1. EGR 386W: Writing in Engineering
Sandra Knight

2. Technical & Scientific Writing
Specific audience
Nature & Purpose
Reflects goals and culture of organization
Structured framework
Register

3. Business Writing Analysis
Who are the specific readers?
How does the audience affect the register?
How do the audience and purpose of business writing affect how documents are written?

4. The Memo

5. The Memo: Long or short? Serves internal or external communication?
Register?
Hard paper copy, or soft electronic copy?
Uses?

6. Planning & Analysis Audience analysis Purpose analysis
Who is the reader?
What are the reader’s attitudes?
And expectations?
Why and how will the reader use the document?
Purpose analysis
What do you want readers to know or do?
What beliefs or attitudes do you want to convey to them?
Context Analysis
Where will this document be read/distributed?

7. Formatting Full Block Style: Align text left, No indentation
Single-spaced
Separate paragraphs with a double space
Include page numbers

8. Organization
Title
Heading
Body

9. Title “MEMO” or “MEMORANDUM” Centered at top of first page
Bold uppercase letters
14 or 16 point font size

10. Heading
To:
From:
Cc: (for recipients > 10)
Date:
Subject:

11. To: Recipient's Name Exclude Titles (e.g., Mrs., Dr.)
Use Recipient’s full name
Include position title (e.g., Engineer)
It is appropriate to use a generic term (e.g., ABC Electrical Inspectors)
Multiple recipients
All names are placed on the same line
Alphabetically or according to rank

12. From: Your name goes here Exclude Titles (e.g., Mr., Mrs.)
Your full name in formal situations
Include position title (e.g., Engineer)
*Hand write your initials at the end of your name for personalization/authorization

13. Date: Spell out the month
In a globally interconnected business world, accuracy on this point is essential

14. Subject: Be PRECISE and BRIEF Engineering Demolition vs.
WaterWorks Engineering Demolition, Stanisbury Lane
Capitalize all key words
Articles, conjunctions, and prepositions should be capitalized only when they occur at the beginning of the subject line

15. Body:
Objective(s), goal(s), other pertinent information relating to the SUBJECT