Technical Memorandum
Academic Skills Centre (ASC)
Angie Silverberg
Technical memorandums are primarily used by engineers and engineering
students. Memorandums are not normally required for general science programs
unless specifically requested by the course professor. A memorandum
submission is highly recommended for students who are completing thesis
degree programs. The memorandum could be submitted to the thesis supervisor
on a monthly basis. This will provide thesis students with the opportunity to
present a scientific memorandum which encourages the student to think critically
about the choice of scientific content and to present the material in a logical
manner which is clear and concise. The submission will also provide an
opportunity for constructive feedback and hence, gradual improvement.
Technical Memorandum
A technical memorandum, otherwise known as a memo, is a document, which is
composed by a member of an organization, addressed to one or more internal
members. A memo is designed to effectively review project or experimental
details and remind the reader(s) of the project’s purpose and resultant
accomplishments.
If a technical memorandum is required, it is attached in front of the title page and
hence, is the first document the reader will review. Typical memorandum
templates are available on any word processor. The recommended format is a
standard block style with date, to, from and subject headings.
Content of a Well Written Memorandum:
The key to a well written memo: know the purpose.
Step One: Sift through details from the laboratory report.
Step Two: Narrow down key concepts that will clearly provide a purpose for
writing the memo.
Step Three: Propose a sentence statement that clearly and effectively
establishes the memo purpose, known as a purpose sentence. The purpose
sentence should be specific, brief, but effective.
Step Four: Know the audience who will read the memorandum. This
knowledge can dictate the type of vocabulary and tone that is appropriate. A
mixed technical audience increases the challenge of addressing each group
appropriately. In this situation, a writer may create different sections appropriate
to different technical backgrounds or reduce the level of difficulty to encourage
review of all written sections. Unlike other formal documents, first person
references such as “I” and “We” are perfectly acceptable practices in
memorandum technical writing.
Step Five: It is imperative that memos are brief and concise. Readers like to
receive information quickly and clearly, especially when there are several
competing companies submitting technical documents for review. To achieve a
brief and concise review, the Abtract Body Conclusion (ABC) method described
by Pfeiffer and Boogerd (2003) can be easily utilized. The ABC method
addresses all the essential components of a well written memorandum. To
summarize, an abstract includes a well defined purpose sentence and an outline
of the main sections of the memo. The body includes supporting evidence
presented in a tactical manner with particularly strong and/or positive statements
located either at the beginning or end of short paragraphs. Reference to
attachments is common especially when greater details are required to
emphasize an argument or support scientific trends. Finally, the conclusion
statement includes future recommendations. A memorandum is typically no
more than two pages long, but it can be accompanied by a number of
attachments which appear behind the body of the memorandum. Ensure every
attachment includes a title which appears at the top each page. Attachments
need to be referenced at least once within the body of the memorandum.
The following memorandum is an example adapted from Pfeiffer and Boogerd
(2003):
A. Silverberg, March 29, 2011
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ABC TECHNICAL
INSTRUMENTS INC.
Memo
To:
All Technical Staff
From:
Susan Stirling
CC:
Robert Hall, Sharon Benson, Joseph Meyer
Date:
March 29, 2011
Re:
New Employee to Assist With Document Editing
Last week we hired an editor to help you produce top-quality technical
reports, project proposals and instrumentation procedure documents. This
memo will provide you with the necessary background on this change, highlight
the credentials of our new editor and describe how this change will affect you.
BACKGROUND
At September’s staff meeting, many technical staff members noted the
excessive time spent on editing and proofreading. For example, some of you
indicated that the final stage of writing takes from 15 to 30 percent of the billable
time on an average report. Most importantly, editing often ends up being done
by project managers who are the employees with the highest billable time.
Despite all efforts to edit effectively, there are still errors that show up in
documents that go out the door. Last month, I asked a committee called the
Society of Technical Writers to review our latest documents here at ABC
Technical Instruments Inc. Their evaluation report reveals serious problems with
our editing process. Given the importance of our documentation, I decided to
seek a solution.
SOLUTION: IN-HOUSE EDITOR
To deal with our editing problem, the office has hired Joanne White, an
experienced technical editor. Joanne will join our team on November 3. For the
past seven years, Joanne has been employed at Biochemica, a Toronto firm that
is actively involved in biochemical engineering research and development. Prior
to her employment, she completed a master’s degree in technical writing at Sage
University in Buffalo.
During next week’s staff meeting we will discuss the best ways to utilize Joanne’s
skills. For now, she will become familiar with our work by reading our recent
reports and project proposals.
A. Silverberg, March 29, 2011
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CONCLUSION
By working together with Joanne we’ll be able to improve the editorial
quality of our documents, free up more of your time for development tasks and
save the client and ourselves some money.
I look forward to meeting with you next week to discuss the best use of
Joanne’s services.
List of References
Pfeiffer, W.S.; Boogerd, J. 2004. Technical Writing: A Practical Approach. Third
Canadian Edition. Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Misseri, A., 2007. Guide To Writing Technical Formal Reports, Queen’s
University, Kingston, Ontario. Available online at:
http://www.chemeng.queensu.ca/courses/reports/guide.php
Sheldon, S.; Donnell, J. 2004. Writing Style and Standards in Undergraduate
Reports. Virgina, USA: College Publishing.
The Academic Skills Centre
www.trentu.ca/academicskills
acdskills@trentu.ca
705-748-1720
A. Silverberg, March 29, 2011
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