TRANSMITTAL MESSAGES
Transmittal messages make take many forms in the business world. They could be the cover page on a FAX, an email message with an attachment of a primary document, or a few words scribbled on an envelope giving the receiver a reason to open the envelope. They could have to do with financial transactions. The main point of a transmittal message is to convey the details of what it is you are giving (transmitting) to your recipient.
When you are a student writing a transmittal message to your teacher, the What? is usually a homework assignment of some type. A transmittal, thus, assures the teacher that the attached file is what the teacher is expecting. A short transmittal may be a typed message of this type: "Here is my proposal. Please let me know if you have any questions about it."
In the business world, a transmittal letter (the writer and receiver are not in the same organization) often goes out with a package of some sort. We call the transmittal that goes with a resume for a job opening a cover letter. A packing receipt often serves as a transmittal for the delivery of an online purchase of merchandise.
When teachers want a formal transmittal message, they might require a transmittal memorandum (because you and the teacher are in the same organization--the class), and they might specify certain types of information to be covered.
In my classes, I require a transmittal memorandum to be pasted into the text box of assignment folders (aka drop boxes) of the online classroom.
FORMAT NOTES. Use Plain Memo Format. This means the following:
Illustrations of Plain Memo Format (This is easy! Do not make it complicated.): Figure 1: Plain Memo First Page, Figure 2 , Memo Second Page
When you are a student writing a transmittal message to your teacher, the What? is usually a homework assignment of some type. A transmittal, thus, assures the teacher that the attached file is what the teacher is expecting. A short transmittal may be a typed message of this type: "Here is my proposal. Please let me know if you have any questions about it."
In the business world, a transmittal letter (the writer and receiver are not in the same organization) often goes out with a package of some sort. We call the transmittal that goes with a resume for a job opening a cover letter. A packing receipt often serves as a transmittal for the delivery of an online purchase of merchandise.
When teachers want a formal transmittal message, they might require a transmittal memorandum (because you and the teacher are in the same organization--the class), and they might specify certain types of information to be covered.
In my classes, I require a transmittal memorandum to be pasted into the text box of assignment folders (aka drop boxes) of the online classroom.
FORMAT NOTES. Use Plain Memo Format. This means the following:
- that the word Memorandum is centered on the top line
- that the heading information is vertically aligned
- that a line separates the heading from the body
- that the body does not contain a salutation (Dear Mr. Smith) and does not contain a signature block or even just your name at the bottom.
Illustrations of Plain Memo Format (This is easy! Do not make it complicated.): Figure 1: Plain Memo First Page, Figure 2 , Memo Second Page
Figure 1. Plain Memo Format, First Page
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Figure 2. Plain Memo Format, Additional Pages
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Figure 3. Transmittal Content Notes
SPACER
TRANSMITTAL MEMO EXAMPLES (AND GRADES)
EXAMPLE COMM 495 PROJECT PROPOSAL TRANSMITTAL MEMO
(Minimal effort with errors; rates a C or 75%)
C
MEMORANDUM
To: Ida L. Rogers, Ph.D. [SPELLING ERROR]
From: Harold Student
Date: June 22, 2013
Subject: Proposal for Senior Project
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please see attached Task 1 proposal for my senior project. I request permission to begin working on a Training Proposal Package (option 6) that will recommend a cross-cultural training program to Community Bank, an overseas military banking facility.
Although this assignment was time consuming, I didn’t [CONTRACTION] come across many issues while constructing this proposal. I will expand on my research plan as I begin working on the annotated bibliography next week.
EXAMPLE COMM 495 PROJECT BIBLIOGRAPHY TRANSMITTAL MEMO
(Better effort but needs to include context and organization into paragraphs. Rates a high C, about 79%)
C+
MEMORANDUM
TO: Ida L. Rodgers, Ph.D.
