memo assignment format

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Parts of a Memo

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

This handout will help you solve your memo-writing problems by discussing what a memo is, describing the parts of memos, and providing examples and explanations that will make your memos more effective.

Standard memos are divided into segments to organize the information and to help achieve the writer's purpose.

Heading Segment

The heading segment follows this general format:

Make sure you address the reader by his or her correct name and job title. You might call the company president "Maxi" on the golf course or in an informal note, but "Rita Maxwell, President" would be more appropriate for a formal memo. Be specific and concise in your subject line. For example, "Clothes" as a subject line could mean anything from a dress code update to a production issue. Instead use something like, "Fall Clothes Line Promotion."

Opening Segment

The purpose of a memo is usually found in the opening paragraph and includes: the purpose of the memo, the context and problem, and the specific assignment or task. Before indulging the reader with details and the context, give the reader a brief overview of what the memo will be about. Choosing how specific your introduction will be depends on your memo plan style. The more direct the memo plan, the more explicit the introduction should be. Including the purpose of the memo will help clarify the reason the audience should read this document. The introduction should be brief: approximately the length of a short paragraph.

The context is the event, circumstance, or background of the problem you are solving. You may use a paragraph or a few sentences to establish the background and state the problem. Oftentimes it is sufficient to use the opening of a sentence to completely explain the context, such as,

Include only what your reader needs, but be sure it is clear.

Task Segment

One essential portion of a memo is the task statement where you should describe what you are doing to help solve the problem. If the action was requested, your task may be indicated by a sentence opening like,

If you want to explain your intentions, you might say,

Include only as much information as is needed by the decision-makers in the context, but be convincing that a real problem exists. Do not ramble on with insignificant details. If you are having trouble putting the task into words, consider whether you have clarified the situation. You may need to do more planning before you're ready to write your memo. Make sure your purpose-statement forecast divides your subject into the most important topics that the decision-maker needs.

Summary Segment

If your memo is longer than a page, you may want to include a separate summary segment. However, this section is not necessary for short memos and should not take up a significant amount of space. This segment provides a brief statement of the key recommendations you have reached. These will help your reader understand the key points of the memo immediately. This segment may also include references to methods and sources you have used in your research.

Discussion Segments

The discussion segments are the longest portions of the memo, and are the parts in which you include all the details that support your ideas. Begin with the information that is most important. This may mean that you will start with key findings or recommendations. Start with your most general information and move to your specific or supporting facts. (Be sure to use the same format when including details: strongest to weakest.) The discussion segments include the supporting ideas, facts, and research that back up your argument in the memo. Include strong points and evidence to persuade the reader to follow your recommended actions. If this section is inadequate, the memo will not be as effective as it could be.

Closing Segment

After the reader has absorbed all of your information, you want to close with a courteous ending that states what action you want your reader to take. Make sure you consider how the reader will benefit from the desired actions and how you can make those actions easier. For example, you might say,

Necessary Attachments

Make sure you document your findings or provide detailed information whenever necessary. You can do this by attaching lists, graphs, tables, etc. at the end of your memo. Be sure to refer to your attachments in your memo and add a notation about what is attached below your closing, like this:

How it works

Transform your enterprise with the scalable mindsets, skills, & behavior change that drive performance.

Explore how BetterUp connects to your core business systems.

We pair AI with the latest in human-centered coaching to drive powerful, lasting learning and behavior change.

Build leaders that accelerate team performance and engagement.

Unlock performance potential at scale with AI-powered curated growth journeys.

Build resilience, well-being and agility to drive performance across your entire enterprise.

Transform your business, starting with your sales leaders.

Unlock business impact from the top with executive coaching.

Foster a culture of inclusion and belonging.

Accelerate the performance and potential of your agencies and employees.

See how innovative organizations use BetterUp to build a thriving workforce.

Discover how BetterUp measurably impacts key business outcomes for organizations like yours.

A demo is the first step to transforming your business. Meet with us to develop a plan for attaining your goals.

• What is coaching?

Learn how 1:1 coaching works, who its for, and if it's right for you.

Accelerate your personal and professional growth with the expert guidance of a BetterUp Coach.

Types of Coaching

Navigate career transitions, accelerate your professional growth, and achieve your career goals with expert coaching.

Enhance your communication skills for better personal and professional relationships, with tailored coaching that focuses on your needs.

Find balance, resilience, and well-being in all areas of your life with holistic coaching designed to empower you.

Discover your perfect match : Take our 5-minute assessment and let us pair you with one of our top Coaches tailored just for you.

Best practices, research, and tools to fuel individual and business growth.

View on-demand BetterUp events and learn about upcoming live discussions.

The latest insights and ideas for building a high-performing workplace.

• BetterUp Briefing

The online magazine that helps you understand tomorrow's workforce trends, today.

Innovative research featured in peer-reviewed journals, press, and more.

Founded in 2022 to deepen the understanding of the intersection of well-being, purpose, and performance

We're on a mission to help everyone live with clarity, purpose, and passion.

Join us and create impactful change.

Read the buzz about BetterUp.

Meet the leadership that's passionate about empowering your workforce.

For Business

For Individuals

How to write a memo: 8 steps with examples

Elevate your communication skills

Unlock the power of clear and persuasive communication. Our coaches can guide you to build strong relationships and succeed in both personal and professional life.

Jump to section

What’s a memorandum?

How to write a business memo in 8 steps, when to write a memo, 5 examples of memos, unleashing the power of effective memos.

Whether you’re planning a meeting or working on a project with dozens of moving parts, effective communication is the key to success. 

But it’s hard to keep everyone in the loop all the time. You can’t always host a 1:1 meeting or talk to coworkers face-to-face when new information arises. Sometimes, all you need is a short notification that alerts everyone at the same time — and does so quickly.

Memos provide a streamlined channel for internal communication. In a short space, you can share vital information with clarity and impact. Here’s the step-by-step process of how to write a memo with specific examples, from crafting a compelling header to including action plans and timelines.

A memorandum, also known as a memo, is a concise written message that quickly and efficiently shares vital information. This could come in the form of an email, Slack announcement, or a piece of paper on a bulletin board, depending on the workplace.

A well-structured memo offers lots of information in a short space. It does everything from announcing changes in company policy to providing vital project updates, all without wasting readers’ time. Anyone can write an email, but memo-writing is a learned skill that takes time to truly perfect.

To create a succinct and comprehensive memo, formatting is key. Just like a professional email , every piece of information plays a role in making the memo easily digestible and actionable — from subject line to salutation . 

Here’s a step-by-step approach to ensure your messages are both effective and clear:

1. Start with a header

To set the stage, always start with a comprehensive header. The header should include the date and the general subject, along with who the memo is to and from. These elements offer context and ensure that readers quickly grasp the basic premise, aiding quick decision-making about the action they need to take.

2. Craft a clear objective statement

The first paragraph of your memo should directly express its purpose in an objective statement or problem statement . This not only helps the recipients understand the memo's relevance, but also ensures they grasp its intent swiftly.

Think of a cover letter . The first line is usually something like “I am writing to…” A memo should have the same clarity so readers immediately know what they’re looking at and why.

3. Provide a comprehensive body paragraph

The body of the memo is where you'll develop your main points, so it should be as comprehensive as possible despite the short space. Always start with critical details as early as possible, then move towards less significant but still pertinent information. 

To enhance readability, structure the body using bullet points or numbered lists. And remember to stay away from unnecessary jargon that may confuse your readers. A memo’s goal is brevity, so make sure it’s easy to understand.

4. Provide background information

If your memo references previous events, circumstances, or memos, include a brief background section. This provides context, orients your readers, and ties your current communication to past events or actions, offering a holistic understanding of the situation at hand.

5. Include action items and timelines

Memos often need to include a call to action that tells readers what to do next, whether that’s to acknowledge receipt or find a meeting room ASAP. Clearly define the steps they need to take, identify the parties responsible, and specify the deadlines for these tasks.

By doing so, you encourage accountability and create a shared understanding of expectations, fostering a more organized and efficient work environment .

6. Add a summary

If your memo tackles a complex issue or is particularly lengthy, add a short conclusion to summarize the most important points. In the absence of face-to-face cues, reiterating the main points through a brief summary reinforces the essential elements of your message, aiding comprehension.

7. Include your contact information

As hard as you may try, communication isn’t always clear. People might have questions about what to do next, and failing to provide a clear path toward those answers could add unnecessary hurdles. 

To avoid this, always add your contact information at the end of your memo, whether that’s your desk location or your Slack handle. This lets your colleagues reach out if they have questions or need further clarification on any points.

8. Add attachments if necessary

If you reference other documents, graphs, or materials, either attach them or provide accessible links. This ensures that your readers have all the resources at their disposal to fully understand and act upon the memo. Linking out also keeps you from adding too much information to the memo itself.

According to Gallup’s 2022 State of the Global Workplace Report, 41% of employees wish they could change their company’s engagement or culture . And communication falls into that category. Meetings, emails, and effective memos all support the interactions that uplift strong culture .

Knowing when to write a memo helps you choose the right type of communication for the situation and avoid information silos . Here are some scenarios where memos shine:

Inform about company policies or changes: If your organization is undergoing changes in policies, procedures, or strategies, a memo is an excellent way to update staff. It ensures uniform understanding and gives everyone the chance to ask questions as soon as possible, saving time and stunting the spread of misinformation.

Raise awareness about an issue: If a significant issue is impacting your organization's functioning, a memo brings it to everyone's attention. In this situation, a memo is also vital for overall engagement and the employee experience because it keeps people in the loop on important issues and reinforces the value of their contributions.

Provide updates on a project: Memos are a great tool for informing stakeholders about a project's progress, timeline adjustments, or resource requirements. Informing everyone of all the project's deadlines and ongoing developments prevents roadblocks and helps projects run smoothly.

Make a request: A memo effectively communicates formal requests, including those for resources, approvals, or feedback . By clearly articulating the reasons and potential benefits of your request, a memo acts as a persuasive tool for support or approval. It can also anticipate and address possible questions.

Recognize employee achievement: Memos are also a method for acknowledging outstanding employee performance a nd achievements like a promotion . This has the multipurpose effect of expressing recognition for hard work while emphasizing company values , boosting morale , and fostering a positive work environment.

