BUS301 Memo Rubric Spring 2020 - Student.docx BUS301 Writing Rubric Performance Dimensions N/A Not Met Met Comments Organization (OABC) Opening gets attention, provides context, and introduces topic 0 1 Agenda previews content of the document 0 1 Body 0 2 Sound paragraphing decisions (length and development) Paragraphs limited to one topic per paragraph Complete discussion of one topic before moving to next topic Transitions and flow between paragraphs smooth The overall flow/logic/structure of document is apparent Closing summarizes and concludes, recommends, if appropriate 0 1 Content The content of the document is relevant; information meaningful 0 2 The document is developed with adequate support and examples 0 2 The content is accurate and appropriate, with insightful analysis 0 2 Proofreading The grammar and spelling are correct (proofread) 0 3 Punctuation—comma usage, capitalization, etc.—used correctly 0 3 The sentence structure and length are appropriate 0 1 Format Appropriate formatting is used for type of document written 0 1 Good use of font, margins, spacing, headings, and visuals 0 1 [11/2016] Example - Good - Corrected student example Spring 2020.docx TO: Professor __________ FROM: Suzy Student DATE: February 1, 2020 SUBJECT: Out of Class Experience – Cybersecurity Conference Cybersecurity is a topic everyone should be concerned about, so I attended the 3rd Annual Cybersecurity Event held in the Grawn Atrium. I gained insight and knowledge from listening to the speakers that came from different kinds of industries. In this memo, I will discuss what I learned from the speaker and two takeaways: 1) cybersecurity is everywhere, 2) personal identifiable information, and 3) cybersecurity for the business student. Cybersecurity is Everywhere The conference was an opportunity to learn about cybersecurity. The first speaker talked about how companies are attacked in many different ways every day. The “bad guys” are trying to steal company information as well as employee information. Both kinds of information are valuable on the black market. The second speaker talked about the internet of things (IoT). These are things that are attached to the internet. The speaker talked about autonomous cars and medical equipment (heart) that talks to the internet. She talked about how cyber can and should influence designs. “Things” must be created with cybersecurity included in every step of the design. The last speaker talked about how my information has value. The “bad guys” steal my information and people want to buy it. Making money is one reason hackers steal millions of records. Personal Identifiable Information Personal Identifiable Information (PII) is any information relating to an identifiable person. There are laws in place to help make sure this information is secure. This topic is a takeaway for me because I had no idea my data had any value t.

1. BUS301 Memo Rubric Spring 2020 - Student.docx
BUS301 Writing Rubric
Performance Dimensions
N/A
Not Met
Met
Comments
Organization (OABC)
Opening gets attention, provides context, and introduces topic
0
1
Agenda previews content of the document
0
1
Body
0
2
Sound paragraphing decisions (length and development)

2. Paragraphs limited to one topic per paragraph
Complete discussion of one topic before moving to next topic
Transitions and flow between paragraphs smooth
The overall flow/logic/structure of document is apparent
Closing summarizes and concludes, recommends, if appropriate
0
1
Content
The content of the document is relevant; information
meaningful
0

3. 2
The document is developed with adequate support and examples
0
2
The content is accurate and appropriate, with insightful analysis
0
2
Proofreading
The grammar and spelling are correct (proofread)
0
3
Punctuation—comma usage, capitalization, etc.—used correctly
0
3
The sentence structure and length are appropriate
0
1
Format
Appropriate formatting is used for type of document written

4. 0
1
Good use of font, margins, spacing, headings, and visuals
0
1
[11/2016]
Example - Good - Corrected student example Spring 2020.docx
TO: Professor __________
FROM: Suzy Student
DATE: February 1, 2020
SUBJECT: Out of Class Experience – Cybersecurity
Conference
Cybersecurity is a topic everyone should be concerned about, so
I attended the 3rd Annual Cybersecurity Event held in the
Grawn Atrium. I gained insight and knowledge from listening
to the speakers that came from different kinds of industries. In
this memo, I will discuss what I learned from the speaker and
two takeaways: 1) cybersecurity is everywhere, 2) personal
identifiable information, and 3) cybersecurity for the business
student.
Cybersecurity is Everywhere
The conference was an opportunity to learn about cybersecurity.
The first speaker talked about how companies are attacked in
many different ways every day. The “bad guys” are trying to
steal company information as well as employee information.
Both kinds of information are valuable on the black market.
The second speaker talked about the internet of things (IoT).

