Nonformal Reports via Memos

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Non-formal Reportsvia Memos E-mails

• Christopher Merkner

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Some Definitions

• Non-formal Reports
• More commonly called informal or informational
  reports, non-formal reports sustain written
  discussion of information (and may or may not
  relay suggestions or interpretations of that
  information). The emphasis of a non-formal
  report would be decidedly informationalsimply a
  platform to provide information and details of a
  given subjectthough in some cases it will
  provide assessments or recommendations of the
  information provided.

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Some Definitions (cont)

• Memos Inter-office or internal documents that
  are the old-fashioned (but still widely used)
  format for non-formal reports
• (and certainly for other types of documents, as
  well)
• E-mail Electronic documents that, even when
  considered internal, still maintain internal as
  well as external qualities and potential. E-mail
  could arguably be considered the new memo,
  which means that many non-formal reports are
  being delivered via email now (versus via memo,
  or concurrent with memos).

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Non-Formal Reports Types

• Strictly Informational
• Periodic Reports
• Trip or Travel Reports
• Progress Reports
• Investigative Reports
• Trouble Reports

• Analytical
• Recommendation Reports
• Feasibility Reports
• Comparative Reports

And, yes, many times there is overlap between
these types
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Non-formal Reports Criteria

• What distinguishes Non-formal from Formal
  Reports?
• Non-formal reports are generally more
  informational (as discussed)
• Non-formal reports have a more concentrated scope
  (about 2 5 pages)
• Non-formal reports typically have
  internal/inter-office audience(s)
• Non-formal reports

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Non-Formal Reports Elements

• Header
• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion
• Recommendations?

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Non-formal Reports Header(s)

• Headers Nuts and Bolts

TO type full recipient name, if a memo FROM
type your name initial it, if a memo if an
e-mail, re-think your account address DATE no
army stuffjust go February 20, 2003 SUBJECT
See notes on titlesnature and
scope CC/BCC ------------------ often in a
memo, youll want to rule-off the header from the
introduction----- INTRODUCTION
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Non-formal Reports Introductions

• Elements of Introduction
• (Start by) Provide(ing) background information
• Direct Beginning Identify the report by
  name/title and its purpose
• Forecast (via text)!
• Reinforce with chunks or VA
• Choose and consistently present your
  sentence-level subject
• This report will show.
• In this report, we hope to show.
• I am presenting this report for.

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Non-formal Reports Body

• Elements of Body
• Organize Major and Lesser topics
• Coordinate with forecast information order
• Use and manipulate Level-Headings for readability
• Introduce Major topics/sections
• Use 3-part paragraph pattern
• Remain consistent with sentence-level subject
• Consider amount of information for each section
  (consider text balance)

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Non-Formal Reports Conclusions

• Elements of Conclusion
• Know what youre doing
• Sometimes also called summary
• Sometimes also called recommendations
• Review forecast of introduction
• Highlight/Restate Major topics
• Offer gratitude, if appropriate
• Offer action(s), if appropriate

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Non-formal Reports A sample
TO FROM DATE SUBJECT ------------------------
---------------- Recently, Happy Teeth has
noticed an alarming rise in the number of claim
letters from clients.This report will examine
six key elements of customer service.In putting
together this report, we researched. Customer
Needs This section of the report will examine
the three most common needs of customers when
engaging a service-driven companies such as our
own. In particular, this section will discuss
the role of laughter, loveliness, and looming and
will offer suggestions for how we might apply
these concerns to our Happy Teeth
customers. Much Laughter Perhaps the single
most agreed-upon concern for service-driven
companies was the need for laughter. Forty-five
percent of the customers interviewed agreed that
without laughter, their needs would never be met
appropriately. Of this forty-five percent,
twenty percent said.