Assignment

Imagine that you are the chief executive officer (CEO) of a corporation that hires interns to work in its Technical Communications Division.  As CEO, write an informational memorandum to the new interns, recommending techniques of effective writing in a professional setting and emphasizing the importance of revision.

Purpose of This Assignment

The memorandum is an essential document that people within an institution use to communicate. This assignment should help you learn to craft a memo that is specific, unambiguous, and accurate.

Skills Required

This assignment will require you to anticipate how the recipients might feel, what they already know, and what they need to find out from your memo. You will need to write in sentences that are clear and concise, and to craft a bullet list that is informative as well as grammatically parallel. Your diction must create a positive tone.

Checklist of Resources and Requirements

To be successful in this assignment, be sure to do all the following things:

• Use the standard format for a memorandum, as shown in Figure 14.10 and discussed on pages 376-378 in Markel and Selber.
• Follow the “Guidelines for Memos” on page 378 of Markel and Selber.
• Devise a company letterhead for your memo.
• Create a document that is no longer than one page.
• Draw upon the recommendations in Chapter 10 (“Writing Correct and Effective Sentences”) and Chapter 9 (“Emphasizing Important Information”) in Markel and Selber.
• Pay special attention to pages 202-210 (“Writing Clear, Informative Paragraphs”) and pages 228-237 (“Choosing the Right Words and Phrases”). Study these sections. Apply them.
• Create a bullet list of at least five essential recommendations for how to revise a text. Use David McMurrey’s advice on making lists, which is found at https://www.prismnet.com/~hcexres/textbook/lists.html (Links to an external site.)
• Write an effective conclusion. Do not let your memo end on the bullet list.
• Produce a text that is substantially free of major errors of standard written English. Note: A document that has numerous errors in grammar, style, and mechanics cannot earn a passing grade.