Business Brief Overview

Purpose

Business briefs are written to inform a decision-maker about an issue. The goal is to present the key facts and considerations in a format that is concise yet complete. You might also be asked to give a recommendation.

Audience

Consider who is reading your business brief. What are their expectations for communication? What do they already know about the topic? What are their needs and concerns? Tailor your tone for your audience. For more information, read Tone in Business Writing and Knowing Your Audience.

Formatting*

• Follow APA paper format when setting your business brief's margins, fonts, etc.
• Do NOT include a title page.
• Use single line spacing.
• Your headers should only include the page number.
• A running head is not needed.

*Please note that your instructor may have different requirements. Read the assignment rubric and ask your instructor if you aren’t sure about what’s expected.

Business Brief Structure & Style

Introduction

Identify the situation, issue, or task and briefly describe its context and importance. If you are making a recommendation, introduce it here.

Body

Summarize the facts and considerations, including:

• The background or history of the issue, if your audience might not know it
• The status of the current situation
• Pertinent data/facts. Make sure to cite sources when needed in APA format for in-text citations.
• Your objective analysis of the data/facts

Present your information in a logical and organized way:

• Keep similar ideas or topics together by writing in paragraphs of related information.
• Make use of headings to organize your content and to help readers find information easily.
• Use topic sentences and transition sentences to move your readers through the brief.
• Use bullets and lists to identify key points or steps and to make your brief visually appealing.
• Consider adding charts or graphs to communicate information. If you do, follow APA format.

Conclusion

Summarize your analysis and recommendations (if required).

References List

Include a References list if needed.

• Creating an APA Style Reference List Guide (See below for PDF version)

Writing Style

• Be direct, concise, and clear. Your reader should be able to quickly grasp the key points, recommendations, and justification.
• Use an active writing voice. For more information, read Active vs. Passive Voice.
• Be neutral. Present information in an unbiased, factual way. Avoid using an argumentative or emotional tone; this could undermine your credibility. Make a recommendation based on your rational analysis of the facts, not your opinion.
• Use a professional tone, but avoid being pedantic (overly formal). Don’t try to embellish your writing with unnecessarily-complicated language or jargon.  

Phrases to Use

Use these helpful phrases to share your analyses:

• The data shows...
• Research studies point out...
• The analysis indicates...
• Studies demonstrate...
• Forecast indicates…

Common Grading Criteria

Business briefs for Franklin classes are often graded on the following criteria:

• Organization
• Content accuracy, development & Support
• Style (Clarity & Concision)
• Mechanics, including spelling, grammar, punctuation, and APA formatting