DHURAKIJ PUNDIT UNIVERSITY

Faculty of Arts – Department of English AJ. MARK B. CARACE

Nonthaburi, Thailand Instructor

WRITING AN
LESSON 5
INTEROFFICE MEMOS
A. What do you expect to learn from the topic?

Learning Objectives:
At the end of the session, students are expected to:
a. Understand the concepts of memo
b. Write memos in practice
c. Develop skills in writing a memo

B. What do you expect to learn from the topic?

What is memos?

Memos (short for memorandum in singular or memoranda in plural) are an efficient way
of interoffice communication. They present information in a way that allows the recipient to be
aware of the important details of a situation without going into too much detail. Memos are
usually a page long, if not shorter. Very likely, a memo that is long will not convey a brief
message and will not be read by the recipient.

Memorandum, usually shortened to memo, is a Latin word for “something to be

remembered.” The Latin meaning points to the memo’s chief function: to record information of
immediate importance and interest in the busy world of work. Memos are brief and informal
but can contain official announcements that serve a variety of functions, including:

 making an announcement
 providing instructions
 clarifying a policy, procedure, or issue
 changing a policy or procedure
 alerting employees to a problem or issue
 delegating responsibilities
 making a request
 offering suggestions or recommendations
 providing a record of an important matter
 confirming an outcome

Memos are usually written for an in-house audience, although the memo format can be
used for documents sent outside a company, such as short reports or proposals or for cover
notes for longer reports. Memos keep track of what jobs are done where, when, and by whom;
they also report on any difficulties, delays, or cancellations and what your company or
organization needs to do about correcting or eliminating them.

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 DHURAKIJ PUNDIT UNIVERSITY
Faculty of Arts – Department of English AJ. MARK B. CARACE
Nonthaburi, Thailand Instructor

Here are some typical uses of memos:

 to inform others about new or changed policy, procedures, organizational details
 to announce meetings, events, changes
 to present decisions, directives, proposals, briefings
 to transmit documents (internal)

Memo Parts

Basically, the memo consists of two parts: the identifying information at the top and the
message itself. The identifying information includes these easily recognized parts: To, From,
Date, and Subject lines.

TO: Aileen Kelly, Chief Computer Analyst

FROM: Stacy Kaufman, Operator, Level II
DATE: January 30, 2012
SUBJECT: Progress report on the fall schedule

You can use a memo template in your word processing program that will list these
headings, as follows, to save time.

TO: (Enter recipient’s name here.)

FROM: Thin Ong
DATE: October 4, 2011
SUBJECT: (Enter subject here.)

 On the To line, type the name and job title of the individual(s) who will receive your
memo or a copy of it. If your memo is going to more than one reader, make sure you list
your readers in the order of their status in your company or agency, as Mike Gonzalez
does in Figure 3.3 (according to company policy the vice president’s name appears
before that of the public relations director). If you are on a first-name basis with the
reader, use just his or her first name, as in Figure 3.1. Otherwise, include the reader’s
first and last names.

 On the From line, type your name (use your first name only if that is how your reader
refers to you, as in Figure 3.1) and your job title (unless it is unnecessary for your
reader). Some writers handwrite their initials after their typed name to verify that the
message comes from them.

 On the Subject line, key in the purpose of your memo. The subject line serves as the
title of your memo; it summarizes your message. Vague subject lines, such as “New
Policy,” “Operating Difficulties,” or “Shareware,” do not identify your message precisely
and may suggest that your message is not carefully restricted or developed. Note how
Mike Gonzalez’s subject line in Figure 3.3 is so much more precise than just saying
“Community Involvement.”

 On the Date line, do not simply name the day of the week—Friday. Give the full
calendar date—June 3, 2011.

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 DHURAKIJ PUNDIT UNIVERSITY
Faculty of Arts – Department of English AJ. MARK B. CARACE
Nonthaburi, Thailand Instructor

Questions Your Memo Needs to Answer for Readers

Here are some key questions your audience may ask and that your memo needs to answer
clearly and concisely:

1. When? When did it happen? Is it on, ahead of, or behind schedule? When does it need
to be discussed or implemented? When is answered in Figures 3.1 (“November 7,” “in
the next day or two”), 3.2 (“during the past two weeks,” “after each use”), and 3.3 (“in
early February,” “before the end of the month”).

2. Who? Who is involved? Who will be affected by your message? How many people are
involved? Who is answered in Figures 3.1 (Jackie Chen), 3.2 (all machine shop
employees), and 3.3 (Ramco Technologies as a whole).

3. Where? Where did it take place or will it take place? Where is answered in Figures 3.1
(the website seminar), 3.2 (the machine shop), and 3.3 (the Mayfield plant).

4. Why? Why is it an important topic? Why is clearly answered in Figures 3.1 (because
the website is being redesigned), 3.2 (because it’s a safety issue), and 3.3 (because
favorable publicity could result).

5. Costs? How much will it cost? Will the costs be lower or higher than a competitor’s
costs? Not every memo will answer financial questions, but in Figure 3.3, the specific
cost of an individual scholarship ($6,800) is an important issue.

6. Technology? What technology is involved? Why is the technology needed? Is the

technology available, current, adaptable, and safe for the environment? Again, not
every one of your memos will answer questions about technology, but note that Figures
3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 all especially refer to technological issues—web design, equipment
safety, robots.

7. What’s next? What are the next steps that should be taken as a result of the issues
discussed in the memo? What are the implications for the product, service, budget, and
staff? A good example of this is in Figure 3.3 (the company needs to implement the
change before the new plant opens).

