英语实用文体写作系列-7备忘录Unit 7备忘录(Memorandum or Memo)一、写作技巧(一)概述备忘录(Memorandum or Memo)是一种用以备忘的简易公文,是一种正式的专业文件。
在公文函件中,它的等级是比较低的,主要用来提醒、督促对方,或就某个问题提出自己的意见或看法。
在业务上,它是各部门书面联系的一种手段,一般用于内部传递信息,将实情、信息、观察资料等进行传阅,一般用来补充正式文件的不足。
它结构清晰、阅读方便、传递迅速,经常为公司或团体所使用。
大多数备忘录的特点是简明扼要,但它们同时也应具备优秀应用文的其他写作原则:面向读者,表达清楚且准确。
备忘录简洁短小,各部分题目虽然看上去有些唐突,但它们可以使读者对事情有个大致了解并快速做出反应。
备忘录通常要发送、张贴、转寄,也就是说它们要迅速送到很多人手里。
粗心就会出错,其影响会迅速扩大,为了纠正错误人们往往会写更多的备忘录。
备忘录也要归档,这意味着它们将来有一天还会纠缠你。
事实上“memo”来自于拉丁语“memorandum”,意思是“必须记住的东西”。
它的内容可以分为以下几项:书端(Heading)收文人的姓名、头衔、地址(Addressee's Name, Title, Address)称呼(Salutation)事因(Subject)正文(Body)结束语(Complimentary Close)署名(Signature)其标准格式如下:Heading(书端)From(发文人) Date(日期)To(收文人)Subject(事由)Body(正文)(二)写作注意事项1、书端(Header/Heading)部分包括发文机关的名称、地址、发文日期,有的还包括电报挂号、电传号、电话号码等。
许多机关有自己特制的信笺,在写书端时,其格式和标点符号的使用与一般信件的写法相同。
2、称呼从左边顶格写起,对一般机关、团体的负责人一般用Dear Sir,对政府官员可用Sir。
3、在date, to, from, subject字样后填上相应的内容。
Date:(日期,如September 12, 2005)To:(收文人/致,如All Faculty)From:(发文人/自,如Jim B. Hardemann) Subject:(事由/由,如Faculty Meeting)日期:要采用正式的全部拼写。
因为在有些国家,“12/01/05”是指“2005年12月1日”,而在其他国家却是“2005年1月12日”。
致和自:通常省去诸如“教授”或“先生”这类头衔。
“自:”后面写你名字的首字母大写,然后接你的姓。
事由:要具体。
例如:Date: January 24, 2006To: F. PrefectFrom: A. DentSubject: My Suggested Revisions to the Local Demolition Schedule日期:2006年1月24日致: F. 普里费科特自: A. 邓特由:关于地方拆除计划的建议修订案4、在上述字样下面空两行写正文,阐明写作原因(purpose)。
采用回答记者问题的方式,回答:who,what,when,where and why。
5、一般不用称呼和结尾礼词。
6、发文人的姓名首字母写在与正文末行空一行的地方。
三、经典范文例1、Directions: Write a memorandum of about 100 words to the student service department and ask them to fix a telephone for each dormitory.MEMODate: August 16, 2006To: The leader of student service departmentFrom: Li MingSubject: TelephoneDear Sir,I would like to remind you that we are in want of a telephone for each dormitory. As a university student, we need to cope with the daily increasing communications with teachers, friends and people outside the campus.We need a telephone to get and send message, which is important for us. Though most of us have mobile phones and e-mail address, a telephone in the dormitory is after all the most convenient and cheapest tool of communication.I hope that you will pay attention to this problem and solve it as soon as possible.Regards.Yours,Li Ming备忘录日期: 2006 年8月16 日致: 学生服务部门领导从: 李明主题: 电话亲爱的先生,我想提醒您, 我们每一个宿舍都需要一部电话。
作为大学生, 我们需要应对日益增多的与老师、朋友和校外人士的交际。
我们需要电话接收和发送信息, 这对我们很重要。
尽管我们大多数有手机和电子邮件, 宿舍中的电话毕竟是最方便和最便宜的交流工具。
我希望您会注意这个问题并予尽快解决。
问候。
真诚的,李明例2、Directions: You are supposed to write aMemorandum of about 100 words to the leader of the supply section to borrow one more microscope for your biological experiment. It should include:1) Why you need the microscope.2) When you need it.MEMODate: July 12, 2006To: Mr. Gates, leader of the supply section From: Li Ming of the biological laboratory Subject: MicroscopeDear Sir,I'm a student of biology department and we are badly in need of an extra microscope in order to improve our experimental work.Our experiment will start on Friday, so please issue a microscope to us as soon as possible so that we can prepare better for theexperiment.With kind regards.Yours sincerely,Li Ming注:在写备忘录的时侯,一定要注意它的格式,尤其要在开头写清楚是谁写给谁来备忘的,用“From: /To”两个单词即可。
备忘录日期: 2006 年7月12 日致: 盖茨先生, 供应科长从: 李明,生物实验室主题: 显微镜亲爱的先生,我是生物系的学生,我们非常需要另外一台显微镜以改进我们的实验工作。
星期五我们的实验将开始, 所以请尽快配备显微镜以便我们能更好为实验做准备。
致以亲切的问候。
敬上,李明例3、Directions: If you are the teacher of the students’ counselor’s office: P. Steelpes, and you have received a letter for requesting for paid education leave from a student. Write him a memo to reply him including details:1) The result of his requirement.2) The reason for rejecting.3)some suggestionsYou should write about 100 words.To: Records SectionFrom: P. Steelpes, Career PlanningSubject: Request for Paid Education Leave Date: May 22, 2006In response to your request for one year of paid education leave to take a degree in Englishliterature, I have to inform you that we cannot authorize this leave.While we appreciate your desire to improve your knowledge, we feel that English literature is not directly related to your present position and to the goals of this organization.I am aware of your great interest in literature, and I would like to point out that you could gain advantage to apply for leave without pay.If you need another information on the above, do not hesitate to keep touch with me at any time.P. Steelpes注:本篇备忘录的格式很标准。
致: 档案科从: P . 斯蒂尔皮斯, 职业规划主题: 要求有偿的教育事假日期: 2006 年5月22 日谨复您的一年有偿的教育事假而取得英语文学学位的请求, 我必须通知您, 我们无法批准这事假。