Course Code: Lecture # 7

HU-111L Ms. Rabia Shaukat

E-mail: hayat.ujala@gmail.com
Memorandum

Latin: Bring to remembrance

Type of informal report

Used for communication within an organization

Memorandum differ from letters

First, memorandum are internal correspondence,

written by employees in a company to employees in the
same company. Letters, in contrast, are external
correspondence, written from within a company to
outside vendors, clients, or colleagues.

Secondly, memorandum have a different format than

the letter Essential components.
Memorandum

 Basics
• Interoffice communication
• Without formal salutations and closing remarks
• Used as a covering note
• Cardinal Rule:
o All important information must appear on the first page
Memorandum

 Key Points
Avoid personal statements

Professional tone

Easy to understand language

Conciseness and clarity should go in line with adequate

development of thought

5
Memorandum

 Purpose [1/2]
• Important to decide whether memo is the best medium for
interaction compared with all other means
• Recording and relaying Information
o Statement written by higher authorities for the purpose of
sharing information
o Meeting minutes
o Due dates
• Persuasion (making brief appeals)
• Reaction/Feedback
Memorandum

 Purpose [2/2]
• Builds good relationship
• Establishes accountability
• Motivates employees
• Issues a directive
• Provide a report
Memorandum

 Audience Analysis
• Typical Audience:
o Co-workers and colleagues  focus on the main point
• Separate department:
o Less familiar  provide a detailed background
• Always good to provide a context
Memorandum

 Guidelines and Tips [1/2]

• Clear subject line
• State your purpose in the first paragraph
• Summarize any potential objections
• Keep paragraphs short
• Use subheads between paragraph groups
• Use bulleted and numbered lists
• Request action
Memorandum

 Guidelines and Tips [2/2]

• Include as much information as necessary
• Be concise but convincing
• Include lists, charts and graphs at the end
o Mention how these attachments are important
Memorandum

 Types
• Information Memo
• Problem Solving Memo
• Persuasion Memo
• Internal Memo Proposal
• Directive Memo
• Response to an Inquiry Memo
• Trip Report Memo
• Field Report/Lab Report Memo
Memorandum

 Format (Outer Frame) [1/2]

1. Memos have one-inch margins around the page .
2. All lines of the memo begin at the left margin.
3. The text begins two spaces after the subject line.
4. The body of the memo is single-spaced, with two spaces between
paragraphs.
5. The sender usually signs the memo using initials, first name, or
complete name.
Memorandum

 Format (Outer Frame) [2/2]

• Be aware of the practices of addressing and distributing memos in
your organization.
• Consider who should receive and in what order — senior managers,
for example, take precedence over junior managers.
• If rank does not apply, alphabetizing recipients by last name is safe.
• Organization name, usually contained in the letterhead.
• Electronic copies of memos should not include simulated initials.
Memorandum

 Additional Pages
• In case of a memo of more than one page, use a header, carry at
least two lines of the body text over to that page.
• The header should include either the recipient’s name or an
abbreviated subject line, the page number, and the date.
• Place the header in the upper left-hand corner or across the page.
Memorandum

 Structure (Inner Frame)

I. Heading
II. Opening
III. Discussion
IV. Closing
V. Summary
Memorandum

 I. Heading
• To: (readers' names and job titles)
o For informal memos, the receiver's given name, e.g., 'To: Andy' is
enough.
o 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.
o If you are sending the memo to several people, list them after “To”.
o If the list is longer than a dozen names, place it at the end of the
memo and reference it on the “To” line.
Memorandum

 I. Heading
• From: (your name and job title)
o The writer's name and professional title go after this heading.
o A 'From' section containing the name of the sender.
o For informal memos, the sender’s first name, e.g., 'From: Bill' is
enough.
o For more formal memos, use the sender's full name.
o 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.
Memorandum

 I. Heading
• Date: (Month day, year)
o Dating a memo gives the organization a record of its correspondence.
o To avoid confusion between the British and American date systems,
write the month as a word or an abbreviation; e.g. 'January' or 'Jan’.
• Subject: ((typed in all capitals) provides your audience two things:
a topic and a focus)
o State the topic in a few words (Should be 10 words or less) but make
sure it communicates the point of the memo. E.g., “Changes in
Employee Medical Benefits” is more specific than “Employee Benefits
Program”.
o Is NOT a sentence - it is a long title.
o Note: The order and placement of these headings may vary from
organization to organization. The “To” line eliminates the need for a
salutation, e.g., “Dear Mrs. Bernstein”.
Memorandum

 Subject Line
• First line of communication.
• Includes a topic and a focus.

Example:

Subject: Request for Month-end Expenditures

Focus Topic
Memorandum
 Memorandum

For example, a successful subject line would read as follows

Subject: VACATION SCHEDULE FOR ACCOUNTANTS

• Accountants is the topic of the memo; vacation schedule is the focus.
• The focus aids communication more than the topic. The topic of a memo, for
instance, can stay the same, while the focus changes.
• Look at the following examples:
Subject: SALARY INCREASE FOR ACCOUNTANTS
Subject: TERMINATION OF ACCOUNTANTS
• In each of these instances, the topic stays the same: Accountants.
• Notice, then, how important the focus comments are.
• We see a huge difference between salary increases, vacation schedules, and
termination.
• In addition to the identification lines, memos are initialed next to the From line.
Memorandum

 II. Opening
Three parts:
1. The context and problem
2. The specific assignment or task
3. The purpose of the memo.
Memorandum

 II. Opening
• The context
Event, circumstance, or background of the problem you are solving. You
may use An opening sentence, such as, “As Jane recommended, I reviewed
the office reorganization plan“ Include only what your reader needs, but be
sure it is clear
The context
Memorandum

 II. Opening
• Task
Describe what you are doing to help solve the problem.

 If the action was requested, your task may be indicated by a sentence

opening like, "You asked that I look at...."
 If you want to explain your intentions, you might say, "To determine the
best method of controlling the percentage of rat extremities, I will...."
Memorandum

 II. Opening
• Purpose statement
Are you announcing a meeting, welcoming a new employee, or asking
for input on adopting a new policy about lunch hour length?
Memorandum

 III. Discussion
In the discussion segment, give details about the problem, Don't
ramble on incessantly, but do give enough information for
decision makers to resolve the problem. Describe the task or
assignment with details that support your opening paragraph
(problem).
Memorandum

 IV. Closing
 Close with a courteous ending that states what action you want your
reader to take.
 Make sure you consider how the reader will benefit from the desired
actions and how you can make those actions easier.
Memorandum

 IV. Summary
If your memo is longer than a page, you may want to include a separate
summary segment. This part provides a brief statement of the
recommendations you have reached. These will help your reader understand
the key points of the memo immediately.
Thank you