MEMO PROTOCOL AND COMPANY POLITICS

Memos reflect a company’s image—its politics, policies, and organization. Note how
Janet Hempstead’s memo in Figure 3.2 reminds workers about a crucial safety policy at
Dearborn Equipment Company. A company’s logo may even appear on the top, as in Figures
3.2 and 3.3. These memos reflect the company’s corporate culture and interests and the ways
in which they build employee morale and encourage productivity.

Regardless of where you work, your employer will expect your memos to be timely
(don’t wait until the day of a meeting to announce it), professional, and tactful. Just because a
memo is an informal, in-house communication does not mean you can be gruff, curt, or bossy.

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 DHURAKIJ PUNDIT UNIVERSITY
Faculty of Arts – Department of English AJ. MARK B. CARACE
Nonthaburi, Thailand Instructor

Politeness and diplomacy count a lot at work. Learning effective memo writing is vital to
your success in any organization. Most companies have their own memo protocol—accepted
ways in which in-house communications are formatted, organized, written, and routed. In the
corporate world, protocol determines where your memo will go. Know your
company’s/department’s chain of command, and use common sense. Don’t send copies of
memos to people who don’t need them (it wastes paper and unnecessarily wastes the time of
those who don’t need to see them) or to high-ranking company personnel instead of your
immediate supervisor, who may think you are going over his or her head. Respect your boss’s,
or department’s, routing list.

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 DHURAKIJ PUNDIT UNIVERSITY
Faculty of Arts – Department of English AJ. MARK B. CARACE
Nonthaburi, Thailand Instructor

EN 331: Language Communication at Work 5|Page

 DHURAKIJ PUNDIT UNIVERSITY
Faculty of Arts – Department of English AJ. MARK B. CARACE
Nonthaburi, Thailand Instructor

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 DHURAKIJ PUNDIT UNIVERSITY
Faculty of Arts – Department of English AJ. MARK B. CARACE
Nonthaburi, Thailand Instructor

MEMO STYLE AND TONE

The audience within your company will determine your memo’s style and tone. When
writing to a co-worker whom you know well, you can adopt a casual, conversational tone. You
want to be seen as friendly and cooperative. In fact, to do otherwise would make you look self-
important, stuffy, or hard to work with. Consider the friendly tone appropriate for one colleague
writing to another as in Roger’s memo to Lucy in Figure 3.1. Note how he ends in a polite but
informal way.
When writing a memo to a manager, though, you will want to use a more formal tone
than you would when communicating with a co-worker or peer. Your boss will expect you to
show a more respectful, even official, posture. See how formal yet conversationally persuasive
Mike Gonzalez’s memo to his bosses is in Figure 3.3. His tone and style are a reflection of his
hard work as well as his respect for his employers.

Here are two ways of expressing the same message, the first more suitable when writing to a
co-worker and the second more appropriate for a memo to the boss.

Co-worker: I think we should go ahead with Marisol’s plan for reorganization. It seems
like a safe option to me, and I don’t think we can lose.

Boss: I think that we should adopt the organizational plan developed by Marisol Vega.
Her recommendations are carefully researched and persuasively answer the questions
our department has about solving the problem.

When an employer writes to workers informing them about policies or procedures, as Janet
Hempstead does in Figure 3.2, the tone of the memo is official and straightforward. Yet even
so, Hempstead takes into account her readers’ feelings (she does not blame) and safety,
which are at the forefront of her rhetorical purpose.

Finally, remember that your employer and co-workers deserve the same clear and concise
writing and attention to the “you attitude” that your customers do.

Strategies for Organizing a Memo

Organize your memos so that readers can find information quickly and act on it promptly. For
longer, more complex communications, such as the memos in Figures 3.2 and 3.3, your
message might be divided into three parts: (1) introduction, (2) body or discussion, and (3)
conclusion. Regardless of how short or long your memo is, recall the three P’s for success—
plan what you are going to say; polish what you wrote before you send it; and proofread
everything.

Introduction

The introduction of your memo should do the following:

 Tell readers clearly about the issue, policy, or problem that prompted you to write.
 Explain briefly any background information the reader needs to know.
 Be specific about what you are going to solve a problem.

EN 331: Language Communication at Work 7|Page

 DHURAKIJ PUNDIT UNIVERSITY
Faculty of Arts – Department of English AJ. MARK B. CARACE
Nonthaburi, Thailand Instructor

Do not hesitate to come right out and say, “This memo explains new password security
procedures” or “This memo summarizes the action taken in Evansville to reduce air pollution.”

Body (Discussion)

In the body, or discussion section, of your memo, help readers in these ways:
 State why a problem, procedure, or decision is important; who will be affected by it; and
what the consequences are.
 Indicate why and what changes are necessary.
 Give precise dates, times, locations, and costs.

See how Janet Hempstead’s memo in Figure 3.2 carefully describes an existing problem and
explains the proper procedure for cleaning the brake machines.

Conclusion
In your conclusion, state specifically how you want the reader to respond to your
memo. To get readers to act appropriately, you can do one or more of the following:
 Ask readers to call you if they have any questions, as in Figure 3.2.
 Request a reply—in writing, over the telephone, via e-mail, or in person—by a specific
date, as in Figures 3.1 and 3.3.
 Provide a list of recommendations that readers are to accept, revise, or reject,as in
Figure 3.3.

Memo Style

 Concise: Make your

sentences,
paragraph, and
overall memo as
brief and as focused
as possible.
 Clear: Get your
purpose straight
before you start,
then plan what you
want to say and in
what order. Use your
memo layout to help
your reader
(headings, bulleted
lists, white space, as
appropriate).
 Direct: Speak
directly to your reader, as you would in person or on the phone. Do not pad your ideas
with unnecessary details. Think of what questions your reader wants answered, and
then answer them.
 Clean: Reread, revise, copyedit, and proofread.

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