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Topic: W2.3&4 - W2.4 Peer Review Group 35
This is a graded discussion: 10 points possible
due Mar 26
W2.3&4 ‑ W2.4 Peer Review Group 35
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#GEA 2 Writing Assignment 2
Parts 2.3 Business Memorandum and 2.4 Peer Reviews
You can complete this assignment after reading Chapters 3 and 4 in your textbook and Writing
Assignment 2.1 reading. The problem involves selecting a major vendor through comparative
analysis
Assignment parts:
Part 2.3: Write, revise and edit your memorandum (due March 26)
Part 2.4: Peer reviews (due March 31)
Part 2.5, the revised paper submittal for grading is on another assignment and will be due April 4
Submitting and completing peer reviews:
You have each been assigned to a group of 5 people (Group 1 has only 4). Submit your assignment
to the discussion board that has been set up for you. Submissions posted to any other location will
not be visible and will not get credit. If you have not used discussion boards in the past please
select the circled question mark on your main canvas menu and select "Search the Canvas Guides"
where you can search for resources on using discussion boards.
To complete reviews, reply to the posted work of each of your group members. Feedback MUST be
actionable, that is something specific that they can continue to do, do more of, change or add to their
work. For example "your analysis was good" or "your analysis was weak" does not provide feedback
they can work with; Use "How to write a business memorandum" as a resource to determine
specifically what makes the document strong, what may be missing that needs to be added or when a
part of the document is not formatted correctly or achieving what it should. Specific feedback may
look like:
Including the provided data in text form is long and difficult to read, consider using a table instead.
The second sentence of your analysis does not read clearly to me, consider rewording it.
You omitted the recommendation in the summary, it should be included there.
Writing Assignment 2.3: Business Memorandum
Problem description: You oversee 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
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Topic: W2.3&4 - W2.4 Peer Review Group 35
most desirable product being exactly 2.5 inches. Two vendors are trying to sell their equipment for the
shaftmachining task to your company, Automotive Parts Corporation. You have been asked to assess
the equipment from each vendor, and to make a recommendation on which one to make the purchase
from, supported by a justification for your decision.
You asked both vendors to supply data on the machining accuracy of their equipment 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
Ace Machines: X has a normal distribution with mean 2.48 and variance 0.001
Best 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.
Include your calculations as a titled addendum on its own page at the end of your document.
Audience: You are creating this document for the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Lin Gerard, and
copying the Chief Financial Officer, Aileen Kitts. 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. Follow the guidance for business
memorandum
provided in your reading. Utilize clear, professional language, including setting
your Word preferences to check for a more professional writing approach. Examples of professional
language constraints would include:
Utilize plain language. (https://plainlanguage.gov/media/FederalPLGuidelines.pdf)
Develop the document around a direct, coherent message (thesis
(https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tipsandtools/thesisstatements/) ) and clear analysis
(https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tipsandtools/statistics/) to support it.
Do not use contractions, slang or colloquialisms, clichés
abbreviations, or text message shortcuts.
(https://writingcenter.unc.edu/cliches/) ,
DUE: March 26, 2019
Writing Assignment 2.4: Peer Reviews
In the week following the first part of the assignment complete the following peer review
(https://serc.carleton.edu/sp/library/peerreview/tips.html) of the other members of your assigned
Canvas group. You must include feedback in the reviews that will enable the writers to improve
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Topic: W2.3&4 - W2.4 Peer Review Group 35
their final submittal. As a minimum, address the following after considering the approach and
justification of your peers’ work:
Did your classmate use the appropriate header for their memorandum? Is the information in it
correct? If not, specify what is incorrect. Is the subject line clear and concise? If not, offer an idea
of what needs to be stated differently.
Are there parts of their approaches and justifications that are unclear to you? Specify what part(s)
of their memorandum, and why it is unclear. What changes would help to make it clearer?
What aspects of their responses were particularly helpful in making their memorandum clear?
Did your peers utilize a professional writing style as outlined in the assignment? Provide examples
of how they did or did not meet this requirement.
Did their use of visuals in their document help make their ideas more clear?
At the end of your review, offer an honest assessment of how your peers completed their
assignments. Utilizing the exact language below, indicate whether they:
Met minimum writing requirements
Exceeded minimum writing requirements
Did not meet minimum writing requirements
DUE: March 31
GRADING RUBRIC 10 points total (assignments 2.3 and 2.4 will be graded together)
Memorandum header is included & formatted per reading 1 point
Executive Summary is included 1 point
Memorandum is divided into sections with titles 1 point
A minimum of one graphic is included 1 point
A conclusion is included 1 point
Reviews are completed 1 point
Reviews include actionable feedback 2 points
The specific required evaluative language is included at the end of each review 2 points
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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
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Figure 1: Page Layout
How to Write a Business Memorandum
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Memorandum
To: All Employees at Pluscom Corporation.
From: Malik Washington, Chief Executive Officer.
CC: Kirin Luis, CFO Pluscom Corporation.
Date: 5 March 2019.
Subject: Pluscom Corporation First Quarter Results.
Executive Summary
Last week, Pluscom Corporation financial results for this year’s first quarter were announced,
and the company reported a net loss of $48 million. Despite the sacrifice and hard work coupled
with the strategic initiative adopted, posting a significant financial loss was not expected. This is
puzzling given that most companies in the market reported modest profits thereby highlighting
the competitive marketing challenges and the need for strategic actions.
Challenges
The company is at its final phases of implementing the transformation plan which will result in
more than $155 million in annual benefits by 2020. Having delivered $95 million in benefits, the
company is on track with the strategic plan coupled with the progress on the cost-cutting
initiatives. Our cost per every product has been reduced by 7.3% compared to the same period in
2017. However, given that it takes time to implement these changes, the company is yet to have
an effective plan to offset the high fuel prices for transportation.
Second, intensified competition from other key players presents a new challenge to the company.
In the past two years, the company has reduced its market share by 2% due to low pricing
pressures from new entrants in the market segment.
Addressing Challenges
With the high fuel prices, the company seeks to intensify its fuel conservation approaches.
Having spent an estimated $18 million on fuel prices for the first quarter of this financial year
alone, efforts will be made to conserve fuel as this makes a significant difference. Besides, the
company will initiate a marketing approach to regain its position in the market segment.
Conclusion
Maintaining the company’s momentum is important to cement the company’s position in the
market segment. In light of the current challenges, the newly adopted approaches will enable the
company to regain its position in the market segment.
Addendum 1: Additional Information
In the midst of the transformation, the top priority is commitment to the customers. Many of the
changes seek to improve customer satisfaction as this is critical for the company to regain its
competitive position.
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