Technical Communication: Memo Writing and Document Design, Slides of Political communications

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APSC 201: TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION

Week 4 - Day 1 Instructor: Dr. Jing Li

Image generated by ChatGPT 4o

Class Agenda

• Memo Assignment Consolidation
• Document Design

Memo Header

TO : Engr. 120 Students FROM : Suzan Last SL CC : Ann Onymous DATE : Jan. 18, 2025 SUBJECT : Engr. 120 Learning Plan Proposal

Typically Bold; may be ALL CAP or just first letter in upper case

• Subject line should be short, but specific.
• You can capitalize key words or not, as long as you are consistent.
• Address one topic only.

use a line to separate header from message

A memo will show the date

A memo should be initialed or signed, often besides the typed name of the originator

Message content

The Message of a Memo typically has a 3-part structure:

1. Memo introduction to provide context and purpose of the memo.
2. Memo body to provide the specific details that the reader needs to know.
3. Memo conclusion to state what action(s) is expected of the reader, invitation to follow up, and contact details.

Note: Memos do not contain an inside address, a salutation, a complementary close, or a signature block.

Memo Assignment Structure

 Introduction (1-2 paragraphs):

 Provide context and purpose of the document and overview what the reader should expect in the rest of the memo.

 Outline your career goals -- Be specific and concrete

• What is your current status? (year/program/specialty)
• What is the career path you want to pursue after graduation?

 Outline potential PD opportunities that are open to you

Memo Assignment Structure

Body (multiple paragraphs): The body expands on the details of the

information in a logical order and uses clear and specific headings so that the

audience can scan the document easily and retrieve relevant information with

ease.

1). You should describe the two PD opportunities you have researched that would be of value.  In full sentences, or  In bullet points (see next slide for an example )

2). Present the one PD option that you will focus on immediately (before

September 2025) and justify why you believe it best suits your career objectives.

In this section, you should actively make your case on the relevance of the PD opportunities to your goals. Whenever possible, you should provide specific and concrete details to explain why these are the ‘best’ opportunities.

Memo Assignment Structure

Concluding paragraph: The conclusion wraps up the information, indicates next actions, and extends an invitation to contact the author including explicit contact information.

• Next action step needs to be a feasible and meaningful step.

Memo Assignment Tips

 Need to provide a context telling your reader who you are and what your career goals are to understand your choices.  Make clear connections in the memo between PD opportunities and your goals.  Choose meaningful and informative headings

• “Body Section” – too vague in this context

 Balance content

• Avoid too much focus on summarizing both opportunities in detail; focus the top choice instead.
• Provide enough of how your background and career goals relate to these PD opportunities.
• Next action step in conclusion needs to be a feasible and meaningful step.
• Consider document design to improve the text’s readability

Sean’s Invitation for User Experience Survey:

Feedback on SOE Professional Development Resources

Message from Sean: “In order to help make professional development opportunities more accessible to all students, I am asking for a couple minutes of your time to answer these survey questions. The answers to these questions will be confidential and will be presented to the school of engineering to help find the best way to make these resources more visible to all students. I highly encourage you to participate in the survey, especially if you’ve found useful information from the in-class presentation, as it will help you find more opportunities in the future.”

Survey link https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7UtKkUSC0CiOTfE

Academic Paper

• Double-spaced
• Headings centred
• Long paragraphs

Technical Report

Features in a Technical Document

• Use of headings
• Use of bullet points
• Short paragraphs
• Highlighting ( bold , italics , indenting, etc.)
• White space (margins, spacing, etc.)
• Use of graphics

Document Design

 Document design is a “ visual rhetoric ” that makes the document easier to navigate for audience.

 Using design features to organize information:

• Headings
• Lists (bullets, numbers, etc.)
• Figures and Tables
• White space (margins, paragraph spacing, indentation, etc.)
• Highlighting ( bold , italics , underline, etc.)
• Fonts (serif vs. sans serif)