Assignment 4

CS 3604: Assignment 4 (Memo to Boss)

Fall 2002, Dr. Rosson

Due dates: 10/11 (no first draft on this one)

Approximate size: 3 pages (approximately 750 words)

Learning objective:
To help you get experience with a particular kind of short writing that you will encounter as a CS professional.

Audience:
Your boss, head of your immediate workgroup in a CS professional work setting.

The Task (What to do):
You will write a memo about whether or not you think your company should begin a program of monitoring employee email in response to what management perceives as an increase in abuse of email privileges.

A memo is a step up from the email message you wrote for Writing Assignment 2. It is longer and more formal. The grammar, typing, and spelling should be as good as you can make them. A memo usually has an objective -- in this case, to raise awareness about an issue. It has to make a good first impression with style and content in order to accomplish the objective.

As you write your memo, pretend you are working in some job as a CS professional and you wish to take a stand on the assigned topic area. Treat the issue as though it is important enough to justify writing to your boss about it. Write the memo to be three pages in length (750 words). Use the memo to raise this issue to your boss, and to perhaps suggest an appropriate action.

Be explicit and clear enough about everything in the memo content, so we (instructor and GTA, as outsiders) can understand the issue and why you are sending the memo to this person. This assignment has only one draft.

As usual, you should get two proofreaders to read your assignment and make suggestions for revision. They are not to just read it over and make some general suggestions, but are supposed to make specific editing markups throughout the text. Your two proofreaders should sign the grading form for this draft of your assignment

Deliverables for Assignment 4 (stapled together in this order, please):
The written portions of this assignment (on reviewing, and on the content) must be read carefully and marked up by two proofreaders.

Grading form with name, date, and number of words filled out. The bottom portion should be signed by you and your two proofreaders.
The memo to your boss
Two copies of an early version marked up by proofreaders