FR: Samuel Student
DA: July 6, 2013
RE: Task 2-Annotated Bibliography
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Task 2-Annotated Bibliography can be found attached here as a PDF. There were no real setbacks to this portion of the project. I was able to get a better understanding of where my project should go and found a great deal of resources to help me along the way. The biggest issue that presented itself was searching through the results from each search and discovering which articles and other references could relate directly to my original research. Once I got by this particular obstacle I was able to separate the most useful material from that which was of less use, primarily by publication dates. Overall, I think that these references are great resources and will help to not only support my research, but to also provide great supplementary information regarding the gamification theory.
EXAMPLE COMM 495 PROJECT DOCUMENT PLAN TRANSMITTAL MEMO
(Excellent effort for the memo, but the graphics placement in the document plan is required. Grade: B, 85%)
B
MEMORANDUM
TO: Ida L. Rodgers, Ph.D.
FR: Sally Student
DA: July 6, 2013
RE: Task 3-Document Plan
Attached you will find Task 3-Document Plan in PDF format for my Senior Project Option 6, a Training Proposal and Lesson Plan. Per your request, the document will be presented in Sans Serif font for ease of reading. The headings and subheadings will be in the same font, but different sizes. Heading will also be bolded to differentiate them from the rest of the text. The margins will be the typical 1” margins and the font for the text will be 12.
My one deviation from the instructions is that I did not include my graphics. They will be a part of the final document, but I have not had time to figure out what I need and where to put them.
The text has been entered for formatting purposes, and I used Lorem Ipsum, per the instructions found on your Rhetttime site.
I think the only difficulty I really had was trying to envision how I wanted the flow of the document to look. I think that this is a good skeleton to start from, and if need be I can make changes as I add the actual text. I also need to figure out the best way to include the visuals since the process of giving badges is kept up-to-date by placing them on a spreadsheet. I am sure it will not be difficult, I just need to do a bit more research to figure out the best way to do this and to make sure it fits with the flow of the document.
Overall, I am pleased with this Document Plan. This was my first time having to complete a Document Plan and after researching the subject and reading the instructions provided to us, I felt better about what I had produced. I certainly think that having this skeleton as a guide will help in putting my project together.
EXAMPLE COMM 495 PROJECT DOCUMENT PLAN TRANSMITTAL MEMO
(Excellent format and comprehensive content. Grade: A, 95% because she did not provide the publication's submission requirements.)
A
Memorandum
To: Ida L. Rodgers, Ph.D.
From: Polly Ann Student
Date: July 13, 2013
Subject: Task 4 Draft
I am including a Word 2003 doc file for my Senior Project Task 4 Draft of Option 5, a feature story with a side bar and a publisher query letter. My subject is about the choice to stay in the military by women who have children, and my original research is a Subject Matter Expert for which I have your approval on my IRB.
My draft starts with a query letter to the editorial editor for Military Times, Mr. Richard Sandza. I have not finished my cover letter to Mr. Sandza because I am not entirely confident of what goes in this and need to research it further, but this draft is an expansion of my document plan. I have not yet located their submission guidelines.
My feature story is a total of 1364 words about two women and their decision to stay or not stay in the military, but I know I want to change the ending a little and add some more content to the side of the story of the person staying in the military.
My sidebar about benefit choices needs some tweaking but is mostly done.
I have included the picture I am using for the story and my references. The picture is one my husband took of me, so I have the copyright. Well, it is in the family anyway. That is ok, isn't it?
My time-on-task is not exact, but I figure it took me about 8 hours on this draft.
EXAMPLE COMM 495 PROJECT PROPOSAL TRANSMITTAL MEMO
(Minimal effort with errors; rates a C or 75%)
C
MEMORANDUM
To: Ida L. Rogers, Ph.D. [SPELLING ERROR]
From: Harold Student
Date: June 22, 2013
Subject: Proposal for Senior Project
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please see attached Task 1 proposal for my senior project. I request permission to begin working on a Training Proposal Package (option 6) that will recommend a cross-cultural training program to Community Bank, an overseas military banking facility.
