University of North Carolina How to Write a Business Memorandum Paper “the grading rates” and “how to Write a Business Memorandum” files are attached 2.3

University of North Carolina How to Write a Business Memorandum Paper “the grading rates” and “how to Write a Business Memorandum” files are attached

2.3 Pre-Writing Assignment Overview

For this pre-writing assignment, students will demonstrate an understanding of the problem and develop key elements of the writing assignment. Follow the instructions for organizing your document; Standardizing the assignment in this way will make it easier to complete peer reviews on each others’ work.

Step 1: Developing Document Layout and Memorandum Header Elements

Using the business memorandum guide provide in the second reading assignment, develop a document header and titles for the required sections. Complete the header content by reading the problem described below.

Step 2: Problem Definition

Answer the questions below. Put the answers in your document as a second appendix.

What problem you have been asked to address? This is not a statistics question, therefore the answer is not about performing a certain calculation.
What is the objective or outcome this work should produce? Again, this is not a statistics question, and will not be answered with a statistical approach. (Refer to the answer to question 1 and 2 when writing your thesis statement.)
What statistical approach will you use to address this problem? AND Why does this approach provide you insight into addressing the problem? What does it let you know about the problem that can inform a decision?
Who you have been asked to address this memorandum to?
What are each of the addressees is likely to need from reading the memorandum? (This is a critical thinking exercise, ask yourself what the addressees’ responsibilities are and use that to think about what they need to know from you. If you are not familiar with these corporate roles look up descriptions of each. There are links to a description for each in the problem description below. )

Step 3: Developing Document Content

1. Determine the Statistical Approach and Complete Statistical Analysis – To have the information necessary to complete the thesis statement you will need to complete the analysis and determine what your answer to the question posed will be. Include the calculations as the first appendix.

2. Thesis Statement. Now that you understand the scope of the assignment and what your audience needs when reading your memorandum, you will now develop the thesis statement (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. for your document. You should write your thesis statement and revise it as many times are necessary to make it clear and concise. Complete the thesis statement BEFORE you write the summary. Remember to review the answers to questions 1 and 2 when doing this. Identify the thesis statement by putting the words “thesis statement” in bold before the thesis statement, which should be located in your document where it will be in the final memorandum.

2. Summary. Develop the summary to go before your thesis that will provide the reader with the foundational information that they need to understand the situation, you are addressing in the memorandum. Remember the Summary should provide enough information for a busy reader to be able to understand the key elements of the memorandum without reading the entire document. For this type of document that should include a brief statement of the problem, how you will approach addressing it and why that is a valid approach and the recommendation you are planning making. Include this in your submittal where it will be located in the final document.

3. Graphics

Graphics should be used in this assignment to support or make more clear ideas you are presenting in the document. Determine what type of graphic you will use in your document and state in writing below the graphic why it is the best approach for enhancing your message. Review Quick Reference for Figures section the Figures and Charts (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. handout from UNC writing center to assist you in thinking through this.

Develop the graphic you will use in the final document. Include identifiers on your graphic that are necessary to make the graphic clear for an outside reader. Provide a title using the formatting discussed in the Figures and Charts (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.handout. Include all of this under the analysis section of your pre-writing.

Problem Description

In this section, you will find a description of the problem, requested recommendation and audience for the final memorandum for this assignment.

Problem description: You are the plant manager of a manufacturing facility that produces an automotive part (steel shaft for the gearbox). The acceptable dimension of the shaft is 2.5±0.05 inches in diameter with the most desirable product having a diameter of exactly 2.5 inches. Two vendors are trying to sell your company, Automotive Parts Incorporated, their machines for the shaft-machining task. You have been asked to assess the machines from each vendor, and to make a recommendation for a machine vendor supported by a justification for your decision.

You asked both vendors to supply data on the machining accuracy of their machines for the given task. Both vendors machined 100 shafts, collected data, plotted histograms, fitted the histograms with normal distributions and supplied you with their findings.

Let X= diameter in inches of the gearbox shaft
Automotive Machines: X has a normal distribution with mean 2.48 and variance 0.001
Engine Machinery: X has a normal distribution with mean 2.51 and variance 0.002

When you are completing your memorandum be sure to address the following:

Recommend a vendor using the given information, develop and discuss your approach (give all details including quantitative justification). Your response to this question must be directed to the audience described below.
Examine the scenario as described and discuss what additional information would be helpful to make this recommendation a stronger selection, and why that information would be useful. Be careful not to negate your recommendation as you explain this.

