Sample communication materials from different workplace setting

Minutes of the meeting

Meeting minutes are notes that are recorded during a meeting. They highlight the key issues that are
discussed, motions proposed or voted on, and activities to be undertaken. The minutes of a meeting are
usually taken by a designated member of the group. Their task is to provide an accurate record of what
transpired during the meeting.

Steps Involved in Recording Meeting Minutes

There are five main steps involved in recording the minutes of a meeting. They are:

Pre-planning

Record-taking

Writing or transcribing the minutes

Sharing meeting minutes

Filing or storage of minutes for referencing in the future

Pre-Planning
If a meeting is well-planned in advance, taking minutes will be a lot easier. That said,
the chairperson and the secretary or minutes-recorder should work together to determine the agenda
of the meeting beforehand. For example, the person recording minutes could work with the chair to
draft a document that will serve as an agenda and provide the format for the meeting.

Meeting Agenda

If it’s not possible for the chair and secretary to meet and come up with a draft, then it’s up to the
secretary to get a copy of the agenda before the meeting starts. The meeting agenda will serve as a
guide for how to take notes and prepare the minutes. In addition, the agenda also includes other details,
which need to be incorporated in the minutes. They include:

Names of all the members present – includes guests and speakers

Documents that may be handed out as the meeting progresses, such as copies of a list of proposals to be
voted on

Expectations

When an individual is chosen as the minutes recorder, it’s important for them to know what is expected
of them. Therefore, the individual should approach the chair of the committee and ask what their role in
the meeting will be. For example, if the meeting will involve proposing motions, the designated member
should inquire as to whether he should include the names of those proposing motions and those
seconding.

What to Include in Meeting Minutes

Before recording any details, a designated minutes recorder should familiarize themselves with the type
of information that they should record. A group may be using a specific format to record notes but,
overall, the minutes of a meeting typically include the following details:

Date and time the meeting happened

Names of attendees, as well as absent participants

Acceptance of, or amendments made to, the previous meeting’s minutes

Decisions made regarding each item on the agenda, such as:

Activities undertaken or agreed upon

Next steps

Outcomes of elections

Motions accepted or rejected

New business

Date and time of the next meeting

 The Process of Writing Meeting Minutes

When the meeting ends, the individual tasked with writing minutes should get all the resources he
needs to write up the minutes in a clear, presentable way. Here are some tips to consider:

Once the meeting ends, don’t take too long to write the minutes. This way, everything that took place in
the meeting is still fresh in your mind.

Review the outline that had been created earlier and make adjustments where necessary. This might
include adding extra information or clarifying some of the issues raised. Also, check to see that all
verdicts, activities, and motions were clearly recorded.

Revise the minutes and ensure they’re brief but clear.

Distributing the Meeting Minutes

Once the secretary completes writing the minutes, he’s supposed to share them with the group
members. They can be shared online or through the cloud. Considering that minutes and other types of
documents can entail a lot of paperwork, it may be preferable to use a paperless sharing approach.

For example, if the minutes recorder was documenting the minutes using Microsoft Word, which does
not offer online sharing, then they might consider using Google docs, which offers a way of sharing
documents online with other users.

The recorder is also supposed to save a copy of the meeting minutes for future reference. Most
companies store their minutes online – either in Google Docs or OneDrive.
Meeting minutes are important because they are used to document the key issues raised during a
meeting. For example, effective minutes can state the approaches that were proposed to solve a
particular problem and the main reason why members choose one method over the other.

The minutes of the meeting can be recorded manually or on an electronic device such as a laptop or
iPad. After the meeting, the recorder reviews the minutes and makes edits where necessary. The
meeting minutes are then shared with the group participants. Apart from distribution, the minutes are
also saved for future reference.

Citation

https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/meeting-minutes/

Memo

Memos

Functions and Audience

Short for “memorandum,” a memo is a type of document used to communicate with others in the same
organization. Memos (or memoranda) are typically used for fairly short messages of one page or less,
but informal reports of several pages may also employ memo format.

Format

Compliance Framework MemoMemos are distinguished by a header that includes DATE, TO, FROM, and
SUBJECT lines. Other lines, such as CC or BCC, may be added as needed. An RE (“Reference”) line may
be used instead of SUBJECT, but this use is becoming rarer as “RE” is often mistaken as “Reply” because
of its use in email.
DATE: List the date on which the memo is distributed.

TO: List the names of the recipients of the memo. If there are several recipients, it’s acceptable to use a
group name, such as “All Employees” or “Personnel Committee Members.”

FROM: List the name and job title of the writer(s).

SUBJECT: Think of the SUBJECT line as the title for the memo. Make it specific so that readers can
immediately identify the topic.

These headings may be double- or single-spaced, and the SUBJECT line is often in all capital letters.
Furthermore, the order of the items can vary. Many organizations have their own style preferences on
these issues. If not, the order listed above, double-spaced, is the most common.

