ACC8000
ASSIGNMENT ONE, DUE 20 April, 2015, 11:59pm, 20%
This assessment task will be testing your individual responses to the questions contained in this document that will able you to demonstrate your knowledge and application skills of that knowledge as well as your communication skills
Learning objectives
Learning objective 1: Demonstrate an understanding of applied a research
problems in financial and management accounting, and prepare strategies for their solution
Learning objective 2: Demonstrate an understanding of applied research methods
Learning objective 3: Collect and analyse accounting research data using applied research methods
Learning objective 4: Designing applied accounting research methods
Please use the following guidelines to submit your answers
Submission Guidelines:
1. Your assessment task will be graded only if word processed (i.e., not hand written) and submitted electronically as set out in point 2 below
2. Please submit this assessment task electronically through the Study Desk.
3. See Assessment Submission Instructions (How to submit your learning/assessment tasks to the study desk) in the Assessment folder of the study desk for course ACC8000
Requirement
There are six (6) questions on page 2 of this document. Each question has multiple requirements. All requirements for these six (6) questions must be answered with a total word limit of 1,250 words for your answers.
You have been asked to provide examples in requirements 1c, 2, 4a, 4b, and 4c. It is implied that you will use different research articles, professional articles, or business reports as the basis for the examples. Please remember to use the following guide for a reference when you provide the source of your examples: W Alissa, V Capkun, T Jeanjean, N Suca, 2014. An empirical investigation of the impact of audit and auditor characteristics on auditor performance, Accounting, Organizations and Society, Volume 39, Issue 7, October, Pages 495–510
Marking Scheme
The computer generated and electronically submitted assessment will be marked out of 100 marks.
The marks available for each requirement for each of the six (6) questions are provided at the end of each requirement.
The assessment task will have a 20% weighting towards the final grade for the course. That is, an awarded mark of 80 marks for the assessment task will receive 16% of the total grade for the course.
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ACC8000
ASSIGNMENT ONE, DUE 20 April, 2015, 11:59pm, 20%
Task for Assessment Task 1 that assess the four learning objectives mentioned on page 1 of this assessment task document for topics 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
1. The terms qualitative and quantitative are used to describe research approaches, designs and methods.
a. Discuss the difference of purpose and usefulness of the qualitative verses quantitative. 10 marks
b. Compare and discuss the approaches to analysing data used in
qualitative and quantitative studies. 10 marks
c. Explain with examples whether or not you think these two
approaches are mutually exclusive. 8 marks
2. There is a claim that qualitative methods are not well-suited for testing hypotheses. Discuss this claim providing examples to support your discussion about whether you believe the claim is true or false. 8 marks
3. Describe how one can enhance the potential validity (internal and external) of a qualitative research project throughout the research process; that is, in
a. creating a research design; 8 marks
b. analysing your data; and 8 marks
c. writing up your findings. 8 marks
4. Provide a brief description of the following sampling methods and include an example for each method where it might be used:
a. Simple random sample; 4 marks
b. Stratified random sample; and 4 marks
c. Systematic sampling. 4 marks
5. The content of a research report may be drawn from primary or secondary sources.
a. Explain what is meant by these sources. 2 marks
b. Provide an example for primary source and 4 marks
c. Provide an example for secondary source. 4 marks
6. A company has sales of $200 million and a 15 percent gross profit margin (before taxes). Cost of materials is 60 percent of income from sales. The materials manager believes that $20 million can be saved through improved purchasing policies. A research project will be conducted in order to develop a new improved purchasing policy.
a. Suggest a research approach to use for this investigation and explain why you believe the approach is appropriate. 6 marks b. Write a brief proposal and purpose statement. 12 marks
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