Audience:

You are creating this document for the company’s Chief Operating Officer, (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Lynn Girard, and copying the Chief Financial Officer, (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Anna Katts. Documents involved in major financial decisions like this may also be distributed by the addressees to other executives and the corporate board members.

Document: Complete this assignment as a memorandum. Utilize clear, professional language, including setting your Word preferences to check for a more professional level of writing. Examples of professional language constraints would include:

Utilize plain language (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Develop the document around a direct, (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.coherent message (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site., and clear (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.analysis (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. to support it.
Do not use contractions, slang or colloquialisms, clichés (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site., abbreviations, or text message shortcuts. GEA 2.3 Pre-Writing 2019 Summer
GEA 2.3 Pre-Writing 2019 Summer
Criteria
This criterion is linked to a Learning
OutcomeThe memorandum header is
included, correctly formatted and
including the correct content
To receive points for this section
students must complete the
memorandum per the requirements of
“How to Write a Military Memorandum”
(see reading assignment). They must
then fill in the content required per the
assignment
Ratings
2.0 pts
Full Marks
The student has the
correct format and
content for the
memorandum
header
1.3 pts
Mediocre
The student did not
format the
memorandum header
correctly or did not
complete the content
correctly.
Pts
0.0 pts
The memorandum
header is missing
or very poorly
done
The student omitted
the memorandum
header or
completed is
poorly.
2.0 pt
This criterion is linked to a Learning
OutcomeProblem Definition – problem
description
To receive points for this section the
student must describe the problem they
are being asked to address in plain
language.
0.4 pts
Full Marks
0.0 pts
No Marks
0.4 pt
This criterion is linked to a Learning
OutcomeProblem Definition – answer
required is described
To receive points for this section the
student must describe the answer they
are being asked to provide in plain
language.
0.4 pts
Full Marks
0.0 pts
No Marks
0.4 pt
GEA 2.3 Pre-Writing 2019 Summer
Criteria
This criterion is linked to a Learning
OutcomeProblem Definition – statistical
approach is described
To receive points for this section the
student must describe the statistical
approach they will use to address the
problem and why this approach provides
insight into addressing the problem in
plain language.
This criterion is linked to a Learning
OutcomeProblem Definition – Addressee
is identified
To receive points for this section the
student must provide the name and title
for the person they must address the
memorandum to.
This criterion is linked to a Learning
OutcomeProblem Definition – Addressee
need is identified
To receive points for this section the
student must what this person they must
address the memorandum to will need to
know (based on the responsibilities of
their job).
This criterion is linked to a Learning
OutcomeThesis Statement
To receive points for this section the
student must complete a thesis statement
that describes what the memorandum is
about and the stance of the writer.
Ratings
Pts
0.4 pts
Full Marks
0.0 pts
No Marks
0.4 pt
0.4 pts
Full Marks
0.0 pts
No Marks
0.4 pt
0.4 pts
Full Marks
0.0 pts
No Marks
0.4 pt
3.0 pts
Full Marks
A complete welldone thesis
statement is
included.
1.7 pts
Mediocre
An incomplete or
poorly written thesis
statement is included.
0.0 pts
Missing or
extremely poorly
done thesis
statement
The thesis
statement is
missing or very
poorly done.
3.0 pt
GEA 2.3 Pre-Writing 2019 Summer
Criteria
This criterion is linked to a Learning
OutcomeSummary
To receive point for this section the
student must include all the required
elements in the summary
This criterion is linked to a Learning
OutcomeGraphics
To get points for this section the student
must include a graphic that enhances the
understanding of the document and is
easy to read.
Total Points: 10.0
Ratings
2.0 pts
Full Marks
Student
completed a
well done and
complete
summary
1.0 pts
Full
Marks
1.3 pts
Mediocre
The student had a
summary that was
weak in one way
or missing an
element
0.6 pts
Mediocre
The student provided a
graphic that did not
enhance the
understanding of the
memorandum content or
was not clearly readable.
Pts
0.0 pts
Missing or very poorly
done
The student did not
include a summary or it
was very poorly done
either missing substantial
content or poorly
written.
0.0 pts
Missing or very poorly
done
Student omitted the
graphics, completed them
very poorly or used a
graphic that did not
enhance the understanding
of the memorandum
content.
2.0 pt
1.0 pt
How to Write a Business Memorandum
Introduction
Use this document as a guide to lay out, organize, and structure your business
memorandum. The document has three sections: Formatting, Document Header, and Body
