on a tour in Mongolia on Aug. 22, 2011. Andy Wong/AP hide caption

Then-Vice President Biden tries out archery on a tour in Mongolia on Aug. 22, 2011.

Biden told a lot of his favorite stories during the two days of interviews

The interviewers spent a lot of time walking Biden through photos of home and office spaces, asking him to recall details. In one instance, Biden told Hur he remembered buying a conference table "in Wilmington at Berger Brothers, I believe." Hur then asked about another piece of furniture.

"So, you just told us where you bought the conference table. Do you remember where the file cabinet came from?" Hur asked.

"I don't know," Biden replied. It was one of the many times Biden told Hur he didn't know — about things mundane (why he wasn't using the hanging folders in his file cabinet in Wilmington) to procedural (what his staff did with highly classified materials when he was done with them).

The interview also included Biden going on at length about the decision-making process around the troop surge in Afghanistan in 2009, his decision in the early 1970s to become a public defender, his decision to run for office the first time, his family meeting where the grandkids convinced him to run for president in 2019 — and this one time he used a bow and arrow to hit a target during a trip to Mongolia .

At one point, Biden became aware that he was going on too long with one of his favorite stories, saying, "to make a long story not quite so long..." and then he kept on going.

"My generic point was: There was a lot of material that I had amassed that I wanted to save," Biden explained.

At the end of the second day, Biden ended the interview with one last quip.

"I know it's a lot of work for you — putting a lot together. I may now write a book, you have all this," Biden said, before adding: "That was a joke."

classified documents
special counsel

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The best AI chatbots: ChatGPT isn't the only one worth trying

Since the launch of ChatGPT , AI chatbots have been all of the rave because of their ability to do such a wide range of tasks which can help you with both your personal and work life. At your command, AI chatbots can write code , compose emails, draft a report, generate art , write Excel formulas for you , and much more.

However, because ChatGPT reached worldwide recognition , competitors were motivated to make their own versions, and, as a result, there are so many options on the market to choose from with different strengths, use cases, difficulty levels, and other nuances.

Also: The best AI image generators: Tested and reviewed

For the last year and a half, I have taken a deep dive into the world of AI, testing as many AI tools as I could get my hands on--including dozens of AI chatbots. Using my findings, as well as those of other ZDNET AI experts, I put together a list of the best AI chatbots and AI writers on the market.

The list details everything you need to know before choosing your next AI assistant, including what it's best for, pros, cons, cost, its large language model (LLM), and more. So whether you are entirely new to AI chatbots, or have used plenty before, this list should help you discover a new chatbot you haven't used before.

What is the best AI chatbot right now?

Thanks to its sourcing abilities, free internet access, and advanced LLM model, Microsoft Copilot is my first choice for the best AI chatbot. Keep reading to see how its features compare to others like ChatGPT, You.com, and more.

The best AI chatbots of 2024

Microsoft copilot, best ai chatbot overall.

Access to the internet
Links back to sources
Uses OpenAI's most advanced LLM
Grounded in Bing

Copilot f eatures: OpenAI's most advanced LLM, GPT-4 Turbo | Has access to the internet | Works like a search engine with information on current events | Free

In February last year, Microsoft unveiled a new AI-improved Bing, now known as Copilot, which runs on GPT-4 Turbo, the newest version of OpenAI's language model systems. As of May 4 of last year, Copilot moved from limited preview to open preview, meaning that now everyone can access it for free.

Also: What is Copilot (formerly Bing Chat)? Here's everything you need to know

When I use a chatbot, I typically reach for Copilot because I found that it solved two major issues with ChatGPT, including access to current events and linking back to the sources it retrieved its answer for free. It is also the only way to access OpenAI's most advanced LLM--GPT-4 Turbo--for free.

Copilot is free to use and offers a series of other features that make it an attractive alternative, including multi-modal inputs, image generation within the chatbot, and a standalone app.

Best original AI chatbot

Writing skills
STEM knowledge
Conversational
Not always available
Not connected to the internet

ChatGPT features: Uses OpenAI's GPT-3.5 or GPT-4 (if subscribed) | Can generate text, solve math problems, and code | Impressive conversation capabilities | Free to the public right now

ChatGPT is a conversational AI chatbot by OpenAI that can produce text for you based on any prompt you input, generating emails, essays, poems, grocery lists, letters, and much more.

In addition to writing for you, ChatGPT can chat with you about simple or complex topics such as "What are colors?" or "What is the meaning of life?" If you want other technical assistance, ChatGPT is also proficient in STEM and can write and debug code , and even solve complex math equations.

Also: How to use ChatGPT

ChatGPT was released November 2022, and because of its massive success , it became the blueprint for many other chatbots to enter the scene, with many being found on the list now. Therefore, if you are interested in AI chatbots, you'll likely want to try the original that began the craze -- ChatGPT.

The downsides of the chatbot include that it is sometimes at capacity due to its immense popularity, doesn't have access to the internet, and has a knowledge cutoff.

I still reach for ChatGPT as, despite its limitations, it is an incredibly capable chatbot. However, when I do, I make sure that my queries do not rely on the most recent information to be accurate. For example, some good use cases to use ChatGPT for are brainstorming text or coding.

