Research Paper

Number of Pages: 15 (Double Spaced)

Language Style: English (U.S.)

Writing Style: APA

Number of sources: 5

The major written assignment for the course is a Research Paper. This paper should demonstrate understanding of the reading as well as the implications of new knowledge. The 15- to 20-page paper should integrate readings and class discussions into work and life experiences. It may include explanation and examples from previous experiences as well as implications for future applications. 

The purpose of the Research Paper is for you to culminate the learning achieved in the course by describing your understanding and application of knowledge in the field of accounting. The Research Paper will contribute 25% to the course grade.
Focus of the Research Paper
Complete and submit to your instructor your choice of one of the listed assignments. 

I think that choice #4 would be the best unless you think otherwise. 

Choice four - your role is as the chief operating officer of a large government agency with ten years experience in the public financial management industry. After reviewing the course concepts you will identify several issues that directly connect to the written assignment. In addition to reading the assigned text materials to develop knowledge about the concepts, a through master’s level education requires the development of effective research skills. In this assignment you will work to develop a rich resource of academic sources to support your paper. 

Prepare a 15- to 20-page double-spaced paper (excluding the title and reference page) on the following topic.

You are in the role of a chief operating officer of a large government agency. Your supervisors have requested that you prepare a summary of the issues involved in a potential reduction in U. S. Federal budget that will affect your agency by 40%. 

Prepare a report for the mayor and city council on your proposed expenditure plan assessing the key course objectives including fund accounting and financial controls, control and management of public expenditures, government financial reporting requirements, analyzing financial statements and budgets to make appropriate administrative decisions, and applying budgets as disciplinary process.


Book reference:

Finkler, S.A. (2010). Financial management for public, health, and not-for-profit organizations (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.


OTHER CHOICES:

• Choice one - Your role is as a public official elected at the local city level, 50,000 to 250,000 population. After reviewing the course concepts you will identify several issues that directly connect to the written assignment. In addition to reading the assigned text materials to develop knowledge about the concepts, a thorough master’s level education requires the development of effective research skills. In this assignment you will work to develop a rich resource of academic sources to support your paper. 
Prepare a 15- to 20-page double spaced paper (excluding the title and reference page) on the following topic:
You have a $10 million dollar budget allocated to you by the city manager and can get up to 100% matching federal funds if you meet the federal standards. You have been asked by the mayor to determine how to allocate the budget to best support the needs of the city. These include but are not be limited to supporting capital requirements, operational requirements, and subsidizing non-profit organizations or used as economic incentives to bring new private concerns into the city. 
Prepare a report for the mayor and city council on your proposed expenditure plan assessing the key course objectives including fund accounting and financial controls, control and management of public expenditures, government financial reporting requirements, analyzing financial statements and budgets to make appropriate administrative decisions, and applying budgets as disciplinary process.
• Choice two - your role is as a consultant with ten years experience in the public financial management industry. After reviewing the course concepts you will identify several issues that directly connect to the written assignment. In addition to reading the assigned text materials to develop knowledge about the concepts, a thorough master’s level education requires the development of effective research skills. In this assignment you will work to develop a rich resource of academic sources to support your paper. 
Prepare a 15- to 20-page double-spaced paper (excluding the title and reference page) on the following topic:
You are in the role of a consultant with ten years experience in the public financial management industry. A group of 20 civic leaders are considering forming a new task force and have asked you to prepare a proposal on whether they should build a facility in an area within 30 miles of the downtown center of your 500,000 population city for $100 million dollars.
Prepare a report for the mayor and city council on your proposed expenditure plan assessing the key course objectives including fund accounting and financial controls, control and management of public expenditures, government financial reporting requirements, analyzing financial statements and budgets to make appropriate administrative decisions, and applying budgets as disciplinary process. 
• Choice three - your role is as the chief operating officer of a large non-profit hospital or agency with ten years experience in the public financial management industry. After reviewing the course concepts you will identify several issues that directly connect to the written assignment. In addition to reading the assigned text materials to develop knowledge about the concepts, a thorough master’s level education requires the development of effective research skills. In this assignment you will work to develop a rich resource of academic sources to support your paper. 
Prepare a 15- to 20-page double-spaced paper (excluding the title and reference page) on the following topic.
You are in the role of a chief operating officer. A board of directors has requested that you prepare a summary of the issues involved in a $50 million expansion. Because of local political and uncertain national financial policy of the to-be-elected national officials they may have to scale the expansion back to $25 million. 
Prepare a report for the mayor and city council on your proposed expenditure plan assessing the key course objectives including fund accounting and financial controls, control and management of public expenditures, government financial reporting requirements, analyzing financial statements and budgets to make appropriate administrative decisions, and applying budgets as disciplinary process.

