Getting Started Guide: Introduction To This Guide ✓ Solved

Getting Started Guide Tointroductionthis Guide Is Designed To Help

Getting Started Guide Tointroductionthis Guide Is Designed To Help

This guide is designed to help you to get started with searching for information for your assignments. It contains tips on how to save time and maximise your potential to get high marks. Use the following web page as your starting point to get access to all the resources that could be useful to you: If you need any help, please get in touch: Joanne Farmer Email: [email address] Tel: NELSON You will find all of the databases that the library subscribes to, as well as other useful sources for your subject, on NELSON (Northampton’s Electronic Library Search Online).

NELSON is an intuitive tool that enables quick and easy searching of library resources. Searching NELSON is simple - follow these steps:

  • Go to [library web address] and click on ‘Sign in’ at the top right of the web page. Sign in with your University login. Note: you can also access NELSON from the main library pages of the University website.
  • Decide where you wish to search – choose from Everything, Journal Articles, Library Catalogue or NECTAR.
  • Enter keywords in the search box and ‘Search’.
  • Use the options on the left to refine your results by resource type, by topic, by date etc.

Books are a useful starting point for any assignment. They will help you to learn about concepts and theories that are new to you. From NELSON, select Library Catalogue to find books on your topic. If you wish to see if your tutor has provided a list of recommended reading, go to the ‘Reading Lists’ tab along the top menu. There is a growing collection of ebooks and you can see these by clicking to show only ‘Full Text Online’. Here is an example: Just open up the record and click to ‘view online’ – we recommend that you choose ‘Open source in a new window’. TIP: Using e-books could save you valuable time if you are waiting for a book to be returned or if you are working from home.

Plan your search: The library subscribes to a number of online databases that provide access to journals, newspapers, reports, and other types of information. You can search the databases by keyword, so it is useful to think about the different search terms before you start. Scribble a few ideas down on paper as this will be a useful guide to follow when you search the different databases. For example, if you are searching for information on corporate financial planning, the following search terms could be useful: Finance, Business finance, Corporate finance, Financial planning, Business, Corporate planning, Financial strategy, Strategic planning, Strategy. Individual keywords can be grouped together to create specific searches e.g., Corporate finance and strategy. TIP: Be flexible with your keywords and consider different spelling variations, abbreviations, synonyms and so on.

You can search many of the databases collectively through NELSON, by using the default setting ‘Everything’. Enter keywords in the search box (see example above) and use the options on the left to refine your results. TIP: Don’t rely on Google alone! If you want to get good marks, try using a range of sources. Good business information is rarely free! For advanced searching, go directly to the main databases for your subject. From NELSON, go to the ‘Databases’ tab along the top menu and select an appropriate resource. Good databases for accounting and finance include ABI Global, Emerald, Sage, ScienceDirect, Wiley, and others. These provide access to journal articles, reports, and market data. Remember to evaluate the usefulness and quality of what you find.

Further support: Guides and tutorials for using NELSON, comprehensive Harvard referencing guides, and online information skills tutorials are available via the library. You can also book an appointment with your Academic Librarian for specialised support or receive help from library staff. For general help, email [library support email].

Assignment Overview

The purpose of this assignment is to test your knowledge and understanding of key accounting and corporate finance concepts, theories, and tools that can be used to critically analyse organisations. You are to select a company quoted on the FTSE 250 index which has the same first letter as your surname. Acting as a financial advisor to a potential investor, you will produce a report of a maximum 2,500 words covering the following:

Section A

  • Profits, earnings, and dividends, including comprehensive ratio analysis.
  • Financial stability and liquidity, including ratio analysis.

Approximately 1500 words.

Section B

  • A critical reflection on the company portrayed by journalists and financial reports.
  • An evaluation of the company’s corporate governance.
  • Identify the asset value per share and the current market share price and assess whether the company is a good investment opportunity.

Approximately 1000 words.

Use credible sources and ensure all references are correctly cited using the Harvard system. The total length should not exceed 2,500 words.

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