Writing in Business Administration

Javaria A., Writing Center Tutor

Please keep in mind that these are only general guidelines; always defer to your professor's specifications for a given assignment. If you have any questions about the content represented here, please contact the Writing Centers so that we can address them for you.

In the business field today, professional writing and communication skills are essential for building an effective workplace.  Writing is used in many different situations in the business field—ranging from daily emails to formal reports.  In turn, it is always important to consider the reader of your text and shape the content, style, and tone of your writing to fit that audience and situation. 

In addition to focusing on the audience and purpose in your business writing, always strive to make the writing concise, direct, and persuasive.  One way to accomplish this is to minimize passive voice and to use personal pronouns when necessary, such as “I,” “we,” or “you.”  

Preferred Bibliographic Style

Writing in Business Administration uses APA (American Psychological Association) style for citations and formatting.  APA recommends the author-date method (i.e. Smith 1999) for in-text citations and suggests avoiding footnotes or endnotes.  For detailed instructions and examples on writing in APA style, consult our Citations and Formatting page.

Common Writing Assignments

Writing assignments in Business Administration commonly reflect writing done in the workplace. Frequently used types of business writing include:

Memoranda are short documents which normally communicate basic information, such as deadlines, within an individual office or company. The tone of memoranda can be informal, unlike business letters, especially when addressing colleagues.  However, it is always important to consider the audience of memoranda in order to provide sufficient context for all information communicated in the memo.  The Writing Center at Colorado State University provides an extensive guide for creating memoranda and can serve as a great guide for specific formatting suggestions.  

Business Letters are more formal documents, in comparison to memoranda, and can be used to apply for jobs or deliver information (the “cover letter” is one type of business letter). Business letters should be constructed in the standard letter format, which includes the date, addresses, salutation, body paragraphs, and a closing.  Always tailor your business letters to provide the “bottom line” in a concise manner; it is possible that the reader may only skim your letter for key information.  Furthermore, do not hesitate to utilize industry-specific language in order to demonstrate expertise.  Examples of business letters and formatting suggestions can be found at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill’s Writing Center page.

Case Analyses are often assigned in business courses to prompt students to analyze problems in business situations using theories or practices discussed in the class.  When writing case analyses, first describe the case and present the problem to the reader.  After, name various solutions to the problem and evaluate their possible effectiveness.  At the end of case analyses, select the best possible solution for the company’s problem and fully explain your reasoning for your choice. 

Business Plans define the work of an individual business or how it will operate.  Business plans can also be tools to request funding for the particular company.  When writing business plans, it is important to determine its purpose in order to provide the necessary content.  There are numerous possibilities for laying out business plans, varying according to their goals.  For more detailed information about how to compose business plans, consult the Claremont Graduate University Writing Center’s Business Writingpage.

Business Proposals are documents that present an idea or service as a solution for an identified problem.  First, clearly define the problem you want to address and follow by explaining your proposed solution to your audience.  There are two types of proposals, solicited and unsolicited. A solicited business proposal is when a company is looking for a service and outside organizations are allowed to bid on the project. (For example, if a city wants to build a library, selected construction firms can submit their individual proposals in hopes to win the contract.) An unsolicited business proposal is written with the intent to partner and/or work with another business. (For example, a graphic design company might come to a retail store with an idea for a marketing campaign.)

Helpful Resources

This handout from the University of North Carolina’s Writing Center has suggestions on how to approach and compose various types of business letters.

The Claremont Graduate University’s Writing Center features the most common writing assignments given in their business school’s courses, including proposals.

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s website for has a comprehensive glossary of key business terms.