Writing Memoranda

Lesson 7
Memo
• Is a short official note that is sent by
one person to another within the same
company or organization to remind
the recipient.
Memos
• Is used to inform or persuade people within a
certain organization.
• It is a tool for internal communication.
• Follows an inverted pyramid structure.

Most important
Information

Supporting Data
& Examples

Least
Important
Information
 Five types of Memo
1. Instruction Memo – calls for action since it conveys
directives to the readers. E.g. annual check-up
2. Request Memo – asks the readers to provide
certain information or take a particular action. E.g.
request of fund
3. Announcement Memo – provides information
about an event, person or thing. E.g. meeting
announcement
4. Transmittal Memo – serves as a cover note for a
more extensive enclosed document. E.g. annual
report transmittal to the BOD
5. Authorization Memo – gives permission. E.g. memo
allowing an employee to take a leave of absence.
Memorandum vs. Letter
Characteristics Memorandum Letter
Destination Internal: correspondence External:
written to colleagues correspondence written
within a company outside the business
Format Identification lines Includes letterhead
include “Date”, “To/For”, address, date, reader’s
“From”, and “Subject”. address, salutation, text,
complimentary close,
and signatures
Audience Generally high-tech or Generally low-tech and
low-tech, mostly business lay readers, such as
colleagues vendors and clients
Topic Generally high-tech to Generally low-tech to
low-tech; abbreviations lay; abbreviations and
and acronyms are often acronyms are usually
allowed defined
Memorandum vs. Letter
Characteristics Memorandum Letter
Tone Informal (peer More formal (audience
audience) of vendors and clients)
Attachments or Hard-copy attachments Additional information
Enclosures can be stapled to the can be enclosed within
memo the envelope.
Complimentary copies Complimentary copies
can be sent to other can be sent to other
readers readers
Delivery Time Determined by a Determined by the
company’s in-house mail destination (within the
procedure. city, state, or country)
Memos could be Letters could be
delivered within 3 days delivered within 3 days
but may take more than
a week
Basic elements of Memos
1. Heading – company’s heading
2. Dateline – actual date issued
3. Number – refers to the frequency of the
issued memos
4. Receiver – person whom memo is to be
sent
5. Sender – person who issued the memo
6. Subject – the topic or title of the memo
7. Enclosure – an optional part which
includes the attachments
Sample
Activity
• Analyze the parts and contents of the given
memorandum.
Answer the following questions.

1. Who wrote the memorandum?

2. When was it written?
3. What is the memo all about?
4. When is the event?
5. What is the directive to the CSRs?
Reinforcement
Answer the following questions briefly.
1. Why do you think it is important to observe
FOR and TO in addressing the receiver of
the memorandum?
2. What will happen if the top management
of a business entity does not know how to
write a memorandum?
3. What are the differences and similarities of
business letters and memoranda?
Evaluation
• Write a sample
memorandum
related to your
field.
• Follow the
memo
checklist.