Date: Month Day, Year or mm/dd/yyyy To: Name the person or persons by first and last name in a line From: Your name Subject: Name the memo The first paragraph of a memo states the reason you’re writing it. Cite the problem or challenge you’ll address, and describe the structure the memo. Keep the first paragraph to about 5-6 lines, made up of 3-4 sentences. In all paragraphs, write sentences between 10-15 words to maintain a high comprehension rate, typically between 90-95 percent. At times, you’ll write a few shorter sentences (5-7 words), and you’ll write a few longer ones (20-25 words). Any sentence composed of two independent thoughts will be connected by a comma followed by a coordinating conjunction (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, and So, spelling FANBOYS). Keep your writing simple and direct. In this memo, you will read about memo structure tools, using headers, inserting tables, figures, and graphs, and end with a recommendation. Incorporating Memo Structure Tools The second paragraph starts to explain your issue, and introduce it with a header if you write a memo longer than one page. You build on your opening paragraph with specific information, following the description of the structure of the memo. For all business documents use one inch margins all the way around (top, bottom, left, and right). For font size, choose 11 point, and use either Times New Roman or Ariel. To reveal the “paragraph marks and other hidden formatting symbols” symbol, , click on the icon in the middle of the Home tab or use (Ctrl + Shift + *) to see paragraph symbols. Keep all table information on the same page. With all paragraphs, don’t exceed eight lines in length (I count the number of lines), and write between 4-6 clear and concise sentences, following the average word count per sentence. Start with the noun and verb, add appropriate adjectives and limit adverbs. For me, adverbs don’t add much to a message: What’s the difference between hot and very hot? Hot is hot!!! Also, people use “very” too often, but what does it add? NOT much. Lastly, Don’t Get Wordy!!! With documents more than one page, use headers and subheaders. A one-page memo would not need headers, unless you want to stress the last two paragraphs: Conclusion & Recommendation. The first paragraph, which functions as an introduction, does not need a heading since it provides direction, lists activities, and makes a recommendation. A header and subheaders need a few paragraphs to explain or support a header/subheader. Don’t go from a header to a subheader without a paragraph after the header to introduce that section. Don’t use a header, one paragraph, a header, a paragraph, a header, a paragraph, and so on, and applies to subheader use. With headers or subheaders, they don’t stand alone, especially at the end of a page so hit the Enter key to move it to the top of the next page. A header introduces the next section (composed of a few paragraphs). Headers are centered, justif.

1. Date: Month Day, Year or mm/dd/yyyy
To: Name the person or persons by first and last
name in a line
From: Your name
Subject: Name the memo
The first paragraph of a memo states the reason you’re writing
it. Cite the problem or challenge you’ll address, and describe
the structure the memo. Keep the first paragraph to about 5-6
lines, made up of 3-4 sentences. In all paragraphs, write
sentences between 10-15 words to maintain a high
comprehension rate, typically between 90-95 percent. At times,
you’ll write a few shorter sentences (5-7 words), and you’ll
write a few longer ones (20-25 words). Any sentence composed
of two independent thoughts will be connected by a comma
followed by a coordinating conjunction (For, And, Nor, But, Or,
Yet, and So, spelling FANBOYS). Keep your writing simple and
direct. In this memo, you will read about memo structure tools,
using headers, inserting tables, figures, and graphs, and end
with a recommendation.
Incorporating Memo Structure Tools
The second paragraph starts to explain your issue, and introduce
it with a header if you write a memo longer than one page. You
build on your opening paragraph with specific information,
following the description of the structure of the memo. For all
business documents use one inch margins all the way around
(top, bottom, left, and right). For font size, choose 11 point, and

2. use either Times New Roman or Ariel. To reveal the “paragraph
marks and other hidden formatting symbols” symbol, , click on
the icon in the middle of the Home tab or use (Ctrl + Shift + *)
to see paragraph symbols. Keep all table information on the
same page.
With all paragraphs, don’t exceed eight lines in length (I count
the number of lines), and write between 4-6 clear and concise
sentences, following the average word count per sentence. Start
with the noun and verb, add appropriate adjectives and limit
adverbs. For me, adverbs don’t add much to a message: What’s
the difference between hot and very hot? Hot is hot!!! Also,
people use “very” too often, but what does it add? NOT much.
Lastly, Don’t Get Wordy!!!
With documents more than one page, use headers and
subheaders. A one-page memo would not need headers, unless
you want to stress the last two paragraphs: Conclusion &
Recommendation. The first paragraph, which functions as an
introduction, does not need a heading since it provides
direction, lists activities, and makes a recommendation.
A header and subheaders need a few paragraphs to explain or
support a header/subheader. Don’t go from a header to a
subheader without a paragraph after the header to introduce that
section. Don’t use a header, one paragraph, a header, a
paragraph, a header, a paragraph, and so on, and applies to
subheader use. With headers or subheaders, they don’t stand
alone, especially at the end of a page so hit the Enter key to
move it to the top of the next page.
A header introduces the next section (composed of a few
paragraphs). Headers are centered, justified, and highlighted in
bold. Subheaders start on the left side and are highlighted in
bold. Lastly, number the pages in the documents, found in the
Insert tab under the “Header & Footer” icon. Also, a

