LIB300 Week 2 formats for letters and memos

1. LIB300 Week 2
Formats for Letters and
Memos
Dr. Russell Rodrigo

2. Letters and Memos
Letters normally are sent to
people outside your organization.
Memos go to other people in
your organization.

3. What is the difference
between letters and memos?
Format

4. Block Modified
Block
Date and signature
block
Lined up at left
margin
Lined up ½ or
2/3 over to the
right.
Paragraph
indentation
None Optional
Subject line Optional Rare
Differences between Letter
Formats

5. How
should you
set up
letters?
Use block or modified format
Use the same level of formality in the
salutation
Use the standard complimentary
closes (e.g. Sincerely, Cordially)
Use colon ( : ) in the salutation and
comma ( , ) for the complimentary
close

6. Seven Standard Parts of a
Business Letter
1. Date
-the date is put at the top of the page for any business
communication.
2. Address
-the address of the person receiving the correspondence
includes formal name, street address, city, state and zip code.
3. Salutation
-is the formal way of addressing the person. Common
salutations are Dear or To Whom It May Concern.
4. Introduction
-introduces the subject of the letter
- is a summary in a sentence or two that explains what the
goal of the letter is.

7. Seven Standard Parts of a
Business Letter
5. Body of the Letter
-explains in detail all aspects of what is being
communicated.
6. Closing
-summarizes what the letter was about and any
next steps or action items
-gives the reader a heads up that the
communication is coming to a close.
7. Signature
has complementary closing. Examples are
Sincerely, Warmest Regards, Respectfully Yours,
Very Truly Yours, or Cordially Yours.

8. Modified Block Format
- is most frequently used for business letters.
Block Format on Letterhead
creates a visually attractive page by moving
the date and signature block over into what
would otherwise be empty white space.
is a traditional format.

9. Block Format on
Letterhead

10. Modified
Block
format on
Letterhead

11. Modified Block
Format without
Letterhead

12. When
you
know the
Reader’s
Name
and
Gender
1. Use courtesy titles that do not
indicate marital status:
Mr. for men and Ms. For women.
2. Use professional titles when they are
relevant.
E.g.
Dr. Kristen Sorenson
Rev. Robert Townsley
3. Use the title a woman prefers to be
addressed as Mrs. Or Miss.

13. When
You
Know the
Reader’s
Name
but Not
the
Gender
1. Call the company and ask the
receptionist.
2. Use the reader’s full name in the
salutation
E.g.
Dear Chris Cowell:
Dear J.C. Meath:

14. When You Know Neither the
Reader’s Name Nor the Gender
1. Use the reader’s position or job title
E.g. Dear Load Officer:
Dear Registrar:
2. Use a general group to which your reader belongs:
E.g. Dear Investor:
Dear Admission Committee:
3. Omit Salutation and use a subject line in its place:
Subject: Recommendation for Ben Wandell

15. How should you set up
memos?
standard memo format mimics block format but
has no salutation, close, or signature.
No indentions
Subject lines are required; headings are optional
The first letter of the reader’s name, the writer’s
name and the subject phrase are lined up
vertically.
Usually initialed by the To/From block

16. Memo format on
plain paper

17. Memo Format on memo
letterhead

18. The Three-step Writing
Process
1. Plan
2. Write
3. Complete

19. 1. Plan
Analyze the Situation
Define your purpose and develop an audience profile.
Types of purposes: to inform, persuade, collaborate,
initiate a conversation.
Gather Information
Determine audience needs and obtain the information
necessary to satisfy those needs.
Select the Right Medium
Select the best medium for delivering your message (e.g.
Oral, written, visual electronic)
Organize the information
Define your main idea, limit your scope, select a direct or an
indirect approach, and outline your content.

20. Outlining your content
I. First major point
A. First subpoint
B. Second subpoint
1. Examples and
evidence
2. Examples and
evidence
a. Detail
b. detail
3. Examples and
evidence
C. Third subpoint
II. Second major point
A. First subpoint
1. Examples and
evidence
2. Examples and
evidence
B. Second subpoint
The
particular
Message is
divided
Into two
major points
I and II.
Subpoint B is
Supported with
three sets of
examples and
Evidence, the
second of which is
further subdivided
with two detail
sections
The first
major
Point is
divided
into
Three
subpoints
A, B and
C.

