Memorandum

To:       Jeni DiSalvo

From:   A. Favorite Student    AFS

Subject: Memo Format

Date:    7 January 06

The first paragraph of your memo should contain a brief overview of the contents of your memo.  This first paragraph can be one line of explanation or several, but you need to prepare your audience for the information to follow because memos are not normally conversational or wordy. 

Memos are normally used to concisely deliver necessary information to a familiar audience—someone who either knows the subject or is expecting the information.  As a result, memos are normally used within organizations, rather than as an external communication format—use letters for external communication.

Salutations like “Dear Sir” are not used in memos, nor are closings like “Sincerely”.  Instead, you need to put your initial behind your typed name in the heading at the top of the memo. 

Block paragraphing is the most common format for the body of the memo, but you should try to avoid forced justification on both margins because it causes unusual word spacing.