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• 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

WHAT IS A MEMORANDUM

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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.

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CONTENT

Memos generally deal with only Memos generally deal with only one one subjectsubject. .

For two unrelated subjects, write two For two unrelated subjects, write two different memos.different memos.

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CONSTRUCTING MEMOS

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?

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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”.

LANGUAGELANGUAGE

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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 managerRemember that your employer and co-workers deserve the same clear and concise writing

that your customers do

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DateDate – – In official memos ,write In official memos ,write full date while in unofficial memo, it full date while in unofficial memo, it is acceptable to use short forms is acceptable to use short forms e. g. Official : 7 March 2009e. g. Official : 7 March 2009

Unofficial : 7-3-2009Unofficial : 7-3-2009

WRITING DATES IN MEMOS

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ORGANIZATIONAL MARKERS

• Headings– 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

Heading

Bulleted List

Underlining

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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

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TO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT:

MEMO FORMAT

If your memo is going to more than one reader, make sure you list them in the order of their status in your companyWrite 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

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STRATEGIES FOR MEMO ORGANIZATION

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

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MEMO WIZARDS & TEMPLATES

• MS word provides three different templates – Elegant– Professional– Contemporary

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FIVE PARTS OF A MEMOTo:

From:

Date:

Re:

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PART ONE : TOTo: Mrs. Sharon Jones, Supervisor

From:

Date:

Re:

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PART TWO: FROMTo:

From: Dianna Moreno, Bookkeeper DM

Date:

Re:

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PART THREE: DATETo:

From:

Date: March 2, 2007

Re:

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PART FOUR: SUBJECTTo:

From:

Date:

Re: Acceptance of Retirement Party Invitation

Subject= Focus + Topic

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PART FIVE: INTRO + DISCUSSIONTo: Mrs. Jones, Supervisor

From: Dianna Moreno, Bookkeeper DMDate: 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.

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PART SIX: CONCLUSIONTo: 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.

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.

Parts of a Memo

• 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).

Heading

In the heading, be Sure to…

• Address the reader by correct name and job title.

• Be specific and concise in your subject line.

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."

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.

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

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.

Attachments

• Refer to attached documents, lists, graphs, tables, etc.

• E.g. “Attached: Several Complaints about Product, January - June 1997”

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.

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. Announcement5. Authorization6. Request

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?

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.

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.

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

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

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