English

Short Writing #3: Memos and Page Design

The Memo or Memorandum has been a mainstay of workplace writing for decades. Increasingly, email is taking over many of the functions of the memo, but even in email form, the purpose and features of an effective memo are still useful. Effective memos, and effective professional writing also means more than simply pulling together the information your readers need. It means arranging and presenting that information in a way that is useful and easy to follow. The basic elements of a well-designed page include font style, size, use of color, images or graphics, and white space, as well as the way the information is grouped or clustered together and the order in which it is presented.

1. Write a memo, as a Word document, identifying three ideas you plan on using in memos, to effectively present information in the workplace. Your memo should reflect the content and design principles discussed in the readings. Everything should be in your own words. If you need to use a direct quote from the reading, keep it brief and use APA in-text citation formatting.

Format and Length: Use the models in the reading as a sample. Aim for about 200 words at a minimum, but I won't be counting. I'll be most interested in your clear expression and coherent organization of thought.