5. These are things that are attached to the internet. The speaker
talked about autonomous cars and medical equipment (heart)
that talks to the internet. She talked about how cyber can and
should influence designs. “Things” must be created with
cybersecurity included in every step of the design. The last
speaker talked about how my information has value. The “bad
guys” steal my information and people want to buy it. Making
money is one reason hackers steal millions of records.
Personal Identifiable Information
Personal Identifiable Information (PII) is any information
relating to an identifiable person. There are laws in place to
help make sure this information is secure. This topic is a
takeaway for me because I had no idea my data had any value to
anyone but me. The speaker talked about multi-factor
authentication (MFA). When possible, MFA should be used on
my accounts. She shared several stories about how this 2nd
layer of protection will stop most amateur hackers.
Cybersecurity for the Business Student
Everyone must be cognizant of cybersecurity. Business
students should learn about how they play a role in keeping the
company safe. Helping with security was a take away for me
because I thought this was an IT problem. I now understand that
I play a role by being aware of who is sending me emails and
clicking on the link.
Importance of Cybersecurity
I learned a lot from this conference. Before attending, I didn’t
know what cybersecurity had to do with me as a business
student. I have a new appreciation and a greater concern for
keeping my information safe. I will think about security now
when I see things talking to the internet.
Total # Words (350-400)
Number of Sentences

6. Avg # Words/Sentence
Number of Commas
409 – 14 = 395
29
395 / 29 = 13.62
6
Fundamental Writing Rules handout(1).docx
Fundamental Writing Rules – Dr. Hicks
Follow these rules to improve your writing!
This document should be used when watching the video
recorded by Dr. Hicks.
Four Most Common Writing Problems
1. Comma usage
2. Indirect phrasing
3. Run on sentences/excessive sentence length
4. Lack of organization
Remember: The well-written sentence almost punctuates itself.
Comma Usage
Three most common (and frequently violated) comma rules:
1. When independent clauses are joined by a coordinating
conjunction, they are separated by a
comma. Place the comma before the coordinating
conjunction.
Note: youmayomit the commaif the first clause is short (five or
fewer words); include the comma if
you want to force a pause in the reading.
-Coordinating conjunctions FANBOYS = for, and, nor, but,
or, yet, so
Example:
· You may enroll in the course in the spring, or you may wait

7. until summer to take the class.
2. When starting a sentence with an introductory phrase
(dependent clause), use a comma after it.
Note: Commas can be optional after some brief prepositional
phrases (three or fewer words). Use a
comma whenever confusion might occur without it.
Examples:
· After many interviews over the past month, we have selected a
candidate.
· If Anna achieves the highest score, she will be “student of the
month.”
3. To separate items in a series. The elements (items) must
have parallel grammatical structure (words,
phrases, or clauses.)
Example:
· The chief financial officer, secretary, and treasurer attended
the December 2 committee meeting.
Active vs. Passive Voice
Active voice = subject + verb + object (SVO); the subject is
doing the action: I love Molly.
Passive voice – Molly is loved by me. or Molly is loved. (and
you don’t know who loves her)
· He kissed her.
vs.
· She was kissed by him.
Passive voice always requires more words. The subject is not
performing the action in passive voice.
· He threw the ball.
vs.
· The ball was thrown by him.
*Specific question? Read more about active voice vs. passive

8. voice at this URL (podcast is also available):
http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/active-voice-versus-
passive-voice.aspx
Run-on Sentences; Excessive Sentence Length
Use the Rule of 8s (applies to paragraphs as well) as a
measuring stick when writing:
8 words/sentence and 8 lines/paragraph
Short sentences increase rate of comprehension by readers:
e.g. 12 word sentence = 100% comprehension; 28 word sentence
= 50% comprehension
Lack of Organization Source: Writing
for Today’s Workplace,
Prepare to write - use an outline (pre-write)
by William Baker
-Use the OABC framework for organized writing:
O = Opening
A = Agenda
B = Body
C = Closing
-Utilize the HATS design techniques:
H = headings (be sure you use informative headings to create
skim value)
A = access (visuals like tables, charts, graphs, and photos)
T = typography (font, size, and alignment)
S = spacing (block format)
-Utilize CLOUD (the five attributes of good body paragraphs):
C = coherent; reads smoothly and flows logically
L = length; does not discourage reader (rule of 8s = 8
lines/paragraph)
O = organization; often top-down order with main idea

9. (topic sentence) in first sentence
U = unity; each sentence discusses only information falling
within scope of topic sentence
D = developed; who, what, when, where, why, how details
related to topic sentence
Focus on these five tips for good business writing:
1. Use simple, concise sentences (and avoid punctuation errors)
-short sentences are clearer and eliminate the need for
punctuation
2. Know the three most common comma usage rules
3. Be direct when you write; use active voice
4. Write from an outline - use the OABC framework to organize
your writing
5. Utilize the HATS design techniques in all business
documents
TEMPLATE - OABC Memo Report v1_.docx
OABC Memo Report Template
Align the heading information as shown here
TO: Recipient’s Name
Use 1” margins all around
Use 11 pt. font
1 blank line
FROM: You
DATE: Month day, year
SUBJECT: Provide Concise and Informative Subject Line