21. Evaluate the subject and the organization
of the letter below.

22. Evaluation
The subject is vague.
First paragraph starts off with an irrelevant discussion, doesn’t explain
what research this refers to, and fails to introduce the topic of the
message.
The second paragraph introduces the topic but then shifts to an
irrelevant discussion (it makes a good point about unlimited liability,
but the point is buried in irrelevant material).
The third paragraph is the main idea, that the pair should
incorporate, is buried in the middle of the message.
By jumping from partnership to incorporation, back to partnership, and
then back to incorporation again throughout the course of the
message, the writer forces the reader to piece together the
comparative evidence herself.

24. Improved
Uses the e-mail subject line to state the topic (incorporation vs.
partnership) and the main idea (incorporation is the better choice).
First paragraph: Provides context by referring to a previous
conversation and then states the main idea.
Second and Third paragraphs: Supports the main idea by showing
how the disadvantages of partnerships outweigh the advantages.
Fourth paragraph: Continues to provide support by explaining how
incorporation overcomes all three key disadvantages of partnerships.
Last paragraph: Completes the comparison by identifying two
disadvantages of incorporation but states that these are outweighed
by the advantages.

25. Practice: Outlining
Problem: Difficulties in finding
internships for BA English seniors.
What do you think can be done to
help solve this problem?

26. 2. Write
Adapt to Your Audience
Be polite.
Use positive emphasis and unbiased language.
Establish credibility.
Project your company’s preferred image.
Use a conversational tone, plain English, and appropriate
voice.
Compose the message
Choose strong words that will help you create effective
sentences and coherent paragraphs.

27. 3. Complete
Revise the Message
Produce the Message
Proofread the Message
Distribute the Message

28. Comprehension Questions
1. What are the three steps in the writing
process?
2. What is the difference between the
topic of a message and its main idea?
3. Considering how fast, easy, and
inexpensive they are, should electronic
media messages completely replace
meetings and other face-to-face
communication? Why or why not?

29. Practice: Perfecting your
Writing
1. An email message to employees about the office’s high
water bills
2. A blog posting to customers and the news media about
your company’s plans to acquire a competitor
3. A podcast to new users of the company’s online content
management system
4. A report to your boss, the store manager, about the
dated items in the warehouse
5. A phone call to a supplier to check on an overdue parts
shipment
6. A letter to a customer who is supposed to make monthly
loan payments but hasn’t made a payment for three
months.
Specific Purpose: For each of the following communication tasks, state a
specific purpose.
- To inform, to remind
- To persuade
- To instruct
- To inform
- To inquire
- To remind

30. Audience Profile
For each communication task that follow,
write brief answers to three questions:
1. Who is my audience?
2. What is my audience’s general attitude
toward my subject?
3. What does my audience need to know?

31. Audience Profile
1. A final-notice collection letter from an appliance manufacturer to
an appliance dealer, sent 10 days before initiation of legal
collection procedures
2. A promotional message on your company’s retailing website,
announcing a temporary price reduction on high-definition
television sets
3. An advertisement for peanut butter
4. A letter to the property management company responsible for
maintaining your office building, complaining about persistent
problems with the heating and air conditioning
5. A cover letter sent along with your resume to a potential employer
6. A request (to the seller) for a price adjustment on a piano that
incurred $150 in damage during delivery to a banquet room in the
hotel you manage

32. Week 1 Assignments
Planning: Identifying Your Purpose; Media Skills:
Email
1. Identify three significant communication tasks
you’ll need to accomplish in the next week or two
(for example, a homework assignment, a project at
work, a meeting with your lecturer, or class
presentation). List general and specific purpose for
each communication task.

33. 2. Critique the Professionals
Locate an example of professional
communication in any medium that you think
would work equally well – or perhaps better ---
in another medium. Write a brief analysis (no
more than one page) of the company’s
media choice and explain why your choice
would be at least as effective. Use whatever
medium and be sure to cite specific elements.
Submit your findings on Blackboard.