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from the Middle English word'memorandus' meaning 'to be
remembered'.
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Introduction
an internal document
that is generally short
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Introduction
focuses on a singletopic
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Introduction
reports information,
makes a request, orrecommends action
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Memos
commonly used inbusinesses
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Memos
sent to colleagues and
co-workers
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Memos
do not require a
salutation or a closurestatement as inBusiness Letters .
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Memorandumsmay be defined as..
A record of something which isdesired to be remembered; a note tohelp the memory.
A brief or informal note in writing of some transaction, or an outline of
an intended instrument; aninstrument drawn up in a brief andcompendious form.
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Memorandumsmay be defined as..
A short note written as a reminder. A written record or communication,
as in a business office. A business statement made by aconsignor about a shipment of
goods that may be returned.
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Memorandumsmay be defined as..
A brief, unsigned diplomaticcommunication.
A legal document outlining theterms and details of an agreementbetween parties, including each
parties requirements andresponsibilities.
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Audience and Purpose
twofold purpose: they
bring attention toproblems and they solve problems
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Audience and Purpose
MEMOS accomplish
their goals by 1. informing the readerabout a new information
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Audience and Purpose
2. by persuading the
reader to take an action,such as attend a meeting,or change a currentprocedure
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Regardless of the specific goal,memos are most effective whenthey connect the purpose of the
writer with the interests and needs
of the reader.
Audience and Purpose
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Some Principles
Choose the audience of thememo wisely. Ensure that all of the people that the memo isaddressed to need to read thememo.
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Some Principles
If it is an issue
involving only oneperson, do not send
the memo to the entireoffice.
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Some Principles
Also, be certain that material is
not too sensitive to put in amemo; sometimes the best forms
of communication are face-to-faceinteraction or a phone call.
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Some Principles
Memos are most
effectively used whensent to a small to
moderate amount of people.
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Purpose of a Memo
A memo is used as a written reminder orto convey a short proposal or some basicinformation. A memo format is generally short consisting of between one andfour sentences. A longer format mightconsist of several paragraphs but should
never exceed one-two pages in length. If the information you need tocommunicate exceeds one-two pages itis better to write a report.
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Purpose
Gives busy readersinformation fast
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Purpose
Announce Company
Policy
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Purpose
Makes a requestCAS OCS Ref. No.009/2011
For : All CAS/IPE Faculty Members
From : CAS Office of the College Secretary
Re : CAS Course Evaluation (CASCE) Administration
Date : 20 September 2011
Please be informed that CASCE will be administered to the classes fromSeptember 26 to October 7, 2011. Please get in touch with Ms. Jackie Dellosaat local 334 or e-mail her at [email protected] if there is any problem withthe scheduled survey/s in your class/es.
For your information and action.
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Purpose
Explain a Procedure
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Purpose
Clarify Information
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Purpose
Alerts reader to a
problem
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Purpose
Reminds readers about
a meeting, policy &procedure
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Purpose
To make suggestions
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Purpose
To report on progress
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Parts of the Memo
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Introduction
Intent
Action DesiredE.g. I would like to draw your attention
to the upcoming holiday season.
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Style & Tone of a Memo
Depends on the audience
within the organisationColleagues friendly, cooperativeManagers/Boss- more formal(respect)
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Strategy
Introduction
- Know your reader(s)- Tell readers what
prompted you to write (procedure,
question policy)
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Strategy
Link the first sentence of your memo to your subjectline
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Strategy
Explain briefly any background information thereader needs to know
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Strategy
What kind of actiondesired/expectations
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Body/Discussion
Inform why a problem/procedureis importantIndicate why changes are necessary Give precise dates, times, locationand costs
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Conclusion
Ask readers to call youif they have any
questions
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Conclusion
Request a reply - in writing overthe telephone, via e-mail, or in
person by a specific dateProvide a list of
recommendations that thereaders are to accept, revise or
reject
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How to write a memo
Memos should have thefollowing sections and
content:
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How to write a memo 'To' section containing 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.
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How to write a memo 'From' section containing the name
of the sender. For informal memos,the sender's other name; e.g. 'From:Bill' is enough. For more formalmemos, use the sender's full name.
