Instruction
Written Communication
Summer 2018
Graded Writing 1: Letter and Memo Assignments
Letters and memos are two foundational texts for business communication. Both types of texts are often now delivered through email, but we’ll focus on the basic format of each, knowing that this could easily be translated to an email if needed.
Write a text for each situation below, making sure to follow the expectations covered in the week’s assignments and the relevant format material from Chapter 2 (p. 25 for memos and p. 34 for letters).
For both texts, you are free to create and add any necessary details and information beyond what I’ve provided, as long as they:
1. Don’t change the original audience and purpose
2. Are appropriate and realistic (e.g. no offering a free car in the memo for those who volunteer)
LETTER SCENARIO
The Situation:
You are the Vice President of International Sales at Technology Partnerships, Inc., and must respond to a request to speak at a Business and Professional Women’s Association luncheon:
The request:
Ms. Liz Gillum, program chair of the Easthaven Business and Professional Women’s Association (347 Enterprise Way, Cincinnati, OH 45242), invited you to speak about international business etiquette and customs at their spring luncheon meeting on April 10th at the Berndes Community Center. The luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The presentation is scheduled from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. and is open to the public. The Business and Professional Women’s Association is offering to pay an honorarium of $100 for the presentation. Company policy at Technology Partnerships, Inc., prohibits employees from accepting fees to speak to non-profit or service groups.
The Response:
You will be in Germany the date of the luncheon and are unable to attend.
Write a letter responding to Ms. Gillum’s request that declines the invitation but works to maintain a positive relationship with the organization. Remember, you could easily decline the invitation in one sentence or a short paragraph, but more effective letters will accomplish more than just saying “no” to the invitation.
MEMO SCENARIO:
Complete a memo for the situation described in below (based on exercise 2.1, p. 42, from the book).
The Situation:
You’re the Assistant to the Personnel Manager of Metallek, a metals fabrication plant. Next Monday is Labor Day, and most of the 300 employees will be on paid holiday. The company is under pressure, however, to meet a crucial deadline. Therefore, a skeleton workforce of 40, all in the production department, will be needed to work on the holiday. Those who volunteer will have the option of being paid time-and-a-half overtime or receiving two vacation days. If fewer than 40 employees volunteer, others will be assigned to work on the basis of seniority, with the most recently hired employees chosen first. Those assigned to work will receive time-and-a-half overtime. Of course, the company would prefer to avoid forcing people to work and would like to convince enough people to volunteer. The Personnel Manager has asked you to write the memo to the employees.
Remember to think carefully about audience, purpose, tone, and word choice to create a reader-centered text. Deliver the information, yes, but think about how to deliver it in the most reader-centered and purposeful manner. What can you accomplish with the memo?
Letter and Memo Assignment Dates and Grading:
Draft Due: Friday, June 1st, 11:59 pm
Final Draft Due: Friday, June 8th, 12:00pm (noon)
Grade Value: x1 multiplier = 10% of your overall grade