Anthrophic's Claude

Best ai chatbot for summarizing documents.

Upload document support
Chat controls
Light and dark mode
Unclear usage cap
Knowledge cutoff

Claude features: Powered by Claude 3 model family | Accepts document uploads | Trained with information up to early 2023 | Free

Anthropic launched its first AI assistant, Claude, in February 2023, and in less than a year, it has secured a spot as one of the best chatbots in the space. Like the other leading competitors, Anthropic can conversationally answer prompts with anything you need assistance with, including coding, math, writing, research, and more.

Also: 4 things Claude AI can do that ChatGPT can't

Personally, the biggest advantage of this chatbot is that it can accept document uploads to help read, analyze, and summarize uploaded files. To upload a file, all I had to do was click on the paper clip icon next to the text box and click on the document I wanted to upload. Then, I was able to conversationally ask for the help I wanted with the document, including document summaries or clarifications on specific topics found within the document.

Also: This free tool from Anthropic helps you create better prompts for your AI chatbot

Claude is in free open beta, and, as a result, has context window and daily message limits which can vary based on demand, so if you are looking to use the chatbot regularly, upgrading to Claude Pro may be a better option, as it offers at least five times the usage limits compared to the free version for $20 a month.

Perplexity.ai

The best ai chatbot for prompt ideation.

Links to sources
Access to internet
Paid subscription required for GPT-4 access
some irrelevant suggestions

Perplexity AI features: OpenAI GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 for subscribers | Has access to the internet and current events | Provides prompt suggestions to get chats started | Free

Perplexity AI is a free AI chatbot that is connected to the internet, provides sources, and has a very enjoyable UI. As soon as you visit the site , using the chatbot is straightforward. All you have to do is type your prompt into the "ask anything" box to get started. The first time I ever visited this chatbot, I was able to get started within seconds.

On top of the text box, the chatbot states, "Where knowledge begins," and the title could not be more fitting.

Also: ChatGPT vs. Microsoft Copilot vs. Gemini: Which is the best AI chatbot?

As soon as you click on the textbox, it has a series of suggested prompts which are all mostly rooted in news. It also has suggested prompts underneath the box on a variety of evergreen topics. All you have to do is click on any of the suggestions to learn more about the topic and chat about it. Additionally, Perplexity provides related topic questions you can click on to keep the conversation going.

Because of the extensive prompts it gives users to try, this is a great chatbot for taking deep dives into topics that you wouldn't have necessarily thought of before, encouraging discovery and experimentation. I personally deep dove into a couple of random topics myself, including the history of birthday cakes, and I enjoyed every second of it.

Other perks include that there is an app for both iOS and Android, allowing you to also tinker with the chatbot while you're on the go, footnotes are provided after every answer with sources you can visit and the answers nearly always include photos and graphics.

Best AI chatbot for businesses and marketers

50 different writing templates
Copyediting features
Plagiarism checker
Need a subscription to try

Jasper features: Uses different LLMs, including GPT-4 | Summarizes texts and generates paragraphs and product descriptions | Checks for plagiarism and grammar | Starts at $39 per month with an annual subscription

Jasper is a tool exclusively meant for users who are looking to incorporate an AI chatbot into their workflow because there is no free plan, and you can't access the chatbot otherwise. For example, when I tried using it myself, I was met with dead ends unless I subscribed. The least expensive option, the Creator plan, is geared towards freelancers and solo-preneurs and is $49 a month. However, if you rely on an AI chatbot to generate copy for your business, the investment may be worth it.

Also: ChatGPT vs. Copilot: Which AI chatbot is better for you?

With Jasper, you can input a prompt for what you want to be written, and it will write it for you, just like ChatGPT would. The major difference with Jasper is that it has an extensive amount of tools to produce better copy. Jasper can check for grammar and plagiarism and write in over 50 different templates, including blog posts, Twitter threads, video scripts, and more. It also offers SEO insights and can even remember your brand voice, facilitating the creation of copy.

Whether you are an individual, small team, or larger business looking into optimizing your workflow, before you take the plunge, you can access a trial or demo.

Best AI chatbot that functions as a search engine

Readily available
Source Citing
Some answers stronger than others
Subscription required for GPT-4 access

You.com features: GPT-4 with subscription | Lists sources for the text it generates | Unlike most other Chatbots, uses Google sources | Free

You.com (previously known as YouChat) is an AI assistant that functions similarly to the way a search engine would. Like Google, you can enter any question, or topic you'd like to learn information on, and immediately be met with real-time web results, in addition to a conversational response.

For example, when I asked, "Can you share some pictures of adorable dog breeds?" the chatbot provided six different web links, as well as the seven different pictures it pulled from the web, a conversational answer and related news, as seen in the photo.

The chatbot can also provide technical assistance, with answers to anything you input, including math, coding, translating, and writing prompts. A huge pro for this chatbot is that, because it lacks popularity, you can hop on at any time and ask away.

Chatsonic by Writesonic

Best ai chatbot for article writers.

