Writing Assignment #1
A key initiative in the Lundquist College of Business (LCB) is to enhance global education. Assume the Dean appointed the fictional Global Initiatives Committee (GIC) of interested faculty members and student representatives to solicit creative, cost-effective ideas to improve the international education of undergraduate LCB students.
Current undergraduate global education offerings include the Certificate in Global Management, International Business Communications (IBC) Program, global context requirement for the major, study abroad programs, international internships, International Business and Economics Club (IBEC), and some global components in existing classes and clubs. (Refer to the LCB website for program descriptions.) Although international education is critical in a global business world, the Dean feels that current programs do not provide sufficient global education experience. In particular, not all students have the time or money to participate in study abroad programs or global internships, so the LCB is looking for ways to enhance the global education of students here at the UO or in Oregon. This initiative also fits with the broader UO Global Oregon Initiative.
The Global Initiatives Committee has requested proposals for creative, cost-effective ideas to enhance the international education of undergraduate LCB students. The required format is a 1.5 page (maximum), single-spaced memo with appropriate headings. The Committee will give priority consideration to:
• Ideas that will attract and benefit large diverse groups of students
• Ideas that either fill a gap in current LCB offerings (e.g., majors, minors, courses, clubs, certificates, internships, etc.) or enhance an existing LCB offering
• Ideas that connect with broader, existing UO campus or in-state opportunities not named above that could improve the impact of the proposal
• Ideas that may have the possibility of future expansion and added benefits over time
The assignment has four primary objectives:
1. To introduce you to a business style of writing
2. To encourage you to focus on your audience
3. To help you practice developing a persuasive argument for a recommended action
4. To, perhaps, offer an innovative idea that would truly benefit LCB students
Though you do not need to provide a budget or quantitative evidence to support your idea, you must present a realistic, persuasive argument for your proposal. For an example of how to format your memo, see the attached.
[Memo Format Example]
To:
From:
Date:
Re: Briefly state topic of memo
Start with a short opening paragraph, which will typically do three things: (1) state why you’re writing (e.g., “I’m writing in response to your request for…”); (2) state your recommendation, request, or “bottom line” opinion (e.g., “I recommend we outsource through ABC Company”); and offer a preview of what you will discuss below (e.g., “I’ve outlined logistics, costs, and risk mitigation strategies below”). Follow the order of topics in your memo as you’ve previewed them. You do not need a heading for the opening of a short memo.
Descriptive Heading
Use descriptive, major headings to organize your document and improve its skim value. A reader should get the gist of your memo by skimming the headings alone. So avoid generic headings like “Section 1.” Keep your paragraphs short. Avoid block text. As a rule of thumb, paragraphs should have more than one sentence but not more than six or seven lines of text.
If you choose to use bullets or numbered items in your memo, use at least two at a time but not so many that it lowers your skim value:
● List items, sentence fragments, or short sentences in bullets
● Avoid using bullets for paragraphs
● Keep bullets “parallel,” i.e., start them with the same part of speech (e.g., verbs or nouns)
Left justify your paragraphs and use line breaks between them. You should not indent the first line of a paragraph if you’re using line breaks. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Descriptive Heading
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Minor Heading
If you use minor (secondary) headings, be sure you use at least two at a time. Use different emphasis than you use for your major heading (e.g., italics instead of bold), keep your formatting consistent, and avoid redundant emphasis (e.g., italics and underlining). Consider indenting these paragraphs.
Minor Heading
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Descriptive Heading
You do not need to use bullets or subheadings to break up major sections. Just be sure that you maintain skim value. As a rule of thumb, if you have more than three paragraphs under a heading, consider using subheadings or bullets/numbers to improve the skim value of the section.
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End your memo with a brief closing paragraph. A closing typically (1) repeats your recommendation, (2) summarizes benefits, and (3) gives a call to action. You do not need a heading for the closing of a short memo.
