Writing
Memo Writing
Memo
Memo" comes from the Latin memorandum, "a thing which must be remembered."
Memo plan
Header
Subject
line Opening paragraph Supporting detail/ explanation Closing
Header
To: recipient (individuals and/or groups) From: you/office (e.g. Student affairs)/group (e.g. Social Committee) CC: more recipient(s) Date: use correct names/designations for recipients include titles when appropriate, for all recipients when possible
'To' section
Contains the name of the receiver. For informal memos, the receiver's given name; e.g. 'To: Andy' is enough. For more formal memos, use the receiver's full name. If the receiver is in another department, use the full name and the department name.
It is usually not necessary to use Mr., Mrs., Miss or Ms unless the memo is very formal.
'From' section
Contains the name of the sender. For informal memos, the sender's other name; e.g. 'From: Bill' is enough. For more formal memos, use the sender's full name. If the receiver is in another department, use the full name and the department name. It is usually not necessary to use Mr., Mrs., Miss or Ms unless the memo is very formal.
cc ("Carbon Copy")
cc
("Carbon Copy") Although carbon copy paper is obsolete technology, the term persists.
Be specific.
Subject:
Date:
Spell it out.
In some countries "12/01/98" means "December 1, 1998, but in others it means "12 January 1998."
Subject line
probably the most important part of your memo summarize the intent of your memo, e.g.:
Request for assistance with grant project Consequences of recent material thefts
specific, concise and to the point
Memo sections
Situation- Introduction or purpose Problem (Optional) Solution (optional) Action- may be same as solution or be a part of
the solution
Politeness- Close with polite expression
Purpose:
Mr. Howard has asked me to arrange a working lunch for all members of the writing staff, at the main office, sometime before the end of the month.
The purpose of this memo is to request authorization to purchase a sound card and a modem for the computer in the front office. This memo confirms the details of your tour of the new processing plant, as we discussed over the telephone this morning.
Supporting details/explanation
maintain a global structure, such as findings implications action items arrange facts in a logical order dont provide more detail than necessary use bullet points where appropriate use correct structure bullet points (e.g. no standalone bullets)
Closing
If necessary, summarize what you want recipient(s) to do. Provide clear instructions, including deadlines where applicable. Provide further references/contact information when appropriate.
Writing Style
Active vs. passive voice
Choose the passive voice when :
you dont know who did it, your readers dont care who did it, or you dont want them to know who did it.
Those who are found guilty can be fined.
Once the design was publicized, it was widely adopted.
Cohesion
Move from old information to new. Arrange topics in a logical order.
Start sentences with ideas that you have already described, or with something you can safely assume the reader already knows. Keep your topics short and reasonably consistent.
Syntactic complexity
To help in the efforts of ABCO, Inc., to develop medical policies in regard to coverage of employees engaged in highrisk activities, Dr. Jones has served as a medical consultant. Dr. Jones has served as a medical consultant to help ABCO, Inc., develop medical policies in regard to coverage of employees engaged in high-risk activities.
Formatting
Use 1-inch margins all around (1-inch left margin if the memo will be 2-hole punched and inserted in a binder).
Do not justify the right margin.
Use block-style paragraphs.
Formatting contd..
Single-space your memo. Double-space a very short memo. Use 12-point Times Roman as the default. Do not add a complementary close (e.g., sincerely). Do not sign memos at the bottom
Formatting contd..
Add initials beside your name to indicate that you have read and approved the memo (optional).
If the "copies to" list is longer than ten names, place it at the end of the memo. If your memo is addressed to a distribution list, name the list.
Formatting contd..
In a footer, add the date and number the pages of the memo, for example "2/23/96, page 2 of 4." In the footer, you may choose to use smaller type. Begin long memos with a paragraph that functions as an executive summary. Use the spell-check function. Break long lists of bullets into several clusters.
Email
Effective email practices
Format
Use
short lines and short paragraphs Dont overformat your message by using background colors, colored type, unusual font etc. Mixed case
Content
Choose
your recipients carefully Use a descriptive subject line Greet your recipient Insert previous message appropriately Use a direct style of writing Think twice, write once Provide an appropriate closing
Important Tip
Treat email as a professional communication medium
Effective email messages
More formal than personal Carry the same legal weight as any other business document Remember that messages can be forwarded and saved Follow company email policy; understand the restrictions put forward by company on email usage Adjust the level of formality to the message and the audience Practice good email hygiene by not opening suspicious message Dont cc bcc anyone who doesnt really need to see the message Understand the productivity implications of the message
Effective email messages (contd..)
Follow the chain of command Use correct grammar, spelling and punctuation Make subject line informative by clearly identifying purpose of your message Keep emotions under control Dont mark messages urgent unless they are urgent Use return receipt requested feature only in the case of critical messages Avoid forwarding chain letters
Assignment
Thank you