If the receiver is in anotherdepartment, use the full name andthe department name.
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A 'Date' section. To avoid confusion betweendifferent date systems, write themonth as a word or an
abbreviation; e.g. 'January' or 'Jan'.
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A Subject Heading .
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The message.Unless the memo is a brief note, a well-organised memomessage should contain the following sections:
Situation - an Introduction or the purpose of the memoProblem (optional) - for example: "Since the move to the new office in Kowloon Bay, staff have difficulty in finding a nearby place to buy lunch."Solution (optional) - for example: "Providing a microwave oven inthe pantry would enable staff to bring in their own lunchboxes andreheat their food."
Action - this may be the same as the solution, or be the part of thesolution that the receiver needs to carry out; e.g. "we wouldappreciate it if you could authorise up to $3,000"Politeness - to avoid the receiver refusing to take the action you
want, it is important to end with a polite expression; e.g. "Onceagain, thank you for your support.", or more informally " Thanks.
A S bj t H di
http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/eiw/memos.htmhttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/eiw/memos.htmhttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/eiw/memos.htmhttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/eiw/memos.htmhttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/eiw/subjectheadings.htmhttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/eiw/subjectheadings.htm -
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A Subject Heading .
The message.Unless the memo is a brief note, a well-organised memomessage should contain the following sections:Situation - an Introduction or the purpose of the memo
Problem (optional) - for example: "Since the move to the new office in Kowloon Bay, staff have difficulty in finding a nearby place to buy lunch."Solution (optional) - for example: "Providing a microwave oven inthe pantry would enable staff to bring in their own lunchboxes andreheat their food."
Action - this may be the same as the solution, or be the part of thesolution that the receiver needs to carry out; e.g. "we wouldappreciate it if you could authorise up to $3,000"Politeness - to avoid the receiver refusing to take the action you
want, it is important to end with a polite expression; e.g. "Onceagain, thank you for your support.", or more informally "Thanks".
Signature This is optional.
http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/eiw/subjectheadings.htmhttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/eiw/memos.htmhttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/eiw/memos.htmhttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/eiw/memos.htmhttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/eiw/memos.htmhttp://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CiLL/eiw/subjectheadings.htm -
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MEMORANDUM
To: General ManagerFrom: Samantha Ng, Office ManagerDate: 8 March 2009Subject: Purchase of a Microwave Oven
1. Introduction At the monthly staff meeting on Thursday, 5 March 2009, you
requested information about the possible purchase of a microwaveoven. I would now like to present these details.2. Background
Since the move to the new office in Kowloon Bay, staff havedifficulty in finding a nearby place to buy lunch.
3. Advantages Providing a microwave oven in the pantry would enable staff tobring in their own lunchboxes and reheat their food. Also, staff members are less likely to return to work late after lunch.
4. Staff Opinion A survey found that staff would like to use the microwave oven.
5 Cost
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5. Cost
6. Request If this meets with your approval, we wouldappreciate it if you could authorize up to $3,000for the purchase of the microwave oven.
Samantha Ng
Brand Model Price
Philip M903 $2,800Sharp 6145X $2,600
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MEMO
The meeting on Saturday, 11 April has beenchanged to Room 101.
To: Health & Safety committee
From: John, chairperson, H & S committee
Date: 8th March 2009
Subject: Room changed for next meeting
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Memo plan
HeaderSubject lineOpening paragraph
Supporting details/explanation
Closing
}
}
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Subject line
Probably the most important part of your memosummarize the intent of your memo, e.g.:
Request for assistance with grant project
Consequences of recent material thefts
specific, concise and to the point
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Opening paragraph
Complete summary of your memoprovide:
contexttask/action/requestsummary of the rest of the memo
Best: put your intent into the first sentence
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Parts of a Memo
Opening segment .State the purpose of the memo and identify the
purpose in three parts; the context of theproblem, the particular assignment, and thepurpose of the memo. Identify the exact reasonfor writing the memo and make it clear to the
reader.