To help you better visualize how to write a good memo, here are five memo examples for different situations:

1. Change in policy memo 

This example not only outlines changes in company policy, but also explains the reasons behind the change. It encourages questions and tells readers exactly where to go for more information, offering transparency and support.

To: [person or department name]

From: [person or department name]

Date: [insert date]

Subject: [subject] Policy Change

I'm writing to inform you of an important update regarding [policy]. Effective [date], we will be implementing changes to [specific details of the policy changes].

The purpose of this change is to [explain the rationale behind the change and its benefits]. We believe that these adjustments will contribute to [goal].

Please take the time to review the attached document outlining the updated policy in detail. Should you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to [contact person or department].

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Best regards,

2. Project update memo

An update memo keeps everyone informed about a project's progress, any changes to the original plan, or any challenges along the way. This ongoing communication helps preempt problems and ensures everyone is working towards the same goals.

Subject: [project name] Update

Here’s an update on the progress of [project name]. Here are the key developments since our last update:

• [a summary of tasks and milestones]
• [any challenges or issues and how they were resolved]
• [any adjustments to the project timeline or scope, if applicable]

Overall, we’re making steady progress and remain on track to meet our goals. Please stay vigilant and continue to give your best effort to ensure the successful completion of this project.

If you have any questions or need further clarification, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. Let's keep up the excellent work!

3. Issue alert memo

This type of memo raises awareness about a specific issue affecting the company, a department, or a specific project. Besides highlighting the problem, it may also suggest potential steps to address it, encouraging proactive problem-solving within the organization.

Subject: [subject] Issue

I'm writing to bring your attention to an issue with [subject]. It has come to our attention that [describe the issue and its impact on the company or employees].

We understand the potential challenges that this may pose and are actively working on resolving the situation. In the meantime, we encourage everyone to [provide any necessary instructions or precautions].

Rest assured that we’re taking this matter seriously, and we will keep you updated on any progress or further instructions. If you have any insights or suggestions related to this issue, please share them with [contact person or department].

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

4. Request memo 

A request memo formalizes a need for resources, feedback, or approval. By clearly outlining the reasons behind the request, you effectively communicate the need for these items and the impact they could have on the team.

Subject: [specific request]

Hi [person or department name],

I hope this message finds you well. I'm writing to formally request [specific request]. This is because [provide a concise explanation of the request, including its importance and potential benefits for the company].

I’ve attached a detailed proposal outlining the specifics of the request, including [details, supporting data, and relevant information]. 

Should you have any questions or require further information, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. I appreciate your attention.

5. Employee recognition memo

According to data from Gallup, employees who don’t experience enough recognition are twice as likely to say they’ll quit in the next year .

A memo is a quick way to give kudos and celebrate an employee's achievement or contribution to the company. Not only does it express appreciation for hard work , but it also boosts morale and fosters a healthy environment for everyone.

Subject: Quick kudos

Let’s all take a moment to appreciate [employee name] from [department/team]’s exceptional performance and dedication. They have consistently demonstrated [specific achievements, qualities, or contributions].

Their hard work and commitment to excellence have been truly remarkable and deserving of recognition. [employee name]’s efforts reflect positively on the entire team and contribute to our overall success as a company.

Please join me in congratulating [employee name] for their outstanding achievement. We appreciate their continued dedication and professionalism. Let's celebrate this milestone and continue to inspire and support one another in our respective roles.

Warmest congratulations once again!

Mastering how to write a memo is an essential skill in the corporate world because it lets you convey a message with clarity and simplicity.

Whether you're drafting a project update or learning how to write a memo to your boss, you can become a better communicator and break down silos. Never underestimate the power of a well-structured and purposeful memo.

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

How improving your concentration helps your memory

Learn what process mapping is and how to create one (+ examples), what is lateral thinking 7 techniques to encourage creative ideas, get smart about your goals at work and start seeing results, how to make a daily schedule: tips and examples, how to introduce yourself in an interview: examples & tips, how to prioritize tasks: 7 tips to perfect your workflow, curious wanting to learn more is key to career success, learn to let it go: how to deal with career disappointment, similar articles, encouraging explicit knowledge sharing throughout your workforce, how to write an exciting promotion announcement, how to write an executive summary in 10 steps, write thank you letters after interviews to stand out as job applicant, 8 tips on how to write a professional email (with examples), write an intro email to a new team to start your job on the right foot, tips for how to write a linkedin summary and examples, how to send a reminder email that’s professional and effective, how to write a follow-up email 2 weeks after an interview, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

3100 E 5th Street, Suite 350 Austin, TX 78702

• Platform Overview
• Integrations
• Powered by AI
• BetterUp Lead
• BetterUp Manage™
• BetterUp Care™
• Sales Performance
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Case Studies
• Why BetterUp?
• About Coaching
• Find your Coach
• Career Coaching
• Communication Coaching
• Life Coaching
• News and Press
• Leadership Team
• Become a BetterUp Coach
• BetterUp Labs
• Center for Purpose & Performance
• Leadership Training
• Business Coaching
• Contact Support
• Contact Sales
• Privacy Policy
• Acceptable Use Policy
• Trust & Security
• Cookie Preferences

.css-s5s6ko{margin-right:42px;color:#F5F4F3;}@media (max-width: 1120px){.css-s5s6ko{margin-right:12px;}} Join us: Learn how to build a trusted AI strategy to support your company's intelligent transformation, featuring Forrester .css-1ixh9fn{display:inline-block;}@media (max-width: 480px){.css-1ixh9fn{display:block;margin-top:12px;}} .css-1uaoevr-heading-6{font-size:14px;line-height:24px;font-weight:500;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;color:#F5F4F3;}.css-1uaoevr-heading-6:hover{color:#F5F4F3;} .css-ora5nu-heading-6{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;color:#0D0E10;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s;transition:all 0.3s;position:relative;font-size:16px;line-height:28px;padding:0;font-size:14px;line-height:24px;font-weight:500;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;color:#F5F4F3;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:hover{border-bottom:0;color:#CD4848;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:hover path{fill:#CD4848;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:hover div{border-color:#CD4848;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:hover div:before{border-left-color:#CD4848;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:active{border-bottom:0;background-color:#EBE8E8;color:#0D0E10;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:active path{fill:#0D0E10;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:active div{border-color:#0D0E10;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:active div:before{border-left-color:#0D0E10;}.css-ora5nu-heading-6:hover{color:#F5F4F3;} Register now .css-1k6cidy{width:11px;height:11px;margin-left:8px;}.css-1k6cidy path{fill:currentColor;}

• Project management |
• How to write a memo for effective commu ...

How to write a memo for effective communication (with template)

A memo is a document or message sent to an entire team, department, or organization to inform teams about what is happening in the company. Memos are great for notifying employees about new policies or best practices, requesting project feedback , summarizing action plans, and more. Learn how to create an effective memo and when to use one.

Effective communication is super important. But you also want to make sure it's easy to digest. Having a templatized way to do that can not only make it easier to create communication—but also for your employees to digest it.

Our guide covers what a memo is, when to send one, how to create the format, and tips for writing a memo effectively. Then, use our free memo template to give you a roadmap to success.

What is a memo?

A memo, also known as a memorandum, communicates information throughout an organization. Unlike a one-on-one message, memos usually have a larger audience.

This letter is usually sent to an entire team , department, or organization to inform employees about things happening in the company. A memo can be about any important topic with wide-scale relevance, from a policy change to new clients to budget cuts.

This type of communication can be created and sent electronically or printed as a physical handout. Even if you know everyone in your chain of communication, keeping these documents polite and professional is important. When in doubt, omit the emojis, texting language, and abbreviations to make your message come across more professional.

Reasons to send a memo

There are many reasons someone would send out a memo instead of a regular email. While an email is a casual form of communication, a memo is more official and becomes part of the company record. 

Employees take memos more seriously. As a result, memos tend to be much more effective with cross-organizational communication. We’ve outlined some of the most common reasons below.

A memo can:

Explain policy changes

Announce upcoming meeting agendas or events

Announce budget cuts

Summarize action plans

Describe the onboarding of new clients

Detail minutes from a meeting

Request recommendations or feedback

Notify employees of a company problem or solution

Sending an electronic memo to groups of employees is beneficial because it gives them a centralized location to view company details. Everyone receives the same information at the same time instead of hearing it through the grapevine.

How to format a memo

There are several ways to structure a memo, but most memos have the same formatting elements. Feel free to customize your memo template to match the tone and content of the message you want to send.

First things first: get off on the right foot by starting your memorandum with a great subject line. The best memo subject lines should be as specific as possible.

For example, instead of labeling your memo letter as “Company Event,” make the subject line “Annual Holiday Party: Date and Details.”

A clear subject line lets people know exactly what your memo describes before opening it. It also makes finding the memo easier because that means employees won’t have multiple memos with the same subject line in their inbox.

There are several key factors you should include in your memo heading. Always have the date, who you’re sending it to, and who the memo is from. This information will provide context about the message’s contents. 

Body message

The body of the memo captures the main purpose of the message. Use the opening paragraph to state precisely what the rest of the document will be about. Keep the beginning section short to get your message across most effectively. 

Paragraph 1 : Use statements such as “I am writing to inform you” and “I am requesting information on” at the beginning of this paragraph. This first paragraph should include the most important information in the memo. 

Paragraph 2 : The second paragraph will give you a chance to provide additional details and dive more into the topic.

Paragraph 3 : Your third paragraph is where you give your request. An example of this would be asking a department for feedback on a project , or to RSVP to a company event by a certain date.  

Some memos don’t have an ask associated with the information you present. If this is the case, then you can use that space as an opportunity to thank your colleagues for their time.

Before sending a memo to your coworkers, check your mass communication policy at your company. Some companies will require additional steps, such as adding your organization’s logo, company name, or having standardized font sizes. You might also need to get approval or permission before sending it out.

Tips for writing a memo

Now that you know what to include in your memo, it’s time to hone in on the correct tone and formatting. Below are some tips to keep in mind when writing an effective business memo.

Keep a professional tone : Always keep your tone professional, but feel free to tailor it to your audience and objective.

