Memorandum
DATE: 11/6/94
TO: WPI Design Engineers
FROM: Chief Engineer
SUBJECT: Progress Report Specifications
A progress report must be clear and "CONCISE". Webster's dictionary defines concise as: Expressing much in few words. Your progress report should describe, in a few pages, what you have done on the particular task since the last report. The maximum acceptable length for these reports is three (3) pages typed (double-spaced) plus figures and/or tables. It should only include additional pages of illustrations if they are germane to the issue and if they are clearly labelled, titled, referred to and discussed in the document. It must not contain appendices. It should not be in a binder, but be stapled in the upper left corner.
The format should be that of a memorandum (like this document), addressed as follows:
DATE: Date
TO: Chief Engineer
FROM: Your Name
SUBJECT: Progress Report on 'X'
Body of report, including figures placed near where they are discussed.
Neither salutation nor closing is needed. Note that this report must be typed and spell-checked (which requires a word processor). Word Perfect in the WPI Computer Labs has spell-checking built in. You must use it or another similar word processing system. Any computer graphics should be imported to your word processor file via the GRAB.COM package with the keystrokes <shift> <alt> <F9>.
Please again read and refer to your copy of the writer's bible by Strunk and White. It defines, and gives examples of, clear concise writing.