Memo Reports -and- Designing Documents, Slides, and Screens

Memo Reports: Overview

What is a Memo Report?

What is it about?

What is it like?

Contents:Introduction, Body, Conclusion, End

Sample Introduction

What is the difference?

Letter ReportAn informal report mailed to a colleague or client outside your office

Printed on letterhead and physically signed

Memo ReportAn informal report printed, duplicated or emailed for a colleague or supervisor within your company

Often duplicated or sent electronically

What is a memo report about?

Progress on a project, especially as regards a specific portion

Results of one portion of a project

Results that may affect the remainder of a project

Results that require a response before a project can move forward

Results of a small project

CharacteristicsContains 3-5 pages

Contains 0-3 tables or figures

Contains no separate sections

Does not provide a written background or theoretical basis

Contains no nomenclature section

Defines symbols as they are introduced

Provides only the most pertinent equations

Does not contain a “Literature Cited” list at the end

Characteristics, continued

Concise Writingchoose words carefullyavoid repetition

Contents: Address

Memorandum TitleTo: CC:

Make sure you include everyone!

From:Date:RE: Title

CHEN4903(1)F07 Memo Rpt 1 Tm 1

Cc:No Salutation (Dear: )

Contents: Introduction Introductory paragraph/s

Contains a brief explanation of the experiment and its objective, but does not delve into details already known by the recipient (like where the lab is, who gave the assignment, etc.)

Provides a summary of the results

Contents: BodyBody paragraph/s

Describes pertinent equipment

Narrates important points of procedure

Explains problems encountered

Provides an analysis and discussion of results

Contents: Conclusion

Closing paragraph/s

Makes recommendations based on the discussion

Clear reasoning must explain why you are making the recommendations and conclusions you make

Contains references as footnotes (provide publication information in footnote)

Sample IntroductionDuring the period from January 6 to January 27, 1992, the members of Group F calibrated and evaluated the performance of an Omega Model HX93V relative-humidity and temperature transmitter (Omega Engineer, Stamford Connecticut). The transmitter was calibrated with an Omega HX92-CAL relative-humidity calibration kit, and its accuracy was tested with various solutions of ethylene glycol and water ranging from 10% to 100% relative humidity (RH).

The transmitter was accurate to within 5% RH at higher relative humidities (>50%) but was not accurate to within 5% RH at humidities lower than 50%. The transmitter's performance in a moving airstream at temperatures greater than room temperature was also investigated. A cardboard tube and an air blower containing a heating element supplied a suitable stream of heated air. A brief summary of the calibration and the results of our performance evaluation follow.

Contents: End Matter

After the endnotes (appendix)

Background tables or figures

Raw data

Calculations

Error analysis

Designing Documents, Slides, and Screens

Design: Part of Writing

Think about design at each step

As you plan, think about readers

Skilled or poor?Straight through or skip around?

As you write, use lists, headingsGet feedback from your audienceAs you revise, check following 8 design guides

Why Design MattersCreating inviting, easy to read pages makes it more likely that your document will be read and understood

Grouping ideas visually shows structure

Good design also: Saves time and moneyReduces legal problemsBuilds goodwill

8 Page Design Guides

1.Use white space

2.Use headings

3.Limit words in ALL CAPITALS

4.Use no more than 2 fonts per document

8 Page Design Guides, continued

5. Justify margins selectively

6. Put key items at top left or bottom right

7. Use a grid for visual unity

8. Limit attention-getters: bold, bullets, colors

Use White SpaceMakes message easier to read

To create white space, use—HeadingsMix of paragraph lengthsLists of parallel items Use bullets

Use numbers instead of bullets when order matters

Use HeadingsHeadings - words, phrases, or sentences

Group points; divide document Show organizationHelp readers; save readers’ time Make page look more interesting

Limit Words in ALL CAPITALS

We recognize words by shape

Words in ALL CAPITALS

Have same rectangular shapeOften lack ascenders and descenders

Causes reader to slow downCauses more reading errors

Use 1 or 2 Typefaces—No More

Typeface – unified styles of type

Serif typeface – letters have feetEasy to read; used for paragraphsEx: Courier New, Times New Roman

Sans serif typeface – letters lack feetHarder to read; used for headings, tablesEx: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana

Use 1 or 2 Fonts, continued

Fixed Fonts – every letter takes up the same amount of space

typewriter fonts are fixedEx: Courier, Monaco

Proportional Fonts – wider letters take up more space than narrower letters

most computer typefaces are proportional Ex: Times New Roman, Garamond, Arial

Use 1 or 2 Fonts, continued

Some documents use just one font Bold Italics Varied sizes

Font size12-point: good for readers over 40 (and many under 40, too)11-point: ideal for memos, letters, reports

headings may, and often should, be larger

10-point: often too small

Justify Margins Selectively

Full justification – text even at left and right margin

Want formal lookWriting to skilled readers Using proportional fontWant to use fewest pages

Use in these cases

Justify Margins Selectively, continued

Left justification – text even on left, uneven on right

Want informal lookUse very short linesWriting to less-skilled readers Not using proportional fontWant to revise selected pages

Use in these cases

Put Key Items at Top Left or Bottom Right

Readers’ eyes move in Z patternStarts at upper left corner of pageReads to the right and down

Quadrants in order of importance 1. Top left2. Bottom right3. Bottom left4. Top right

1

2

Use a Grid for Visual Unity

Grid – 2 or 3 imaginary columns on page; may be subdivided

All elements lined up in columns

Creates pleasing symmetryUnifies long documents

Designing Presentation Slides

Use a big font44 to 50 point for titles32 point for subheads28 point for examples

Use bullet-point phrases, not sentences

Use clear, concise language

Designing Presentation Slides, continued

Make only 3 to 5 points per slide

Customize your slides

logo photo chart

Use animation to control flow, build interest

Too much distracts the audience

Final Design Tips

Limit attention getters

Test designs on actual audiences

Limit Attention-Getters

Add interest with dingbats, clip artDingbats – small pieces of line art

Clip art – larger images inserted in text

Use “highlighters” sparingly

Limit Attention-Getters,

continued

Create unified look—Repeat text color in bullets, linesUse same colors throughoutMake text, background contrast

Use glossy paper for vivid colors

Note, colors look brighter on screen than on paper

Limit Attention-Getters: Color

Limit colors to 4 per page—2 main colors, 2 accents

Use color for main headings, not details

BlueGreenViolet

Text colors for readers under 50

In North America, red means danger

3 Design TestsWatch someone use document to do a task

Ask reader to think aloud during taskInterrupt at key points to find out what reader thinksAsk reader to describe thought process afterwards

Ask reader to put + and - signs in margins to show likes and dislikes