Memo to:   SSEL workers
From:      The Boss
Date:      December 03, 2002
Reference: Memo Report Format

Summary:  This memo describes a new report format, called the Informative Memo Report,
          that can be used as an alternative to the memo format shown in the EE/CpE
          Department's Communications! document.  The new style includes Summary,
          Introduction, Main Body, and Concluding sections. 

Introduction:

     The memo report format shown in Communications! shows how to report on a lab
experiment.  An alternative might be called an Informative Memo Report.  This type of memo
should allow you to succinctly discuss any required topic.  The ideal memo will be at most two
pages; if you are really good, you will make points with the boss by covering the material in one
page.

Typical Memo Organization:

     The Informative Memo Report organization can be like this memo.  The Summary should
be written so that your busy boss can get the meat of your memo without having to read the entire
thing.  The Introduction should bring the boss up to speed about what you are going to write
about in the rest of the memo.  The Body of the memo should be given an appropriate title (like
"Typical Memo Organization"), and the main goals of the body are the following:

     Cover all points required by the boss.
     Allow the boss easily to get the information you want to convey.

In the body you should do the following:

     Stick to the point
     Don't be wordy.
     Use text formatting, such as bolding, italics, bullets of different styles, and alternate
     font styles to enhance your presentation and let the boss quickly see your main
     points.
     Include circuit diagrams, figures, and graphs if needed.

Concluding Section:

     If you wish to expand on the Summary given at the top of the memo, a concluding section
might be given.  You could entitle it Conclusion, Recommendations for Further Work, Summary
Comments, or any other title that tells what the boss is going to see when reading the conclusion. 
Remember, the goal of any written or oral presentation is to communicate.