Avoid acronyms and abbreviations : Spell out acronyms and abbreviations so all recipients can understand your message.

Keep your memo to one page : Try to fit your copy into three paragraphs to briefly get your point across.

Use attachments when necessary : Feel free to add attachments or flyers to give additional context to your memo if needed.

Think about your target audience : Change the message of your email depending on who you’re writing to.

Keep formatting consistent : Maintain the same font, paragraph structure, punctuation, and grammar throughout the piece.

Stay clear and concise : Make your request or announcement at the beginning of the memo document.

Remain objective : Stick to the facts and refrain from personal bias when writing a business document.

By following these tips and knowing what to include, you can create a professional and concise memo time and time again.

Types of memos

There are three memo styles: suggestive, confirmation, and request. The general format and business writing style remain similar among the three types of memos. The difference lies in looking at your audience, tone, and object. 

Suggestive memo

Sending a suggestive memo is a great way to find solutions to company problems. They often encourage creative thinking , brainstorms , and group discussions. 

When you’re sending a suggestive memo, it’s best to use positive and encouraging language. This language will help to get your coworkers excited to find out-of-the-box ideas.

Example: Send a suggestive memo if you’re an advertising agency looking for a group discussion on new ideas for a brand campaign.

Confirmation memo

Use confirmation memos to confirm verbal agreements by putting them in writing. Make sure to highlight the important aspects of the agreement between the parties, so everyone has a clear understanding of the objectives.

End the memo document by asking the other party if they need additional clarification or need to change any details. This will help avoid any mix-ups or misunderstandings once the project begins.

Example : If you are a team lead of a marketing team, you may send a confirmation memo to your company’s DevOps team while collaborating on a project. It would cover the project deliverables , make sure all stakeholders understand the project scope , and ensure no one has any questions.

Request memo

A request memo is a document or email you can send your company when you have a request. Start this type of memo by justifying why you need a request completed.

Keep your tone professional and persuasive when you give your recommendations for how to solve the problem. While this type of language is always recommended in memos, it’s especially important in request memos.

Example: You would send a request memo if you are a human resources manager and are requesting employees to fill out their insurance information before a deadline.

Memo template

Use our memo template to organize your document and create a successful message each time. When you send out your memorandum, make sure to effectively fill out your subject line, header, and body message.

Project management tools and memos will help you streamline communication

Using a memo template will help you communicate with everybody in your company. Combining it with a project management tool can help you keep all of your memos in one place and allows you to easily send memos to lots of stakeholders and team members. You can even connect memos directly to action items to bring these to-dos and messages to life.

Related resources

15 project management interview questions, answers, and tips

Critical path method: How to use CPM for project management

Unmanaged business goals don’t work. Here’s what does.

How Asana uses work management to drive product development

• FRONT MATTER
• TABLE OF CONTENTS

In many courses, you are asked to submit your writing in memo form, and in some cases your assignments are given to you as memos. This not only gives you practice in writing a professional document, it invites you to see your writing as purposeful and aimed at a particular audience. A detailed instructional memo about memo writing—a "metamemo," if you will—follows.

DATE : August 9, 2008 TO : Users of Style for Students Online FROM : Joe Schall SUBJECT : Writing Memos for your Classes

This memo provides you with tips on writing memos for your classes, with special attention to a memo’s audience, format, organization, content, tone, and style. Because my advice comes in the form of a memo, you can use this document as a model for writing your own memos.

The Audience for a Memo It is useful to begin by considering that a memo is essentially a one-on-one communication between writer and reader. Although a memo may be written to a group of people or with various audiences in mind, usually it is a highly goal-oriented communication between two people who need to share information. When you write a memo to a professor in the classroom setting, you are much like the employee who has been assigned to investigate a problem and report back to a supervisor. Therefore, you are expected to provide concrete information, even information that the supervisor might already know, in a form that clarifies ideas and puts them into context. Finally, a memo enjoys a broader context than an essay; hence, you might refer to other related memos as you write, or you might respond to specific requests made by the audience in your text, in effect, carrying on a professional conversation.

Typical Memo Format The overall format of a memo can be broken down into the heading, the body, and the closing notations. What follows is a brief description of each component.

The Heading The heading has two parts: part one includes two centered lines at the top of page 1, identifying the name of the company or institution on the first line, with the word "memorandum" on the second line; part two includes the "DATE," "TO," "FROM," and "SUBJECT" lines at the left margin, filled in appropriately.

The Body The body of the memo follows the Introduction, and it is usually presented in single-spaced paragraphs with a line skipped between each paragraph. The first lines of new paragraphs can appear at the left margin or they can be indented five spaces.

The Closing Notations The closing notations, used to identify such things as attachments, appear at the left margin two lines below the text of the final paragraph. By simply typing the word "Attachment" as a closing notation, you automatically refer the reader to any attachment, such as a map, a set of calculations, spreadsheets, or a References page.

How Memos are Organized The general organization of a memo mirrors that of an essay: an introduction, followed by body paragraphs, followed by a conclusion. However, the first paragraph of a memo is typically used as a forecasting device. Note how the opening paragraph of this memo defines the memo’s function and reflects its organization. It is sensible to open memos for your classes in the same way, first directly stating the memo’s purpose, then setting forth the organization and noting how the memo can be used.

Organization in the body of a memo is typically characterized by the use of section headings and short paragraphs. Paragraphs should not be too bulky—five or six per page is usually ideal. On the sentence level, you should take full advantage of the same organizational tools that you employ when you write an essay: meaningful topic sentences; carefully selected transition words; focused section headings; indented blocks of cited text; a bulleted series of examples; powerful punctuation marks such as the colon, semicolon, and dash.

Selection and Citation of Content A memo’s content, of course, is guided by the assignment and the research required. It is important to remember as you present the content that selectivity and relevance matter greatly. Your job is to select and present the most pertinent, most current information available to you. Do not hesitate, of course, to let your memo’s content be heavily informed by your research, but also provide your own interpretation and organization of this research.

As in any essay, you must document the sources of your information so that your reader could find the original source of the information if desired. If your memo uses sources, provide the bibliographic information related to your sources on a References page as an attachment at the end of the memo—just as I have in this memo.

A Memo’s Tone and Style Memos for your classes require a highly informative and straightforward tone, but allow for a slightly informal style compared to essays. As in this memo, "I" and "you" are handy because they provide a straightforward way of communicating, but you must be careful not to overuse these terms. Stylish prose is key to good memo writing, and you should not hesitate to use active, interpretive adverbs and verbs and concrete, carefully chosen adjectives and nouns.

A memo need not be written in a dry, dull fashion; rather, it should emulate the same stylistic standards that good prose has always embraced. These standards are summed up neatly in the popular style guide, The Elements Of Style, as follows:

A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts (Strunk and White 1979).

As this quote suggests, good prose can achieve elegance by its clarity, efficiency, and sense of purpose.

Conclusion The conclusion of a memo should not simply provide a summary of the memo’s entire contents, but it should be a true conclusion—that is, an articulated conviction arrived at on the basis of the evidence presented. The closing paragraph is the place to spell out the bottom line to the reader. Therefore, I close with my bottom line about writing memos for your classes:

• Study and use standard memo format to present your text;
• Use internal organizational tools such as section headings, topic sentences, transition words, and powerful punctuation marks to enhance the flow of ideas;
• Write with the same clarity, grace, and efficiency expected of you in any essay.

Strunk, William Jr and White, E.B., 1979: The Elements of Style. Macmillan Publishing Company, Inc., New York, 92 pp.

For more information on memo writing, chase down these two websites:

Advice on writing memos from the Writing Center at Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute

Advice on memo writing from The Ohio University College of Business

Advisory boards aren’t only for executives. Join the LogRocket Content Advisory Board today →

• Product Management
• Solve User-Reported Issues
• Find Issues Faster
• Optimize Conversion and Adoption

How to write an effective memo: Format with examples

If you have to communicate something to your colleague, boss, or a group of people in your work environment, what do you do? Think!! Many ways, right?

Maybe you call them. You might send a letter, an email, or a text. What about a Skype chat, Slack, or WhatsApp? You might even drop a sticky note at their desk!

Well, all these ways fall under any of the two categories of communication — formal and informal. Sometimes, informal communication is referred to as casual communication.

Let’s only talk about the formal category. An email, letter, or formal invite and convey of a message. There is one method that’s been used way back from the 1800s era of business — a memo !

Have you heard of it? Definitely in one way or another. But what is it? When do you use one? What should be in it? And how effectively can we use it as a powerful tool for formal communication? Let’s learn in-depth here…

What is a memo?

Memo is short for “memorandum.” In Latin, memorandum means “that to be remembered.”

In business, you might need to send many messages — to your team, to stakeholders , to customer groups, etc. — that need to be remembered. You might also receive important information from your HR department, the finance team, executives, the board of directors, etc.

These messages can also be urgent. At the end of the day, they’re all nothing but memos. Let’s define what that means:

A memo is a brief, formal document usually shared with an internal group of people to convey information, bringing it to the group’s immediate attention, effective immediately.

A memo can be any information you want your group to remember and act on. Maybe it’s an update to the operational process, an update for a financial reimbursement policy, a delay in the project timeline, a risk that is occurring and unforeseen, etc.

You see, all this information needs to be remembered by the audience you are sharing with and needs to be acted upon accordingly. In law, you would see MOUs or MOAs. They’re actually external documents, whereas, in business, a memo is mostly used for internal groups.

Different types of memos

If you search for this online or talk to a few old-time leaders in the organization, you’ll probably see or hear about the following types of memos:

• Meeting minutes or summary memos
• Reporting memos
• Incident or root-cause memos
• Inquiry or response memos
• Directives or procedure memos
• Progress or status memos
• Warning or notice memos

They’re self-explanatory. If you try to categorize your memos, you will definitely have the above ones on your list (and maybe more).

Writing a memo is an art rather than a standard.

No standards need to be followed. Rather, you should know when to write a memo and what to include in your memo. Let’s talk about that now.

