商务英语写作-writing a memo

Chapter4

Memos

备忘1.Whatitemsshouldbeincludedinsubjectheadings?2.Whyshouldwelimitthetopicofamemo?3.Howtomakethememosconcise?4.Howcanwehighlighttheimportantsectionsinamemo?CharacteristicsofSuccessfulMemoCharacteristicsofSuccessfulMemo1.SubjectheadingsToFromDateSubject2.Single

topic3.Conversationaltoneordinarywordsfirst-personpronounsoccasionalcontractionsConversationalbutprofessional5.Visualsignalingnumbersorbulletslistedvertically

capitalize

parallelstructuresamepartofspeechboldfaceoritalicsheadingsandsubheadings4.Concisenessnoneedforbackgroundinformation&goodwillwordsavoidwordyexpressions&sentences[Iamwritingthismemotoinformyouthat...]AnalysisandanticipationRevise,proofread,andevaluateWritingasaprocessWritingasaproductComponentsofMemoMemoheadings1.The“through”lineisoptional.2.Asubjectlineisrequiredinmemos.3.Asubjectlinemustbeacompletesentence.4.Descriptivesubjectheadingprovidesmoredetailedinformation.MemomessagesDescriptivesummarizethegeneraltopicInformativeproviderelativelydetailedinformationSubjectheadingHowtowriteasubjectline?WriteacompletesentenceThecompanyisgoingtoinstallanewsecuritysystem.Omitalltheunnecessarywordsinstallsecuritysystem.RearrangethewordorderSecuritySystemInstallationifnecessaryWriteasubjectlineInordertokeeparecordofattendance,allstaffattheheadquartersisrequiredtofollowthecorrectprocedureofsigninginandout.Subjectline:ProcedureofsigninginandoutOurdepartmenthasmadethesalesplanofthe3rdquarterin2006.Todiscusstheplan,ameetingwillbeheldintheconferenceroomat1:00p.m.onSeptember19th.Ameetingwillbeheldtodiscussthesalesplan.Subjectline:MeetingonsalesplanMemomessagesOpening——

restateoremphasizethepurposeBody——reasons,detailsorexplanationsthatsupportthemainideaClosingOpening——restateoremphasizethepurposedirectopeningindirectopening[forbadnews]BeingdirectThecommonbeginningexpressions,ifany,shouldbe:Pleasebeinformedthat…Pleasenotethat…Ithascometomyattentionthat…Ithasbeenbroughttomynoticethat…Orsimplyadd“please”or“Iwouldlikeyouto”beforegivinginstructions.Body

——reasons,detailsorexplanationsthatsupportthemainideadesignthelayout——numbers,bullets,ortablesClosingrequirement——anurgenorequirement——asimpleconcludingthoughtWritingMemosReadersandpurposestone,formality,wordchoiceandorganizationLanguagedirect,simpleactivelanguageavoidwordysentencesparaphrase(1)a.Thestrangerwasconveyedtohisplaceofresidenceinanintoxicatedcondition.b.Thestrangerwascarriedhomedrunk.(2)a.Nooneseesthenecessityforameetingnow.b.Noonefeelsitnecessarytomeetnow.化简句子的原则：1.删除掉不必要的字眼，如：(3)Thedownpour,whichstartedlastnight,hascometoastopnow.“Lastnight'sdownpourhasstoppednow.”(4)IthappenedthatMr.YapwaselectedtothepositionofChairmanofthewell-establishedSingaporeLiteratureSocietythatexistedinthiscountry.“Mr.YapwaselectedChairmanofthiscountry'swell-establishedSingaporeLiteratureSociety.”2.试用一个贴切的词取代几个同义词，如：(5)David,thedirector,calledmeuponthephone.David,thedirector,calledmeup.David,thedirector,telephonedme.3.把过于冗长的句子加以节缩，如：(6)Theincreasingfilthywaterinsomeareasthroughpollutionhastroubledandupsetenvironmentalscientistsforaperiodofoneandahalfdecades.→Theincreasingwaterpollutioninsomeareashasupsetenvironmentalscientistsfor15years.(7)Allstudentsincollegearerequiredtotakedifferenttests.Thesetestsareforthepurposeofdeterminingwhatcoursesthestudentsaresuitabletotake.→Allcollegestudentsarerequiredtotakedifferentteststodeterminewhatcoursessuitthem.(1)Thestrangerwasconveyedtohisplaceofresidenceinanintoxicatedcondition.(2)Thedownpour,whichstartedlastnight,hascometoastopnow.(3)David,thedirector,calledmeuponthephone.(4)Theincreasingfilthywaterinsomeareasthroughpollutionhastroubledandupsetenvironmentalscientistsforaperiodofoneandahalfdecades.(5)Allstudentsincollegearerequiredtotakedifferenttests.Thesetestsareforthepurposeofdeterminingwhatcoursesthestudentsaresuitabletotake.Similarities:

MemosandLetters

Memosresemblebusinesslettersinthatthey1.communicateinformation2.arecommonlyusedintheworldofbusinesswriting

memosare:

usuallyusedwithinanorganization.shortandto-the-pointDifferenceslessformalthanbusinesslettersmemoshave:

no

salutationno

complimentaryclosingno

signatureatthebottomofthememoDifferencesExercise1YouarethemanagerofFinanceDepartment.YourdepartmentmovedtoanewofficeonThursdaymorning.However,themaintenancedepartmentwithinyourorganizationhasfailedtocarryoutcertainwork.Wordprocessorshavenotbeenwiredtothelaserprinter;ametalbookshelfhasn’tbeenbuiltproperly;thefiredoorsticksandthebottomdrawerofthefilingcabinetwhichholdsstandardforms,wasdamagedinthemoveandnowdoesn’topen.Writeamemocomplainingaboutthesituationandaskingforaction.MemoFrom:FinanceManagerTo:TheMaintenanceDepartmentDate:16September,2013Subject:MaintenanceinournewofficeOurdepartmentmovedintoournewofficeonThursday.Unfortunately,thepreviouslyagreedmaintenancehasnotbeencompleted.Thefollowingproblemsare