Variety of use cases
Need to sign-in
A bit of a lag

Chatsonic features: Powered by GPT-3.5. or GPT-4 depending on subscription | Aware of current events, whereas ChatGPT is trained up to 2021 | Extensive feature suite, including voice dictation and image generation | Starts at $12 per month

Chatsonic is a dependable AI chatbot, with a function as an AI writing tool. It functions much like ChatGPT, allowing users to input prompts for assistance on a variety of tasks. However, it includes the ability to web search, generate images, and access PDF assistance, which ChatGPT lacks.

The Writesonic platform offers tools that are specifically meant to help generate stories, including Instant Article Writer, which generates an article from a single click; Article Rewriter, which rephrases existing content; and Article Writer 5, which generates articles using ranking competitors.

Other tools that facilitate the creation of articles include SEO Checker and Optimizer, AI Editor, Content Rephraser, Paragraph Writer, and more. There is a free version, which gets you access to some of the features; however, there is a 50 generations per day limit. The monthly cost starts at $12 per month but goes all the way up to $250 per month depending on the number of words and amount of users needed.

Gemini (formerly Google Bard)

Best ai chatbot if you're a loyal google user.

Access to Google
Good text editing skills
Can't help much with code

Gemini features: Powered by a finetuned version of Gemini Pro | Includes a "Google it" feature | Generates clear text and images quickly | Free

Gemini is Google's conversational AI chatbot that functions the most similarly to Copilot, sourcing its answers from the web, providing footnotes, and even generating images within its chatbot. Since its initial release in March 2023, the chatbot has undergone several upgrades, with the latest version being the most optimized it has ever been.

Also: What is Google's Gemini AI tool (formerly Bard)? Everything you need to know

The highlight of this chatbot is that it is rooted in Google technology, search engines, and applications, and if you are a loyal Google user, you will feel familiar with the chatbot's UI and its offerings. For example, unlike most of the chatbots on this list, Google does not use an LLM in the GPT series but instead uses a model made by Google.

"Gemini is slowly becoming a full Google experience thanks to Extensions folding the wide range of Google applications into Gemini," said ZDNET writer Maria Diaz when reviewing the chatbot. "Gemini users can add extensions for Google Workspace, YouTube, Google Maps, Google Flights, and Google Hotels, giving them a more personalized and extensive experience."

If you subscribe to Google's new 'AI Premium Plan,' you not only get access to the most advanced Google models in Gemini, such as Ultra 1.0, but you also get access to Gemini for Workspace, previously known as Duet AI, which infuses Google's AI assistance throughout its productivity apps, including Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Meet.

Socratic by Google

Best ai chatbot for kids and students.

Educational
Easy to use
Doesn't write text
No desktop version

Socratic features: From Google | Type in any question to generate a response | Includes fun graphics | Supports scanning worksheets to get a specially curated answer | Free

If you want your child to also take advantage of AI to lighten their workload, but still have some limits, Socratic is for you. With Socratic, children can type in any question they may have about what they are learning in school, and Socratic will generate a conversational, human-like response with fun, unique graphics to help break down the concept.

"It's a powerful studying tool that could help students double-check their homework, or get across the last hurdle if a question or formula just isn't making sense. And using the app is as easy as using Snapchat or talking to Siri," said former ZDNET contributor Jason Cipriani, when reviewing the app.

The app, available on the App Store and the Google App Store, also has a feature that lets your kid scan their worksheet to get a specially curated answer. The app does have some limitations; for example, it will not just write an essay or story when prompted. However, this could be a positive thing because it curbs your child's temptation to get a chatbot, like ChatGPT, to write their essay for them.

HuggingChat

Best open-source chatbot.

Cutomizable
Intermediate/advanced skills requires
Required to create an account

Socratic features: Clean, Chat-GPT inspired interface | entirely customizable | great for developers or AI fanatics | secure alternative | Free

As seen by the list above, plenty of great chatbot options are on the market. However, if you are on the search for a chatbot that serves your use case specifically, you can always build an entirely customizable new one. HuggingChat is an open-source chatbot developed by Hugging Face that can be used as a regular chatbot or customized for your needs.

Also : Want to build your own AI chatbot? Say hello to open-source HuggingChat

As ZDNET's David Gewirtz unpacked in his hands-on article , you may not want to depend on HuggingChat as your go-to primary chatbot. However, it is a good interface to build your own chatbot on. As Gewirtz said himself: "If you want something that you control, you can use HuggingChat to build a chatbot where you have visibility into every aspect of its functioning. You can choose to make that chatbot available online to other users and provide transparency to all users."

What is the best AI chatbot?

The best overall AI chatbot is Copilot due to its exceptional performance, versatility, and free availability. It uses OpenAI's cutting-edge GPT-4 language model, making it highly proficient in various language tasks, including writing, summarization, translation, and conversation. Moreover, it works like a search engine with information on current events.

Another advantage of Copilot is its availability to the public at no cost. Despite its immense popularity, Copilot remains free, making it an incredible resource for students, writers, and professionals who need a reliable and free AI chatbot.

Although there are occasional capacity blocks, OpenAI is working on releasing a professional version of ChatGPT that will be quicker and always accessible at a monthly cost.

Which AI chatbot is right for you?

While Copliot is my personal favorite, your use case may be hyper-specific or have certain demands. If you need a constant, reliable AI chatbot, other alternatives might be better suited for you. If you just want an AI chatbot that produces clean, reliable, business-ready copy, for example, then Jasper is for you. If you want to play around with an AI chatbot that isn't always at capacity, YouChat might be the best option.

