Business Memorandum
Final Exam Part II: Written Essay
Important note about Part II: Under the supervision of your proctor, please type your essay in a
word processor, save it, and upload it using the button below. Direct input in a textbox is not
advisable because this page will time out after a short period, and any work would be lost.
Because of the potential of a timeout, we advise you to save this essay locally in case you need
to access it.
You should save the file as a doc, docx, rtf, or txt file.
Your proctor can clarify this information if you have questions.
PART II: You will spend the remainder of the two-hour time limit on Part II, which will contain a
pre-selected topic. You will write a 400-word essay in response to this topic. We have provided
two sources that you must use in order to earn full credit for the essay.
In writing this part of the final examination, you should format as a Memorandum. Once the time
limit expires, the proctor will require that you submit your essay.
Your essay will be graded on the following criteria:
Content Adherence to assignment instructions (including the required use of the sources we
provide) and objectives
Organization Clarity of main points, organization of information, paragraph structure
Support Elaboration of main points, use of examples, anticipation of the reader’s concerns,
provision of necessary explanations based on audience
Tone & Style Professionalism, word choice, appropriateness of tone, font style, and white space
Mechanics Grammar and punctuation, MLA-style formatting of in-text citations
BUS105: Business Communication
Proctored Final Exam: Written Portion
This written exam will assess the following BUS 105 objectives:
1. Production of high quality writing
o content, organization, style
o grammar, mechanics, usage
2. Analysis of audience and purpose
3. Formatting of business documents
4. Use of research and sources
Length: • At least 400 words
Format: • Business memorandum (memo)
• Memo heading
• Standard font
• Single-spaced, with a double-space between paragraphs
• MLA style for source citations
Primary Audience: Your direct supervisor and Board of Directors
Sources: Provided to you via PDF. Use only these sources, and do not consult your textbook or
any other source–either online or print-based–in writing this exam. If you do not comply with this
guideline, you will earn zero points for this portion of the exam.
TOPIC: Millennials in the Workforce
You are the assistant manager of recruitment at a small marketing firm that is expanding rapidly.
Your supervisor needs to recruit new employees, and you have been given the task of
researching one specific segment of the workforce: millennials. You have been given two
sources to review, and your job is to write a short report that can be used as a guide to inform
these recruitment strategies.
Your report should consider the following questions, in addition to any other points you feel are
important:
• What seem to be some of the pros and cons of millennial employees?
• What are some specific strategies for recruiting, managing, and retaining millennials?
• Would you recommend adopting a strategy to recruit millennials specifically? Why or why not?
Your supervisor has given you two resources to review in drafting your report. To earn full credit,
you will incorporate both of these resources into your report to support your arguments and
recommendations.
Because your findings will be presented to the Board of Directors, your supervisor has
specifically requested that you organize this short report using the indirect arrangement. Thus,
you will need a brief yet informative introduction that prepares your readers for your
recommendations. Presenting the supporting data before your ultimate recommendations will
prepare the reader to accept your solution to this problem.
Write up a short report of at least 400 words describing your findings and recommendations.
The primary audience for this report is your direct supervisor, and the secondary audience is the
Board of Directors. Thus, you should adopt an appropriate tone for this audience. Your
recommendations need to be clear so that your company can move forward with its recruitment
strategies.
You will format this report as a business memorandum (memo).
Required Sources:
• Required Source #1
• Required Source #2
Grading criteria Content: Adherence to assignment instructions (including use of sources
provided) and objectives Most key elements of the assignment unmet. Content is severely
lacking in substance. Work reflects a very little understanding and insight of assignment
objectives. Both of the required two sources were omitted. Many key elements of the assignment
unmet. Content not covered in a substantive and/or comprehensive way. Work reflects some confusion with important aspects of the assignment. Student illustrates some lack of
understanding and insight of assignment objectives. One of the required two sources was
omitted. Some key elements of the assignment are met, but substance and comprehensiveness
are merely average. Work reflects an average-level grasp of each important aspect of the
assignment. Student illustrates an average level of insight and understanding of assignment
objectives. Required two sources were used, but both sources may have been used ineffectively.