Over 200k developers and product managers use LogRocket to create better digital experiences

When to write a memo

You should write a memo when

• Information should be brought to the immediate attention of the audience/group
• Information needs to be acted upon

You might be thinking, is this not why we have “for your information,” “for your reference,” or “for immediate action” emails that we send and receive? A short thought for modern-day communication would be yes. But, a memo has much more to that because it’s more formal.

All the types of memos mentioned above fall in one or both of the scenarios we mentioned here.

What does a good memo have?

Now that we know when to write a memo, a very important next step is to learn how to write one and what should be there in it to call it a good memo. You might be thinking that there should be some format to write a memo, and yes, there is one. But that doesn’t limit you to follow the same.

Let’s write an example memo to see how exactly it can look and cover our bases of a popular format for you to start with:

The above is the memo I wrote to my sales team sometime back. I edited it to remove actual feature names and call them just Features A and B, changed the actual dates to current ones, and added marker text in bold for you to identify each section. I also added headers to show you more formal information, even though it was an email I sent to the sales department.

Do you think I wrote a good memo? 🙂

Well, not so important. The important part is its different sections. Let’s look at them one by one:

When you write a hard copy on paper or in a PDF document, you’ll probably see it more evident. But in an email, you might not notice it.

More great articles from LogRocket:

• How to implement issue management to improve your product
• 8 ways to reduce cycle time and build a better product
• What is a PERT chart and how to make one
• Discover how to use behavioral analytics to create a great product experience
• Explore six tried and true product management frameworks you should know
• Advisory boards aren’t just for executives. Join LogRocket’s Content Advisory Board. You’ll help inform the type of content we create and get access to exclusive meetups, social accreditation, and swag.

The header is the first part of the memo. It has the following:

• Date — a date when it is sent or when it will be effective unless mentioned otherwise
• To — a recipient; usually, a group to whom the information or action applies to
• From — yourself usually. It is the person, well-defined group, or entity sending the memo
• Subject — a line that tells most of the information in the memo. It actually previews what the memo is all about

Purpose/introduction

The name says it all. It is a brief explanation of what we are about to cover in the entire memo. This is the most powerful part of a memo. It gives the reader an objective and clear understanding. A good memo ensures that this section covers:

• A clear purpose of the writing
• An objective of the writing that can also become actionable

Background/context

This section of the memo is subjective to the kind of memo you are writing. Most of the time, you need the audience to have a certain background or context to understand the memo.

Maybe in a case where you are sending information to your own team about a line item that they already know, you skip it and that’s absolutely fine. But a good memo always gives a background and sets the context for the reader before publishing its story and action.

Actual message

Anything you call it, it is the main part of the memo — the actual message you are conveying to the audience.

In my above example, I have it clubbed in the background paragraph and that’s absolutely fine. The intent is to ensure the intent is conveyed to the audience.

There may or may not be any action(s) for the audience to take. But if there is, you should always convey it as a separate section (paragraph) in your memo.

Wrapping it up/conclusion

Always conclude your write-up. The two main reasons to write a conclusion are:

• To summarize — this ensures the message is repeated and is remembered well. It’s also so the reader knows the important steps that need to be taken or remembered from this memo
• To lighten up — this ensures the message is perceived in the right way and got the message across without leaving panic or worry

In the above example, I have written the “cover” style conclusion rather than the summary. This is because the news I shared is not positive and there was a need for me to reduce the panic of it. What to conclude with is on you, but a good memo always finishes with the right message to the audience.

Tips for writing a good memo

You can use all the creativity you have, templates you find online or from Microsoft Office, and think “I have written it the best way possible.” And, of course, it may be the best for you. But, it may not be the best for the audience. Maybe they don’t take it well and have questions. What do you think the best memo is? To put it simply, what is a good memo?

You can find many tips online to keep it simple, to write the main point only, not to use emotional words, etc.

I don’t think these are bad, but these are subjective and contextual. These tips are good to know but better to decide based on your context.

Let’s learn what I have always followed. My personal tips on writing good memos are:

• Never forget to write the purpose at the beginning. The purpose always gives a clear objective to the reader about your intent to write this memo
• Never detail your subject line. I have seen lengthy subject lines telling it all. Some feel it’s easy and readers may not feel like they even need to open the letter/email. That’s bad. Ensure your subject line summarizes the memo in one line. It should encourage the reader to open up your letter/email and read, rather than having a thought that they already know what’s in the email and that they can skip over it
• You can skip certain sections depending on the context, but never exclude the conclusion of your memo. This is an important section where the reader needs to know what it means for them
• Never forget the situation in which you are writing the memo. The situation you are addressing has a lot of importance in how you direct your words. This is important, you are addressing a group of people and they have to receive it with the correct intent
• Never write a story that goes on for pages. In my entire career, there was no need for me to write more than a page. Your memo should be brief and only communicates the actual message and actions

And then there are certain tips that are common and must be followed. You should ensure:

• That you are addressing the correct group of people (audience)
• That you have dated it correctly. Also, be explicit if the date is effective as of (insert date)
• That you have a subject line. Some people really do miss this part
• That you understand the objections after reading your message and address those in your memo upfront
• That you have formatted the memo correctly and cleanly

Can you write just anything in a memo?

Once my colleague from another team wrote a memo of appreciation to my team members. I never thought MOA could also stand for this 🙂

There was no action to take and there was no information that needed immediate attention.

An appreciation is an email or a letter, but it cannot be a memo. Likewise, people often confuse themselves when they are addressing a group with a piece of information. Not everything can fit in a memo even though you are writing it to a group.

An appreciation, a request, a call-out, a vacation plan, etc. don’t become a memo. You have to understand that a memo is for an audience to remember in the foregoing contexts and to take action accordingly. Use a memo as a tool only when you have that kind of information to publish.

When do product managers need memos?

If you are a product manager and thinking “why does a product manager need to write a memo?” I do and have been using memos to communicate for many years.

Likewise, product managers have many cases where they communicate status, progress, and risks to stakeholders, administrative groups, executive groups, customer groups, and more. And all these have actions that need to be communicated.

A memo written in a good format helps PMs communicate the intent correctly and provide the right set of actions to their audience. A memo becomes a powerful tool for a product manager when they learn to write them effectively and know when to use them properly.

Let’s wrap up. You have read it till now and say you have understood the art of the memo! A memo is a document that helps you write key information that needs immediate attention.

It is a powerful tool if you know how and when to use it. You are not limited to writing in a specific format, but a good memo that can clearly give out the message you want to convey and meet your objective(s). It should have a header, purpose, background, actual message, action, and conclusion. Remember:

Hence, write about your situation to convey your message rather than following or copying a template.

Signing off for now…thank you!

Featured image source: IconScout

LogRocket generates product insights that lead to meaningful action

Get your teams on the same page — try LogRocket today.

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• #project management

Stop guessing about your digital experience with LogRocket

Recent posts:.

Leader Spotlight: Closing the gap in nutrition literacy, with Peter Chau

Peter Chau discusses MyFitnessPal’s focus to close the gap in nutrition literacy by educating users on adequate nutrition intake and health.

Mastering customer surveys: Design, execution, and analysis

A customer survey is a structured research tool that product people use to gather insights about their customers.

Leader Spotlight: Growing the omnichannel market, with Christine Kuei

Christine Kuei, Director of Product Management at Forever 21, shares her experience growing and optimizing omnichannel experiences.

Decoding marketing jargon: A glossary of terms

The world of product marketing is always evolving. Even for experts, it can be hard to keep up with the latest concepts, terms, and jargon.

One Reply to "How to write an effective memo: Format with examples"

Please write a memo on an accident vehicle the total sum of 2550us but my company is asking to pay the money in four installment but how to write it help me

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

How to Write a Business Memo

Learn how to effectively communicate your ideas, decisions, requests, and announcements to your team.

A memo, or memorandum, is one of the most common forms of business communication. While the way memos are distributed has changed – emails have taken the place of printed notes and physical company notice boards – they still play a crucial role in keeping all employees on the same page.

Let's dive deeper into what a business memo is and how to write it effectively.

What is a business memo?

Business memo format, how to write a business memo, business memo template.

A memo is a note or a document distributed within an organization to share information . The term comes from the Latin word "memorandum", meaning "notable" or "memorable".

Memos are often used to effectively communicate ideas, decisions, requests, or announcements to large groups of employees, like your entire department or everyone at the company – for example, a new internal policy introduction, a reminder the clean the shared breakroom, or an invitation to attend a staff party.

A memo allows companies to disseminate information and communicate with their teams asynchronously , without having to schedule extra meetings or communicate important announcements one line at a time on Slack.

Here is an example of a business memo created in Nuclino , a unified workspace for all your team's knowledge, docs, and projects:

A memo in a business wiki (created in Nuclino )

Nuclino can be a great solution for sharing memos and collaborating on documents , but it can serve equally well as an internal knowledge base , a project management tool , a technical documentation tool , and more. It works like a collective brain, allowing you to bring all your team's work together and collaborate without the chaos of files and folders, context switching, or silos.

Although they can take different forms, business memos are always brief, clear, single-subject documents. They follow a simple structure and usually include the following sections:

Date: Include the full date of the memo.

To: Include each recipient’s name and job title. If you're addressing a group – a team, a department, or the entire company – simply state the name of the group.

From: Include your name and title.

Subject: Keep the subject brief and clear.

Body: Concisely summarize the issue.

It may also be helpful to include the business phone number or email address of someone who can address any follow-up queries.

The tone of business memos tends to be fairly friendly and informal. A signature is usually not included, but it may be appropriate depending on your message or your company’s style.

When it comes to writing memos, there are several simple dos and don'ts to keep in mind:

Get to the point immediately. Structure the memo so that the most important information comes in the beginning. Don't write detailed introductions or give extensive overviews of the topic, start with the reason you are writing this memo.

Use bullet points. If you have several issues to cover, structure them as a bulleted list. This will make your memo easier to read and digest.

Use headings. If the memo is longer than one paragraph, consider dividing the body into several sections to allow the readers to quickly scan the contents.

Be succinct. Keep the memo focused on one main point. If you want to provide your readers with more information, link to other resources and keep the document no longer than 1-2 pages.

Use a template: When you find a format that works for your company or your team, stick to it and use it consistently. Create a memo template and share it with your colleagues.

