Fact · Transcription
Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised says minutes should contain mainly a record of what was done at the meeting, not what was said by the members.
Checked against its source on October 17, 2026
In the source's own words
“The minutes should contain mainly a record of what was done at the meeting, not what was said by the members.”
What Belongs in the Minutes?, Michigan State University, Academic Governance, 2026, Quotation of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, in the section on the content of minutes.
Open the original- What it measures
- Robert's Rules is the standard parliamentary manual many clubs, boards and councils use. Its rule on minutes is the reason meeting secretaries write decisions and motions rather than a transcript.
- What it does not show
- This is the rulebook's rule, quoted by a university office. A group may set its own rules for its minutes in its bylaws, and some do. Check your organization's bylaws before you change how it keeps minutes.