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Supporting details/explanation
Maintain a global structure, such as findings implications action itemsarrange facts in a logical orderdon
t provide more detail than necessary use bullet points where appropriate
B d f M
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Body of Memo Task Segment
One essential portion of a memo is the task statement where youshould describe what you are doing to help solve the problem. If the action was requested, your task may be indicated by asentence opening like,"You asked that I look at...."If you want to explain your intentions, you might say,"To determine the best method of promoting the new fall line, I
will...."Include only as much information as is needed by the decision-makers in the context, but be convincing that a real problemexists. Do no ramble on with insignificant details. If you arehaving trouble putting the task into words, consider whether youhave clarified the situation. You may need to do more planning before you're ready to write your memo. Make sure yourpurpose-statement forecast divides your subject into the mostimportant topics that the decision-maker needs.
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Body of the Memo
Summary segment . This segment should provide a brief statementof important suggestions. This will help thereader quickly understand the key points of thememo. The summary can also include links orreferences to sources that you have used in your
research on the issue.
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Body of the memo
Discussion segment .In this segment, include all of the details thatsupport your ideas and recommendations forsolving the problem. You may also choose topropose future problems that may arise anddiscuss how your recommendations ensure these
problems will not occur .
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Closing
If necessary, summarize what you wantrecipient(s) to do.Provide clear instructions, including deadlines
where applicable.Provide further references/contact information
when appropriate.
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Closing segment
Close the memo with a friendly ending thatstates what actions you want the reader to take.Consider the ways that the reader can benefitfrom the information in the memo and how these changes will be advantageous.
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Parts of a Memo
Necessary AttachmentsMake sure you document your findings or providedetailed information whenever necessary. You can do
this by attaching lists, graphs, tables, etc. at the end of your memo. Be sure to refer to your attachments inyour memo and add a notation about what is attachedbelow your closing, like this:
Attached: Focus Group Results, January- May 2007
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Memo writing guide
Write for your audience: Consider education,background, company status,and recipient needs.
d
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Memo writing guide
Informative subjectline: Be upfront andnon-generic as to whatthe memo is about.
d
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Memo writing guide
Write the bottom-line
first: Optimally, thefirst sentence or two
should contain whatyou want the readers toknow or act upon.
i i id
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Memo writing guide
Concise: Check for needless
words; keep the memo toone page or less, and use
attachments or separatesummaries for additionalinformation.
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Coherent: Keep the memostructure simple and logical,limit one idea per paragraph.
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Common language: Keepyour message distilled toaccessible language, noshowing off.
F l T U
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Factual Tone: Use a
neutral or positive tone where applicable, avoidemotionally-charged
words.
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Conclusion: If needed,
add a conclusion, orclosing, to your memo to
reaffirm or summarize thememo's points.
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Formatting: Follow company-specific
guidelines, use shortparagraphs, bullet points,
and strategic placement of details. Utilize memo writing standards.
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Tips for Better Memos
Make a plan first
before writing yourmemo
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Tips for Better Memos
Ensure your message is
as clear as possible
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Tips for Better Memos
Separate the message
into points
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Take time to improve
your presentation
Tips for Better Memos
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Tips for Better Memos
Use numbered points
and sub-headings
F i
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Formatting
Left-alignment for text is standard formemos.Margins should be one-inch.Use single spaces within paragraphs and lists,double-space between sections.
Text is blocked or modified (first line of each
paragraph indented) block, without right-margin justification. Write short paragraphs and use bullet points where applicable.
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Electronic Mail (E-mail)
Used in most business organizations.Because of the ease of creating and the speed of sending, email messages have partially replacedthe memo and the letter.Delivery of an e-mail message takes place withinminutes, whether the receiver is in the samebuilding or in a location anywhere in the world.
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How to format an E-Mail
E-Mail format is similar to a memo format.E-Mail Heading
includes the same information as the memo TOFROMDATE
SUBJECT
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How to format an E-Mail
E-Mail Heading (Cont.)Cc: line for sending a copy of the message toadditional individuals
Bcc: line for sending a copy of the message tosomeone without the receiver knowing. Attachment: line for attaching files to the e-mailmessage.
How Body should be spacedParagraphs begin at left margin.
All paragraphs are single spaced
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