Page 1 of 12 A memo about writing memos B. Pope, BUS 497.docx

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A memo about writing memos
B. Pope, BUS 497-A
MEMORANDUM
TO: Students of BUS 497-A
CSUN / Nazarian College of Business & Economics
FROM: Blaine D. Pope, Ph.D.
Lecturer, BUS 497-A
SUBJECT: How to Write a Concise and Effective Memorandum
(A memo about writing memos)
DATE: 27 January 2018
OVERVIEW
This paper concerns how to present ideas through the medium of
a memorandum—a
concise form of written business communication, designed to
summarize information
and highlight potential action items quickly. This means of
communication can be found
in a wide array of professional settings. In the body of the
document you are reading
here, the medium is also part of the message. Notice the

structure of this document.
Follow it, practice it, and you should have little problem in
writing a clear and effective
office memorandum over the course of your career.
Memoranda can be on almost any topic but in each case the
basic idea remains the
same: to condense and simplify material for quick reading, and
to facilitate
organizational decision-making.1 Therefore, in this class, your
memos should always
contain suggested next steps (or action items) in the final
section—“Conclusions” and/or
“Recommendations.”
IMPORTANT: The overall page length for your memos is a
minimum of three (3) and a
maximum of four (4) single-spaced pages. If you exceed the
upper limit, I simply won’t
read past the fourth page.
DETAILS
Memos should not usually be flowery or overly prosaic. When
writing in memo format, it
is okay (even encouraged) to use relatively dry language or
wording. The idea here is
to let the true power of your ideas (the underlying concepts the
words should be
conveying) speak for themselves. This can best be done by
highlighting your ideas
according to the following simple format—just like in you
PowerPoint executive briefings

1 There is also an organizational historical dimension to memo
writing. For further details, see the definition and
origins of the Latin word, “Memorandum” in the Appendix
section.
SRPATEL
Highlight
SRPATEL
Highlight
Page 2 of 12
B. Pope, BUS 497-A
/ presentations. The same basic principles apply in each case—
simplicity. Less can be
more.
• Basic identifying information: name and titles (and possibly
the work units) of
individuals involved, plus date, subject or topic at the top of the
first page (see
above); and page numbers typically at the bottom of the page.
This is
especially important for historical purposes. People who have
never met you
may read your memos months—or even years—later. This basic
identifying
information can help set some of the organizational context for
those readers.

• Come to the point, immediately: wording along the lines of
“This is a paper
on/about/concerning . . . “ should usually be your first sentence.
But by all
means, it must be somewhere in your first paragraph. This is
not negotiable.
• Use “Overview-Details-Conclusions/Recommendations”
format: in much the
same way that we employ executive briefings via PowerPoint,
give your readers
the brief overview of the issue(s), followed by the details
explaining the
importance of the issue(s), followed by your conclusion and/or
recommended
next steps.
• Consider itemizing an array of solutions: it’s one thing to
eloquently identify
problems; but, from a supervisor’s or a chief executive’s
perspective, the next
thought is typically something like, “Oh, okay, so what do your
recommend we
do about this issue?” Supervisors also usually like choices:
consider an array of
three (3) options.
- Option 1: a reasonable choice, but not necessarily the one you
most favor.
- Option 2: a choice you might not advocate or actually prefer
- Option 3: the choice you are actually recommending; the
action you are

suggesting
Then, having noted your own recommendation or choice, briefly
explain to your
reader why you are recommending it.
• Consider using sub-headings, to highlight certain key ideas:
again, the basic
idea is ease of viewing / reading.
• Quotes: typically, any quote that would take up more than two
full lines of text
on a regular page should be indented (see appendix).
• Avoid run-on sentences like the plague: an example of a run-
on sentence is a
sentence that just seems to go on and on without any kind of
pause or break
because the writer just seems to have so much to say in that
particular
sentence so every idea that he or she thinks is important at that
precise
moment—just like a brand new beautiful pair of shoes that deep
down inside
you actually know are too small for your feet—must somehow
come-Hell-or-
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B. Pope, BUS 497-A

high-water be crammed in to that space. [This is a run-on
sentence. Simple
rule of thumb, if you have to pause to take a breath, then you
probably need a
period at that point; or at least a semi-colon. Break your long
and rambling
thoughts into two or more sentences. You reader will
appreciate that.]
• Use white space on the page wisely: same reason as above,
ease of viewing
for your readers. Just like with PowerPoint, too much text that
appears
crammed together on a page is not a good thing.
• Appendixes: for purposes of our class, anything you cannot fit
into your 4-page,
single-space page limit, you can put into an appendix.
Remember that this is
merely supporting material that can help to bolster your
argument. For
purposes of this class, this optional section has no page limits.
This might also
be a good place to include charts, graphs, or other forms
imagery, which help
support your basic points, and recommendations.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The “Conclusions” and/or “Recommendations” section should
initially restate your

