Student Writing Handbook Fifth+Edition

Letters / 201

CHARACTERISTICS

Appearance

A business letter must look businesslike. Immaculate appearance is essential, so the
business letter should

• be printed on 8^1 ⁄ 2 " × 11" plain white paper, preferably at least a 20-pound bond,


• be printed in a clear, easy-to-read font, such as Courier, Arial, or Times Roman,


• maintain ample margins with an even left margin and a right margin as even
  as possible and with top and bottom margins reasonably equal,


• use a header on all pages beyond the first, a header that includes the name of
  the addressee, the date, and the page number.

Required Elements

The business letter should include the following seven parts:

1. A letterhead or heading
   If you don’t have printed letterhead, use a three-line heading giving your street
   address; city, state, and zip code; and the date.
   Or, if you don’t have printed letterhead, create your own by using a 14- or
   16-point bold font. On three or more lines an inch from the top, include
   a. your name,
   b. street address,
   c. city, state, and zip code.
   As part of their printed letterhead, some businesspeople also include either with
   the heading or along the bottom of the page
   a. business phone number,
   b. cell phone number,
   c. fax number,
   d. e-mail address.


2. The date on which the letter is written.


3. The inside address, three or more lines made up of
   a. recipient’s name,
   b. recipient’s title or position, if known,
   c. company name,
   d. company’s street address,
   e. company’s city, state, and zip code.


4. A salutation, such as Dear Mr. Glatter, Dear Dr. Hansen, Dear Honorable
   Mayor, or Gentlemen, followed by a colon.
   Note: Use the name if you know it: Dear Mr. Smith. If you do not know a name
   but only a title, use Dear Chairperson, Dear President, Dear Secretary, Dear Sir,
   Dear Madam, or whatever is appropriate. If you know neither a name nor a title,