Office Administration Chapter 9: Producing Documents in Final Format

Format of Business Letter Date line Inside address Attention line (opt.) Salutation Subject line (opt.) Body of the letter Complimentary closing Signature line Reference initials Enclosure notation Copy notation Blind copy notation Line spacing Special notations

Letter Styles Block letter style displays all lines beginning at the left margin, second page heading at left Modified block letter style moves the date an complimentary closing/signature lines to the center, paragraphs may be indented, second page heading split between left, center, and right Simplified letter omits the salutation and complimentary closing, it begins with a subject line and ends with the signature line in all caps, second page heading same as block style

Punctuation Styles Open punctuation style does not use any punctuation after the salutation or complimentary closing Mixed punctuation uses a colon (:) after the salutation and a comma after the complimentary closing

Addressing Envelopes #10 envelope is addressed using a 4-inch top margin and 2.25-inch top, #6 3/4 uses a 2-inch left and top margin Use block style, single-spaced address with all words in capital letters and no punctuation Use the 2-letter state abbreviation and ZIP + 4 code Special mailing notations should be used where applicable

Additional Envelope Information The OCR-read area boundary should not be used for the address Follow USPS guidelines for addressing envelopes, including suggestions for fonts and font sizes Use acceptable vertical and line spacing to meet OCR guidelines Mailing labels can be computer generated and then affixed to envelopes

Format of a Memorandum Top margin is between 1–2 inches and the heading is centered in all caps Side margins will vary with the length of the memo Guide words should be double-spaced and begin a double-space below the heading Double- or triple-space after guide words to key the body (single-spaced with a double-space between paragraphs) Reference initials go a double-space below the body

Electronic Mail Preliminary sections include the from and to address, copy and blind copy addresses, date and time of the message, and the subject The message includes a salutation, message, complimentary closing, and signature file Attachments can be added to copy files and send along with the e-mail

Layout of Business Reports The top margin is 1/2–1 inch larger on the first page than on subsequent, left margin decisions depend on binding choice Title is keyed in all caps, on the first page Line spacing should be uniform Heading levels should be predetermined Page numbers are used for organization Software can generate table of contents, etc. Avoid widow/orphan lines

Documentation and Reference Notes Documentation gives appropriate credit to information sources Copyright protection influences documentation The most popular documentation styles include APA, MLA, and CMS Using ideas of others without citing the source is plagiarism References for direct quotes and paraphrasing are cited in-text, or as footnotes or endnotes A bibliography lists all references consulted for the report

Minutes The official report of the meeting Heading includes the name of the group, date, time, location, and type of meeting Alphabetical list of attendees and absentees Body is a summary that follows the agenda Motions are listed along with those making and seconding them Complimentary close is “Respectfully submitted” and the secretary’s signature line

News Releases An announcement about a business event, prepared by the administrative assistant Heading is NEWS RELEASE, release date, and contact information Body includes a title and news (direct approach) Closing symbols indicate the end of the release (###) Margins and spacing adjusted to keep it on one page

Itinerary—A Travel Plan Includes details about Departure date, time, and place Transportation type Arrival date, time, and place Lodging information Appointments and meetings Return trip information Guidelines Heading includes name and dates of trip Dates and times Travel and meeting information Formatted so it is an easy-to-understand reference

Outlines Coding Levels Roman numerals (I, II) Capital letters (A, B) Arabic numbers (1, 2) Lowercase letters (a, b) Numbers in parentheses (1), (2) Lowercase letters in parentheses (a), (b) Spaced for readability from the reader’s viewpoint Consistent spacing If phrases are mainly 2 or more lines long, double-space between all points If key words are short, it can be single-spaced

Abstracts Abstract is 1/4–1/2 the length of the original; précis is 1/3 of the original, recomposed text w/o illustrations Concise summary of key points Relevant information and major conclusions Complete documentation Level of language consistent with original document Outline or paragraph format Identify the abstract and précis on document Use abstract or précis while giving credit to the original author