its stated in the file

BCO113 WRITING COMMUNICATION SKILLS Midterm Task brief & rubrics

Midterm Task: Memorandum and Formal Emails

 This is an individual writing task.

 You must complete 2 Business documents.

 1 Memorandum

 1 Persuasive Email

 Your documents must follow standard Memorandum and formal Email format as discussed in class.

 You must upload your document via Turnitin in pdf format.

Formalities:

 Word count: Each individual task is allocated a specific word count.

 Font: Arial 12,5 pts.

 Text alignment: Justified.

Submission: Week 4 - 20 June 2021 at 23:59 CEST – Via Moodle (Turnitin)

Weight: This task is a 40% of your total grade for this subject.

It assesses the following learning outcomes:

 Outcome 1: Demonstrate familiarity with different writing formats in business and apply this in practice.

 Outcome 2: Illustrate the awareness of how to apply principles of instructive, persuasive, and informative writing.

Memorandum 400 Word Count - 15% of Midterm Task Grade

TASK 1

Read the scenario below. Write a MEMO informing employees and requesting information regarding an upcoming seminar.

o Your message should be in standard memo format, as per class introduction.

o You should apply the indirect style of writing.

o You should use positive language and build goodwill.

Memo – Compulsory Seminar

Task: Write a memo requesting attendance by employees of the seminar.

You are an administrative assistant in a multinational company. You want to tell employees about an upcoming compulsory computer training seminar. You are

attaching a brochure about the seminar from the presenter, but you also need to inform them of the following:

 what the training is for

 who the presenter is, including a brief statement about his/her background

 where the training will be held, including the date and time

 whether or not parking is available

 whether or not lunch and/or any refreshments will be served

.

Persuasive Email Word count 800 - 25% of Midterm Task Grade

Task 2

Persuasive Message Flowing Upward: How about a continued tele Week?

Over the last year your company like everyone else’s was forced to work virtually as a result of the Covid19 pandemic. Things are slowly getting back to “normal”

in the company and team managers are being asked to share their thoughts on what way the company should continue to work. Despite the initial concerns

there has been no real sign or employees being less productive. There are some departments, such as sales that feel that it is better for their team to work face-

to-face, especially when it comes to clients. However, you as head of Human Resources (HR) feel that the company would benefit from a continued virtual

working environment.

Your Task. Write an email to the heads of the different departments, these would include sales, marketing, accounting, administrative staff etc. trying to

persuade them of the benefits for them and the company of allowing employees to work at least three days from home.

Use the AIDA strategy. Don’t forget to reduce resistance.

Rubric Memorandum Task 1

Exceptional 100-90

Good 89-80

Fair 79-70

Marginal 69-60

Fail 10 pts

Content and structure 30%

Memo clearly states the

purpose

Appropriate explanations or

facts used to support the

main idea

Easy to follow

Tone is appropriate for

intended audience

Very good use of indirect vs.

direct writing pattern

Memo clearly states the

purpose

Some explanations or facts

used to support the main

idea

Somewhat hard to follow

Tone is generally

appropriate for intended

audience

Correct use of indirect vs.

direct pattern

Purpose of memo is

unclear

More explanations or facts

need to be used to support

the main idea

Hard to follow

Tone is too formal or too

informal for intended

audience

Too direct or indirect

Purpose of memo is

unclear

Main idea is not supported

by explanations or facts

Memo rambles; hard to

follow or understand

Tone is inappropriate for

intended audience

Incorrect choice of pattern

Purpose of the memo missing

Unclear structure, hard to follow

Inappropriate tone and use of language

Difficult to understanding the patter

choice

Understanding the format 25%

Accurately uses correct

memorandum format

(heading, greeting,

introduction, body, closure,

signature, enclosure, and

copy)

Mostly uses correct

memorandum format

(heading, greeting,

introduction, body, closure,

signature, enclosure, and

copy)

Some noticeable errors in

use of correct

memorandum format

(heading, greeting,

introduction, body, closure,

signature, enclosure, and

copy)

Several noticeable errors in

use of correct

memorandum format

(heading, greeting,

introduction, body, closure,

signature, enclosure, and

copy)

Inadequate demonstration of

understanding of memo format

Language Usage

25%

Accurate use of punctuation

and grammar. Positive

language and forward-

looking tone.

No spelling errors

One or two mistakes with

punctuation or grammar.

Language majorly positive,

appropriate tone.

One or two spelling errors

More than two mistakes in

punctuation or grammar.

Somewhat positive

language.

More than two spelling

errors

Incorrect use throughout

the memo of punctuation

or grammar. Majorly

negative tone and

language.

Frequent spelling errors

distract from memo

Many spelling, punctuation an grammar

errors. Rude tone and very negative

language.

Appearance 20%

Correct spacing, font, and

format used

Few problems in spacing,

font, or format

Frequent problems in

spacing, font, or format

Marginally incorrect use of

format and hard to read

Wrong format used and hard to read

Rubric Email Task 2

Exceptional

100-90

Good

89-80

Fair

79-70

Marginal

69-60

Fail

10 pts

Understanding of the

format and structure

required in business

writing

30%

The student demonstrates superior

knowledge and understanding of the

business writing format

All elements (subject line, greetings,

and professional email address) are

present and adequate.

The student

demonstrates good

knowledge and

understanding of the

business writing format.

All elements (greeting,

subject line, and

address) are present

and adequate to a

certain extent.

The student demonstrates

fair knowledge and some

understanding of some

elements of the business

writing format

Some elements (greeting,

subject line or address) are

inappropriate

The student demonstrates

marginally inadequate

understanding of all elements of

the business writing format

Several or all elements (greeting,

subject line, and address) are

lacking or inappropriate

The student demonstrates

inadequate understanding of all

elements of the business writing

format

All the elements (greeting, subject

line, and address) are lacking and

inappropriate

Explanation and

description of purpose

25%

Clear and thorough description and

explanation of purpose

Length is adequate to the message.

Quite clear and

thorough description

and explanation of

purpose. Length is

adequate to the

message

Fairly clear and thorough

description and explanation

of purpose Length is

adequate to the message.

Description and explanation of

purpose is unclear.

Length inadequate-too short or

too long

Description and explanation of

purpose are lacking or incomplete.

Length is inadequate- too short or

too long.

Understanding of

mechanics of written

language

25%

Superior understanding of mechanics

of written language.

Adequate word forms.

Good understanding of

mechanics of written

language

Adequate word forms.

Fair understanding of

mechanics of written

language

Mostly adequate word

forms.

Marginally inadequate

understanding of mechanics of

written language

Inadequate word forms (use of

abbreviations)

Failure to understand mechanics of

written language.

Inadequate word forms (use of

abbreviations)

Demonstrates familiarity

with context of the

writing exercise.

20%

Clearly and adequately identifies

context by choosing an adequate tone

and language

Adequately identifies

context by choosing an

adequate tone and

language

Identifies context by

choosing an adequate tone

and language most of the

time

Fails to identify the context by

choosing inadequate tone and

language

Tone and choice language are

highly inadequate to the context.