Memos

1
Memos

• Format, Design and
• The Memo Assignment

2
Appearance

• How should a memo look?
• Sample Engineering Memo

3
Appearance

• Never use a Salutation or a Complimentary
  Closing
• (Dear Mom, Sirs, To Whom It May Concern)
  (Love, John Sincerely, Mona)
• Use a complete heading with written intials
  following your name
• MEMO
• To Jeni DiSalvo
• From Joe Student JS
• Date 28 September 00
• Subject Personal Information

4
Appearance

• Use Block Format for Memos
• Single-spaced
• No indents for new paragraphs
• Double-spaced between paragraphs

5
Content

• The First Paragraph should identify content
• Bottom-line statement should be in the
  beginning (first paragraph)
• This memo contains information you have
  requested regarding my academic career, my chosen
  profession, and my personal interests. I am an
  adventurous person, and my career choices will
  reflect that nature.

6
Content

• Identify any and all attachments
• (in the bottom, left corner of the page)
• Attachment Grocery List

7
Approach

• Identify your audience
• Create a usable document
• Easy to read
• Easy to identify information

8
Approach

• Easy to Read and Identify Information
• Create sections with headers and subheads
• Use bulleted lists
• Be concise
• Be coherent (complex sentences and paragraphs
  slow readers down)
• Proofread your work (or have someone else
  proofread for you)

9
Approach

• Use your Audience Analysis
• Use a conclusion or summary only if you are
  making recommendations or requests
• Use proper grammar, sentence structure and
  punctuation
• Limit memos to one page,
• But if you must have a second page, dont
  use heading material

10
Another Look

• Sample Solicited Memo