2. 2
WHAT IS A MEMORANDUM
• Memorandum is the Latin word for
“something to be remembered”
• Memos are brief in-house
correspondence sent up and down the
corporate ladder
• They can be on paper or sent through
e-mail
3. Memos are written messages sent among people
working in the same company. Memos can be
written for a number of reasons :
Inform staff about decisions/actions/events.
Request information / action /events.
Remind staff of action
needed/procedures/changes in policy.
Provide information on work related topics.
3
5. CONSTRUCTING MEMOS
5
What is the Reason for Writing?
Who is your Audience?
Can be low-tech, high-tech or multiple
Better to provide a parenthetical
definition with terms.
What response do you expect from your
Audience?
6. 6
LLAANNGGUUAAGGEE
The language you use in your memo
will mainly depend on
your position,
the position of the reader
the subject matter.
The general rule is to “keep it short
and simple”.
7. 7
STYLE & TONE
• controlled by the audience within
your company
– Casual tone
• When writing to a co-worker whom you
know well
– Formal tone
• When writing to a manager
Remember that your employer and co-workers
deserve the same clear and concise writing
that your customers do
9. Heading
Underlining
9
ORGANIZATIONAL MARKERS
• Headings
Bulleted
List
– Organize your work and make information
easy for readers to follow
• Numbered or bulleted lists
– Help readers see comparisons and
contrasts readily
• Underlining or boldfacing
– Emphasizes key points. Do not overuse
this technique; draw attention only to
main points and those that contain
summaries or draw conclusions
10. 10
MEMO FORMAT
• Some companies use a standard form
while others have their memo printed
on their letterheads
• The memo may be on a half sheet or a
full sheet
• Basically, the memo consists of two
parts
– The identifying information at the top
– The message itself
11. 11
TO:
MEMO FORMAT
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
If your memo is going to more than one
reader, make sure you list them in the order
of their status in your company
Write your name (and job title, if necessary
for the reader.) You may write your initials
after your typed name to verify the memo
comes from you
Give the full calendar date
This serves as the title line of your memo.
Summarize your message/purpose precisely
12. STRATEGIES FOR MEMO ORGANIZATION
12
1. Introduction
– Tell you reader why are you writing
– State briefly what are you writing about
– State briefly any background information needed
2. Discussion
– Explain what you want to say.
– State what is important, who will be affected, what caused
it
– Indicate why changes are necessary
– Give precise dates, times, locations, and costs
3. Conclusion
– Summation statement (Complimentary / Directive)
– Request a reply by a specific date
– Provide a list of recommendations
– Inform reader what is next and when
– Ask readers to call if they have questions
13. 13
MEMO WIZARDS & TEMPLATES
• MS word provides three different
templates
– Elegant
– Professional
– Contemporary
18. 18
PART FOUR: SUBJECT
To:
From:
Date:
Re: Acceptance of Retirement Party
Invitation
Subject= Focus + Topic
19. PART FIVE: INTRO + DISCUSSION
19
To: Mrs. Jones, Supervisor
From: Dianna Moreno, Bookkeeper DM
Date: March 2, 2007
Re: Acceptance of Retirement Party
Invitation
My husband and I will be able to attend Mr. Tran’s
retirement party on April 21. We will bring potato
salad.
20. 20
PART SIX: CONCLUSION
To: Mrs. Jones, Supervisor
From: Dianna Moreno, Bookkeeper DM
Date: March 2, 2007
Re: Retirement Party
My husband and I will be able to attend Mr. Tran’s
retirement party on April 21. We will bring potato
salad.
Call me if you have questions: (714) 555-7355.
21. THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN WRITING
MEMOS:
• • Identify your audience before you begin to write.
• • Ask yourself, should this be persuasive, directive, or technical?
• • Be concise and come straight to the point.
• • Maintain a business-like tone.
• • Use headings, bullets, and/or numbered lists so key points stand
out and the document is easy to read.
• • As when writing anything, each paragraph should contain one
main idea. Also, try to keep each paragraph short.
• • Always proofread very carefully. Check all of your facts.
• • Don’t forget to identify any attachments. If not, a recipient would
not realize anything
• was missing.
