Lesson 2: Formats of Minutes

1. Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Lesson 2: Formats of Minutes By Leo Yu (Office: OEE1014; Phone: 3411-5803; email: leoyu@hkbu.edu.hk) 14-17 May 2002

2. Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Outline • Presentation of Group 1 • Critique by Group 2 • Types of Minutes • Obligatory vs. Optional Components • Layout/Typography

3. Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Types of Minutes • Formal • Minutes of … • Action-minutes (resolution-based) • Record-minutes (discussion-based) • Informal • Record of Meeting of… • Notes of Meeting of …

4. Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Basic Information (1) • Name of the Committee/Department • [B] – missing (PERS/GAO?) • Title (Type & Nature of the meeting) • [C] – ‘Notes of Meeting for University Bookshop’ • Sequential (e.g. 1st/2nd; 2001, 2002) • Once-off/Irregular (esp. Record of Meeting) • Date/Time/Venue • Linear [C] • Point [A]

5. Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Basic Information (2) • Roll Call • Present: • Name • with/without title/rank • Affiliation • Absent: • Apologies • Apologies for absence • Absent with apologies

6. Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Basic Information (3) • Chairman (Chairperson/Chair) • Secretary • Recording Secretary (Member & RS) [B,C,D,F] • Recording Secretary (In attendance) [A] • In attendance

7. Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Obligatory Components • Confirmation of Last Minutes • Matters Arising (from Last Minutes) • Main Items • A.O.B. • Adjournment

8. Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Confirmation of Last Minutes • Omitted (if for the 1st meeting/Informal meeting) [A,B,C] • Proposed by… and seconded by… @ How to deal with the mistakes? …subject to the following amendments:

9. Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Matters Arising • Matters Arising • Matters Arising from the Last Minutes • Reference (Item xxx) [E]

10. Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Main (Discussion) Items • Follow the sequence of the agenda • Categories • Reports • Discussion

11. Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) A.O.B. • A.O.B. / Any Other Business • If no AOB, this part can be omitted

12. Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Adjournment • There being no other business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at (time).

13. Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Optional Components • Date and Time of Next Meeting • Signature by the Chairman

14. Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Typography (1) • Columnar for Action-minutes • the use of table: 2 columns • Numbering • 1 -> 1.1 -> 1.1.1 • For headings as well [#B] • For each point [#A] • Bullets • ‘-’ [A]

15. Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Typography (2) • Indentation • A,D • [#C,E,F) • Margins • Date/filename/revision • (LCDept): 1st departmental meeting 2001-2) • 22 September 2001 (FINAL) • Drafting parties

16. Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Typography (3) • Filing reference • Place it in the header • Page no.

17. Workplace English for Executive Officers (Minutes-taking) Homework • Download the Word file of Ex. 1 from the course room • Correct the minutes • Submit a hardcopy to me next week in class