Most key elements of the assignment are met, but content not always covered in a substantive
and/or comprehensive way. Work reflects a solid grasp of each important aspect of the
assignment. Student illustrates above-average level of insight and understanding of assignment
objectives. Required two sources were used, but one source may be used ineffectively. All key
elements of the assignment met. Content is covered in a substantive and comprehensive way
with each important aspect of the assignment addressed. Student illustrates excellent insight and
understanding of assignment objectives. Required two sources were used effectively.
Organization: Clarity of main points, organization of information, paragraph structure Main points
are missing or not discernible to the reader; information is illogically arranged and/or irrelevant.
Paragraph structure may be illogical. Little to no organization apparent. Many main points are
unclear or missing altogether. Most ideas are arranged illogically and/or irrelevant. Paragraphs
structure, organization, and transitions are all below average. Some main points are clearly
stated while other may be unclear. Some ideas are logically arranged, and some paragraphs are
well-constructed, but these elements need work to raise above the level of average. Organization
needs work, and transitions are needed. Main points are clearly stated, but not always supported. Ideas are logically arranged, but sentences and paragraphs are not always wellconstructed. Organization reflects coherent thought, but transitions are needed to help connect
ideas. Main points are clearly stated and supported. Ideas are logically arranged. Sentences and
paragraphs are well-constructed. Organization reflects coherent thought with effective transitions
used to connect ideas.
Support: Elaboration of main points, use of examples and evidence to support claims,
anticipation of reader’s concerns (provision of necessary explanations) Points are not supported
with evidence. Student does not make an effort to anticipate the reader’s concerns. Many points
are not supported with evidence and examples, and examples may be irrelevant to the topic.
Student fails to anticipate the reader’s concerns, usually omitting relevant explanations, and
usually providing no clear support for arguments. Some points are supported with evidence and
examples while others are not. Student sometimes fails to anticipate the reader’s concerns,
omitting relevant explanations, and sometimes providing no clear support for arguments. Most
points are supported with evidence (facts, statistics when applicable) and examples. Student
makes an effort to anticipate the reader’s concerns by offering relevant explanations and clear
support for the author’s position. Main points are supported with effective evidence (facts,
statistics when applicable) and examples. Student anticipates the reader’s concerns by offering
relevant explanations and clear support for the author’s position.
Tone & Style: Professionalism, word choice, appropriateness of tone, font style and white space
Word choice is informal and is not directed towards appropriate audience. Tone and style are not appropriate for assignment. Font type and/or size are not appropriate for assignment. White
space may not be used effectively. Word choice is mostly inappropriate for the audience, and
more than a few issues related to tone and style are noted. Font type and size choices may not
be appropriate for assignment. White space may not be used effectively. Word choice is
sometimes inappropriate for the audience, and at least a few issues related to tone and style are
noted. Font type and size choices may not be appropriate for assignment. White space may not
be used effectively. Word choice is directed towards the appropriate audience, but some issues
related to tone and style noted. Font type and size choices may not be appropriate for
assignment. White space is used effectively. Word choice is directed towards the appropriate
audience. Tone and style are appropriate for assignment. Professional font type and size for
assignment purpose. Effective use of white space.
Mechanics: Grammar: fragments, run-ons, verb tense, verb form, subject-verb agreement,
pronoun agreement. Punctuation: commas, comma splices, semicolons, colons, apostrophes,
periods. Misspelled words/Typos MLA formatting More than 7 errors in mechanics. Errors hinder
readability and understanding of content. 6 – 7 errors in mechanics. Same identical error may be
repeated throughout. Errors affect readability, and some understanding of content may be
impeded. 4 – 5 errors in mechanics. Same identical error may be repeated throughout. Errors
may affect readability, but they do not prevent understanding of content. 2 – 3 errors in
mechanics. No repetition of errors. Errors do not impede readability. No more than 1 error in
mechanics. No repetition of errors.
