4. Why learn about writing memos?
• Important form of corporate
communication
• Clear and concise communication of
complex subjects
• Writing style and approach applicable to
other communications, such as email
5. Purpose of a memo
• “solve problems” by:
– informing
– persuading
– refuting
– arguing
– analyzing
– …
• Recipients: one person, several
persons, one or more groups, a whole
community
6. Purpose of a memo
• “solve problems” by:
– informing
– persuading
– refuting
– arguing
– analyzing
– …
• Recipients: one person, several
persons, one or more groups, a whole
community
7. Functions of Memos
Announcing a company policy or plan
Changing a policy or procedure
Offering information (FYI)
Setting an agenda
Making a request
Explaining a procedure or giving
instructions
Clarifying or summarizing an issue
8. Functions of Memos
Alerting readers to a problem or a deadline
Confirming the outcome of a conversation
Calling a meeting
Reminding readers about a
meeting, policy, or procedure
Circulating minutes of a meeting
9. Functions of Memos
Providing documentation
Providing suggestions or
recommendations
Documenting, for your own
protection, what you did or did not do
Summarizing a long report or proposal
Congratulating a co-worker
Resigning your post
10. General rules
• Keep your audience in mind.
• Follow a structure.
• Follow an outline.
• Get to the point early.
• Revising is easier than writing perfectly the first
time.
• Follow style guides and writing manuals.
12. Header
• To: recipient (individual or
group)
• From: you/office
• CC: more recipient(s)
• Date:
• Use correct names/designations for recipients.
• Include titles when appropriate, for all recipients
when possible.
13. • The identifying information includes the
following lines
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 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
14. Memo Protocol and Company Politics
• Regardless of where you work, your
employer will expect your memos to be
timely, professional, and tactful
• Most companies have their own memo
protocol
– Accepted ways in which in-house
communications are
formatted, organized, written, and routed
15. 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
16. 4–16
Memo Style and Tone
• The style and tone of your memo will be
controlled by the audience within your
company or agency
– 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
17. Subject line
• Probably the most important part of your
memo.
• Summarize the intent of your memo, e.g.:
– “Request for assistance with grant project”
– “Consequences of recent material thefts”
• Specific, concise and to the point
18. Opening paragraph
• Complete summary of your memo
• provide:
– context
– task/action/request
– summary of the rest of the memo
• Best: put your intent into the first sentence
19. Supporting
details/explanation
• Maintain a global structure, such as
findings implications action items
• Arrange facts in a logical order
• Don’t provide more detail than necessary
• Use bullet points where appropriate
• Use correct structure bullet points
20. Closing
• If necessary, summarize what you want
recipient(s) to do.
• Provide clear instructions, including
deadlines where applicable.
• Provide further references/contact
information when appropriate.
21. Memos, Faxes, and E-Mails
1. Each is streamlined for the busy world of
work.
2. They give busy readers information fast.
3. Even though they are routine, they still
demand a great deal of your thought and
time.
22. Strategies for Organizing a Memo
1. Introduction
– Tell readers clearly about what prompted you to write
– Explain briefly any background information needed
– Be specific
2. Discussion
– 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
– Request a reply by a specific date
– Provide a list of recommendations
– Ask readers to call if they have questions
23. 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 and thereby comprehend your ideas more
quickly
• 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
HeadingBulleted
List
Underlining
25. E-Mail
• E-mail is easy and immediate.
• Should not replace formal letters
• You can send a variety of documents via e-mail.
– Memos
– Correspondence
– Pictures
– Video clips
– Soundbites
– Various tables, lists, and statistical files
26. Business E-Mail versus
Personal E-Mail
• Employers own their Internal e-mail
systems and thus have the right to monitor
what you write and to whom
• Any e-mail at work can be
saved, stored, forwarded, and most
significantly, intercepted
Always remember that your e-mail could be forwarded to people
you did not intend to send it to
27. Guidelines for Using E-Mail
• Make sure your e-mail is confidential and
ethical
• Observe all the proprietary requirements
when using e-mail
• Follow all the rules of “Netiquette” when
answering e-mail
• Use an acceptable format
• Adopt a professional style
• Insure that your e-mail is secure
28. E-Mail versus Memos or Letters
E-Mail Memo Letter
Brief messages X X
Informal X X
Formal X
Legal record X X
Relaxed tone X X
Confidential material X X
Multiple pages X
Reports X X
In-house messages X X
Proofreading X X X
Notas del editor
Custom animation effects: text rebound(Intermediate)To reproduce the text effects on this slide, do the following:On the Home tab, in the Slides group, click Layout, and then click Blank.On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click TextBox. Drag to draw a text box on the slide.In the text box, enter text and select it. On the Home tab, in the Font group, do the following:In the Font list, select Corbel.In the FontSize box, enter 50. Click Bold.On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Center. Select the text box on the slide. Under DrawingTools, on the Format tab, in the WordArtStyles group, click MoreWordArt, and then under Appliesto All Text in Shape click Fill - Accent 1, Plastic Bevel, Reflection (first row, fifth option from the left).To reproduce the animation effects on this slide, do the following:On the View tab, in the Zoom group, click Zoom, and then in the Zoom dialog box, select 66%. On the Animations tab, in the Animations group, click CustomAnimation. On the slide, select the text box. In the CustomAnimation task pane, do the following:Click AddEffect, point to Entrance, and then click MoreEffects. In the AddEntranceEffects dialog box, under Subtle, click Fade.Select the animation effect (fade effect for the text box). Under Modify: Fade,do the following:In the Start list, select WithPrevious.In the Speed list, select Fast. Click AddEffect, point to MotionPath, point to DrawCustomPath, and