Don't print it out: Avoid distributing printed out memos – you will end up with important memos buried under other paperwork on your employees' desks and outdated memos creating confusion. Instead, share the memo online, for example, through your internal wiki or company intranet .

Don't discard old memos: Another good reason to have a dedicated tool for your memos – such as a wiki or knowledge base software – is that it gives you one central place to organize all your memos. Chances are, you may want to revisit an old memo in the future, and you wouldn't want to waste any time hunting through your inbox.

If your company doesn't have a team wiki , you can easily create one in Nuclino . Nuclino is a collaborative workspace that will not only make it easy to share memos with your team, but also allow your colleagues to give their input.

Your team can ask questions and share their feedback directly in the document, so that you can be sure your memo got the message across. Use comments and mention individual members or groups to send them a notification and grab their attention.

Make sure to create a template for your memos and have it used by the entire team. If all your memos have a consistent style and structure, they will be much easier to write and understand.

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to writing memos, but most companies use a similar format. Copy and customize this memo template for your own team:

Business memo template (created in Nuclino )

Writing memos may seem like a trivial task, but it's a fundamental part of internal communication for every organization.

If the memo doesn't reach its intended audience or is written in an unclear way, it may end up creating confusion and resulting in unnecessary meetings just to get everyone on the same page. When done correctly, however, a memo can be one of the most effective ways to share information and keep your team aligned.

Nuclino : Your team's collective brain

Nuclino brings all your team's knowledge, docs, and projects together in one place. It's a modern, simple, and blazingly fast way to collaborate, without the chaos of files and folders, context switching, or silos.

Create a central knowledge base and give your team a single source of truth.

Collaborate in real time or asynchronously and spend less time in meetings.

Manage and document your projects in one place without losing context.

Organize, sort, and filter all kinds of data with ease.

Integrate the tools you love , like Slack, Google Drive, Figma, Lucidchart, and more.

Ready to get started?

• Why Nuclino?
• Apps & Integrations
• Sidekick (AI)

• Get started with computers
• Learn Microsoft Office
• Apply for a job
• Improve my work skills
• Design nice-looking docs
• Getting Started
• Smartphones & Tablets
• Typing Tutorial
• Online Learning
• Basic Internet Skills
• Online Safety
• Social Media
• Zoom Basics
• Google Docs
• Google Sheets
• Career Planning
• Resume Writing
• Cover Letters
• Job Search and Networking
• Business Communication
• Entrepreneurship 101
• Careers without College
• Job Hunt for Today
• 3D Printing
• Freelancing 101
• Personal Finance
• Sharing Economy
• Decision-Making
• Graphic Design
• Photography
• Image Editing
• Learning WordPress
• Language Learning
• Critical Thinking
• For Educators
• Translations
• Staff Picks
• English expand_more expand_less

Business Communication  - How to Write a Clear Business Memo

Business communication  -, how to write a clear business memo, business communication how to write a clear business memo.

Business Communication: How to Write a Clear Business Memo

Lesson 10: how to write a clear business memo.

/en/business-communication/how-to-write-an-effective-business-email/content/

How to write a clear business memo

When you need to update your colleagues on important information or make an announcement at your workplace, a business memo can be an ideal way to address a specific audience in a formal context.

Watch the video below to learn how to write a business memo.

The basics of a business memo

While business memos and emails may look similar at first, a memo has some key differences. Memos are usually more formal than emails and are often used when you need to give your message a more official look. They can also be printed and distributed wherever this message would have the most impact.

Memos can be addressed to a single person or a group, so tailor your message to reflect the concerns of your audience. As with any business document, always remain professional and polite, even if you have to address a negative topic. An official memo is no place to single someone out in a critical way, so focus on facts and constructive plans for the future.

Writing a business memo

Business memos usually begin with a header section that lists recipients and other details in the following format:

• To : Include each recipient’s name and job title (for example, Miranda Lawson, Director of Marketing). If you're addressing a designated group, however, simply state the name of the group (for example, Accounting Department).
• From : Include your name and title.
• Date : Write out the complete date (for example, June 30, 2017).
• Subject : Make the subject brief and descriptive.

Most business memos skip the greeting (such as “Greetings, Ms. Lawson”) and immediately go into the body text. Whenever you start a paragraph in a memo, always put the main point of that paragraph first, as this makes your writing direct and easy to follow.

Generally, memos don’t include a farewell (such as “Sincerely, Tonya”), but it may be appropriate depending on your message or your company’s style. If you do include a farewell, make it brief.

As discussed in the Business Writing Essentials lesson, revision is vital for any quality document. Read over your writing to cut unnecessary material, clarify your main points, and proofread for grammar and factual errors. And before you submit your memo to your audience, consider getting feedback from a colleague to ensure your message is effective and professional.

Examples of business memos

Let’s explore a few business memos to see this lesson in action. We'll start with an example of a poorly written memo.

The example above is not acceptable. The body is unclear and rambling, there’s no subject line, and the main point of each paragraph is difficult to find. The message itself is also incredibly unprofessional, especially because it calls out a single person in a negative way.

Now let’s look at a stronger example.

This is much better! The body is concise and clear, and the main point is the first sentence in each paragraph. There’s also a strong subject line, and the message stays professional despite sharing negative news.

Whether you’re detailing a new policy change or updating staff on a new procedure, business memos are a powerful way to distribute information among your colleagues. As you practice and study, your memos will become more efficient and polished.

/en/business-communication/how-to-format-a-business-document/content/

• Writing Center

Click here to download a .pdf of our Memo Guide !

Last updated : October 7, 2023

Consider keeping a printed copy to have when writing and revising your resume!  If you have any additional questions, make an appointment or email us at [email protected] !

Writing a Memo

Memos have a twofold purpose: they bring attention to problems, and they solve problems. They are used to relay day-to-day communication within organizations. Memos are used to convey decisions, meeting agendas, policies, internal reports, and short proposals. Though there are conventions that memos generally follow, the formatting and layout of a memo may vary per country, organization, audience, and message. The following depicts a sample memo and a quick guide to writing an effective memo.

Quick Guide to Memos

1. format your memo using block format..

• Heading – Include the “Date:”, “To:”, “From:”, and “Subject:” lines. A title of “Memo” or “Memorandum” may be requested at the top of the memo, center aligned, with or without capital letters.
• Date: (month day, year) e.g. July 3, 2023
• To: (readers’ names and job titles) e.g. Boise State University Students
• From: (your name and job title) e.g. Boise State University Writing Center
• Subject: (what the memo is about) e.g. How to format your memo heading!
• Opening segment – In the opening paragraph, state the purpose of communication, overview of message, context & problem, and or specific assignment & task.
• Block formatting – Memos typically follow block formatting rules: the entire message is left justified, single spaced except for an added space between paragraphs, with no extra indentation for paragraphs.

2. Choose an appropriate tone for your audience.

• Memos circulating within an organization reflect that organization’s work culture. Compared to formal communication outside an organization, these memos may be more semi-formal to informal.
• Audiences who are more “traditional” (the word is used loosely here) may necessitate higher formality. Friendly communications between co-workers is likely to be semi-formal. Informal, colloquial language is best reserved for talking to well-known associates or colleagues.
• Audience is very important when it comes to tone. Tone needs to be based around what the audience knows, needs to know, and what action should be taken.
• An effective memo is both detailed and concise. Things needs to be described accurately and well enough to understand, but not filled with unnecessary information

3. When and why to write a memo.

• Ensure that each of the memo’s recipients needs the information it contains. To whom is it relevant?
• Ensure that a memo is the appropriate genre and medium to communicate the message. Would it be more appropriate to communicate the information via a phone call, web call, or in-person?
• Memos are most effectively used when sent to a small to moderate number of people to communicate company or job objectives.

The Writing Center

How to Write a Memo [Template & Examples]

Published: November 17, 2022

A memo (also known as a memorandum, or "reminder") is used for internal communications regarding procedures or official business within an organization.

Unlike an email, a memo is a message you send to a large group of employees, like your entire department or everyone at the company. You might need to write a memo to inform staff of upcoming events or broadcast internal changes.

If you need to inform your employees of official internal business, we’ll show you how to write a memo to better communicate your message. But before we break it down, let’s talk about the many purposes of memos.

What is a memorandum?

A memorandum, or memo, is a document shared with a group of people to disperse information on a task, project, event, or other. The purpose of a memo is to bring immediate attention to that information in a quick and brief manner.

Memorandums are shared to inform readers about new information and have applications for different communities and businesses.

Communities can use memos to tell people within it about public safety guidelines, promote various events, raise awareness on subjects that affect their lives.

Businesses can use memos to relay information involving newly updated policy, changes in procedure, or persuade employees to take an action, such as attend an upcoming meeting, convention, or a celebration for organizational milestones.

Next, we'll walk you through writing a memo of your own.

How to Write a Memo

• Write a heading.
• Write an introduction.
• Provide background on the issue
• Outline action items and timeline.
• Include a closing statement.
• Review and proofread before sending.

Free Business Memo Templates

Four free templates to communicate these major business updates.

• Organizational change
• Financial update
• Solution to a problem
• General business news

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

4 Free Memo Templates

Fill out this form to get your templates..

You can put together a memo in a few short steps. All memos should include the following:

1. Write a heading.

No matter what kind of memo you’re writing, you’ll need to include a heading. This section should include who the memo is for (whether an individual or department), the date, who the memo is from, and a subject line.

Your subject line should be, short, attention-grabbing, and give readers a general idea of what the memo is about.

2. Write an introduction.

Your introduction should summarize the purpose of your memo in two to three sentences. It should highlight the issue or problem and the solution you decided to move forward with.

3. Provide background on the issue.

In this section, explain the reasoning behind the memo. For example, it could be changes in the budget, a company restructuring, or a new rollout of procedures. This explanation should provide justification for the changes being implemented.

4. Outline action items and timeline (Optional).

Depending on the purpose of your memo, you may have action items for employees to complete or provide a timeline of when changes will take place. For example, they may need to complete a task or provide information by a certain deadline. This section should include the following:

• When employees can expect changes to go into effect
• What changes have already been made and what to expect in the future
• Deadlines they need to adhere to

If no action is needed on the employee’s behalf, you can leave this section out.

