Target Audience: Secondary, tertiary.

Language Proficiency: Intermediate and advanced.

Learning Focus: Research, reading, summarizing information, writing.

Technology Needed: Web browser software and Internet connection.

Instructions:

It is customary for a company to include an email address on their website to facilitate communication. This email access is useful to find out additional information on a company.

Task: Learners locate the site of a company of personal interest. It may be a major competitor of the learner's company; or a company the learner would like to work for someday; or, one that has been in the news recently. After reviewing the information provided on the site, learners email the company for additional information they would like about the organization or about their products. Learners then write a one to two page memo with a brief description of the company and their product categories, including the email question and the response received.

Helpful Hints:

If deadlines are close, advise learners to contact more than one company in case they do not get an immediate response from their first choice.

More on this Topic:

Examples of business memos are available from online writing labs such as:

Online Writing Lab (OWL), Purdue University: Professional Writing Handouts and Resources.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/index.html

Kay Westerfield, Global Communication Consulting,kwesterf@uoregon.edu