The 5-Step-Plan for

writing
memos
and
letters.
A memo is:
a hard-copy (sent on paper) document
 used for communicating inside an organization
 usually short
 contains To, From, Date, Subject Headings and
Message sections
 does not need to be signed, but sometimes has the
sender's name at the bottom to be more friendly, or
the sender's full name to be more formal. If in
doubt, follow your company style.
Why write memos?
Memos are useful in situations where
e-mails or text messages are not
suitable. For example, if you are
sending an object, such as a book or
a paper that needs to be signed,
through internal office mail, you can
use a memo as a covering note to
explain what the receiver should do.
Overview: The 5 steps
 1: Read the question – What is my task?
 2: Decide on layout
 3: Constructing content (paragraphs, styles)
 4: Organise content (sequence)
 5: Check your memo for mistakes
Step 1: What is my task?
 Read the question carefully and find out what you
have been asked for.
 There must not be any irrelevant information in
your memo.
 Write answers that are closely related to the
question you have been asked by the sender.
Step 2: The Layout
 Firstwrite “Memo” as your title in the middle on top
of your page.
 Include “To” (who should get the memo?)
 “From” (who sent the memo?)
 Subject (what is the memo about?)
 Date
 MEMO

TO: _____________________________________________

FROM: __________________________________________

SUBJECT: _______________________________________

DATE: __________________________________________

_________________________CONTENT________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
________
 Step 3: The Content
 Memos are meant to be read quickly.
 Therefore, content has to be concise but precise in
its message.
 Mark and note down the important key facts in
situation and task – at the moment there is no need
to order (sequence) the items.
Step 4: Organizing content
 How can you order your items so they convey a
logical and precise message?
 Could you link key points together?
 Which points should come first, which last?
 What should be first and others paragraph about?
Format of the Memo
Paragraphing
Font size and style
Space between lines
Listings
Other graphic devices
Enclosing something (more adequate
for letters)
Step 5: Checking your letter
Check with the task: All relevant
points are written? In a logical order?
Is style and tone appropriate?
Is the layout ok?
Can it be read “fluently”?
Use dictionary: spelling, grammar
Have I copied names, addresses etc.
correctly?
How to write a memo
 A '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.

 A 'From' section containing the name of the sender. For informal

memos, the sender's other name; e.g. 'From: Bill' is enough. For
more formal memos, use the sender'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.
 A 'Date' section. To avoid confusion between the British and American date systems, write
the month as a word or an abbreviation; e.g. 'January' or 'Jan'.
 A Subject Heading.
 The message.
Unless the memo is a brief note, a well-organized memo message 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 in the pantry would enable
staff to bring in their own lunchboxes and reheat their food."
◦ Action - this may be the same as the solution, or be the part of the solution that the receiver
needs to carry out; e.g. "we would appreciate it if you could authorize 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. "Once again, thank you for your support.", or more informally
"Thanks".
Example Memos