5. Include a closing statement.

Your closing statement will include any information you’d like to reinforce. Are there any specific contacts readers should reach out to for questions? If so, include them here.

6. Review and proofread before sending.

This step may seem like a no-brainer but it's important to review your document before sending it out. Memos are meant to inform readers of upcoming changes and relay important information. You don't want to risk causing confusion with a typo or misstatement.  If you want to make your writing more effective and engaging, you can try out HubSpot's paragraph rewriter tool which can help you rephrase your sentences and make them more concise and clear.

To begin making your own business memos, here's an easy-to-follow business memo template with examples of how to use them to serve different needs as guidance.

Business Memo Template

I'm writing to inform you that [reason for writing memo].

As our company continues to grow … [evidence or reason to support your opening paragraph].

Please let me know if you have any questions. In the meantime, I'd appreciate your cooperation as [official business information] takes place.

Business Memo Template Format

The business memo template format is designed to effectively communicate your message. A memo should disseminate the necessary information in a way that is easy for a mass number of employees to digest.

An accurate subject line will alert them that this memo is relevant to them specifically. And beginning with an executive summary allows recipients to understand the general message before they dive deeper into the details. The background information offers context to the message, and the overview and timeline should answer questions that are likely to come up.

In your header, you'll want to clearly label your content "Memorandum" so your readers know exactly what they're receiving. As previously mentioned, you'll want to include "TO", "FROM", "DATE", and "SUBJECT". This information is relevant for providing content, like who you're addressing, and why.

Paragraph One:

In the first paragraph, you'll want to quickly and clearly state the purpose of your memo. You might begin your sentence with the phrase, "I'm writing to inform you … " or "I'm writing to request ... ". A memo is meant to be short, clear, and to the point. You'll want to deliver your most critical information upfront, and then use subsequent paragraphs as opportunities to dive into more detail.

Paragraph Two:

In the second paragraph, you'll want to provide context or supporting evidence. For instance, let's say your memo is informing the company of an internal re-organization. If this is the case, paragraph two should say something like, "As our company continues to grow, we've decided it makes more sense to separate our video production team from our content team. This way, those teams can focus more on their individual goals."

Paragraph Three:

In the third paragraph, you'll want to include your specific request of each employee — if you're planning a team outing, this is the space you'd include, "Please RSVP with dietary restrictions," or "Please email me with questions."

On the contrary, if you're informing staff of upcoming construction to the building, you might say, "I'd appreciate your cooperation during this time." Even if there isn't any specific action you expect from employees, it's helpful to include how you hope they'll handle the news and whether you expect them to do something in response to the memo.

Downloadable Memo Template

Want to see the above memo format in its final form? Download HubSpot's free business memo templates , shown below. The document gives you a framework that sorts your memorandum into subtopics to help employees better digest the information and understand what's expected of them after reading it.

Memo Examples

Different industries or situations will require slightly different memos. Certain ones will need to be longer or shorter, others may not have a timeline, and some will have extensive background information. The format of your memo should change to fit the message you want your employees to receive.

Launch Delay Memo

The objective of this memo is to announce that the launch of a product will be delayed. The introduction includes the new date, so a timeline or long overview isn’t necessary. This format of this memo could be applied to other situations where a simple, but important, change is occurring.

What We Like : The launch memo provides readers with insight behind product launch delays, which can alleviate some frustration that customers or employees may otherwise feel if they were not informed.

Other date changes, promotions, milestones, or product announcements could also utilize this format.

Building Update Memo

There are logistical aspects of a business that concern your employees, but don’t necessarily involve their work. This memo depicts an example of a kitchen remodel in the office. It’s a bit of an inconvenience but not one of a large magnitude.

What We Like : This memo demonstrates a business's understanding of the impact that renovations can have on employees and shows respect and consideration for their needs.

This memo format could be applied to other building updates, work-from-home days, or other widespread but minor announcements.

Community Memo

Celebrations, events, theme days, or other fun things for your employees can also be communicated through memos. Community memos like this example are generally shorter because they don’t require much background information or many details.

What We Like : This memo has clear directions on where to find the event taking place, something which would’ve been less effective if it only would’ve included the floor number.

Memos of this nature should include a summary, date, and location at minimum.

Persuasion Memo

Persuasion memos are used to encourage readers to take action regarding an event or proposition, like voting or petitioning.

What We Like : This persuasion memo prioritizes giving the reader information to learn on their own and make a decision based on their findings.

The main components of the persuasion memo should include an overview of the task at hand, context to learn more about it, and a call to action that emphasizes the impact the reader can potentially make.

Write Your Memos To the Point

The main difference between a memo and just an email is not the level of complexity, it’s the size of the audience. A memo can be simple or intricate, as long as it effectively communicates your message and is relevant to the receiving group of employees. And the message itself should be clear and concise, no matter which memo format you use.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in October 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Don't forget to share this post!

Related articles.

9 Simple Ways to Write a Good Introduction Sentence

Comma Rules for Clear Writing (with Examples)

How to Write an Introduction: A Simplified Guide

How to Become a (Better) Editor: 13 Editorial Tips

How Long Should Blog Posts Be in 2021? [New Data]

How to Improve Your Writing Skills and Escape Content Mediocrity (Infographic)

How The Flesch Reading Ease Test Can Help You Write Clear and Concise Copy

HubSpot's Guide to Becoming a Better Writer

What is a Metaphor? A 2-Minute Rundown

Templates for an organizational change, financial update, problem-solving, or general business memorandum.

Marketing software that helps you drive revenue, save time and resources, and measure and optimize your investments — all on one easy-to-use platform

• How to Cite
• Language & Lit
• Rhyme & Rhythm
• The Rewrite
• Search Glass

How to Write a Memo Assignment

A memorandum, or memo, is a short document distributed in hard copy (though electronic memos exist as well) throughout an organization to remind employees of meetings, deadlines and other special events. While writing a memo isn't difficult, there is a specific format that official memos follow. Learning how to format and phrase a memo properly can help ensure the message you want to get across to your employees comes across clearly and effectively.

Left justify, each on its own line:

To: From: Date: Subject:

This information tells who the memo goes to, who it's from, when the memo was written, and what the subject of the memo is. Bold each of these elements.

Write the memo in either first or third person. Either of these can be used, depending upon the purpose of the memo. Using first person can be an effective way for the head of the company to get on a more personal level with employees. For subjects that are more relaxed, such as announcing a company party of picnic, first person might be a better choice. A mandatory meeting might benefit from a third person point of view, written with a more formal tone.

Keep the memo as short as possible. Between three and five paragraphs, each with between three and five sentences, is appropriate for most memos. Memos are meant to be short reminders. Be direct in the body of the memo. Get right to the point. If there are any special instructions, try listing them as bullet points when possible. End the memo with contact information for those who may have further questions.

• English Language Center: How to Write a Memo

Carl Hose is the author of the anthology "Dead Horizon" and the the zombie novella "Dead Rising." His work has appeared in "Cold Storage," "Butcher Knives and Body Counts," "Writer's Journal," and "Lighthouse Digest.". He is editor of the "Dark Light" anthology to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Write a memo in Word for the web

Writing a memo like this while you're online is quick and easy.

Choose one of our memo templates , and open it in Word for the web to make it yours.

As you work on the memo, you'll probably want to rename it.

Distribute your memo

When you're finished, print it or send it out electronically. You can do this with the memo still open in Word for the web. No need to save it first (that's already done for you).

To print it, press Ctrl+P, and wait for the Print dialog.

Note:  If you don't see a Print dialog box, click the link for opening a PDF version of your memo. From there, use the PDF program's Print command.

Send a link to your memo

For an electronic version of your memo, send out a link:

Near the top of the screen, click Share .

Under Share , click Get a Link .

Under Choose an option , click View only .

Click Create Link .

Click on the web address to select it, and then copy and paste it into an email, message, or post.

Need more help?

Want more options.

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Microsoft 365 subscription benefits

Microsoft 365 training

Microsoft security

Accessibility center

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Ask the Microsoft Community

Microsoft Tech Community

Windows Insiders

Microsoft 365 Insiders

Was this information helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Chapter 15: Memos and Letters

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

• Distinguish between a memo and letter and explain their different purposes in a professional setting.
• Identify the seven elements of the full block letter format.

Key Terms and Concepts

Type your examples here.

• Header Block
• Full block letter format

Professional Correspondence

A lot of your time as a professional will be spent communicating through letters, memos, emails, and text messages. Some of these forms of communication are probably more familiar to you than others; however, as a professional it is important that you understand how and when to use each format and why. This is because your employer will expect you to be able to communicate effectively to maintain your credibility and build relation with co-workers, clients, and the public.

When you craft your correspondence, letters and memos are treated as informal reports and follow the SIDCRA format. Similarly, in a professional context, emails and texts should maintain this organizational structure to help your audience understand and retrieve information quickly. This is why you should begin with the main point for each of these types of correspondence. Busy readers need to be able to scan the document quickly to assess if the document requires immediate attention.

As always, before you begin to write, consider your audience’s needs and your purpose for writing in the first place. For all correspondence, you should:

• Include a detailed subject line which provides a summary, or a sense of purpose for the document,
• Provide a brief introduction which states the purpose for writing and provides an overview or forecasting of the rest of the document,
• Provide necessary context for your reader in either the introduction or in a background paragraph,
• Use headings to help your reader find information quickly, and to help you, the writer, organize information effectively, and
• Keep paragraphs short and focused on one main point.

To decide which format to use, consider the size and importance of your audience, your purpose for writing, and the complexity of the information being communicated.

Although RCM 200 introduces standard templates and formats, there is some room for variation, and you should always follow your employer’s particular preference for letter, memo, and email format.

For this chapter, we will focus on memos and letters. The following chapter will be on email and text messages.

Memoranda, or memos , are one of the most versatile document forms used in professional settings.  Memos are “in house” documents (sent within an organization) to pass along or request information, outline policies, present short reports, or propose ideas.  While they are often used to inform, they can also be persuasive documents.  A company or institution typically has its own “in house” style or template that is used for documents such as letters and memos.