3. header/subheader does not stand along.
Main Heading
This paragraph captures the important issues you’ll discuss
about the header, which is followed by a couple of paragraphs.
Headers help structure your message. Remember, executives
skim, so headers help with skimming. Headers and subheaders
function as road signs, so use them to lead the reader through
your high-level reasoning process. In a way, when someone
skims your report, the reader could figure out your message
through your use of headers and subheaders. In Guffey, p. 393,
Figure 12.6, see the distances for structuring
headers/subheaders and paragraphs. The figure shows a 2-inch
top margin, and I subscribe to one-inch margins all around, so
follow this guideline – one-inch margins all around.
You get remembered when executives skim effectively and
remember. Make your writing count.
Second-Level Subheader
Paragraphs in second-level subheaders start to explain each
sentence in the main header paragraph(s) or high-level message.
Use one second-level subheader for each sentence under the
main heading.
Third-level subheader. At this point the subheader introduces a
paragraph directly related to the topic at hand found in the
subheader above. Also, in Guffey, you’ll find heading level
examples on page 365, Figure 12.6. Pay attention to the spacing
between lines – two above and one below. Become a master of
using headings.
Fourth-level subheader. Additions subheader levels exist, but
the first three represent the extent to which you will lay out

4. your ideas. If you label headers/subheaders correctly, an
executive can skim the introduction, read the
headers/subheaders, and read to the Conclusion &
Recommendation section, understanding the essence of your
memo. Good memo design and writing will enable a decision
maker to get quickly to your message.
Tables, Graphs, & Figures
Using tables, graphs, figures, etc., in a report helps present
important message. You can use design features in MSWord
(cited below), or you can use Excel and copy and paste what
you created into an MSWord document. Or, you can copy and
paste a table, figure, etc., into the document, especially when
you write your business plan later in the semester. Always label
(Table 1) and title (TITLE IN CAPS) a table, figure, etc., as
shown below for a table.
When writing memos and reports with numbers of any kind, use
the table feature in MSWord. If you try to lay out information
using the Tab key, your material may not transfer correctly
when you email it and another person opens it in either
MSWord (previous versions) or another program, e.g., MAC.
Tables help “control” the information when emailed/electronic
transfer and opened in another program.
You use tables to summarize items that you want the reader to
skim. Don’t turn the table or any of its boxes into a series of
paragraphs. Use paragraphs to talk about content that needs
stated, and use a table to summarize in one line short bullets
you want the reader to remember and find quickly. Bullets are a
thought you express, not a complete sentence – this applies to
bullets used in PowerPoint slides. Again, tables provide
summarized information the reader skims. The subheader below,
I moved to the top of the next page by pressing the Enter key so

5. the subheader (or header) stays with the paragraph.
Table Feature
To use the table tool, at the Insert tab at the top, look for the
Table figure right below the word “Insert”. Place the cursor on
it and left click to select the number of rows and columns, and
click on any red outlined boxes to insert in the memo. After
placing the table in the MSWord document, you can use other
features, which I highlight in Table 1. Center (Ctrl + E) the
table label, table title in CAPS, and the table itself. In Table 1,
you will see the design of all three features (This sentence
shows you how to ALWAYS introduce a table, figure, etc.).
Table 1
DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING A TABLE IN MS WORD
Right Click and Merge Cells. Make this top header black by
right clicking and going to Borders and Shading. Select the
Shading tab, and make this 100% black. Lettering turns white
and bold.
Use this row for column headings
Use this row for column headings
Use this row for column headings
Insert info here
Insert info here
Insert info here
Insert info here
Insert info here
Insert info here
Other features can enhance your table by using Borders and
Shading by right clicking on a cell, row, or column, and

6. selecting Borders and Shading by left clicking on it. A box pops
up, and select one of the three tabs at the top. Also, place the
cursor in a cell or a highlighted row or column, and go to Cell
Alignment to center, justify, etc., the wording and presentation
of your material. Makes for slick-looking documents. An
additional document, “Paragraph, Tab Settings, & Initial Memo
Info for Word,” provides formatting and table design directions.
Conclusion and Recommendation
This memo summarized key writing points to make your memos
and business reports look more professional. Pay attention to
the overall look, and use the features in MSWord to enhance
your documents. Learn the key design features, and use them in
the managerial communication course, MGMT 3200. Headers,
proper use of tables, figures, graphs, shading, cell alignment,
etc., will help the reader better understand your message. In the
first paragraph for this section, you summarize the key points
you discussed in the memo before moving to the
recommendation paragraph. Note, keep this section to two
paragraphs – the first one contains the conclusion and the
second one contains the recommendation(s).
To incorporate key features of MSWord into your written
messages, I recommend you pick one feature to master with
each written assignment. Select one, i.e., Tables, and use it to
present information, typically in the listening memo assignment
where you want to highlight good and bad listening habits. With
the next communication assignment, pick another feature to use
so you build, by repetition, your skills for crafting an engaging
and exciting-to-read written document.
Page 1 of 3