Writing Effective Minutes

Tips and mistakes to avoid

Harris Abdul Razak

Senior Radiographer NUH
Doctorate student, Purdue University

Honorary Secretary, SSR (64 th EXCO)

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Hi, my name is Harris

About me

Harris is a Senior Diagnostic Radiographer working at NUH. He is the Honorary Secretary of the
Singapore Society of Radiographers (SSR). He holds an MSc in Information Systems Management and
is pursuing a doctorate in technology. He is interested in pediatric imaging, patient safety, workplace
safety, and how technology affects safe clinical practice

Minutes writing experience

 Informal meetings – Ad hoc discussion over lunch
 Formal meeting – SSR monthly meeting, Annual General Meeting (AGM), department meeting
 Personal – during appraisal

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About the talk
Meeting minutes provide key issues that are discussed, motions proposed or voted on, and activities to be
undertaken. Accurate record of what transpired during the meeting provides a clear direction and guidelines
for the entire team to be informed or prioritizing and actioning tasks within a specified timeline (those
present and those not at the meeting). Writing effective meeting minutes is a skill.

What you will learn

 Skills to be an effective minutes-taker
 Methods and tricks to taking notes.
 Unlearn old habits and re-learn proper minutes writing format
 Essential components of a minutes

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Overview

 Note-taking methods
 Language of minutes
 Meeting minute format
 Tips

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Scene in almost every meeting

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Note-taking methods
Difficulties in note-taking
 No agenda
 Poor chair
 Not getting enough respect
 Listening and transcribing
 Not understanding the discussion
 Not interested in the subject matter
 Not knowing people’s names
 Suddenly being roped into writing minutes
 Not prepared
 Two conversations at once
 Ramblings
 Emotional outburst during the meeting
 Writing far too much
 Writing far too little
 Illegible writing – scribbling
 Shorthand writing
 Not knowing the types of minutes
 Time to write minutes
 Accuracy of minutes
 Who said what?
 Getting minutes approved
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Quote from a wise man

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 Note-taking methods

Tools

During
Meeting Prep Technology Writing tools
meeting
• Agenda • Voice recorder • A5 notepad • Sit next to chair
• Past minutes • Digital • Quality pen • Stop and ask if
transcriber • Draw columns unsure
• Word processing • Number key
software items
• MS teams • Listen, be
selective

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Note-taking methods

Types of Minutes
Type Meaning Used in
Verbatim Word-for-word record of all Legal: appeals, disciplinary panels,
discussions and decisions. complaints. Rarely necessary.
Discussion Records of agreement of Committee meetings, staff
discussions. Include significant meetings. Sometimes.
points made by the group.
Action Includes only the decisions Most meetings: Board, council
reached and the actions to be
taken – executive overview of
decisions within meeting

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Verbatim Minutes Very lengthy
Requires proof-reading

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Discussion Minutes
Paragraphs, in sections, and
by order of discussion

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Action Minutes

Written as bullet points

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Note-taking methods

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Note-taking methods

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Language of minutes

Lesson in Writing

1. Converting ‘Direct Speech’ to ‘Indirect Speech’ (aka ‘Reported Speech’)

2. Removing emotions
3. Grammar – Verbs ‘He said, She said’
4. Grammar – Prepositions (to, about, by, on, for, into, -)
5. Grammar – Tone
6. Minutes language - Timing

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Source: 7esl.com

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Language of minutes

Removing Emotions

Bad Good
Lulu shared that the long-outstanding debt was due to Lulu updated to the meeting that the long-outstanding
Café Cat owner’s battle with cancer. She had to go to debt from Café Cat was due to the owner’s financial
chemotherapy and had spent her life savings on her difficulty.
medication.
Mr A informed Lulu to seek creative methods to
Mr A told Lulu not to be a ‘softy,’ and that ‘business is recover the debt.
business.’ He told Lulu to think of better ways to
recover the debt, maybe from her family, and to update
him by 31st March. Lulu told Mr A that he was
heartless and stormed out of the meeting.

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Language of minutes

Grammar - Tone

Passive Voice Active Voice

It was shared in the meeting… Specky shared about…

Concerns were expressed by Lulu… Lulu expressed concern…

Approval was made by Lulu… Lulu approved ….

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Language of minutes

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Language of minutes

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Language of minutes

Expanding vocabulary
 Shared  Proposed  Declared
 Reported  Confirmed  Discussed
 Presented  Approved  Emphasized
 Suggested  Dismissed  Explained
 Reiterated  Highlighted  Informed
 Reminded  Concluded  Summarised
 Cautioned  Alerted  Stated
 Announced  Asserted  Agreed to
 Updated  Acknowledged  Illustrated

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Language of minutes

Timing
Direct Indirect
Today That day
Tomorrow The next/following day
Next year The following year
Yesterday The day before
Now Then
…days ago …days before
Last night The previous night / the night before

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Language of minutes

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Language of minutes

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Meeting Minute Format

Component

 Header
 Standard Item
 Body
 End

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Meeting Minute Format

Header

Name of meeting

Date, time
Venue

Names and designation

• In order of rank in office
• If the same rank, arrange it in alphabetical order

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 Meeting Minute Format

Standard Item

S/N Matters Discussed Action

1
1 Confirmation of Previous Minutes
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1.1 The Minutes of [Previous Minutes #XX] dated [DATE] was Info
confirmed without amendments.

2 Matters Arising from Previous Minutes

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Nil.

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Meeting Minute Format

Body
3 Agenda Item #1
3.1 ‘I Believe’ initiative.
Mr. A shared on the ‘I Believe’ initiative that the department Ms. Lulu Action by
needed to run a session each week during lunchtime. He
31 st March Action must
instructed Ms. Lulu to organise these sessions.
have deadline

3.2 Celebrating Inclusivity and Caring culture

Mr. A proposed ….
4 AOB
4.1 AOB#1
Free lunch for everybody.

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Meeting Minute Format

End

There being no other matters, the meeting adjourned at [TIME]. 1

Recorded by : Mr. Specky

Vetted by : Ms. Lulu
Approved by : Mr. A

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 K.I.S.S
TIP #1

Keep it short and sweet

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 Refer to past minutes
TIP #2

Review past minutes to have an understanding on

the outstanding items for this meeting.

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 Agenda!
TIP #3

Request for the agenda to guide the meeting.

Agenda keeps meeting focus.

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 Complete feedback for the Certificate

Thank you!

Email: abdulrh@purdue.edu
polytechnic.purdue.edu

/ TechPurdue

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