Transcript Emails, E-Messaging, and Memos

Chapter 12
Email, E-messaging,
and Memos
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Emails, E-Messaging,
and Memos
 Are perhaps the most common and
widely-distributed forms of communication in
workplaces today
 Generally transmit smaller “chunks” of
information
 Are frequently internal documents about specific
company information
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Short Internal and
External Documents
 Consider appropriate audience choices.
 Consider the proper tone and degree of
formality.
 Use appropriate openings and closings to show
respect and develop relationships.
 Provide enough background information for
your audience.
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Problem Solving in
Short Messages
 Plan by considering the problem, rather
than replying hastily
 Research facts and details needed to
make your message useful
 Organize using the limited space
 Revise for clarity
 Distribute in the most effective medium
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Issues with
Short Messages
 Poor or ill-chosen messages have legs—they
seem to wind up going where they were not
meant to go.
 Workplace writers must remember that e-mail is
not a private means of communication.
 Email messages always have the potential to
become public.
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Subject Lines
 Subject lines are often scanned by recipients to
decide which should be read immediately and
which can be read later or deleted.
 When writing subject lines, you should:
 Make them concise and specific
 Put the most important information first
 Use all caps only in times of urgency
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Recipients
 Recipients should be carefully considered before
sending or carbon copying (CC).
 “Reply to All” is not always appropriate.
 When replying, quote a sentence or two to give
recipient some context.
 Ask permission before forwarding a message.
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Content and Length
 Keep messages brief and to-the-point
 Provide pertinent information only
 Quickly state a reason for writing
 Allow the message be skimmed easily
 Keep the message to a single screen
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Paragraphs and Spacing
 Paragraphs should be no longer than a single
screen
 Email paragraphs are more concise than those in
printed documents
 Some paragraphs can be as short as one
sentence, if the information is important
 Use block format
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Other Formatting Issues
 Avoid font styling, bulleted and numbered lists, tables,
graphics, and visuals
 Use CAPITAL LETTERS to designate a heading
 Use a single line of white space between each phrase or
word to designate a list
 Use *asterisks* on either side of a word to designate
emphasis or italics
 Use underscore characters at the beginning and ending
of an _underlined passage_
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Signatures
 Signatures can give contact information about
the sender, such as:
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Job title
Phone
Fax
Webpage URL
Mailing information
 Whether you use a signature or not, always
include your name at the bottom of each e-mail
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Attachments
 Use attachments when:
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The message is lengthy
Formatting is important
Visuals are an important part of the message
The message will be printed and used for some
particular purpose
 Refer to the attachment in the actual email
 Minimize use of graphics and visuals
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Instant Messaging
 Allows users to communicate in real-time
(synchronous)
 Allows sending Internet links and files
 Offers a list of contacts online
 Allows users to set contact status, making the
technology less obtrusive than phone
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
When IMing
 Keep messages short and informal
 Assess the rhetorical situation to determine conventions
 Avoid using all capital letters
 Allow users to respond before sending a new message
 Do not continually prompt a user, especially if his/her
online status is away or unavailable
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Text Messaging
 Texting is a quick method for conveying up-to-date
information
 If you are sure your readers will get the message via
another wireless device or a phone, follow the
general conventions of instant messaging
 Include a tag at the end of the message, letting the
recipient know what device you're using
 Be thoughtful about the use of texting shortcuts
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Memos
 Are secondary to email for short communication
 Are the better choice for more detailed
communication
 Are better for formatted documents
 Are better for more important or confidential
correspondence
 Are formatted depending on the company
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Identifying Information
 The “To” line
 The “From” line
 The “Subject” line
 The “Date” line
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Memo Content
 Because memos are often skimmed, info should
be easy to find, clear, and concise.
 First paragraphs should explain the reasons for
writing.
 Include all of the necessary information your
readers will need to make an informed decision
or respond appropriately.
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Memo Length
and Formatting
 Many memos are limited to one page
 Subsequent pages should include recipient, page
number, and date
 Should have at least five lines of text on the last
page
 Should avoid “widows” and “orphans”
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Memo Design Features
 Visuals, graphs, and tables can be included to
highlight and organize information.
 Such features become increasingly important as
the length of the document grows.
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Types of Memos
 Directive Memos provide information about
policy changes or tasks readers should perform.
 Progress or Status Memos supply information
about the status of a project or assignment.
 Trip or Field Reports include details about the
events and expenditures of a business trip.
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Types of Memos
 Response Memos give answers to previously
asked questions.
 Lab Reports describe the results of an
experiment, procedure, or study.
 Minutes of a Meeting contain a written record of
the discussions and participants of formal
workplace meetings.
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Choosing Between
Email and Memos
 Email
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Large audience addressed
Rapid responses needed
Audience geographically distant
Message will be revised or modified
 Memos
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Longer than one computer screen
Message requires careful formatting
contains detailed visuals
Contains sensitive or important information
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.