The text of memos typically uses block format, with single-spaced lines, an extra space between
paragraphs, and no indentions for new paragraphs. However, if a report using memo format stretches
to a few pages in length, double spacing may be used to improve its readability.

Organization

Professional communication forms are organized according to one of two strategies: Direct and indirect.

The direct organization strategy presents the purpose of the document in the first paragraph
(sometimes the first sentence) and provides supporting details in the body.

The indirect organization strategy opens with relevant, attention-getting details that do not directly
state the purpose of the document. The purpose is revealed in the body of the message, usually
sandwiched between supporting details.

The direct approach is used for good news or routine communication; the indirect approach is used for
persuasive, sales, or bad news messages.

A directly stated purpose is welcome in good news or routine messages but could be viewed as abrupt
or insensitive in a bad news or persuasive message. When the audience is not receptive to the message,
it is best to lead up to the purpose gradually.
In both types of organization, action information (such as deadlines or contact information) or a
courteous closing statement is placed in the last paragraph.

Style and Tone

While memo reports and policy memos are examples of documents that have a more formal tone, most
memos will have a conversational style—slightly informal but still professional. The audience of memos
are those with whom the writer works, so the writing style usually assumes a relationship with them
(and therefore a certain lack of formality); just keep in mind that the relationship is a professional one,
so the writing should reflect that. Furthermore, as with all workplace documents, the audience may
contain a variety of readers, and the style and tone should be appropriate for all of their technical and
authority levels.

Common Memo Writing Situations

Memos are used in a variety of workplace communication situations, from documentation of

procedures and policies to simple announcements. Below are some common types of memos:

Policies (changes and new)

Instructions

Procedures

Announcements

Trip reports

Distribution Medium

Memos may be distributed manually through print medium in organizations in which not all employees
have access to email. Organizations with access to email may distribute memos as attachments to
email.

In organizations in which email reaches every employee (or every employee in the memo’s audience),
writers must determine whether to send a memo or an email message to convey their information. In
cases such as this, writers should consider three factors: the nature of the message, the depth/number
of its details, and its likelihood of being printed for easier reference. These types of messages should be
written up in memo format and attached to an email message for fast (and environmentally friendly)
distribution:

Messages that have an official aura, such as new policies or revisions of policies.

Messages containing much detail (such as instructions on how to calibrate a complicated piece of
machinery).

Messages requiring reference away from a computer (necessitating a print copy). Print copies of emails
generally use a small type that is difficult to read.

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/technicalwriting/chapter/memos/

Technical Report

A technical report is described as a written scientific document that conveys information about technical
research in an objective and fact-based manner. This technical report consists of the three key features
of a research i.e process, progress, and results associated with it. Some common areas in which
technical reports are used are agriculture, engineering, physical, and biomedical science. So, such
complicated information must be conveyed by a report that is easily readable and efficient.

Importance of Writing a Technical Report

1. Efficient communication

Technical reports are used by industries to convey pertinent information to upper management. This
information is then used to make crucial decisions that would impact the company in the future.

Technical team communicating with each other

Examples of such technical reports include proposals, regulations, manuals, procedures, requests,
progress reports, emails, and memos.
2. Evidence for your work

Most of the technical work is backed by software.

However, graduation projects are not.

So, if you’re a student, your technical report acts as the sole evidence of your work. It shows the steps
you took for the research and glorifies your efforts for a better evaluation.

3. Organizes the data

A technical report is a concise, factual piece of information that is aligned and designed in a standard
manner. It is the one place where all the data of a project is written in a compact manner that is easily
understandable by a reader.

4. Tool for evaluation of your work

Professors and supervisors mainly evaluate your research project based on the technical write-up for it.
If your report is accurate, clear, and comprehensible, you will surely bag a good grade.

A technical report to research is like Robin to Batman.

Best results occur when both of them work together.

So, how can you write a technical report that leaves the readers in a ‘wow’ mode? Let’s find out!

How to Write a Technical Report?

Approach

When writing a technical report, there are two approaches you can follow, depending on what suits you
the best.

Top-down approach- In this, you structure the entire report from title to sub-sections and conclusion
and then start putting in the matter in the respective chapters. This allows your thought process to have
a defined flow and thus helps in time management as well.

Evolutionary delivery- This approach is suitable if you’re someone who believes in ‘go with the flow’.
Here the author writes and decides as and when the work progresses. This gives you a broad thinking
horizon. You can even add and edit certain parts when some new idea or inspiration strikes.

Structure

A technical report must have a defined structure that is easy to navigate and clearly portrays the
objective of the report. Here is a list of pages, set in the order that you should include in your technical
report.

Cover page- It is the face of your project. So, it must contain details like title, name of the author, name
of the institution with its logo. It should be a simple yet eye-catching page.

Title page- In addition to all the information on the cover page, the title page also informs the reader
about the status of the project. For instance, technical report part 1, final report, etc. The name of the
mentor or supervisor is also mentioned on this page.
Abstract- Also referred to as the executive summary, this page gives a concise and clear overview of the
project. It is written in such a manner that a person only reading the abstract can gain complete
information on the project.

