Sample Document, Chapter 1: Communication, Your Career, and This Book

Below you will find a memo that makes recommendations for purchasing a new printer. The callouts identify some of the positive aspects of this document.

IDEA ENTERPRISES, INC. Interdepartmental Memorandum To: From: Date: Re: Roger Dawson Marie Linhart December 2, 19-Evaluation of TS-440 Laser Printer
Highlightthepointsthatyour readerwillfindpersuasive
Noticehowthewriterbeginswitha clearthesis,statingthathebelievesthe TS440willmeettheneedsofthe company.Bymakingthisstatementin theintroduction(ratherthan withholdingituntiltheend),thewriter highlightsthemainpointofthememo.

I have evaluated the TS-440 laser printer that you asked me to examine last week. I believe that it is a high-quality printer that will meet our needs and that we should purchase it.

Printer Requirements
In evaluating the TS-440, I considered the following factors:
Quality of printing and number of pages per minute Price The amount of space it occupies The sizes and types of documents it can handle Compatibility with our network and other hardware Warranty and maintenance agreement

Helpyourreadersfind informationquickly
Payattentiontothewaythismemois formatted.Thewriterhascarefully styledthetextandheadingssothatthe documentiswellchunkedandhighly scannable.Bymakingheadingscontrast withthebasaltextandcarefullyadding variablespacingaboveandbelow importantitems,thewriterensures thatkeyinformationleapsoffthepage onaquickscan.

Evaluation
The chief advantages of the TS-440 are the increased speed and quality it would give us. It prints at a quick 25 pages per minute, considerably faster than our current printers, which poke along at 8 to 19 p.m. The TS-440's print resolution is 600 x 600 dots per inch, twice that of our current printers. The added resolution will give us sharper graphics and typefaces for documents in which we want to impress our clients. In addition, the printer is competitively priced with other printers that offer comparable performance and features. One requirement for a new laser printer is that it fit comfortably into our already overcrowded office. The TS-440's "footprint" is approximately 24" x 20". Although it takes more space than the printer it will replace, the TS-440 will fit on one of the small tables in the back room. The TS-440 will handle a wide variety of document sizes, from 5 1/2" x 11" to 11" x 17". It is not designed to handle standard #10 business envelopes. However, an optional envelope feeder is available as an accessory.

Useaneasytoreadwriting style
Thewriterofthismemousedirect, conciseprose,avoidingjargonand unnecessaryverbiage.

Talktoyourreaders
Thewriterofthismemodemonstrates thathehasspokentohisreadersand understandstheirsituation.Each paragraphinthememoaddressesitself toaspecificproblemthatisshared collectivelybymanypeopleinthe office.

The printer is equipped to be compatible with all major types of networks, including our own Ethernet network. Because of its network compatibility, the TS-440 can handle print requests from any number of terminals, and it will spool jobs in the order it receives them. Thus, users will no longer have to tie-up their terminals waiting for print jobs to be processed. Additionally, the TS-440 comes with a 90-day warranty on parts and one-year warranty on workmanship, a standard policy for most laser printers. Toner cartridges are easily replaced and available at most office-supply stores.

Recommendation
I recommend that we purchase the TS-440. It is a superior printer that satisfies our needs with respect to quality, price, space requirements, document handling flexibility, and network compatibility. If you feel we need especially high-quality printing for envelopes, we should also order the optional envelope feeder. If I can answer any further questions, please contact me.