Eng 209/WI

Professional-Looking Memorandum Reports (annotated)

A memo report is not the same as a "memo." A memo report is a REPORT in

memorandum format. It is organized in a strict way and is always typed. In contract, a memo is a
simple message and can be as informal as a handwritten note. In this course, we use the word
MEMO to mean a memo report.

The memo report's purpose is to convey news to the reader, often in response to the
reader’s request for information, such as on the 8 C’s or on the uses of email. Sometimes the
message is sent because the writer thinks the reader will find the information interesting.

Because the memo report gives information, it does not give instructions and directions.
In other words, the memo gives news; it does not give advice or tell the reader what he or she
must do. We can give instructions but in a document called “operating instructions” which has
certain requirements of its own.

The following information on creating effective memo reports is presented in memo

report form.

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The document's appearance is the first impression

your reader will get. Make your documents clear and
professional-looking.
Memorandum
date is not abbreviated
January 9, 2xxx –

TO: Mele Smith, Instructor

FROM: Pat Hurley, Professor

SUBJECT: Annotated Format for Professional-Looking Memo Reports

Introduction – gives the reason for sending and
the topic of the memo. The intro should be
Introduction informative and friendly.

Mele, welcome to the language arts department. As a new instructor, you will want to
help your students learn to write effective memo reports. Here is information you asked for on
memorandum format (elements of the introduction, body and conclusion.)
reason for sending level 1 topic of the memo
headings
Format
1 blank line of space between a heading and its section
Spacing and margins comprise the format – or physical layout – of a memo. As with all
business documents, the professional-looking memo report must be formatted a particular way.
2 or 3 blank lines of space, your personal preference, between a heading and its section

Margins
1 blank line
Correct margins give the paper a "picture in a frame" look. White space provides a rest
for the reader's eyes at the end of every line. Standard margins are one inch on each side. The top
margin on the first page may be slightly wider, especially with a printed letterhead, and the
level 2 second-page heading often begins on line #4 or #5, one-half inch from the top of the page. The
headings bottom margin may be slightly more or less than one inch so that the writer can avoid a floating
heading (a lone heading at the bottom of the page that appears disconnected to its content.)
2 - 3 blank lines

Spacing
1 blank line
Paragraphs are single spaced. A double space separates additional paragraphs
within a section. Each section is introduced with a heading. To show visually that the heading
goes with the section following it, a triple space precedes it and a double space follows it to place
the heading slightly closer to the section that it describes. (Note: the "single/double space" rules
may be modified depending on the computer printer being used. Less space may be used to avoid
unnecessary white space on a page.) Good memos make deliberate use of white space.

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page 2+ header contains the TO line name, page number and date. This one is
done by scrolling down in VIEW to HEADER AND FOOTER. There you can
type your own or choose autotext and make your changes there. You can also
type yours in manually.

Mele Smith 2 January 9, 2xxx

3 lines

Blocking Styles

The first line of each paragraph may be fully blocked at the left margin or indented (as in
this memo.) Full block style is easiest to type because, except for a few centered headings,
everything begins at the left margin. Full block style is useful, too, when a memo requires several
levels of headings (called subheadings, also used in this memo.) single space each paragraph

notice that the headings in this

memo are bold and underlined.
Memo Headings This helps them stand out.

The term "heading" refers to a number of different elements in a memo, and this can be
confusing. Three types of headings comprise the form of a memo: the memo heading, the second
page heading, and text headings.

Routing Heading

The routing heading indicates the intended reader and writer of the memo. A standard
memo heading is comprised of four basic parts: DATE, TO, FROM, SUBJECT. In some
companies, employees use pre-printed forms. If no pre-printed form is available, then the writer
double spaces these four elements at the top of the page. The examples below (see Figs. 1 – 3)
illustrate three of the most used arrangements:
always refer to a figure in the body, at exactly the point you
want your reader to look at it

Fig. 1: Standard Arrangement

September 1, 20xx

TO: Ms. Kapua Thurman, Manager, Shipping Department

FROM: Brenda Fujihara, Supervisor, Accounting Department

SUBJECT: New Procedures for Filing Forms

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Mele Smith 3 January 9, 2xxx

Fig. 2: Alternate Arrangement A (used in this memo)

Memorandum
September 1, 20xx

TO: Ms. Kapua Thurman, Manager, Shipping Department

FROM: Brenda Fujihara, Supervisor, Accounting Department

SUBJECT: New Procedures for Filing Forms

notice these lines line up on them same tab

Fig. 3: Alternate Arrangement B

The body of the message TO: Ms. Kapua Thurman, Manager, Shipping Department
is clear, complete and
grammatically correct.
DATE: September 1, 20xx
Always submit your
BEST work. The care you
take in your writing tells FROM: Brenda Fujihara, Supervisor, Accounting Department
a lot about you. Make
sure yours is a SUBJECT: New Procedures for Filing Forms
POSITIVE message.

