3:1 Memorandum Demonstrating You-Attitude

MEMORANDUM

To: Evan Crisp, Prospective Student ENGL 301 Technical Writing 

From: Dave Borrel, Student ENGL 301 Technical Writing UBC

Date: November 8th, 2021

Subject: The Best Practices for Writing with a You Attitude.

Hi Evan,

Thank you for reaching out. Here is a list of some best practices when corresponding with Professor Lambert of ENGL 301. These practices are based on the YOU Attitude which can make the professor of the course feel valued. Applying these tips can help to increase your chances of receiving a reply from the instructor.

• Providing a complete subject line, date, salutation and opening paragraph helps the professor identify the writer of the email along with context about the request.
• Starting the email with words other than “I” or “We” helps demonstrate to the instructor that their time is valuable and they are understood.
• Highlighting how the professor can benefit from reading the document or providing clear steps toward enrollment, can help encourage them to do what is requested.
• To protect the ego of the professor, avoiding the word “you” and using impersonal expressions helps to avoid assigning blame. Addressing the university course registration system rather than the professor helps to shift blame away from them.
• Empathizing with the professor can help humanize future emails. For example, acknowledging the time they take out of their day, and providing enough flexibility to reply back can go a long way.
• Refraining from using the pronoun “you” and imperative verbs helps to avoid condescending the reader, and helps to provide information.
• Expressing appreciation for the reader in the conclusion helps to tie ideas together and give the impression to the professor that they are acting honestly.
• Proofreading for grammar, references to emotions, and acronyms helps demonstrate courtesy toward the reader that the document is well written and for their benefit.

I hope that you find these professional writing tips useful and that you may be successful in future correspondence with the course instructor. If you have any questions about these tips, please contact me at dborrel@student.ubc.ca.