Lastly, if there is a child in your life, Socratic might be worth checking out. See our breakdown below:

Factors to consider when choosing a chatbot

Since there are so many chatbots on the market, picking the right one can get confusing. Some factors to consider to help narrow down those options are:

Large Language Model (LLM)
Knowledge cutoff
Access to the internet
Linking to sources
Best use cases

How did I choose these AI chatbots?

In order to curate the list of best AI chatbots and AI writers, I looked at the capabilities of each individual program including the individual uses each program would excel at. As an AI reporter, I was also sure to test each one myself. Other factors I looked at were reliability, availability, and cost.

Individual use case: AI chatbots have many use cases, often acting as a tool for productivity and easier workflow. I included a variety that can serve as ideation, education, and content creation tools.
Reliability: I kept information accuracy a priority during my testing.
Availability : ChatGPT is popular, but not always available. I selected alternatives that don't have a user limit and are available at all times.
Cost: Many of these AI programs are free, but some require monthly memberships. I included a mix of both, keeping budget-friendliness in mind.

What is an AI chatbot?

An AI chatbot (also called AI writer) refers to a type of artificial intelligence-powered program that is capable of generating written content from a user's input prompt. AI chatbots are capable of writing anything from a rap song to an essay upon a user's request. The extent of what each chatbot is specifically able to write about depends on its individual capabilities including whether it is connected to a search engine or not.

How do AI chatbots work?

AI chatbots use language models to train the AI to produce human-like responses. Some are connected to the web and that is how they have up-to-date information, while others depend solely on the information they are trained with.

How much do AI chatbots cost?

AI chatbot programs vary in cost with some being entirely free and others costing as much as $600 a month. Many like ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini and YouChat are entirely free to use.

What is the difference between an AI chatbot and an AI writer?

The main difference between an AI chatbot and an AI writer is the type of output they generate and their primary function.

In the past, an AI writer was used specifically to generate written content, such as articles, stories, or poetry, based on a given prompt or input. An AI writer's output is in the form of written text that mimics human-like language and structure. On the other hand, an AI chatbot is designed to conduct real-time conversations with users in text or voice-based interactions. The primary function of an AI chatbot is to answer questions, provide recommendations, or even perform simple tasks, and its output is in the form of text-based conversations.

While the terms AI chatbot and AI writer are now used interchangeably by some, the original distinction was that an AI writer was used for generating written content, while an AI chatbot was used for conversational purposes. However, with the introduction of more advanced AI technology, such as ChatGPT, the line between the two has become increasingly blurred. Some AI chatbots are now capable of generating text-based responses that mimic human-like language and structure, similar to an AI writer.

Read more about the best tools for your business and the right tools when building your business !

Artificial Intelligence

This free tool from anthropic helps you create better prompts for your ai chatbot, you can now make your own custom copilot gpt. here's how, ai, chatbots, and augmented reality lead the top tech trends of the week.

International Women’s Day 2024: Five insightful charts on gender (in)equality around the world

Anna tabitha bonfert, divyanshi wadhwa.

As we commemorate International Women’s Day in 2024 , the urgency for gender equality is more palpable than ever. With the World Bank's forthcoming 2024–2030 Gender Strategy aiming to expedite gender parity to end poverty on a livable planet, it is imperative to delve into the data highlighting the critical areas requiring immediate attention. Drawing from the World Bank’s Gender Data Portal , let’s navigate through three pivotal goals underscoring the pressing need for progress: combating gender-based violence, enhancing economic opportunities, and fostering women’s leadership roles.

Did you know about our #Gender Data Portal? Explore hundreds of indicators spanning 14 topics from around the globe, accompanied by engaging data visualizations, stories, guidelines, and resources. Dive in now: https://t.co/Qn0AoSeuIj pic.twitter.com/ZMBIW9gVqN — World Bank Data (@worldbankdata) March 4, 2024

Chart #1: Gender-based violence (GBV) remains inexcusably prevalent

Gender-based violence (GBV) is the most egregious manifestation of gender inequality and an alarming challenge to global public health, human rights, and development. One in three women worldwide experience physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence by a non-partner over the course of their life. Young women are the most at-risk group. This pattern holds irrespective of country income classification. GBV has wide repercussions, including deteriorating physical and mental health, reduced access to education and jobs, and worse human development and economic outcomes for survivors and their children.

Chart #2: Gains in human capital for both boys and girls

Human capital is the foundation for economic progress and development success. The last few decades saw some hard-won gains in gender equality.

Chart #3: Exploring economic barriers faced by women

Women’s economic prospects remain constrained. Across all regions of the world, women’s labor force participation remains below that of men.

Chart #4: Women and girls’ time poverty limits their choices

In every single country with data available, women spend more time on unpaid domestic and care work. Women’s disproportionate burden of care and household work has wide-ranging consequences. It takes away time that could be spent working for pay, developing new skills, or growing a business. As a result, women often remain stuck in informal and lower-paying jobs or remain completely outside of the labor force. Valuing unpaid care work is essential for addressing existing gender inequalities and improving labor market outcomes for women.