then click Freeform. Press and hold SHIFT, and then do the following to draw the freeform line on the slide: Click the first point in the center of the text box.Click the second point on the right edge of the text box.Double-click the third and final point 2” beyond the left edge of the slide.In the Custom Animation task pane, select the custom path effect. Under Modify: Custom Path,do the following:In the Start list, select WithPrevious.In the Speed list, select Medium. On the slide, right-click the motion path on the slide, and select ReversePathDirection.To reproduce the background effects on this slide, do the following:Right-click the slide background area, and then click Format Background. In the Format Background dialog box, click Fill in the left pane, select Gradient fill in the Fill pane, and then do the following:In the Type list, select Radial.Click the button next to Direction, and then click From Center (first row, second option from the left). Under Gradient stops, click Add or Remove until two stops appear in the drop-down list.Also under Gradient stops, customize the gradient stops that you added as follows:Select Stop 1 from the list, and then do the following:In the Stop position box, enter 0%.Click the button next to Color, and then under ThemeColors click White, Background 1 (first row, first option from the left). Select Stop 2 from the list, and then do the following: In the Stop position box, enter 100%.Click the button next to Color, click MoreColors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 200, Green: 209, and Blue: 218.
Custom animation effects: dotted line with text fade by letter(Basic)To reproduce the text effects on this slide, do the following:On the Home tab, in the Slides group, click Layout, and then click Blank.On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click Text Box, and then on the slide, drag to draw a text box that spans the entire width of the slide.On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click Symbol. In the Symbol dialog box, do the following:In the Font list, select (normal text).In the Subset list, select General Punctuation.In the Character Code box, enter 2022 to select BULLET, and then click Insert.Click Insert 33 more times until there is a row of 34 bullets in the text box. In the text box, select the text, and then on the Home tab, in the Font group do the following:In the Font list, select ArialBlack.In the FontSize list, select 44.Click the arrow next to FontColor, and then under ThemeColors click White, Background 1 (first row, first option from the left).On the Home tab, in the Drawing group, click Arrange, point to Align, and then do the following:Click Align to Slide.Click AlignCenter.Click AlignMiddle.On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click TextBox. Drag to draw a text box on the slide.Enter and select the text. On the Home tab, in the Font group, do the following:In the Font list, select Corbel.In the FontSize box, enter 50.Click the arrow next to FontColor, and then under ThemeColors click White, Background 1 (first row, first option from the left).Click Bold.With the text still selected, on the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Center.Select the second text box. On the Home tab, in the Drawing group, click Arrange, point to Align, and then do the following:Click Align to Slide.Click AlignCenter.Click AlignMiddle.To reproduce the background effects on this slide, do the following:Right-click the slide background area, and then click Format Background. In the Format Background dialog box, click Fill in the left pane, select Gradient fill in the Fill pane, and then do the following:In the Type list, select Radial.Click the button next to Direction, and then click From Center (third option from the left). Under Gradient stops, click Add or Remove until two stops appear in the drop-down list.Also under Gradient stops, customize the gradient stops that you added as follows:Select Stop 1 from the list, and then do the following:In the Stop position box, enter 0%.Click the button next to Color, and then under ThemeColors select Blue, Accent 1, Darker 25% (fifth row, fifth option from the left). Select Stop 2 from the list, and then do the following: In the Stop position box, enter 100%.Click the button next to Color, and then under ThemeColors select Black, Text 1 (first row, second option from the left). To reproduce the animation effects on this slide, do the following:On the Animations tab, in the Animations group, click CustomAnimation. On the slide, select the first text box. In the CustomAnimation task pane, do the following:Click AddEffect, point to Entrance, and then click MoreEffects. In the AddEntrance Effect dialog box, under Basic, click Fly In.Select the animation effect (fly-in effect for the first text box). Click the arrow to the right of the selected effect, and then click EffectOptions. In the Fly In dialog box, do the following:On the Effect tab, do the following:In the Direction list, select FromLeft.In the Animatetext list, select ByLetter.In the % delay between letters box, enter 10.On the Timing tab, do the following:In the Start list, select WithPrevious.In the Speed list, select 0.5 seconds (Very Fast).On the slide, select the first text box. In the CustomAnimation task pane, do the following:Click AddEffect, point to Exit, and then click MoreEffects. In the Add Exit Effect dialog box, under Subtle, click Fade. Select the second animation effect (fade effect for the first text box). Click the arrow to the right of the selected effect, and then click EffectOptions. In the Fade dialog box, do the following:On the Effect tab, do the following:In the Animatetext list, select ByLetter.In the % delay between letters box, enter 10.On the Timing tab, do the following:In the Start list, select WithPrevious.In the Delay box, enter 1.5.In the Speed list, select 0.5 seconds (Very Fast).On the slide, select the second text box. In the CustomAnimation task pane, do the following.Click AddEffect, point to Entrance, and then click MoreEffects. In the AddEntranceEffect dialog box, under Subtle, click Fade.Select the third animation effect (fade effect for the second text box). Click the arrow to the right of the selected effect, and then click EffectOptions. In the Fade dialog box, do the following:On the Effect tab, do the following:In the Animatetext list, select ByLetter.In the % delay between letters box, enter 6.On the Timing tab, do the following:In the Start list, select WithPrevious.In the Delay box,enter 2.In the Speed list, select 0.5 seconds (Very Fast).