Memo Format

Figure #1 below shows a sample of an “in house” memo style (the style we will use for memo assignments written for this class), with annotations pointing out various relevant features. The main formatted portions of a memo are the Logo or Letterhead (which is optional), the Header Block, and the Message.

The Header Block

The Header Block appears at the top left side of your memo, directly underneath the word MEMO or MEMORANDUM in large, bold, capitalized letters.  This section contains detailed information on the recipient, sender, and purpose.  It includes the following lines:

• TO: give the recipient’s full name, and position or title within the organization
• FROM : include the sender’s (your) full name and position or title
• DATE : include the full date on which you sent the memo
• SUBJECT or RE : write a brief phrase that concisely describes the main content of your memo.

Place a horizontal line under your header block, and place your message below.

The Message

The length of a memo can range from a few short sentences to a multi-page report that includes figures, tables, and appendices.  Whatever the length, there is a straightforward organizational principle you should follow.  Organize the content of your memo so that it answers the following questions for the reader:

• Opening:  Do I have to read this?  Why do I have to read this?
• Details:  What do I need to know?
• Closing:  What am I expected to do now?

The Opening

Memos are generally very direct and concise.  There is no need to start with general introductions before getting to your point. Your readers are colleagues within the same organization and are likely familiar with the context you are writing about.  The opening sentences of the memo’s message should make it clear to the reader whether they have to read this entire memo and why. For example, if the memo is informing me about an elevator that’s out of service in a building I never enter, then I don’t really have to read any further?

The Details

The middle section of the message should give all of the information needed to adequately inform the readers and fulfill the purpose of the memo. Start with the most general information, and then add the more specific facts and details. Make sure there is enough detail to support your purpose, but don’t overwhelm your readers with unnecessary details or information that is already well known to them.

The Closing

The final part of the message indicates what, if any, action is required or requested of the readers.  If you are asking your readers to do something, be as courteous as possible, and try to indicate how this action will also benefit them.

For more information on writing memos, check out the memo page on the the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University: Parts of a Memo .

Exercise #1: Sample Memo

Below are two images. The first shows a potential memo layout with tips for creating one. The second shows a sample memo.

Does the sample memo have all the parts we’ve discussed in this section? Does it need more information? Less? Is there anything you think would be helpful for the author to include?

Letters are brief messages sent to recipients that are often outside the organization, or external. They are often printed on letterhead paper that represents the business or organization, and are generally limited to one or two pages. While email and text messages may be used more frequently today, the business letter remains a common form of written communication as it serves many functions, such as:

• introducing you to a potential employer
• announcing a product or service
• communicating feelings and emotions (complaint letters, for example).

Letters are the most formal format for business correspondence, and your credibility will be established by using a formal tone and a conventional format for the document.

Use a letter format for communicating with people outside of your own organization, or for information which will be kept on file (such as a letter of offer from an employer) or may be needed for legal proceedings. Your reader will expect a well written and well formatted document. The full block letter format is the most straightforward letter format and will be covered in the next section. Professionals who produce their own correspondence using this format will appreciate its simplicity and consistency.

As we will soon see, there are many types of letters, and many adaptations in terms of form and content.

The Full Block Letter Format

A typical letter has 7 main elements, which make up the full block letter format .

• Letterhead/logo :  Sender’s name and return address
• The heading:   names the recipient, often including address and date
• Salutation :  “Dear ______ ” use the recipient’s name, if known.
• The introduction :  establishes the overall purpose of the letter
• The body :  articulates the details of the message
• The conclusion:   restates the main point and may include a call to action
• The signature line:   sometimes includes the contact information

You can see how these elements are implemented in the example above. Keep in mind that letters represent you/or and your company in your absence. In order to communicate effectively and project a positive image, remember that

• your language should be clear, concise, specific, and respectful
• each word should contribute to your purpose
• each paragraph should focus on one idea
• the parts of the letter should form a complete message
• the letter should be free of errors.

Exercise 2: Sample letter

Types of Messages

Letters and memos can be written for many purposes. Here are just a few reasons you may have to write these documents in your professional career. We will also provide some tips for each one.

Making a Request

Whenever you make a request, whether in a memo or letter ,  remember to consider the tone of your words: be polite and be respectful. It is certainly easier, and faster, to send off a message without proofreading it, but doing so will help you make sure that you do not sound demanding or condescending to your audience.

Remember that your request will add to your audience’s already busy day, so acknowledge the time and effort necessary to address your request. Finally, always be as specific as possible about what you expect your reader to do and provide the necessary information so that the reader can successfully fulfill your request.

When making a request you should:

• quickly establish relation, and then begin with the main point
• explain in the body of the document your needs and provide details to justify the request
• end by extending goodwill and appreciation
• always be courteous and proofread to eliminate poor tone

Thank-you letters may feel like an old-fashioned way to communicate, but even in today’s fast-paced world, a well-written thank you letter can establish your credibility and professionalism. A hand written thank-you letter is always most appropriate, but a business thank-you letter may be printed on company stationery.

A thank-you letter does not need to be long, but it should communicate your sincere appreciation to the reader.

• Be specific about what you are thanking the reader for. Avoid clichés and stock phrases.
• Include some details about why you are thankful and how you benefited from the reader’s actions.
• End with a sincere compliment and repeat the thank-you.

Interview Thank-You Note

A brief thank-you letter or thank-you email is an important step in the interview and job search process. Not only will the note of thanks communicate your professionalism, but it will also give you an opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to the company. Use this opportunity to remind the reader why you are the best candidate for the position.

“Good News” Messages

Obviously, preparing a good news message (such as a message of of Congratulations, Acknowledgement, and Acceptance) is easier than preparing a negative message. However, care should be taken in all correspondence to maintain your credibility as a professional.

• Be specific about the achievement or award.
• Be sincere in your congratulations.
• Avoid using language which might sound patronizing or insincere.

“Bad News” Messages

In the course of your professional career, you are going to need to write negative messages (such as messages of Complaint or Refusal) for a variety of reasons. Tone is very important here; comments should be made using neutral language and should be as specific as possible.

A thoughtful writer will remember that the message will likely have negative consequences for the audience, and although it may be appropriate to begin with a buffer sentence to establish relation, get to the main point as quickly as possible. Keep your audience’s needs in mind; your audience will need to clearly understand your decision and your reasons for making such a decision.

Do not hide your bad news in ambiguous language to save your own sense of face . Finally, remember to be courteous and considerate of your audience’s feelings. Avoid inflaming the situation with emotional, accusatory, or sarcastic language, and avoid personal attacks on your reader.

• Be polite and use neutral language.
• Be specific about the bad news you are conveying.
• Provide relevant details so your audience can understand your decision.
• End with an appropriate closing; avoid insincere or falsely positive endings which are disrespectful to your audience.

Apology / Conciliation 

Learning how to apologize well is an important skill for young professionals. A poorly written apology can exacerbate problems for both you and your company.  Don’t apologize unnecessarily, but when an apology is in order, do so sincerely and with full recognition of your audience’s hurt, frustration and disappointment.

Once you reach a leadership position in your field, you may also need to apologize for someone else’s error. As a leader in an organization, it will be your job to take responsibility and to apologize fully to maintain your organization’s credibility.

Sincere apologies focus on the audience’s needs and feelings, not the needs and feelings of the person issuing the apology. Avoid the ubiquitous “this is not who I am” phrase as part of an apology because saying “this is not who I am” is not an apology at all. If you do something that requires an apology, take responsibility and recognize that your actions or words caused hurt or inconvenience for someone else. An apology must also be sincere; an accusation veiled as as an apology will not persuade anyone that you are actually sorry. A phrase such as “I am sorry you feel that way” will not convince your audience that you are sincerely sorry. An apology should:

• Sincerely acknowledge that you are sorry for the words or actions which caused harm
• Acknowledge that the audience’s hurt, frustration, or anger is real, and warranted
• Take responsibility for the mistake and the negative consequences of the mistake
• Never suggest that the audience is somehow to blame for the problem
• Offer some form of compensation if it seems appropriate to do so

Transmittal Letters

Wh en you send a report or some other document (such as a resumé) to an external audience, send it with a letter that briefly explains the purpose of the enclosed document and a brief summary.  For more information on these kinds of transmittal documents for reports, visit Chapter 29: Formatting the Report . For more information on cover letters, visit Chapter 19: Cover/Application Letters . 

Click the link to download a Letter of Transmittal Template (.docx) .

Letters of Inquiry

You may want to request information about a company or organization such as whether they anticipate job openings in the near future or whether they fund grant proposals from non-profit groups.

In this case, you would send a letter of inquiry, asking for additional information. As with most business letters, keep your request brief, introducing yourself in the opening paragraph and then clearly stating your purpose and/or request in the second paragraph. If you need very specific information, consider placing your requests in list form for clarity. Conclude in a friendly way that shows appreciation for the help you will receive.

Follow-up Letters 

Any time you have made a request of someone, write a follow-up letter expressing your appreciation for the time your letter-recipient has taken to respond to your needs or consider your job application. If you have had a job interview, the follow-up letter thanking the interviewer for his/her time is especially important for demonstrating your professionalism and attention to detail.

Exercise #3: Letters

Letters within the professional context may take on many other purposes, such as communicating with suppliers, contractors, partner organizations, clients, government agencies, and so on.

Below are three images of letters. The first shows a layout using the full-block format discussed above. The second image is a cover letter, the second is a transmittal letter.

Do the sample letters have all the parts we’ve discussed in this section? If so, what do they still need? Is there anything you think would be helpful for the author to include?

For additional examples of professional letters, take a look at the sample letters provided by David McMurrey in his online textbook on technical writing: Online Technical Writing: Examples, Cases & Models .

Key Takeaways

• Even in the digital age, writing correspondence will be a regular part of your professional career. Not only do these types of correspondence help maintain your credibility as an employee, they help you build relation with co-workers, clients, and the public.
• Memos are in house, internal documents that serve a number of purposes, such as passing along information or proposing ideas. Their format includes a Header Block followed by the message itself. A message has three parts: the opening, details, and a closing.
• Letters are more formal than memos, since they are generally externally sent to people outside of a company or organization. They use a full block format which is the standard for most organizations. Like memos , there are many different reasons you may write a letter .