Chart #5: Spotlighting the gap in women’s leadership representation

Though there are many initiatives focused on increasing women's leadership roles at the local governance level, women are still underrepresented in national governance structures and in corporate management. The last 25 years have seen a steady increase in the proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments more than doubling from about 12% in 1997 to 27% in 2022. Yet, even in high income countries women account for just over 30 percent of parliamentarians. In lower middle-income countries 4 out of 5 parliament seats are occupied by men.

What lies ahead?

Global trends such as climate change, natural resource scarcity and technological transitions will further exacerbate gender inequalities if no mitigating action is taken. Tracking global trends on key gender statistics will be more vital than ever to develop and implement solutions. Women’s economic participation and leadership improves the management of natural resources, strengthens resilience, and makes economies more competitive. Closing gender gaps remains an urgent imperative, on this day and every day.

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International Women’s Day

Data Scientist, Gender Group

Data Scientist, Development Data Group, World Bank

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The Philippines economy in 2024: Stronger for longer?

The Philippines ended 2023 on a high note, being the fastest growing economy across Southeast Asia with a growth rate of 5.6 percent—just shy of the government's target of 6.0 to 7.0 percent. 1 “National accounts,” Philippine Statistics Authority, January 31, 2024; "Philippine economic updates,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, November 16, 2023. Should projections hold, the Philippines is expected to, once again, show significant growth in 2024, demonstrating its resilience despite various global economic pressures (Exhibit 1). 2 “Economic forecast 2024,” International Monetary Fund, November 1, 2023; McKinsey analysis.

The growth in the Philippine economy in 2023 was driven by a resumption in commercial activities, public infrastructure spending, and growth in digital financial services. Most sectors grew, with transportation and storage (13 percent), construction (9 percent), and financial services (9 percent), performing the best (Exhibit 2). 3 “National accounts,” Philippine Statistics Authority, January 31, 2024. While the country's trade deficit narrowed in 2023, it remains elevated at $52 billion due to slowing global demand and geopolitical uncertainties. 4 “Highlights of the Philippine export and import statistics,” Philippine Statistics Authority, January 28, 2024. Looking ahead to 2024, the current economic forecast for the Philippines projects a GDP growth of between 5 and 6 percent.

Inflation rates are expected to temper between 3.2 and 3.6 percent in 2024 after ending 2023 at 6.0 percent, above the 2.0 to 4.0 percent target range set by the government. 5 “Nomura downgrades Philippine 2024 growth forecast,” Nomura, September 11, 2023; “IMF raises Philippine growth rate forecast,” International Monetary Fund, July 16, 2023.

For the purposes of this article, most of the statistics used for our analysis have come from a common thread of sources. These include the Central Bank of the Philippines (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas); the Department of Energy Philippines; the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP); and the Philippines Statistics Authority.

The state of the Philippine economy across seven major sectors and themes

In the article, we explore the 2024 outlook for seven key sectors and themes, what may affect each of them in the coming year, and what could potentially unlock continued growth.

Financial services

The recovery of the financial services sector appears on track as year-on-year growth rates stabilize. 6 Philippines Statistics Authority, November 2023; McKinsey in partnership with Oxford Economics, November 2023. In 2024, this sector will likely continue to grow, though at a slower pace of about 5 percent.

Financial inclusion and digitalization are contributing to growth in this sector in 2024, even if new challenges emerge. Various factors are expected to impact this sector:

Inclusive finance: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas continues to invest in financial inclusion initiatives. For example, basic deposit accounts (BDAs) reached $22 million in 2023 and banking penetration improved, with the proportion of adults with formal bank accounts increasing from 29 percent in 2019 to 56 percent in 2021. 7 “Financial inclusion dashboard: First quarter 2023,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, February 6, 2024.
Digital adoption: Digital channels are expected to continue to grow, with data showing that 60 percent of adults who have a mobile phone and internet access have done a digital financial transaction. 8 “Financial inclusion dashboard: First quarter 2023,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, February 6, 2024. Businesses in this sector, however, will need to remain vigilant in navigating cybersecurity and fraud risks.
Unsecured lending growth: Growth in unsecured lending is expected to continue, but at a slower pace than the past two to three years. For example, unsecured retail lending for the banking system alone grew by 27 percent annually from 2020 to 2022. 9 “Loan accounts: As of first quarter 2023,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, February 6, 2024; "Global banking pools,” McKinsey, November 2023. Businesses in this field are, however, expected to recalibrate their risk profiling models as segments with high nonperforming loans emerge.
High interest rates: Key interest rates are expected to decline in the second half of 2024, creating more accommodating borrowing conditions that could boost wholesale and corporate loans.

Supportive frameworks have a pivotal role to play in unlocking growth in this sector to meet the ever-increasing demand from the financially underserved. For example, financial literacy programs and easier-to-access accounts—such as BDAs—are some measures that can help widen market access to financial services. Continued efforts are being made to build an open finance framework that could serve the needs of the unbanked population, as well as a unified credit scoring mechanism to increase the ability of historically under-financed segments, such as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to access formal credit. 10 “BSP launches credit scoring model,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, April 26, 2023.

