Memorandum / 257-^ You are confirming an action. If your supervisor asks you to file a report by
the end of the month, a memo on the 25th noting that the report has been filed
shows that you have followed through.
-^ You are summarizing the results of a committee meeting.
-^ You wish to announce a departmental meeting.
Although we cannot begin to list every purpose of a memo, these ideas will help you
determine the specific purpose of your communiqué.
STEP 2: Prewriting—Preparing the Heading
By developing the heading first, you focus your attention on the audience and force
yourself to name your subject in a few words. Answer these four questions:
- To^ whom,^ specifically,^ is^ the^ memo^ addressed?
- From^ whom^ is^ the^ memo^ coming?^ You?^ Your^ department?
- What^ is^ the^ subject^ of^ the^ memo?^ Put^ it^ in^ a^ few^ words.
- What^ is^ the^ complete^ date^ of^ the^ memo’s^ distribution?
By answering these questions, you can complete the heading. Use one of these
forms:
To: Name
From: Name
Subject: Title
Date: Date(The names, title, and date above begin two spaces to the right of the colons.)
To: Name
From: Name
Subject: Title
Date: Date(The names, title, and date above begin two spaces to the right of the longest line.)
Note that in one form the colons are aligned. In the other form, the headings align
on the left margin. In both cases, the names, title, and date are aligned.
While companies often preprint memo forms, more likely you will have a memo for-
mat on your word-processing program. Either case eliminates the necessity of your
setting up a format. Or at least you won’t need to set it up more than once!