Attributions

This chapter is adapted from “Technical Writing Essentials”  by Suzan Last (on BCcampus ). It is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

a quality that allows others to trust and believe you

an acronym that stands for the six parts of a report: (1) summary, (2) introduction, (3) discussion, (4) conclusion, (5) recommendations, (6) appendix

full name "memoranda," these are documents sent within an organization to pass along or request information, outline policies, present short reports, or propose ideas

a brief message to recipients that are often outside the organization

the attitude of a communicator toward the message being delivered and/or the audience receiving the message

our sense of self-worth in a given situation

the section of a memo that contains detailed information on its recipient, sender, and purpose

brief messages sent to recipients that are often outside an organization

a standard letter format that has seven elements: (1) letterhead/logo, (2) the heading, (3) salutation, (4) the introduction, (5) the body, (6) the conclusion, (7) the signature line

Effective Professional Communication: A Rhetorical Approach Copyright © 2021 by Rebekah Bennetch; Corey Owen; and Zachary Keesey is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

Legal Memo Format Basics

March 2, 2023

IN THIS ARTICLE

What is the legal memo assignment?

What’s the difference between a closed legal memo and an open legal memo, what’s the standard legal memo format, how to write a legal memo.

Your future begins now. Start smarter with Bloomberg Law.

[Bloomberg Law’s Essential Career Toolkit can help you excel in class and jump-start your legal career to successfully transition from law student to lawyer.]

The legal memo is an objective memorandum that provides you the opportunity to review and research relevant case law, investigate relevant facts using available resources, analyze those facts under that law, and impartially assess the potential outcome of a matter. The legal memo is an assignment that law firm associates are frequently asked to provide to senior attorneys.

Far too often, however, the assigning attorney takes one look at the result and replies, “I knew this already.” To prevent this outcome, it’s important to write a legal memo with sufficient understanding of audience, scope, purpose, and format. With proper planning, law firm associates can maximize the odds of favorable reception at the outset.

Bloomberg Law can help you understand and apply legal issues to your legal memo assignment, so your final product addresses all relevant points right out of the gate.

A closed legal memo is an assignment where you are given the case law or other primary law to be used in your writing. Far more challenging is an open legal memo, where you will need to research and identify the relevant law, investigate and analyze the most legally significant facts involving a particular client, and provide a critical assessment of how the court may apply the law to the matter.

By extension, unlike a court brief, the legal memo is not the place to wager a legal opinion or argue facts. The legal memorandum serves as an objective standalone document and identifies the risks and any unknown facts that need investigation. It should maintain an impartial tone, with no implied preference for one side or the other.

How to conduct legal research

Learn about the best practices in legal research, including where to start, familiarizing yourself with an issue, and tips for searching documents.

Generally, a legal memorandum comprises six sections, with the following information:

1. Heading or caption

A section, titled, “Memorandum,” identifies the recipient (To: _______), the author (From: ____), the assignment submission date (typically in MMMM DD YYYY format), and subject of the memo (Re: __________).

2. Question presented

A brief one-sentence statement that defines how the law applies to the legal question at hand, and the jurisdiction where the matter will be decided. The question presented is specific and impartial and doesn’t assume a legal conclusion.

3. Brief answer

A quick-hit legal prediction to the question presented, based on a short (four to five sentences) explanation that references relevant law and facts.

4. Statement of facts

A concise, impartial statement of the facts that captures the heart of the legal matter, as well as current and past legal proceedings related to the issue. The facts can be chronological or grouped thematically, whichever format presents the facts in the clearest manner.

5. Discussion

Restates the main facts and delineates the overarching legal rule. Several paragraphs outline the various legal topics to be addressed in the case and provide an analysis of the legal issues, usually ordered in subsections.

6. Conclusion

The assigning attorney will likely read this section first. It predicts how the court will apply the law, and how confident you are in your prediction based on the data. With an impartial advisory tone, you identify next steps and propose a legal strategy to proceed.

Watch on demand: Beyond law school

On-demand webinars that fit your schedule and your future. Make it through law school and land the job with these insider tips.

Legal research memos can come in many forms—from broad 50-state surveys to more nuanced research on a particular point of law—but whatever the format, it’s important that you fully understand the task entrusted to you before you start typing.

If you tackle your assignment by following the recommended approaches in the legal memo example below, you’ll be more likely to find an appreciative supervising attorney, deliver better work product, cut down on the number of drafts required to arrive at a final product, and, most importantly, please the client.

Learn the essentials of litigation writing, research, and document review with our Core Litigation Skills Practical Guidance Toolkit , available to Bloomberg Law subscribers.

Legal memorandum sample assignment

Assignment:  Prepare an open legal memo on whether, under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause, there is personal jurisdiction over a foreign car manufacturer involving a products liability case.

Step 1: Understand the legal issues

Review legal memo assignment materials.

In an open legal memo, you will be tasked with researching relevant primary and secondary resources, such as from national, single, or multiple state entities, as well as appeals circuits, to include in your analysis.

Locate secondary sources

Secondary sources, such as books, treatises, law reviews, legal analysis publications, and Practical Guidance are a great starting point to assist with your legal memo research. Although secondary sources are not binding on courts, meaning courts are not required to follow these sources, they are still helpful tools to use when you know little about a topic.

However, remember that while you may know little about a topic, the same may not hold true for your audience. Readers like law partners and assigning attorneys will already know general law. Identify your audience’s presumed level of knowledge, then the most mission-critical questions to address. These identified gaps will inform your fact-finding and research.

Use secondary resources to better fill in the main legal topics and issues as they relate to the facts in the legal memo assignment. Your legal research should help frame the issue and lead to other relevant materials, including cases and statutes.

Throughout, utilize legal memo space wisely. Remember, legal memo length varies by subject. Some topics require only a short summary, while others compel long-form treatment. For guidance, search your firm’s office document management system for previous legal memos.

Sample assignment – Step 1

Understand the legal issues:  Legal research depends on the right search terms. In the case, for example, you can use the keywords: (“personal jurisdiction” and manufacture!)) to locate relevant resources on the Bloomberg Law platform.

More broadly, while your search into secondary sources may span books and treatises, law review articles, and other legal analysis publications, make sure to vet all legal authorities for relevance.

[Research tip: It can be challenging to know all relevant keywords. Bloomberg Law provides a convenient search results page, where relevant article blurbs showcase additional keywords to explore. Based on targeted keywords, you can better gather the most relevant background information to assist with your analysis.]

Step 2: Develop a research plan

Identify primary law.

Primary sources can often be identified with research tools, such as court opinions searches for relevant case law. However, primary sources are not always apparent. In such cases, work your way backward. Reviewing secondary sources can help you identify a list of relevant primary law resources, like case law and related statutes. Keep your research organized and create a research plan to identify key resources. The research plan will list the relevant primary law and how the case or statute relates to your comprehensive legal analysis.

Stay organized

Save the relevant cases and statutes to a designated workspace. Bloomberg Law provides a streamlined and secure digital working area where you can add your notes as well as upload and store your drafts to keep organized.

Sample assignment – Step 2

Develop a research plan:  In the  assignment, some legal research may mention cases on what contacts a foreign defendant must have for the court to have personal jurisdiction over it, such as Ford Motor Co. v. Montana Eighth Judicial District Court .  Read through these articles to reveal additional relevant cases and statutes to support your analysis.

Step 3: Confirm your legal memo research

Once you have your research plan, you want to verify all your research to make sure you’re relying on the most current case law available. Bloomberg Law’s litigation tools like the BCite citator tool help you work smarter and faster to validate your case law research—specifically, to determine whether a citation still represents good law and can be relied upon—and helps you to conduct additional research to find more cases and resources that support your legal memo’s findings and conclusions.

Robust verification should ensure you know the following information:

• Composite analysis – the overall treatment of the cited case by other courts.
• Direct history – How a cited case has moved through the court system.
• Case analysis – Cases that have subsequently cited to the case.
• Authorities – Cases relied on by the court in the main case.
• Citing documents – Legal materials, such as court opinions, administrative decisions, and secondary sources that reference your case by citation.

Sample assignment – Step 3

Confirm your research:  To see whether  Ford Motor Co. v. Montana Eighth Judicial District Court  is still good law, you will of course need to pull up and review the case status. As part of this verification, you should review how other courts have treated the case. Once you have verified case status, you can better find additional secondary cases and other sources that cite to your case.

[Research tip: Carefully review whether case law citation can be relied on in your legal memo. While a legal memo is written for internal stakeholders like the assigning attorney, and not for the court system, it may nonetheless serve as a primer for future material.]

Attorneys may later incorporate any case law citations within the legal memo into court filings in support of their arguments. Given this broad potential reach, it’s imperative to verify all case law within your legal memo. Any unverified case law that later makes its way into public documents will result in an admonition from the court.

It is also important not to cherry-pick case citations. Remember the legal memo’s purpose is to inform, not to argue the facts. The legal memo must therefore provide an objective summary of all relevant case law and how it applies to the facts at hand. The omission of negative case law only compromises future legal strategy and heightens client legal exposure.

Step 4: Write an objective analysis

The legal memo showcases your critical legal thinking skills. Use your research plan and research materials to help organize your analysis. Remember to clearly state the law and the facts, in the active voice, and present your analysis in a logical manner.

Even with the IRAC legal memo format (Issue, Rule, Application, and Conclusion), it can be a challenge to write with precision. For example, it may not be clear which details to include in the statement of facts. Skilled legal memo writers often begin with the discussion. With complementary considerations of legal authority and factual criteria, this section clarifies the most legally significant facts and informs other earlier sections like the question presented and brief answer.

Across all stages, Bloomberg Law provides a vast trove of articles and resources to assist you in preparing your legal memo. Whether this is your first or fiftieth legal memo assignment, you can showcase clear and impartial legal analysis in your legal memo and other writing assignments in ways that establish you as a strong legal mind.

Reference Shelf

• 11 resume rules every law student should follow
• Succeeding in the modern legal classroom
• The right answers to law interview questions
• Three things to know before starting your law career
• Turn your passion for social justice into a law career

Resources for Law Students

Law school preparedness survey, 11 resume rules every law student should follow, the right answers to law interview questions.