• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

The Business Communication

Empowering Connections for Success

  • Introduction
  • Skills
  • Types
    • Oral Communication
    • Written Communication
    • Internal Communication
    • Non-Verbal Communication
    • Modern communication
  • Letter Writing
    • Report Writing
  • Secretarial
    • Employment Communication
    • Company Meeting
  • Show Search
Hide Search
You are here: Home / Report Writing / Forms of Short Reports in Communication

Forms of Short Reports in Communication

Posted By The Business Communication Leave a Comment

Short reports can be drafted in two different forms. These are letter form or letter report and memorandum form or memo report.

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • Letter Reports
    • Features of letter report
  • Memorandum Reports
    • Features of memorandum report

Letter Reports

A letter report is a report written in letter form. That is this report is drafted by following the format of a letter and includes date, inside address, subject line, salutation, body, complimentary close, signature, and reference. Letter reports are used primarily to present information to the persons outside the organization. For example, a company’s credit rating evaluation may well be presented in letter form and mailed it to the outsides who request.

However, outsiders may also write letter report to the organization. For example, an outside consultant may investigate a problem with the company and write a report combining analyses and recommendations in letter form.

Forms of Short Reports

Features of letter report

letter report has the following features.

  • Nature of problem: Letter reports usually present short problems
  • Length: Typically the length of letter report is short. Its length may take three or four pages or less. However, no hard and fast rule exists in this regard.
  • Writing style: As a general rule, letter reports are written in personal style. That is this report is written using personal pronouns like I, you and we.
  • Order of presentation: This form of the report follows both direct and indirect order of presentation. The direct order is followed when the report is presented to the internal readers. On the other hand, an indirect order of presentation is used for external readers. Because external readers require some introductory information for understanding the problem and analysis.
  • Related Articles
    - What is report? Characteristics of Report
    - Purposes or Objective of Business Reports
    - Steps in Writing Business Report – Write a Report in 7 Steps
    - Steps in Writing an Effective Business Letter

Memorandum Reports

As the name implies, memorandum report is a report written in memo form. Memorandum report is the most widely used report in business. When employees periodically report to their superiors, they usually write memo reports. Chiefs of various departments frequently submit memo reports to the president of the company for policy formulation and execution.

Features of memorandum report

Features of memorandum reports are as follows.

  • Nature of problem: Memorandum reports usually deal with routine, day to day problems.
  • Potential readers: memorandum reports contain an internal message for internal readers. This is these reports are written by one person to another within the organization.
  • Degree of formality: Memo report is the most informal form of the report. However, this report may take a formal shape when it is presented to higher level authority in the organization.
  • Order of presentation: It usually follows the direct order of presentation. Memo report generally solves problems. Therefore, there is hardly any need for introductory information.
LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH!

We’d love to keep you updated with our latest news and offers! 😎

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

You're on the list!! Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Filed Under: Report Writing Tagged With: Forms of Short Reports, Forms of Short Reports in Communication

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Copyright © 2013–2025 by The Business Communication All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Contact
x