Organization and Content. The formatting section describes how to set up the document.
The document header section, provides you information on the layout and content of the
memorandum header. In the organization and content section you will find the minimum
sections required in the document and the content you will address in each.
FORMATTING
This section provides formatting information for your memorandum. If you do not know
how to accomplish any of the formatting requirements, there are many good online
resources, please consult them.
Paper
§ Complete your internal business memorandum on 8 ½ x 11 inch plain white paper.
§ Use portrait page orientation with the 11-inch side vertical (see Figure 1).
§ You should not use templates for the memorandum that include decorative graphics in
the header and footer (i.e. do not use memorandum templates from word or elsewhere
that have graphics or images in the header and footer).
Margins & Page Footer
§ Set up the document with one-inch margins on all sides.
§ Place the subject line text of your memorandum in the document footer ½” from the
bottom and 1” from the left side of the page. Make the title in the footer one font size
smaller than the body text, to set it apart visually. Your inclusion of the title in the footer
allows for reassembly of printed copies if pages get separated (see Figure 1)
§ Number pages in the margin ½ inch from the bottom 1” from the right side of the paper
using the same size font as the body text.
1” margin (all sides)
Page number
Memorandum subject) (11 pt.)
Footer ½ inch from bottom
How to Write a Business Memorandum
1
Figure 1: Page Layout
How to Write a Business Memorandum
1
Paragraph Set-Up
§ Set up your document single spaced.
§ Set up your paragraphs left-justified with no indentation.
§ Remove extra point spacing before and after paragraphs. Manually add an extra line
between paragraphs, between paragraphs and titles or subtitles and between titles and
subtitles.
Font Style and Text Size
§ Use an easy to read and familiar font such as Times New Roman or Calisto (or other clean
serif font). You should avoid unusual, unfamiliar, or difficult to read fonts that may
make it harder for the memorandum’s audience to read the document.
§ Use 12 point font size, as it is a good size for readability of business documents. You
may go down a point size if it helps you keep the last few lines of a memorandum from
ending on a page alone.
§ Keep font size consistent in the document unless otherwise specified.
Document Title
§ Start a business memorandum document with the title “Memorandum” or “Memo”.
Use “Memorandum” for more formal communication, when communication is going to
people you work for or their bosses or those outside your organizational group. You
may use “Memo” as a title for less formal communication, such as within your working
group.
§ Center the title horizontally.
§ Use a bold, clean san serif font (i.e. Ariel Bold or Helvetica Bold) in a point size or two
larger than the rest of the text. This is the only part of the document that may have a
different font style. This title may have lines above and below to accent the title (see
Figure 1). If you use lines you must extend them margin-to-margin.
Section Titles
§ Start sections of the body of the memorandum with titles on their own lines. Makes the
titles easier to see by making them bold and/or underlined.
§ If sections need subsections title them is ways that are visually distinct, but less so than
the main titles (i.e. italicized)
Widows and Orphans
§ Widows and orphans are terms used in document formatting. You need to be aware of
these as you should NOT have them in your finished document.
§ Widows refers to titles at the bottom of a page where the information after them starts
on the next page.
§ Orphans refers to one or two lines of a paragraph left at the bottom of the page with
the rest of the paragraph on the next page.
§ You may set this up as a word rule but should also review your document after it is
completely written and edited to make sure there are no widows and orphans.
How to Write a Business Memorandum
2
DOCUMENT HEADER
This section addresses both the format and content of the memorandum header. This is the
lead into a memorandum document NOT a page header, and appears only on the first page
of the memorandum. The elements of the document header are: the addressee(s) (to), the
writer (from), the date, and the subject of the memorandum. If needed an additional section
may be included listing additional people or groups to which the memorandum will be sent.
§ First, is the primary recipient(s) and their title(s). List these one name and title per line.
§ Next is an optional line titled CC that lists people that are not primary recipients but
will be sent copies of the document, with their titles. This may also name groups.
Again, list them one name and title per line. Begin each name aligned vertically by
setting a tab that allows this.
§ The next line is who the memorandum is from and names the person(s) and titles of the
sender(s).
§ The next line is the date. Format this as month (spelled out fully), day, and year (see
Figure 2)