Energy and Power

The outlook for the energy sector seems positive, with the potential to grow by 7 percent in 2024 as the country focuses on renewable energy generation. 11 McKinsey analysis based on input from industry experts. Currently, stakeholders are focused on increasing energy security, particularly on importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) to meet power plants’ requirements as production in one of the country’s main sources of natural gas, the Malampaya gas field, declines. 12 Myrna M. Velasco, “Malampaya gas field prod’n declines steeply in 2021,” Manila Bulletin , July 9, 2022. High global inflation and the fact that the Philippines is a net fuel importer are impacting electricity prices and the build-out of planned renewable energy projects. Recent regulatory moves to remove foreign ownership limits on exploration, development, and utilization of renewable energy resources could possibly accelerate growth in the country’s energy and power sector. 13 “RA 11659,” Department of Energy Philippines, June 8, 2023.

Gas, renewables, and transmission are potential growth drivers for the sector. Upgrading power grids so that they become more flexible and better able to cope with the intermittent electricity supply that comes with renewables will be critical as the sector pivots toward renewable energy. A recent coal moratorium may position natural gas as a transition fuel—this could stimulate exploration and production investments for new, indigenous natural gas fields, gas pipeline infrastructure, and LNG import terminal projects. 14 Philippine energy plan 2020–2040, Department of Energy Philippines, June 10, 2022; Power development plan 2020–2040 , Department of Energy Philippines, 2021. The increasing momentum of green energy auctions could facilitate the development of renewables at scale, as the country targets 35 percent share of renewables by 2030. 15 Power development plan 2020–2040 , 2022.

Growth in the healthcare industry may slow to 2.8 percent in 2024, while pharmaceuticals manufacturing is expected to rebound with 5.2 percent growth in 2024. 16 McKinsey analysis in partnership with Oxford Economics.

Healthcare demand could grow, although the quality of care may be strained as the health worker shortage is projected to increase over the next five years. 17 McKinsey analysis. The supply-and-demand gap in nursing alone is forecast to reach a shortage of approximately 90,000 nurses by 2028. 18 McKinsey analysis. Another compounding factor straining healthcare is the higher than anticipated benefit utilization and rising healthcare costs, which, while helping to meet people's healthcare budgets, may continue to drive down profitability for health insurers.

Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies are feeling varying effects of people becoming increasingly health conscious. Consumers are using more over the counter (OTC) medication and placing more beneficial value on organic health products, such as vitamins and supplements made from natural ingredients, which could impact demand for prescription drugs. 19 “Consumer health in the Philippines 2023,” Euromonitor, October 2023.

Businesses operating in this field may end up benefiting from universal healthcare policies. If initiatives are implemented that integrate healthcare systems, rationalize copayments, attract and retain talent, and incentivize investments, they could potentially help to strengthen healthcare provision and quality.

Businesses may also need to navigate an increasingly complex landscape of diverse health needs, digitization, and price controls. Digital and data transformations are being seen to facilitate improvements in healthcare delivery and access, with leading digital health apps getting more than one million downloads. 20 Google Play Store, September 27, 2023. Digitization may create an opportunity to develop healthcare ecosystems that unify touchpoints along the patient journey and provide offline-to-online care, as well as potentially realizing cost efficiencies.

Consumer and retail

Growth in the retail and wholesale trade and consumer goods sectors is projected to remain stable in 2024, at 4 percent and 5 percent, respectively.

Inflation, however, continues to put consumers under pressure. While inflation rates may fall—predicted to reach 4 percent in 2024—commodity prices may still remain elevated in the near term, a top concern for Filipinos. 21 “IMF raises Philippine growth forecast,” July 26, 2023; “Nomura downgrades Philippines 2024 growth forecast,” September 11, 2023. In response to challenging economic conditions, 92 percent of consumers have changed their shopping behaviors, and approximately 50 percent indicate that they are switching brands or retail providers in seek of promotions and better prices. 22 “Philippines consumer pulse survey, 2023,” McKinsey, November 2023.

Online shopping has become entrenched in Filipino consumers, as they find that they get access to a wider range of products, can compare prices more easily, and can shop with more convenience. For example, a McKinsey Philippines consumer sentiment survey in 2023 found that 80 percent of respondents, on average, use online and omnichannel to purchase footwear, toys, baby supplies, apparel, and accessories. To capture the opportunity that this shift in Filipino consumer preferences brings and to unlock growth in this sector, retail organizations could turn to omnichannel strategies to seamlessly integrate online and offline channels. Businesses may need to explore investments that increase resilience across the supply chain, alongside researching and developing new products that serve emerging consumer preferences, such as that for natural ingredients and sustainable sources.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing is a key contributor to the Philippine economy, contributing approximately 19 percent of GDP in 2022, employing about 7 percent of the country’s labor force, and growing in line with GDP at approximately 6 percent between 2023 and 2024. 23 McKinsey analysis based on input from industry experts.

Some changes could be seen in 2024 that might affect the sector moving forward. The focus toward building resilient supply chains and increasing self-sufficiency is growing. The Philippines also is likely to benefit from increasing regional trade, as well as the emerging trend of nearshoring or onshoring as countries seek to make their supply chains more resilient. With semiconductors driving approximately 45 percent of Philippine exports, the transfer of knowledge and technology, as well as the development of STEM capabilities, could help attract investments into the sector and increase the relevance of the country as a manufacturing hub. 24 McKinsey analysis based on input from industry experts.