Although this assignment was time consuming, I didn’t [CONTRACTION] come across many issues while constructing this proposal. I will expand on my research plan as I begin working on the annotated bibliography next week.
EXAMPLE COMM 495 PROJECT BIBLIOGRAPHY TRANSMITTAL MEMO
(Better effort but needs to include context and organization into paragraphs. Rates a high C, about 79%)
C+
MEMORANDUM
TO: Ida L. Rodgers, Ph.D.
FR: Samuel Student
DA: July 6, 2013
RE: Task 2-Annotated Bibliography
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Task 2-Annotated Bibliography can be found attached here as a PDF. There were no real setbacks to this portion of the project. I was able to get a better understanding of where my project should go and found a great deal of resources to help me along the way. The biggest issue that presented itself was searching through the results from each search and discovering which articles and other references could relate directly to my original research. Once I got by this particular obstacle I was able to separate the most useful material from that which was of less use, primarily by publication dates. Overall, I think that these references are great resources and will help to not only support my research, but to also provide great supplementary information regarding the gamification theory.
EXAMPLE COMM 495 PROJECT DOCUMENT PLAN TRANSMITTAL MEMO
(Excellent effort for the memo, but the graphics placement in the document plan is required. Grade: B, 85%)
B
MEMORANDUM
TO: Ida L. Rodgers, Ph.D.
FR: Sally Student
DA: July 6, 2013
RE: Task 3-Document Plan
Attached you will find Task 3-Document Plan in PDF format for my Senior Project Option 6, a Training Proposal and Lesson Plan. Per your request, the document will be presented in Sans Serif font for ease of reading. The headings and subheadings will be in the same font, but different sizes. Heading will also be bolded to differentiate them from the rest of the text. The margins will be the typical 1” margins and the font for the text will be 12.
My one deviation from the instructions is that I did not include my graphics. They will be a part of the final document, but I have not had time to figure out what I need and where to put them.
The text has been entered for formatting purposes, and I used Lorem Ipsum, per the instructions found on your Rhetttime site.
I think the only difficulty I really had was trying to envision how I wanted the flow of the document to look. I think that this is a good skeleton to start from, and if need be I can make changes as I add the actual text. I also need to figure out the best way to include the visuals since the process of giving badges is kept up-to-date by placing them on a spreadsheet. I am sure it will not be difficult, I just need to do a bit more research to figure out the best way to do this and to make sure it fits with the flow of the document.
Overall, I am pleased with this Document Plan. This was my first time having to complete a Document Plan and after researching the subject and reading the instructions provided to us, I felt better about what I had produced. I certainly think that having this skeleton as a guide will help in putting my project together.
EXAMPLE COMM 495 PROJECT DOCUMENT PLAN TRANSMITTAL MEMO
(Excellent format and comprehensive content. Grade: A, 95% because she did not provide the publication's submission requirements.)
A
Memorandum
To: Ida L. Rodgers, Ph.D.
From: Polly Ann Student
Date: July 13, 2013
Subject: Task 4 Draft
I am including a Word 2003 doc file for my Senior Project Task 4 Draft of Option 5, a feature story with a side bar and a publisher query letter. My subject is about the choice to stay in the military by women who have children, and my original research is a Subject Matter Expert for which I have your approval on my IRB.
My draft starts with a query letter to the editorial editor for Military Times, Mr. Richard Sandza. I have not finished my cover letter to Mr. Sandza because I am not entirely confident of what goes in this and need to research it further, but this draft is an expansion of my document plan. I have not yet located their submission guidelines.
My feature story is a total of 1364 words about two women and their decision to stay or not stay in the military, but I know I want to change the ending a little and add some more content to the side of the story of the person staying in the military.
My sidebar about benefit choices needs some tweaking but is mostly done.
I have included the picture I am using for the story and my references. The picture is one my husband took of me, so I have the copyright. Well, it is in the family anyway. That is ok, isn't it?
My time-on-task is not exact, but I figure it took me about 8 hours on this draft.