Preface– It is an announcement page wherein you specify that you have given due credits to all the
sources and that no part of your research is plagiarised. The findings are of your own experimentation
and research.

Dedication- This is an optional page when an author wants to dedicate their study to a loved one. It is a
small sentence in the middle of a new page. It is mostly used in theses.

Acknowledgment- Here, you acknowledge the people parties, and institutions who helped you in the
process or inspired you for the idea of it.

Table of contents– Each chapter and its subchapter is carefully divided into this section for easy
navigation in the project. If you have included symbols, then a similar nomenclature page is also made.
Similarly, if you’ve used a lot of graphs and tables, you need to create a separate content page for that.
Each of these lists begins on a new page.

A lady creating table of contents in a technical report

Introduction- Finally comes the introduction, marking the beginning of your project. On this page, you
must clearly specify the context of the report. It includes specifying the purpose, objectives of the
project, the questions you have answered in your report, and sometimes an overview of the report is
also provided. Note that your conclusion should answer the objective questions.

Central Chapter(s)- Each chapter should be clearly defined with sub and sub-sub sections if needed.
Every section should serve a purpose. While writing the central chapter, keep in mind the following
factors:

Clearly define the purpose of each chapter in its introduction.

Any assumptions you are taking for this study should be mentioned. For instance, if your report is
targeting globally or a specific country. There can be many assumptions in a report. Your work can be
disregarded if it is not mentioned every time you talk about the topic.

Results you portray must be verifiable and not based upon your opinion. (Big no to opinions!)

Each conclusion drawn must be connected to some central chapter.

Conclusion- The purpose of the conclusion is to basically conclude any and everything that you talked
about in your project. Mention the findings of each chapter, objectives reached, and the extent to which
the given objectives were reached. Discuss the implications of the findings and the significant
contribution your research made.

Appendices- They are used for complete sets of data, long mathematical formulas, tables, and figures.
Items in the appendices should be mentioned in the order they were used in the project.

References- This is a very crucial part of your report. It cites the sources from which the information has
been taken from. This may be figures, statistics, graphs, or word-to-word sentences. The absence of this
section can pose a legal threat for you. While writing references, give due credit to the sources and
show your support to other people who have studied the same genres.

Bibliography- Many people tend to get confused between references and bibliography. Let us clear it out
for you. References are the actual material you take into your research, previously published by
someone else. Whereas a bibliography is an account of all the data you read, got inspired from, or
gained knowledge from, which is not necessarily a direct part of your research.

Style ( Pointers to remember )

Let’s take a look at the writing style you should follow while writing a technical report:

Avoid using slang or informal words. For instance, use ‘cannot’ instead of can’t.

Use a third-person tone and avoid using words like I, Me.

Each sentence should be grammatically complete with an object and subject.

Two sentences should not be linked via a comma.

Avoid the use of passive voice.

Tenses should be carefully employed. Use present for something that is still viable and past for
something no longer applicable.

Readers should be kept in mind while writing. Avoid giving them instructions. Your work is to make their
work of evaluation easier.

Abbreviations should be avoided and if used, the full form should be mentioned.

Understand the difference between a numbered and bulleted list. Numbering is used when something is
explained sequence-wise. Whereas bullets are used to just list out points in which sequence is not
important.

All the preliminary pages (title, abstract, preface..) should be named in small roman numerals. ( i, ii, iv..)

All the other pages should be named in Arabic numerals (1,2,3..) thus, your report begins with 1 – on the
introduction page.

Separate long texts into small paragraphs to keep the reader engaged. A paragraph should not be more
than 10 lines.

Do not incorporate too many fonts. Use standard times new roman 12pt for the text. You can use bold
for headlines.

Proofreading

If you think your work ends when the report ends, think again. Proofreading the report is a very
important step. While proofreading you see your work from a reader’s point of view and you can correct
any small mistakes you might have done while typing. Check everything from content to layout, and
style of writing.

Presentation

Finally comes the presentation of the report in which you submit it to an evaluator.

It should be printed single-sided on an A4 size paper. double side printing looks chaotic and messy.

Margins should be equal throughout the report.

A well structured and designed report adds credibility to your research work. You can rely on bit.ai for
that part.
However, the content is still yours so remember to make it worth it.

After finishing up your report, ask yourself:

Does the abstract summarize the objectives and methods employed in the paper?

Are the objective questions answered in your conclusion?

What are the implications of the findings and how is your work making a change in the way that
particular topic is read and conceived?

If you find logical answers to these, then you have done a good job!

Remember, writing isn’t an overnight process. ideas won’t just arrive. Give yourself space and time for
inspiration to strike and then write it down. Good writing has no shortcuts, it takes practice.

But at least now that you’ve bit.ai in the back of your pocket, you don’t have to worry about the design
and formatting!

https://blog.bit.ai/technical-report/

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