Course Overview
Should this be an email, a memo, or a letter? The answer shapes the format, the tone, and how the reader receives it, and many writers never stop to ask.
Clear, concise writing helps ideas travel in a workplace, and a well-made proposal earns a writer the respect of colleagues. “Effective Emails, Memos, and Letters” is a self-paced online course in best practices and techniques for these three common vehicles of business communication. Learners will recognize when each is appropriate, study the parts of each and how to format them, and consider the primary and secondary uses of a message. They will also create a sample email, memo, and letter that employ best practices.
The Right Form for the Message
A letter sent where a memo belongs reads as stiff. A casual email sent where a letter belongs reads as careless. The reader forms an opinion about the writer from the form before reading a word of the content.
The course covers the choice of form and the conventions inside each, so that a message reaches the reader looking the way the writer intended.
Who Should Take This Course?
You write to colleagues, clients, and officials, and you want each message to fit its purpose. The course is a useful refresher for people who have worked for years and a good start for people just entering the workforce.
Use Cases
The Notice to the Whole Department. The policy has changed, and everyone has to know. Whether a memo or an email serves best is the first decision.
The Letter to a Client. A formal occasion calls for a letter, with a salutation chosen with care and a closing that fits. The course covers when to use certain salutations and how to use a postscript.
The Message With Two Jobs. The email must answer a question now, and it will also serve as a record later. The course examines primary and secondary uses and how to meet both.
Learning Objectives
- Recognize when it’s appropriate to use an email, a memo, or a letter.
- Explain the parts of an email, a memo, and a letter, and format each so that the communication is effective.
- Consider primary and secondary uses for the email, memo, or letter.
- Explain how to facilitate both primary and secondary uses.
- Create a sample email, memo, and letter employing best practices.
Course Details
Estimated time to complete: 5 hours
Access time: 90 days
Price: $129 per learner
Credits
- 5 ATD CI Credits.
- 5 HRCI Credits.
- 0.50 IACET CEU Credits.
- 5 SHRM Credits.
- 5 PMI PDUs.
PMI PDU breakdown
- 4 Power Skills PDUs.
- 1 Ways of Working PDUs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I decide between an email, a memo, and a letter?
The course teaches when each is appropriate and how the choice affects the message.
Will I write anything during the course?
Yes. Learners will create a sample email, memo, and letter that employ best practices.
Does the course cover salutations and postscripts?
Reviewers say it explains when to use or avoid certain salutations and the proper method of using a postscript.
Who is this online business correspondence course for?
People who write emails, memos, and letters at work, from new employees to experienced staff.
Does this online course offer HRCI or SHRM credit?
The course offers credit from ATD CI, HRCI, IACET, SHRM, and PMI. The amounts appear under Credits.
Will I receive a certificate?
After logging in, learners can download and print a PDF certificate of completion from their course records page. The certificate remains available after access to the course ends.
Does the course include an assessment?
The course includes an assessment.
What do I need to take the course?
A current browser with cookies and JavaScript enabled, and a broadband connection. Some ad blockers keep course videos from appearing, so turn yours off if a video does not load.