Guidelines
Being direct
Avoid over-politeness
Being direct The common beginning expressions, if any, should be: Please be informed that… Please note that… It has come to my attention that… It has been brought to my notice that… Or simply add “please” or “I would like you to” before giving instructions.
Discussion: Reasons, details or explanations that support the main idea.
Closing: A requirement or informing action to take.
Use separate paragraphs to present ideas: each paragraph should concentrate on one idea.
From: your name and job title
Format Date: current date
Subject: The subject line should be specific and brief.
E.g. “ Mandatory Employee Benefits Meeting” rather than “Meeting”

A memo is usually more direct,
concise and less formal than a business
letter.
Format
Title
Memorandum/ Memo
Heading
To —— recipient
From —— sender Date —— Month Day, Year Subject —— Topic
Memos
备忘录
LOGO
Definition

Memorandum, memo for short, is a
written message sent by one person to
another or a group of people within the
same organization.
Thank you for reminding me of the meeting, and I should like to have an overhead projector for the session. I have been informed of the meeting and would ask for an overhead projector for the session.
Avoid over-politeness
Some polite expressions commonly used in business letters will find no place in memos. I would appreciate it very much if you could have the forms filled in and returned to the Administration Office by 12 June 2010. Please be sure to have the forms filled in and returned to the Administration Office by 12 June 2010.
Guidelines All lines of the memo begin at the left margin. The text begins two spaces after the subject line. No closing remark such as ‘Sincerely’ or ‘Best regards’ is necessary. If the memo is longer than a page, repeat the “To” line, the date, and the subject line on and add a page
How to write a subject line Write a complete sentence The company is going to install a new security system. Omit all the unnecessary words Install a new security system
S. J.
Exercise Suppose you are the president of a company. Write a memo to the vicepresident, Percy White, to notify him the employee’s training on computer and ask him to write a plan. The following information should be included in the memo: 1. time and place of the training; 2. how many people and who should attend the training; 3. how to organize. 4. other matters.
Rearrange the word order security system install Change the part of speech Security system installation
Format
Body: Opening: State or emphasize the purpose
Format
Memorandum
To : Iris Anderson, Trust Officer From : Sam Jones, Payroll Accounting Date : 23 October 2009 Subject : Request for Update on Stock Option Participation We need an update on those employees in your department who are participating in the company stock option plan. Please list the names of those who are currently participating and their years of service. Also list anyone who will be eligible for participation next year. Be sure to turn in this information to me by 28 October.
Body
Opening Discussing Closing
Format
To: recipients’ names and job titles E.g. To: David Lin, Sales Manager
It is usually not necessary to use Mr., Mrs., Miss or Ms. unless the memo is very formal.
To: Percy Shelly, Vice President From: Li Ming, President Date: January 20, 2008 Subject: Computer Training I am writing this MEMO to inform you that we are going to have a computer training among our employees. And the details are listed as follows.
Memorandum To: All workers, Dispatch Department From: Mr Augustus Foley, Managing Director Date: 12 June 2000 Subject: Dispatch Books
Several complaints have been received from customers who have been sent the correct orders with the wrong invoices and the wrong orders with the correct invoices. Please take extra care to ensure that both orders and invoices are correct.
Sample
Firstly, I would like you to design our own in-house computertraining program. We had better classify the employees according to their posts and put them through the program in turn. Secondly, the position will commence at the end of May and will last through to the end of August. Finally, please write up a brief plan, describing your additional ideas and suggestions concerning this training. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me for more information.