• • Never include a closing. The “From” line eliminates the need.
22. Parts of a Memo
Heading
• The heading segment follows this general format:
• To: (readers' names and job titles)
From: (your name and job title)
Date: (complete and current date)
Subject: (what the memo is about)
• Encl or Attached: other documents which are included with the
report (omitted if there are no enclosures).
• References: list of particularly important background documents
( omitted if there are no such documents).
23. In the heading, be Sure to…
• Address the reader by correct name and
job title.
• Be specific and concise in your subject
line.
24. Foreword
• Context !!!!
– event, circumstance, or background information.
– Paragraph or a sentence.
– "In our effort to reduce rat parts in our product...."
– Only what your reader needs, but comprehensive and clear.
• Task statement
– you should describe what you are doing to address the problem.
– "You asked that I look at...."
– "To determine the best way of controlling rat extremities, I will...."
• Purpose statement
– YOUR reason for writing.
– WHAT is in the rest of the memo. kind of information included.
– "This memo presents a description of the current situation, some
proposed alternatives, and my recommendations."
25. Summary
(for longer than 1 page)
• Brief statement of the key recommendations you
have reached.
• Include references to methods and sources you
have used in your research, but remember to
keep it brief.
• You can help your reader by using headings for
the summary and the discussion.
– The headings you choose here should appear in your
purpose-statement forecast.
26. Discussion
• Details: Keep these two things in mind:
– Begin with most important information
– Key findings or recommendations
• Inverted pyramid.
– Start with your most general information
– Move to your specific or supporting facts
– Or Details: strongest weakest
27. Closing
• Courteous ending that states what
action you want the reader to take.
– How the reader will benefit from the
actions.
– How you can make those actions easier.
• Usually no signature on memo.
28. Attachments
• Refer to attached documents, lists,
graphs, tables, etc.
• E.g. “Attached: Several Complaints about
Product, January - June 1997”
29. Format Guidelines
Regardless of the style, memos generally have similar format characteristics.
Listed below are some basic guidelines that can help you create a memo:
– Memos have one-inch margins around the page and are on letterhead paper
– All lines of the memo begin at the left margin
– The text begins two spaces after the subject line.
– The body of the memo is single-spaced, with two spaces between paragraphs.
– Memos are written on company letterhead ( special company paper that has
that has the company's name, address, and telephone number printed on it).
– If the memo is written on letterhead, do not repeat and any information that
appears in the letterhead.
– The format of the heading is easy to read because of the use of white spaces
and aligned columns.
– The format of the heading is functional; the first information it gives is the
information the readers need first.
– None of the information is presented more than once at the beginning of the
report. The information included in the letterhead is omitted from the heading.
30. Common Types of Memos
• Each memo is written for a specific purpose to a
specific audience. The purpose and audience for your
memo will help guide what type of memo you will write.
• Even though no two memos are identical, four common
broad categories exist. If you are unsure about how to
format your memo, ask your instructor or review
memos your co-workers have written.
1. Persuasive
2. Directive
3. Technical
4. Announcement
5. Authorization
6. Request
31. Persuasive Memo:
• In a persuasive memo you must
constantly keep your reader's feelings in
mind. Consider how the person will react
to what you are saying. What would
convince him or her most readily? How
much should you rely on logic, and how
much should you appeal to emotion?
32. Directive Memo:
• A directive memo states a policy or
procedure you want the reader or co-worker
to follow. The length of the memo
depends on how much space is required
to properly explain the procedure.
33. Technical Memo:
• A technical memo is a concise
presentation of results, with a logical
progression from the principles which are
core to the analysis towards the
conclusions that were drawn from the
results.
34. Formatting Memos (cont.)
Features of standard memos:
1. No salutation
Omit “Dear Chris Crowell, Dear Employees,”
2. No close
Omit “Sincerely, Cordially,”
3. No signature or signature block
35. Formatting Memos (cont.)
4. Use full block format without indentation.
5. Headings are optional.
-- Never use a separate heading for the first paragraph.
-- Each heading must cover all the information until the next
heading
6. Double-space between paragraphs
7. Triple-space before a heading
