classformat 10 correct memo formatdescriptive subject line clear B u s i n e s s F i n a n c e

For this final exam, you are to write a properly-formatted memo to me in which you (1) evaluate the quality of the proposal memo you submitted, and (2) evaluate the overall effectiveness of your writing process. Your memo, therefore, will consist of two parts: a project analysis, and a writing-process evaluation. What follows are the guidelines for this final exam.

Project Analysis

For your proposal memo analysis, you will reflect on and analyze the various aspects of your proposal memo from an objective perspective—e.g., how you investigated your proposal’s topic, what strategies you used in applying your research findings to writing and perhaps design decisions, what rationales you have behind your content, organization, and design decisions, and what aspects of your content, organization, and design are successful (or unsuccessful).

Your discussion of successful (or unsuccessful) aspects of your proposal memo should be based on the extent to which different sections of your proposal (e.g., introduction, body, conclusions, and recommendations) meet the needs of your target audience. Please support your analysis with specific examples while referring specifically to different sections of your proposal.

Writing-process Evaluation

When evaluating your writing process, focus on what you did from the time I assigned the proposal memo to the time you submitted your finished product. Reflect on the steps you took to get your memo drafted, revised, and finalized. Did you seek feedback on your work? How did you use this feedback? Did your draft evolve over time? In what ways? What about the finished product do you think I’ll find useful in future Business Writing courses? What setbacks or challenges did you encounter, and what, specifically, did you do to overcome those?

Your evaluation should be an evaluation of your writing process, not of your finished product. I’ll have read your proposal memo by the time I read your final exam, so I won’t need a summary of that document. Instead, dig deep into how you wrote rather than what you wrote. Keep in mind that he point of this portion of the exam is to give you the opportunity to once again reflect on the process you go through when writing while also giving me insight into how students work on the material for this course.

Final Examination Purposes

As I’ve mentioned in my lecture videos, reflecting on your work is a good way to hone your skills. You’ve spent a lot of time working on your proposal memo this term, but how much time have you spent thinking critically about your writing process? Oftentimes, a student’s goal for a class assignment is to simply get it done and submitted on time, but in terms of education, that process is incomplete. This exam provides you with an opportunity to spend some time focusing on the aspects of your writing process that seem to work and the aspects that seem to need improvement. Ideally, the next time you do any substantial writing you’ll consider the work you did for this exam and apply the knowledge you’ve gained from this writing exercise.

In addition, of course, this exam serves as one more opportunity for you to demonstrate your professional writing skills before the term ends. Do what you can to make sure what you submit for this exam is an accurate representation of your writing abilities. Remember your audience, remember your purpose, and do what you can to apply the concepts we’ve covered in this course this term.

Final Exam Evaluation

Your analysis and evaluation will likely run one-and-a-half to two single-spaced pages, and it should demonstrate your best professional writing and editing skills. In both your analysis and evaluation sections, you should support your points with specific examples. Your exam’s persuasiveness will largely depend on the extent to which you can show your reasons behind particular content, organization, style, and design decisions and your reasons for evaluating your writing process the way that you do. Keep in mind that you won’t have a revision opportunity on this exam, so give it the time, energy, and effort it requires. You’ll find the grading rubric for this exam below.

Final Exam Grading Rubric

I will use the following grading rubric to evaluate your final exam:

Content 30

Introduction (clear purpose for writing)

Body organization (logical and coherent)

Conclusion

Evidence of awareness of audience

Development, support (examples to support points)

Completeness

Clarity

Concision

Professional tone

Adherence to the exam prompt

Application of concepts covered in class

Format 10

Correct memo format
Descriptive subject line

Clear, distinct, and descriptive headings throughout

Professional appearance

Mechanics 10

No misspellings or typos

Good grammar

Appropriate punctuation

Total Points 50