Fact · Transcription
The companion guide Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised In Brief, as quoted by Michigan State University, says the most frequent mistakes in minutes are trying to summarize the reports offered and the arguments made in debate.
Checked against its source on October 17, 2026
In the source's own words
“The most frequent mistakes are trying to summarize the reports offered and arguments made in debate”
What Belongs in the Minutes?, Michigan State University, Academic Governance, 2026, Quotation of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised In Brief, 3rd edition.
Open the original- What it measures
- The quotation is about secretaries who put more into the minutes than the rules require. It is the reason minutes do not need an AI summary of the discussion that a transcript might suggest.
- What it does not show
- This is the rulebook's advice, given in a 3rd-edition companion and quoted by a university office. Some groups set stricter or looser rules for their minutes, so follow your own bylaws where they differ.