To secure growth, public and private sector support could bolster investments in R&D and upskill the labor force. In addition, strategies to attract investment may be integral to the further development of supply chain infrastructure and manufacturing bases. Government programs to enable digital transformation and R&D, along with a strategic approach to upskilling the labor force, could help boost industry innovation in line with Industry 4.0 demand. 25 Industry 4.0 is also referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Priority products to which manufacturing industries could pivot include more complex, higher value chain electronic components in the semiconductor segment; generic OTC drugs and nature-based pharmaceuticals in the pharmaceutical sector; and, for green industries, products such as EVs, batteries, solar panels, and biomass production.

Information technology business process outsourcing

The information technology business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) sector is on track to reach its long-term targets, with $38 billion in forecast revenues in 2024. 26 Khriscielle Yalao, “WHF flexibility key to achieving growth targets—IBPAP,” Manila Bulletin , January 23, 2024. Emerging innovations in service delivery and work models are being observed, which could drive further growth in the sector.

The industry continues to outperform headcount and revenue targets, shaping its position as a country leader for employment and services. 27 McKinsey analysis based in input from industry experts. Demand from global companies for offshoring is expected to increase, due to cost containment strategies and preference for Philippine IT-BPO providers. New work setups continue to emerge, ranging from remote-first to office-first, which could translate to potential net benefits. These include a 10 to 30 percent increase in employee retention; a three- to four-hour reduction in commute times; an increase in enabled talent of 350,000; and a potential reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 1.4 to 1.5 million tons of CO 2 per year. 28 McKinsey analysis based in input from industry experts. It is becoming increasingly more important that the IT-BPO sector adapts to new technologies as businesses begin to harness automation and generative AI (gen AI) to unlock productivity.

Talent and technology are clear areas where growth in this sector can be unlocked. The growing complexity of offshoring requirements necessitates building a proper talent hub to help bridge employee gaps and better match local talent to employers’ needs. Businesses in the industry could explore developing facilities and digital infrastructure to enable industry expansion outside the metros, especially in future “digital cities” nationwide. Introducing new service areas could capture latent demand from existing clients with evolving needs as well as unserved clients. BPO centers could explore the potential of offering higher-value services by cultivating technology-focused capabilities, such as using gen AI to unlock revenue, deliver sales excellence, and reduce general administrative costs.

Sustainability

The Philippines is considered to be the fourth most vulnerable country to climate change in the world as, due to its geographic location, the country has a higher risk of exposure to natural disasters, such as rising sea levels. 29 “The Philippines has been ranked the fourth most vulnerable country to climate change,” Global Climate Risk Index, January 2021. Approximately $3.2 billion, on average, in economic loss could occur annually because of natural disasters over the next five decades, translating to up to 7 to 8 percent of the country’s nominal GDP. 30 “The Philippines has been ranked the fourth most vulnerable country to climate change,” Global Climate Risk Index, January 2021.

The Philippines could capitalize on five green growth opportunities to operate in global value chains and catalyze growth for the nation:

Renewable energy: The country could aim to generate 50 percent of its energy from renewables by 2040, building on its high renewable energy potential and the declining cost of producing renewable energy.
Solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing: More than a twofold increase in annual output from 2023 to 2030 could be achieved, enabled by lower production costs.
Battery production: The Philippines could aim for a $1.5 billion domestic market by 2030, capitalizing on its vast nickel reserves (the second largest globally). 31 “MineSpans,” McKinsey, November 2023.
Electric mobility: Electric vehicles could account for 15 percent of the country’s vehicle sales by 2030 (from less than 1 percent currently), driven by incentives, local distribution, and charging infrastructure. 32 McKinsey analysis based on input from industry experts.
Nature-based solutions: The country’s largely untapped total abatement potential could reach up to 200 to 300 metric tons of CO 2 , enabled by its biodiversity and strong demand.

The Philippine economy: Three scenarios for growth

Having grown faster than other economies in Southeast Asia in 2023 to end the year with 5.6 percent growth, the Philippines can expect a similarly healthy growth outlook for 2024. Based on our analysis, there are three potential scenarios for the country’s growth. 33 McKinsey analysis in partnership with Oxford Economics.

Slower growth: The first scenario projects GDP growth of 4.8 percent if there are challenging conditions—such as declining trade and accelerated inflation—which could keep key policy rates high at about 6.5 percent and dampen private consumption, leading to slower long-term growth.

Soft landing: The second scenario projects GDP growth of 5.2 percent if inflation moderates and global conditions turn out to be largely favorable due to a stable investment environment and regional trade demand.

Accelerated growth: In the third scenario, GDP growth is projected to reach 6.1 percent if inflation slows and public policies accommodate aspects such as loosening key policy rates and offering incentive programs to boost productivity.

Focusing on factors that could unlock growth in its seven critical sectors and themes, while adapting to the macro-economic scenario that plays out, would allow the Philippines to materialize its growth potential in 2024 and take steps towards achieving longer-term, sustainable economic growth.

Jon Canto is a partner in McKinsey’s Manila office, where Frauke Renz is an associate partner, and Vicah Villanueva is a consultant.