§ The last line is the subject; keep this short but also make it clear what the topic is. For
example, if you are requesting funding for new ambulances, a subject line that says
“Funds Request” is not enough detail, while “Funding Request for 2020 Ambulances
for Stations 64, 67, 82 and 95” is too much detail. A more ideal title would be “New
Ambulance Funding Request” Each line is left-justified. Leave a line between
“Memorandum” and the header, each part of the header, and the header and the body
of the text.
§ You may include a line below the header that goes across the page margin-to-margin.
An example of the title and header is provided in Figure 2.
Page Edge
To: Perri Lui, CEO, The Best Company
Kiran Desai, Legal Counsel, The Best Company
CC: Malik Washington, CFO, The Best Company
Alice Walker, Senior Process Technical Expert, The Best Company
Coopers Project Proposal Team
1-inch
1-inchmargin
margin
All
Allsizes
sizes
From: Alex Hernandez, Project Lead, The Best Company
Date: February 10, 2019
Subject: Coopers LLC Project Financials Approval Request
Figure 2: Memorandum Title and Header Example including Content Example
How to Write a Business Memorandum
3
CONTENT
Elements of a Statistical Analysis and Recommendation Memorandum
Include at minimum the following sections in your memorandum: summary, analysis,
conclusion, and addendum. The analysis and conclusion may have subsections, which
should be included if you feel subsections will enhance the clarity of your work. Edit the
writing for clarify and conciseness. Reading your document aloud to yourself may help you
with this.
(Executive) Summary
§ This section follows the header.
§ In a long document title this section “Executive Summary”, while in a shorter one, such
as this, it can be labeled “Summary”.
§ In this section you will describe the context, your process of analysis, and the
recommendation you are putting forward. The context must get a reader who is
unfamiliar with the background of what you presenting the essential information to
understand your memorandum. Present this concisely.
Analysis
§ This section follows the summary.
§ In this you will explain your input, analysis approach, findings and recommendation.
Specifically, it should address:
§ What you have been asked to address,
§ The data or input you started with,
§ How you approached the analysis and why it is appropriate for this issue,
§ What you know about the situation because of the analysis,
§ Your recommendation.
§ This is the section where you can use graphics to enhance your presentation. Use
graphics to:
§ Present data or information more compactly or,
§ Present contrasting data together to make the comparison easy to see or,
§ Make complex data, analysis, or discussion easier to understand.
Visual Support
§ Do not start your document with a graphic.
§ If you find you are using more than two sentences to present your data or analysis,
consider the use of tables, graphs, or charts.
§ Leave two lines above and below the table, chart, or graph with its number and title and
the body of the text.
§ Place the visual in the document where it can be seen at the same time as the text that
refers to it (name the figure or table in the text).
§ Avoid saying a graphic is above or below where you discuss it, in case you need to move
the location.
§ Be sure to include identification of all table and chart elements and a key where it is
needed to identify the image or table.
§ Include and locate numbers and titles appropriately.
How to Write a Business Memorandum
4
Additional Considerations
§ This is an optional section. You should divide this information out of the conclusion if
the content is more than a few sentences.
§ In this section you address additional considerations and alternative solutions.
§ First, without undermining your recommendation above, discuss additional input
that could be sought and why and how it would make the recommendation stronger.
§ If there is a potential alternative option not addressed in the analysis, address why
this option is not as good as the one you are recommending.
§ If you have both these items in this section make sure to start with wording that ties
them together.
Conclusion
§ This is the bookend to the Summary at the beginning where you restate what you are
addressing, and what your recommendation is. It is important that you word this
differently than the summary at the beginning; this allows readers a second chance to be
clear on what you are telling them.
§ You may also include next steps when known.
Addendum
§ An addendum starts on a new page with the title “Addendum” and a letter or number
with a title of the addendum (see Figure 3).
§ For this work include the mathematical analysis as an addendum. You may include an
addendum with the raw data, or a summary of the raw data, if it is not included in the
body of the memorandum. If you have additional research that you do not want to
include in the body, but could be helpful to readers, it may be another addendum.
Page Edge
1-inch margin
Addendum 1: Statistical Calculations
All sizes
Title of Type of Analysis
Calculations here
Figure 3: Addendum Page Layout
How to Write a Business Memorandum
5

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