Formatting Letters, Memos, and E-Mails

“The more elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate.”

― Joseph Priestly, 18th-century English theologian

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

After completing the chapter, you will be able to:

• Increase the readability of your writing by applying standard formatting.

• Format letters using standard elements and styles appropriate for business letters.

• Format memos using standard elements and styles appropriate for business memos.

• Use netiquette when creating and formatting e-mails.

Formatting

• Standard formatting—how to set up a document so its appearance follows a convention

• Visual cue—an element the reader sees and interprets to have a particular meaning

• White space—includes margins, space between paragraphs, and any other blank space on the page

• Readability—a measure of how easy it is for the reader to understand your writing and locate information within a document

• Enhance readability– Use headings, which are words and phrases

that introduce sections of text.– Use standard fonts and sizes—default

Microsoft Word 2007/2010 is 11-point Calibri.– Vary heading font style.

Formatting

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• Enhance readability– Use parallel structure, which means similar

sections or elements contain similar patterns of words to show they are of equal level.

– Use formatting and organizational symbols, such as bulleted lists, numbered lists, asterisks, underlining, or boldface type.

– Use high-quality paper.

Formatting

1.What is another term for layout?Answer: format

2.What function do headings serve?Answer: to introduce sections of text

3.What is another term for typeface?Answer: font

(continued)

4.What is the maximum number of fonts that should be used in a document?Answer: two or three

5.What is the purpose of a parallel structure?Answer: to show that similar sections or elements are of equal level

Formatting Letters

• Block-style letter: all lines are flush with the left margin

Formatting Letters

• Modified-block-style letter: date, complimentary close, and signature to the right of the center point of the letter

• Standard letter elements– date– inside address– salutation– body– complimentary close– signature line

Formatting Letters

• Date line– consists of the month, day, and year. – month is spelled in full– day is written in figures and followed by a

comma. December 18, 20--

Formatting Letters

• Inside address is the name, title, and address of the recipient.

Ms. Denise RodriquezPresident & CEOUrban Development Council150 Grosvenor AvenueWashington, DC 30005

Formatting Letters

• Salutation– greeting in a letter– begins with Dear followed by the recipient’s

first name or title and last name

• Mixed punctuation– colon is placed after the salutation– comma is placed after the complimentary

• Open punctuation– no punctuation after the salutation– no punctuation after complimentary close

• Body of the letter is the message• Complimentary close is the sign-off for the

letter– mixed punctuation

Sincerely,– open punctuation

Sincerely

Formatting Letters

• Writer’s name and title are called the signature or signature block

• Enclosure notation alerts the reader to materials that are included with the letter

• Reference initials indicate who keyed the letter

• Copy notation indicates others are being sent a copy of the letter

Formatting Letters

• Additional letter elements– Attention Line—part of inside address

Attention Marketing Manager– Subject Line—appears after salutation

Dear Mr. Ramito: SUBJECT: MINUTES OF MEETING– Postscript means after writing and is

information included after the signatureP.S. Remember, our sale ends this

Thursday

Formatting Letters

• Envelopes– Standard size-10 envelope, 4 1/8 9 1/2– Address in all capital letters with no punctuation

Formatting Letters

1. What style of letter formatting has all elements flush with the left margin?Answer: block-style letter

2. Whose initials are the reference initials?Answer: the person who keyed the letter

(continued)

3. If cc appears at the bottom of a letter, what does this mean?Answer: copy (or courtesy copy) of the letter has been sent to the people listed

4. For what is a postscript generally used? Answer: postscript is no longer used to

represent an afterthought, but may be used to emphasize or personalize a point

Formatting Memos

• Memos are intra-office communication.• generally printed on forms with the company

name and logo• usually use templates, which are predesigned

forms with the guide words to, from, date, subject

Formatting Memos

• Parts of a memo– guide words (TO:, FROM:, DATE:, SUBJECT:)– body or message– notations at the bottom of the memo indicate

specific things such as c or cc for copies– no complimentary close

• Parts of a memo

Formatting Memos

1. What guide words appear at the beginning of a memo?

Answer: to, from, date, and subject

2.List the five elements of a memo.Answer: TO:, FROM:, DATE:, SUBJECT:, body

3.In addition to the standard elements, what else may appear on a memo?Answer: notations of confidential, attachments, and enclosures

Formatting E-Mail

• E-mail is a message that is created, sent, and received digitally (electronically).

• Use netiquette– guidelines for appropriate behavior on the Internet– Standard English– spell check

• Use the salutation “dear” as in a letter, depending on if you are writing a formal or informal e-mail.

• Format the e-mail message the same as you would a letter or memo.

• Include a complimentary close as in a printed letter.

Formatting E-Mail

• Parts of an e-mail:– header (to and copy lines)– salutation– body– complimentary

close and signature

• If you address the person by first name face-to-face, it is generally okay to do so in e-mail.

• Be cautious when sending attachments to ensure the recipient can handle the size and type of file.

• Respond as quickly as possible to e-mails.

• Stay with the original topic in your e-mail reply.

Formatting E-Mail

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• E-mail features– address book– send options– reply options– forward– folders– views– trash/recycle bin– calendars and planning tools

Formatting E-Mail

1.What does the header of an e-mail contain?Answer: recipients you want a response from or who have a primary interest in the topic, names of those who are receiving the information as secondary recipients, the subject of the e-mail

2.What is the general rule used to determine if you can address somebody by their first name in an e-mail?Answer: If you address the recipient by first name in person, do the same in written communication

(continued)

3.Why should you alert a recipient that an e-mail you will be sending will contain an attachment?Answer: to ensure the recipient can handle the size and type of file

4.In addition to following netiquette, what should you do in an e-mail?Answer: use Standard English and the spelling check feature before sending

• Making a professional impression with your written correspondence is important in any business situation.

• Letters may be block style or modified-block style with either open or mixed punctuation.

• Memos are generally used for interoffice communication.

• E-mails are commonly used in business and are formatted similarly to a memo.

Formatting Letters, Memos, and E-Mails

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