Empirical Methods in Accounting and Finance Assignment
Assessment Brief / Instructions for Students (See Guidance Sheet)
The assessment for this module is a short academic research paper of 3,000 words (± 10% is acceptable), excluding references, tables, figures and appendices. You can write on any topic related to accounting, finance and economics disciplines. You must use secondary data to perform the analysis.
You are encouraged to discuss the suitability of your topic with the Module Leader during his stated office hours or email for an appointment. Your research paper must be structured according to the following Sections with marks percentage and recommended word limit: Abstract (3%) (100 words)
1. Introduction (12%) (400 words)
2. Literature review (25%) (830 words)
3. Data sampling and research method (20%) (670 words)
4. Results and discussion (20%) (670 words)
5. Summary and conclusion (10%) (330 words)
Presentation and References (10%)
All tables and figures that are required as part of your analysis must be incorporated in the relevant section(s) (no word count).
You must submit all evidence of data analysis and statistical outputs. These can be appended after References (no word count) or you can upload separate file in Excel (no word count). Please combine everything in a single file rather than submitting too many files. Ease of following your outputs will help me to understand your empirical works.
Your research paper is an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of key concepts and debates covered in this module, and to show your progress in developing core academic research and writing skills. You will be assessed on five main criteria: structure – how well you have organised your writing and material; knowledge – the quality and depth of your understanding of the topic; critical thinking – how well you handle and engage with concepts or ideas that are debated; writing and expression – your ability to communicate knowledge and ideas clearly and concisely; and academic integrity standards – the quality of your referencing and bibliography. A marking rubric is available in Canvas which explains these criteria and how they will be applied.
The referencing style used at Bradford University is Harvard. You can find guidance on referencing here: Referencing and Plagiarism - Help - University of Bradford
