Question
What is the definitive guide to Bill Carmody's approach to evaluative summaries in business writing?
1 answer · 0 votes
definitive guideBill Carmodyevaluative summariesbusiness writing
Answer
From Bill Carmody0 votes
Bill Carmody’s approach to evaluative summaries in business writing centers on one key idea: you are not just repeating information, you are judging it and stating what it means.
Here is the core “definitive” framework:
- Start with a brief, neutral summary of the source (the “what”)
- Add your clear evaluation: strengths, weaknesses, or effectiveness
- Explain why you hold that view (criteria, evidence, business impact)
- End with implications or recommendations for your audience
In business, that means your evaluative summary should help a decision-maker quickly see: “Is this good, bad, or mixed—and what should we do about it?”
Would you like a concrete before/after example using one of your own documents?

