記載 and 記述: information entered and circumstances described
Compare a meeting place listed in a guide with an account of an accident in a report. Read the function of the document’s content rather than length or input medium.
Entering information in a document
記載 (きさい) means an entry or information recorded in a document. 「案内書に集合場所が記載されています。」 says the meeting place is listed in the guide.
「名簿への記載内容に誤りがないか確認した。」 describes checking the roster’s entries for errors. It states the check, not the discovery of an error or a correction result.
Describing content or circumstances
記述 (きじゅつ) means a written description or account. 「観察した内容を順序立てて記述した。」 describes presenting observations in an ordered account.
「報告書には事故の経緯について詳しい記述がある。」 says the report contains a detailed account of the accident’s circumstances. The described content concerns how the accident unfolded.
Content function rather than length
Look for information listed in a document, such as a meeting place, or an account of observations and events. 記載 is not restricted to short text and 記述 to long text.
This also differs from comparing paper and screen entry. The focus is the content’s function; its presence in a document does not establish its accuracy.
What is described in detail in 「報告書には事故の経緯について詳しい記述がある。」?
Show the answer and why
The circumstances of the accident. The report contains an account of how it unfolded; the sentence is not about a meeting-place entry or a difference in input medium.