professional email and instructional manual

Email, memos, letters DAILY TECHNICAL WRITING

Email

 Advantages  Quick

 Informal

 Can reach one or many with one click

 Record stored in one place

 Person/s can reply quickly

 Saves paper/postage

Email

 Disadvantages  Too informal for some purposes

 Not everyone uses email

 Can be shared by many not intended to see it

 Sometimes impulsive

 May not be taken as seriously

 Pay attention to reply/reply all  Write it, save it, wait a few minutes, reread

What to consider

 Limit to one subject  Stick to business at work  Follow proper grammar, punctuation,

capitalization  Use the subject line  Identify yourself clearly  Proofread/edit

Memos

 More formal than email  Interoffice  Usually on company letterhead for first page  Follow format: to, from, subject  Stick to the point  Clearly state call for action if expected  Proofread/edit

Letters

 Most formal  Usually outside office – customers, etc.  Can be somewhat longer, but should

still have primary goal  Follow set format – block, semi block,

etc.

Commonalities

 Be specific  Be correct  Be logical  Use evidence  Avoid fallacies  Don’t chit chat or whine  Avoid humor, sarcasm  Think/plan before you write

What to consider about your reader

 What is the reader’s attitude toward you?

 Toward the subject?  Expectations?  Why is he or she reading it?

What to consider about your purpose

 Why are you writing?  What do I hope to accomplish?  What do I want them to know or

believe?  Do I want someone to act?