introductory sentence (which states “This paper is about X,Y,
Z”). But you should feel
free to embellish it, slightly, based on the strong case you’ve
hopefully presented to
your readers. In many ways, you’re selling something here:
you’re selling your ideas.
So, feel free to be somewhat “forceful” in your conclusion
section (but don’t go over the
top with this idea!). You should be subtly forceful, here. Think
of it as “soft power,” in
your wording.
The main idea of any good office memorandum should be to
convey an array of ideas
(even complex ideas) as simply as possible. But, when
analyzing problems or
challenges, it is also important to provide recommendations or
solutions—even if they
are only tentative. Present your readers with proposed options.
This conveys to them
the feeling of being the decision-makers; however, you retain
the power to “guide” your
decision-makers toward the recommendation(s) you would
actually like to see
implemented.
Finally, please note: it’s not always the “best ideas” that get
approved. Instead, it is
those ideas which are most clearly conveyed in the minds of
viewers, listeners, and
readers. Ultimately—in business just like in politics—the “best
ideas” end up being the
ones that finally got approved and implemented. This memo
writing assignment is an
exercise conveying ideas clearly and effectively, so that your
ideas will hopefully be the

ones chosen for implementation. Follow these simple steps, and
you should do well in
your business writing, both in this class and elsewhere.
Blaine Pope
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B. Pope, BUS 497-A
APPENDIX
(Use the appendix to supply what you think might be
supplementary-but-helpful
information to support your position(s). Remember, in writing
memoranda, you are in
the business of selling ideas. So try to avoid unnecessary
material, even here!)

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B. Pope, BUS 497-A
Please follow these general guidelines, using APA (American
Psychological
Association) format, when citing references. APA is a common
format across a wide
range of academic fields. It is not the only format, however. In
general, when citing
references, just try to remember the who-what-when-where
format.
Who published the material (author’s name)?
What is the name of the material (the title of the book, article,
book chapter, or URL)?
When was it published?

Where was it published (the name of the publisher, or web site,
if relevant)?
Image source: https://www.slideshare.net/sherfel/apa-citation-
28207081
https://www.slideshare.net/sherfel/apa-citation-28207081
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B. Pope, BUS 497-A
Memorandum Defined
mem·o·ran·dum (from Latin)
noun: memorandum;
plural noun (Latin): memoranda;
plural noun (English) : memorandums
definition: a note or record made for future use.
"the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on
economic cooperation"
synonyms: message, communication, note, email, letter,
missive, directive; more
a written message, especially in business or diplomacy.

"he told them of his decision in a memorandum"
synonyms: message, communication, note, email, letter,
missive, directive
Law: a document recording the terms of a contract or other legal
details.
Origin
late Middle English: originally from Latin, literally ‘something
to be brought to mind,’
gerundive of memorare .
The original use was as an adjective, placed at the head of a
note of something to be
remembered or of a record made for future reference.
Adapted from:
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-
instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=memorandum
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B. Pope, BUS 497-A

How MBA students should not approach business writing!
Source: http://navycaptain-
therealnavy.blogspot.com/2012_12_01_archive.html
http://navycaptain-
therealnavy.blogspot.com/2012_12_01_archive.html
Page 8 of 12
B. Pope, BUS 497-A
Proper use of Quotations
Proper use of quotations is also very important. Again, bear in
mind the underlying
concept or principle: ease of viewing and/or reading. With that
in mind, it is important to
know when / how to offset quotes from other writers from your
own writing.
Brief quotes:

For an example of a brief quote, I will actually quote myself,
from page 2 of this memo,
above: “typically, any quote that would take up more than two
full lines of text on a
regular page should be indented.” Since this quoted sentence
was less than two full
lines of regular text, there is no need to indent it. It appears in
italics simply to highlight
it, for your ease of viewing here. Don’t use italics if it’s not
really necessary, however.
Longer quotes (more than 2 lines of text):
Longer quotes: indent two (2) tab spaces. The following
extended quote comes from
my own 2007 Ph.D. dissertation. I am discussing the theory
behind something called
“world-systems analysis” (which I shortened to “WSA,” in this
section), put forward by
the American sociologist, Immanuel Wallerstein. I was required
to use the formatting
style of the American Psychological Association (APA); a
virtual industry standard in
many (but not all) of the social sciences.
Beginning of Excerpt
In this section on the approach to WSA, it is important to define
our terms
before proceeding further. According to Wallerstein (2000),
WSA entails the
following:
The argument of world-systems analysis is straightforward. The

