3.3 Pre-Writing Assignment Overview
For this pre-writing assignment, students will demonstrate an understanding of and ability to explain the problem, addressing the audience, appropriate tone, and develop key elements of the writing assignment. Follow the instructions for organizing your document; Standardizing the assignment in this way will make it easier to complete peer reviews on each others’ work.
Step 1: Developing Document Layout and Memorandum Header Elements
Using the legal memorandum guide provide in writing assignment 3.1, develop a document header and titles for the required sections. (Note: this is a different Memorandum Guide and format than you used on the first two assignments.) Complete the header content by reading the problem described below.
Step 2: Problem Definition
Answer the questions below. Put the answers in your document as a second appendix.
Step 3: Developing Document Content
1. Determine the Statistical Approach and Complete Statistical Analysis – To have the information necessary to complete the thesis statement you will need to complete the analysis and determine what your answer to the question posed will be. Include the calculations as the first appendix.
2. Question Presented. Develop the language for the Question Presented section. This section should be a one-sentence question worded as a legal issue.
3. Brief Answer. This section is a statement of what your analysis shows the outcome of the litigation should be.
4. Facts. This section will provide the context of the case and the information you were provided. Part of what you should consider in producing this section is how to convey the information you were provided to the readers in the way that they can most easily absorb it.
3. Graphics
Graphics should be used in this assignment to support or make more clear ideas you are presenting in the document. Determine what type of graphic you will use in your document and state in writing below the graphic why it is the best approach for enhancing your message. Review Quick Reference for Figures section the Figures and Charts handout from UNC writing center to assist you in thinking through this.
Develop the graphic you will use in the final document. Include identifiers on your graphic that are necessary to make the graphic clear for an outside reader. Provide a title using the formatting discussed in the Figures and Charts handout. Include all of this under the analysis section of your pre-writing.
Problem Description: Critical comparison of opposing claims, analytical thinking, and problem-solving
The amount of shaft wear (.0001 in.) after a fixed mileage was determined for each of n = 8 internal combustion engines having copper lead as a bearing material, resulting in a sample mean of 3.72 and s = 1.25. Assuming that the distribution of shaft wear is normal with mean μ, use the appropriate test at level .05 to test H0 :
= 3.50 versus H
:
“>
3.50. Please state any assumption you have made if necessary.
Shaft wear in excess of 3.50 could lead to catastrophic failures in extreme weather conditions. Engineers for the manufacturer of the shafts claim that the shaft wear is within acceptable limits. Lawyers representing a class action legal suit filed against the company feel that recent deaths due to catastrophic vehicle failures for engines with this shaft are due to faulty bearings.
Audience: As the expert witness for this case, your primary audience is the jury who will be reviewing the case documents. NOTE: this is a different primary audience than your reading discusses. This audience is assumed not to have the specific technical knowledge of the field the witness is explaining. The expert witness must persuade the audience of their expertise and their presentation of the case is the most credible assessment of the facts possible.
Officers of the court, legal advisories, and opposing expert witnesses are important secondary audiences, making it necessary to address any ideas that would counter your case and present why they do not disqualify your case.
Document: This document should present as a memorandum to the court in the case Tindall v. The Accurate Parts Company. The primary addressee is the Judge – The Honorable Fatima Haik.
MEMORANDUM Litigation example.pdf
GEA 233 Pre-Writing 2019 Summer
Criteria | Ratings | Pts | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeThe memorandum header is included, correctly formatted and including the correct contentTo receive points for this section students must complete the memorandum per the requirements of “How to Write a Military Memorandum” (see reading assignment). They must then fill in the content required per the assignment |
|
2.0 pts |
|||
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeProblem Definition – problem descriptionTo receive points for this section the student must describe the problem they are being asked to address in plain language. |
|
0.4 pts |
|||
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeProblem Definition – answer required is describedTo receive points for this section the student must describe the answer they are being asked to provide in plain language. |
|
0.4 pts |
|||
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeProblem Definition – statistical approach is describedTo receive points for this section the student must describe the statistical approach they will use to address the problem and why this approach provides insight into addressing the problem in plain language. |
|
0.4 pts |
|||
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeProblem Definition – Addressee is identified, additional document users are identified.To receive points for this section the student must provide the name and title for the person they must address the memorandum to. They must also provide categories of others that are likely to use the document in the litigation process. |
|
0.4 pts |
|||
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeProblem Definition – Addressee need is identifiedTo receive points for this section the student must what this person they must address the memorandum to will need to know (based on the responsibilities of their job). |
|
0.4 pts |
|||
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeThesis StatementTo receive points for this section the student must complete a thesis statement that describes what the memorandum is about and the stance of the writer. |
|
3.0 pts |
|||
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeSummaryTo receive point for this section the student must include all the required elements in the summary |
|
2.0 pts |
|||
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeGraphicsTo get points for this section the student must include a graphic that enhances the understanding of the document and is easy to read. |
|
1.0 pts |
|||
Total Points: 10.0 |