10. 1 blank line
In your opening paragraph introduce your topic. Provide
background information as needed. Include an attention getter
that makes your reader want to continue reading. Introduce your
agenda items in the last sentence of this paragraph by referring
to your topic, e.g., I will discuss what I did during the rotation
and two take-aways: (1) first agenda item, (2) second agenda
item and (3) third agenda item.
1 blank line between para-graphs
Heading = bold,
left-aligned, Title Case
First Agenda Item Heading Here
Discuss your first topic (as identified in your agenda item). Be
direct. Begin with a topic sentence that states your agenda item.
Keep paragraphs relatively short in length, e.g. no longer than
eight lines is a good rule of thumb for paragraph length. Better
to use multiple shorter paragraphs than one long paragraph.
Xxxxxx xx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xx xxx xxxxx
xxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xx x x xxxxxxx x x .
· Xxxxxx x x x xxx x xxxxxx
Utilize bulleted or numbered lists to improve information access
and make key information stand out
· Xxxx xx x x xxxx x x xxxxxxx
1 blank line
Second Agenda Item Heading Here
Discuss your second topic (as identified in your agenda item).
Be direct. Begin with a topic sentence that states your agenda
item. Keep paragraphs relatively short in length, e.g. no longer
than eight lines. Better to use multiple shorter paragraphs than

11. one long paragraph. Xxxxxx xx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xx xxx
Begin each paragraph with a concise topic sentence using direct
phrasing. Xxxxxx xxx xxxxxx x x xxxxxx x.
1 blank line
Third Agenda Item Heading Here
Discuss your third topic (as identified in your agenda item). Be
direct. Begin with a topic sentence that states your agenda item.
Keep paragraphs relatively short in length, e.g. no longer than
eight lines. Better to use multiple shorter paragraphs than one
long paragraph. Xxxxxx xx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xx xxx x xxxxx
xxx xxxxxx x x xxxxxx. x xxxxxx x x xxxxxxx x xxxx xx
xxxxxx x xxxxxxxx xx x x x.
Begin each paragraph with a concise topic sentence using direct
phrasing. Xxxxxx xxx xxxxxx x x xxxxxx x.
Informative Heading for Closing Paragraph Here
Provide a closing paragraph that accomplishes your goal for this
memo. Begin with a topic sentence that reflects the heading you
created for this paragraph. You can provide a brief summary of
your content, a recommendation, and/or discuss additional work
to be done, etc. Xxxxxxx xx xxx xxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxx.
This is not part of a business memo but it is a requirement for
this class. You must include and complete the following
information. It should be located at the very bottom of the
memo.
Total # Words (350-400)
Number of Sentences
Avg. # Words/Sentence
Number of Commas
388
33

12. 11.7
10
Writing Statistics - How to compute Ver 1(2)(1).docx
Writing Statistics
Use the table below to record your writing statistics. Copy and
paste this table at the bottom of your memo and include the
stats for each item.
Total # Words (350-400)
Number of Sentences
Avg. # Words/Sentence
Number of Commas
How to Compute Writing Stats:
Step 1 - Compute total word count: Open your memo. The
bottom left-hand corner of Word shows the total word count.
Highlight the opening, agenda, body and closing. Review the
left-hand corner again. It will now show the amount of words
highlighted. This total includes the headings. Do not include
your memo headings in the total word count. Manually count
the words in the headers and subtract them from the word count.
This is your Total # of Words. The total word count must be
between 350 and 400 words.
Step 2 – Determine total number of sentences: Click "Find" on
the Home toolbar or use Ctrl + F to open the Navigation pane in
Word. Type a period in the search box. A number will appear

13. directly below the search box. The number represents how
many periods are in the document. Subtract any periods used for
other reasons other than to end a sentence. This is the number
of sentences.
Step 3 – Determine average number of words/sentence: Divide
the number of words (from step 1) by the total number of
sentences (from step 2); for example, if you have 380 words/24
sentences = 15.8 average number of words/sentence. Your
average sentence length should be less than 20. See the note
below for details.
NOTE - IMPORTANT: If your average sentence length is not
under 20 words, you should review your document. Look for
ways to improve the conciseness of your sentences. The goal for
any business is writing an average of 15 words/sentence.
Research also shows that a 28-word sentence has a
comprehension rate of 50 percent! An 8-word sentence has a
comprehension rate of 100 percent! This doesn't mean you have
to have 8-word sentences, but it does demonstrate the
significant role conciseness plays in effective communication.
Research shows that the longer the sentence, the more likely
there will be errors in grammar, punctuation, and clarity. It will
benefit you and your audience if you use concise sentences.
Step 4 – Determine total number of commas: Replace the
period in the Navigation pane with a comma. A number will
appear directly below the search box. Subtract for any commas
not used within sentences, like in the date line.