DATE Line. The heading always includes the date on which the memo was written. As the
arrangements above show, the date can be included in a few different locations. The date is never
abbreviated. In the military style there is no comma. Unacceptable forms are: 9/1/08, Sept. 1,
2003, or 1 SEPT 08. The acceptable forms for writing the date are business style (September 1
2008) or military/government style (1 September 2008.)

TO Line. As most memos are filed for reference, complete information may be needed at a future
date by another person. The TO line includes the full name of the person to whom the memo is
being sent. As a courtesy, the complimentary title -- Ms., Mr., Dr. --may precede the name. For
clarity, the business title and often the department follow the name. If the writer plans to send the
memo to several people, they are listed alphabetically (if they are equal in status in the
organization) or by rank (with the highest ranking person first.)

FROM Line. The FROM line includes the full name, title and department of the writer. A
complementary title is usually not used except:

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Mele Smith 4 January 9, 20xx

1. for personal preference

2. to identify his/her gender (such as Pat and Leslie, which are names for both men and
women).

A complementary title may be helpful to avoid confusion if the name can be a man's or a
woman's. Then the complementary title is placed within parenthesis (as shown in the FROM line
of this memo, page 1.) Finally, on hard copies of the memo, the writer initials the end of the
FROM line in blue or black ink to validate the report and resume responsibility for its content.

SUBJECT Line. The subject line concisely (in a phrase with a maximum of seven words)
previews the memo's subject. It contains sufficient information so the recipient has a clear idea of
the message's purpose. The following are several ways to write the
SUBJECT line so that it stands out:

underlined Report Form

capitalized initial letters and underlined Report Form
all caps and underlined REPORT FORM
boldface, some caps and underlined Report Form

Although all forms are equally correct, company policy may establish one as preferred.

have you noticed that nowhere in the body of this memo is

Text Headings the pronoun "you" or imperative verbs that have "you" as
their subjects? A memo report gives info, not instructions.
The text headings organize the text into an easy to read form. A triple space
separates a paragraph from the next main heading. A double space goes between a main
heading and the text. Headings should stand out from the text. Headings are required
(except for the optional "introduction" heading.)

Headings come in several levels. Level 1 headings (called "main" headings) may
be centered or blocked at the left margin. Level 2, 3 and 4 headings (called subheadings)
are always indented. This memo uses Level 1 headings (centered), Level 2 headings
(blocked with its paragraph beginning a double space below), and Level 3 headings
(blocked with its paragraph beginning on the same line immediately after the heading.)

Page 2+ Header

Every page of a memo report is labeled with the name of the recipient (including
courtesy title and business title), page number, and date. This can

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Mele Smith 5 January 9, 2xxx

easily be done in your word processing software by scrolling down ""View" from the top
tool bar and choosing

"Headers and Footers" or they can be typed in manually. Three acceptable forms, all of
which start at one inch from the top are:

Style #1 (used in this memo):

To-Line name Page Number Date

Style # 2:
To-line name
Date
Page number

Style # 3: the 2 requirements of a

To-line name – Page Number – Date
a quick summary of the topic
conclusion are (1) a quick
summary of the topic and (2) a
polite closure. The conclusion is
the last impression on your
reader. Make yours positive and
Conclusion friendly.

As you can see, the memorandum report format is easy to use. This format is
useful in many of the tasks for this class as well as for on-the-job correspondence. If you
have any questions or would like to see more material, please call me at ext. 426 anytime.

polite closure encourages

communication with the reader. It
gives the best method for future
contact and saves the reader time
by giving specific phone numbers
or email addresses.
Always tie back to the writing situation in
introductions and conclusions. Notice how this
conclusion ties back to the purpose of this memo – to
give Mele Smith info on memo reports
Notice that the polite closure does
NOT say:
 please contact me
 feel free to
 please don't hesitate to
 I may be reached at…
 You may reach me at…

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