three
presumed arenas of collective human action—the economic, the
political,
and the social or socio-cultural—are not autonomous arenas of
social
action. They do not have separate “logics.” More importantly,
the
intermeshing of constraints, options, decisions, norms, and
“rationalities”
is such that no useful research model can isolate “factors”
according to the
categories of economic, political, and social. . . . We are
arguing that
there is a single “set of rules” or a single “set of constraints”
within which
these various structures operate. (p. 134)
One of Andre Gunder Frank’s points of disagreement with
Wallerstein
came to be—in addition to privileging Europe (as
Eurocentrism)—privileging
human-to-human structures (as “humanocentrism”) to the
exclusion of non-
human/ecological structures which also influence those same
human structures
in a dynamic fashion. End of Excerpt
Page 9 of 12
B. Pope, BUS 497-A

Working (& Communicating) in Teams:
Are you a “Thinker” or a “Doer?”
Part of being an effective manager involves an element of
introspection. Know thyself.
Do you tend to be more of a “Thought Leader” or a “Do
Leader?” One is not better than
the other. Each requires an element of the other (thought versus
action), in order to
bring about success. Balance is the key. Thought without
action soon rings hallow or
pointless. Action without thought can prove to be costly—even
outright dangerous.
Ideally, organizations need diverse teams of people working on
projects. In that
diversity, hopefully, there will be a balance of “thinkers” and
“doers.” Each group, in its
own way, can serve as a kind of check-and-balance, with regard
to the behavior of the
other. Thinkers should not let the doers run away with things
just because “We have to
get something done!” By the same token, doers must remind the
thinkers that,
eventually, they must get something done.
Where do you see yourself in the scheme of things, between
thinkers and doers?
Consider how this may (or may not) be reflected in your
writing, speaking, and learning
style. How does it reflect how you interact with colleagues? If
you tend toward the
“thinker” or “Thought Leader” side, for example, you might
want to consider aligning with

some “doers” or “Do Leaders,” to assist you in implementing
your great ideas. If you
tend toward the “doer” or “Do Leader” side, you might want to
include people you know
to have solid thinking, and who can sometimes ask tough
questions of the group—
before things go too far in the wrong direction.
As you refine and complete your group papers in this class,
consider your own personal
style. Again, no one way is necessarily better than the other.
It’s really an issue of what
seems most appropriate (what seems to be the “best fit”) for a
given assignment, task,
or project.2
Look at the graphic image on the next page; then ask yourself
where you believe
you fit in, among the characteristics described there.
2 There are numerous, formal ways of objectively assessing
your own personal style. One of these ways is the
Myers–Briggs Type Indicator, or MBTI. It is designed to
measure psychological preferences. It does this by
assessing how people perceive themselves, their environment,
arrive at individual decisions, and under what
conditions they can work and perform best in groups.

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B. Pope, BUS 497-A
Page 11 of 12
B. Pope, BUS 497-A
Develop Your Unique Communication Style:
Play to your strengths, but Be Aware of Your Weaknesses
Not all sound thinkers are good writers; and not all good writers
are eloquent speakers.
Consider where you fit in, among these three domains of
communication. What are
your strengths? Where could you improve? Know thyself.
Ancient Rome: Caesar Augustus
Below: a depiction of Caesar Augustus (reigned 27 BC to 14
AD) speaking before the
Roman Senate. As the “chief executive” of the Roman Empire,
his eloquent words
could move armies, set domestic social welfare policy, as well
as hopefully “appease

the gods.” Most of important of all, he had to appease the
Roman masses who had the
power to determine if he either remained in power as Emperor,
or met an early death.
He would do this through a combination of thought, word, and
deed.
Image Source: HBO Rome.
Page 12 of 12
B. Pope, BUS 497-A
Ancient Rome: Caesar Claudius
Below: a depiction of Caesar Claudius (reigned 41 to 54 AD), at
his desk, writing his
memoir. He had been a precocious youth, with two distinct
physical handicaps.
Despite his having both a stutter and a limp (and his family
initially thinking his
congenital condition was some form of mental retardation),
Claudius went on to become
a brilliant and effective emperor of Rome.
Although he sometimes struggled with his own speech
(particularly when under stress),

he was an excellent writer and strategic thinker. He was also
known to be a first rate
historian. Moreover, he used his vast knowledge of Roman
politics and the imperial
palace to surround himself with a highly competent staff—
people capable of
implementing his many brilliant ideas.
Image source: The BBC’s “Masterpiece Theater” series, I,
Claudius.

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