Custom animation effects: dotted line with text fade by letter(Basic)To reproduce the text effects on this slide, do the following:On the Home tab, in the Slides group, click Layout, and then click Blank.On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click Text Box, and then on the slide, drag to draw a text box that spans the entire width of the slide.On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click Symbol. In the Symbol dialog box, do the following:In the Font list, select (normal text).In the Subset list, select General Punctuation.In the Character Code box, enter 2022 to select BULLET, and then click Insert.Click Insert 33 more times until there is a row of 34 bullets in the text box. In the text box, select the text, and then on the Home tab, in the Font group do the following:In the Font list, select ArialBlack.In the FontSize list, select 44.Click the arrow next to FontColor, and then under ThemeColors click White, Background 1 (first row, first option from the left).On the Home tab, in the Drawing group, click Arrange, point to Align, and then do the following:Click Align to Slide.Click AlignCenter.Click AlignMiddle.On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click TextBox. Drag to draw a text box on the slide.Enter and select the text. On the Home tab, in the Font group, do the following:In the Font list, select Corbel.In the FontSize box, enter 50.Click the arrow next to FontColor, and then under ThemeColors click White, Background 1 (first row, first option from the left).Click Bold.With the text still selected, on the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Center.Select the second text box. On the Home tab, in the Drawing group, click Arrange, point to Align, and then do the following:Click Align to Slide.Click AlignCenter.Click AlignMiddle.To reproduce the background effects on this slide, do the following:Right-click the slide background area, and then click Format Background. In the Format Background dialog box, click Fill in the left pane, select Gradient fill in the Fill pane, and then do the following:In the Type list, select Radial.Click the button next to Direction, and then click From Center (third option from the left). Under Gradient stops, click Add or Remove until two stops appear in the drop-down list.Also under Gradient stops, customize the gradient stops that you added as follows:Select Stop 1 from the list, and then do the following:In the Stop position box, enter 0%.Click the button next to Color, and then under ThemeColors select Blue, Accent 1, Darker 25% (fifth row, fifth option from the left). Select Stop 2 from the list, and then do the following: In the Stop position box, enter 100%.Click the button next to Color, and then under ThemeColors select Black, Text 1 (first row, second option from the left). To reproduce the animation effects on this slide, do the following:On the Animations tab, in the Animations group, click CustomAnimation. On the slide, select the first text box. In the CustomAnimation task pane, do the following:Click AddEffect, point to Entrance, and then click MoreEffects. In the AddEntrance Effect dialog box, under Basic, click Fly In.Select the animation effect (fly-in effect for the first text box). Click the arrow to the right of the selected effect, and then click EffectOptions. In the Fly In dialog box, do the following:On the Effect tab, do the following:In the Direction list, select FromLeft.In the Animatetext list, select ByLetter.In the % delay between letters box, enter 10.On the Timing tab, do the following:In the Start list, select WithPrevious.In the Speed list, select 0.5 seconds (Very Fast).On the slide, select the first text box. In the CustomAnimation task pane, do the following:Click AddEffect, point to Exit, and then click MoreEffects. In the Add Exit Effect dialog box, under Subtle, click Fade. Select the second animation effect (fade effect for the first text box). Click the arrow to the right of the selected effect, and then click EffectOptions. In the Fade dialog box, do the following:On the Effect tab, do the following:In the Animatetext list, select ByLetter.In the % delay between letters box, enter 10.On the Timing tab, do the following:In the Start list, select WithPrevious.In the Delay box, enter 1.5.In the Speed list, select 0.5 seconds (Very Fast).On the slide, select the second text box. In the CustomAnimation task pane, do the following.Click AddEffect, point to Entrance, and then click MoreEffects. In the AddEntranceEffect dialog box, under Subtle, click Fade.Select the third animation effect (fade effect for the second text box). Click the arrow to the right of the selected effect, and then click EffectOptions. In the Fade dialog box, do the following:On the Effect tab, do the following:In the Animatetext list, select ByLetter.In the % delay between letters box, enter 6.On the Timing tab, do the following:In the Start list, select WithPrevious.In the Delay box,enter 2.In the Speed list, select 0.5 seconds (Very Fast).