The authors wish to thank Charlene Chua, Charlie del Rosario, Ryan delos Reyes, Debadrita Dhara, Evelyn C. Fong, Krzysztof Kwiatkowski, Frances Lee, Aaron Ong, and Liane Tan for their contributions to this article.

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India’s 2024 General Election: What to Know

By Mujib Mashal

Reporting from New Delhi

Why does this election matter?

How does india vote.

Who is running and who is likely to win?

When will we find out the results?

Where can I find out more information?

What other elections are happening?

India is holding its multiphase general elections from April 19 to June 1, in a vote that will determine the political direction of the world’s most populous nation for the next five years.

The usually high-turnout affair, which was formally set on Saturday, is a mammoth undertaking described as the biggest peacetime logistical exercise anywhere.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose power is well entrenched, is seeking a third term. In his decade at the helm, he has projected himself as a champion of India’s development, trying to address some of the basic failures — like antiquated infrastructure and a lack of clean water and toilets — holding the country back from reaching its potential as a major power. But his push to reshape India’s secular democracy as a Hindu-first nation has aggravated the religious and ethnic fault lines in the hugely diverse country.

In a region of frequent political turmoil, India is deeply proud of its nearly undisrupted electoral democracy since its founding as a republic more than 75 years ago. Although independent institutions have come under assault from Mr. Modi’s efforts to centralize power and the ruling party is seen as having an unfair advantage over political fund-raising , voting in India is still seen as free and fair, and results are accepted by candidates.

India has a parliamentary system of governance. The party leading the majority of the 543 seats in the lower house of the Parliament gets to form the government and appoint as prime minister one of its winning candidates.

The country has over 960 million eligible voters, with about 470 million of them women. Turnout in Indian elections is usually high, with the parliamentary elections in 2019 drawing a 67 percent turnout.

The votes are cast electronically across more than a million polling stations that require about 15 million employees during balloting. To reach every possible voter in Himalayan hamlets and isolated islands, election officials will travel by any means possible, in railroads and helicopters, on horseback and boats.

India’s elections are the most expensive in the world, with political parties spending more than $7 billion in the 2019 parliamentary elections, according to studies . That spending is expected to double in the current elections. In a sign of how much of a factor money is, Indian authorities seized the equivalent of hundreds of millions of dollars before the last parliamentary election — in cash, gold, liquor and drugs — that they said was meant for bribing voters.

Who is running, and who is likely to win?

Prime Minister Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party holds a strong majority in the 543-seat Parliament. The B.J.P. won 303 seats in 2019, and along with its coalition partners enjoyed a majority of 352 seats.

Although Indian elections are known to throw surprises, Mr. Modi’s B.J.P. is well placed to return to power. His party, relentless in trying to expand its base, is rich in cash and has a strong election machinery. Mr. Modi has built on it a multipronged approach that offers everyone something: There is the wider emotional appeal of his Hindu majoritarian ideology for his main base, coupled with a broad range of welfare and infrastructure programs that tries to win new constituencies to the B.J.P.

The opposition has struggled to match Mr. Modi’s appeal.

The Indian National Congress, the main opposition party, ruled India for decades, but it has been reduced to shadow of its former glory in two consecutive national elections. In 2019, it won only 52 seats.

In the lead-up to this parliamentary election, the opposition has tried to unite as one bloc. They are brought together by fears that a third term for Mr. Modi, who has jailed many opposition party leaders and bogged down others in investigations, would further marginalize them.

But the opposition has struggled to pitch a cohesive ideological alternative beyond a criticism of Mr. Modi’s divisive politics, and its bickering over seat-sharing in constituencies often spills out in messy public fights.

Because of India’s vast geography, the voting for the parliamentary election happens over seven phases, and it takes nearly six weeks to complete, from the first region casting its vote to the last. Scheduling is a tricky task, entailing trying to find a sweet spot that factors in climate extremes and is considerate of the frequent cultural and religious festivals across India.

The last stage of voting will be completed on June 1. All results are tallied and announced by end of day on June 4.

Where can I find more information?

Modi Opens a Giant Temple in a Triumph for India’s Hindu Nationalists

India Is Passing China in Population. Can Its Economy Ever Do the Same?

India’s Quiet Push to Steal More of China’s iPhone Business

Why Is Narendra Modi So Popular? Tune In to Find Out.

An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified the Indian Parliament chamber that has 543 seats. It is the lower house, not the upper house.

How we handle corrections

Mujib Mashal is the South Asia bureau chief for The Times, helping to lead coverage of India and the diverse region around it, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan. More about Mujib Mashal

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Of which articles and essays are quite commonly misinterpreted. However, there exists a fine line of difference between the two, in the sense that articles are often backed by statistics, photographs, facts and reports, which is not required in the case of an essay, as it is a fact-based opinion on the topic.
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The Philippines ended 2023 on a high note, being the fastest growing economy across Southeast Asia with a growth rate of 5.6 percent—just shy of the government's target of 6.0 to 7.0 percent. 1 "National accounts," Philippine Statistics Authority, January 31, 2024; "Philippine economic updates," Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, November 16, 2023. ...
India's 2024 General Election: What to Know
India's general elections will determine the political direction of the world's most populous nation for the next five years.

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