University of South Florida One Page Transmittal Letter Paper

“Letters of transmittal function like the cover letter you attach to a resume. Suppose you’re

submitting a grant proposal, a formal complaint or a report as to why sales dropped during the fourth

quarter. Rather than send the document cold, you attach a letter of transmittal. The letter puts the

document in context” (work.chron.com).

Read the following informative article, which explains what a Letter of Transmittal is, and how to write one:

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/letter-of-transmittal (Links to an external site.)

Helpful checklist for the purposes and conventions of Letters of Transmittal

Purposes of Letters of Transmittal:

1. To introduce the report and provide a context for understanding its issues:

• Identifies the specific subject of the report.
• Typically identifies the person or agency requesting the report.
• Identifies the scope and limitations of the report
• Identifies what the recipient is expected to do with the information. This may take the form of simply suggesting that the recipient contact the writer for more information if there are any questions.

1. To provide a record of the report’s production and transmission.
2. To alert the reader(s) to the following:

• Issues or discrepancies that might exist between the proposal and the report
• Decisions made about the project made after the initial proposal
• Changes of format, changes of direction, research challenges, minor changes of research design, and so on.

Genre conventions of Letters of Transmittal:

1. Not usually a lengthy document (1 page or so).
2. May have a slightly less formal tone (uses “I”) than the report proper.
3. Addresses issues surrounding the completion of the report: any unexpected difficulties or successes, for example, or possibly the need for further study.
4. Acknowledges the assistance of those who have helped (interviewees, etc.).
5. Concluding paragraph typically contains one or more of the following:

• Thanks the person requesting the report for the opportunity to investigate the issue.
• Suggests that the recipient contact the writer if there are any questions.
• Provides contact information for follow-up information.

(Source: Washington State University; https://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/engl402/execsum.htm (Links to an external site.))

Microsoft Word offers templates for Letters of Transmittal. Feel free to use them, or other templates you find which include all of the necessary elements.

remember this is just the cover of a report

the assignment is to write a letter of transmittal for the issue below.

“Selected Issue

At USF most of the engineering classes have been converted to online classes. This has caused many challenges for both students and professors. Some specifics include staying motivated, and lack of human interaction. Our group can help solve these issues because we have been forced to take online classes and have experienced these issues firsthand”