Element Format: Is the formatting of the memo correct (heading, spacing, margins, font)? Format: Is the formatting of the memo correct (use of highlighting techniques, tables/graphs/charts, effective white space)? Substance: Does the memo incorporate thorough research and contain sufficient concrete details to be credible and easily understood? Substance: Does the memo appear innovative and effectively present solution(s) that represent originality in thought? Rhetorical strategies: Is the tone and vocabulary appropriate for the audience? Rhetorical strategies: Has the writer made a good case for why this issue is important, and to whom? Cohesion: Does each paragraph have only one main idea? Does each sentence connect to the next? Mechanics: Is the memo free of spelling, mechanical, usage, punctuation, and grammar errors? Research: Is the research thorough, effectively used and presented, and accurately supports ideas? Research: Is the sources list correctly formatted? Do the sources appear credible? .