• Choice five - your role is as the chief administrative officer of a large non-profit health relief organization. After reviewing the course concepts you will identify several issues that directly connect to the written assignment. In addition to reading the assigned text materials to develop knowledge about the concepts, a thorough master’s level education requires the development of effective research skills. In this assignment you will work to develop a rich resource of academic sources to support your paper. 
Prepare a 15- to 20-page double-spaced paper (excluding the title and reference page) on the following topic.
You are in the role of a chief administrative officer for a large non-profit health relief organization. A board of directors has requested that you prepare a summary of the issues about how to solve the health needs of an African country. Your organization has limited funding and will need to obtain subsidized medicine from major pharmaceutical companies. They also have the opportunity to get non-generic, non USDA approved, alternative stem cell derived medication from foreign sources. 
Prepare a report for the mayor and city council on your proposed expenditure plan assessing the key course objectives including fund accounting and financial controls, control and management of public expenditures, government financial reporting requirements, analyzing financial statements and budgets to make appropriate administrative decisions, and applying budgets as disciplinary process.
Carefully review the appropriate Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment: Choice One, Choice Two, Choice Three, Choice Four, or Choice Five.


GRADING RUBIC:

Total Possible Score: 25.00
Assesses Fund Accounting and Financial Controls
Total: 3.80
Distinguished - Comprehensively assesses fund accounting and financial controls. The assessment is fully supported by research.
Proficient - Assesses fund accounting and financial controls. The assessment is mostly supported by research.
Basic - Vaguely assesses fund accounting and financial controls. The assessment is supported by limited research.
Below Expectations - Attempts to assess fund accounting and financial controls; however, the assessment is not supported by research.
Non-Performance - The fund accounting and financial controls assessment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Assesses the Control and Management of Public Expenditures
Total: 3.80
Distinguished - Comprehensively assesses the control and management of public expenditures. The assessment is fully supported by research.
Proficient - Assesses the control and management of public expenditures. The assessment is mostly supported by research.
Basic - Minimally assesses the control and management of public expenditures. The assessment is supported by limited research.
Below Expectations - Attempts to assess the control and management of public expenditures; however, the assessment is not supported by research.
Non-Performance - The assessment of control and management of public expenditures is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Assesses Government Financial Reporting Requirements
Total: 3.80
Distinguished - Thoroughly assesses government financial reporting requirements. Extensively integrates research with course content.
Proficient - Assesses government financial reporting requirements. Sufficiently integrates research with course content.
Basic - Vaguely assesses government financial reporting requirements. Minimally integrates research with course content.
Below Expectations - Attempts to assess government financial reporting requirements; however, the assessment fails to integrate research with course content.
Non-Performance - The assessment of government financial reporting requirements is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Analyzes Financial Statements and Budgets to Make Decisions
Total: 3.80
Distinguished - Comprehensively analyzes financial statements and budgets to make decisions. Extensively integrates research with course content.
Proficient - Analyzes financial statements and budgets to make decisions. Sufficiently integrates research with course content.
Basic - Vaguely analyzes financial statements and budgets to make decisions. Minimally integrates research with course content.
Below Expectations - Attempts to analyze financial statements and budgets to make decisions; however, the analysis fails to integrate research with course content.
Non-Performance - The analysis of financial statements and budgets to make decisions is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Applies Budgets as Disciplinary Process
Total: 3.80
Distinguished - Comprehensively applies budgets as disciplinary process. Extensively integrates research with course content.
Proficient - Applies budgets as disciplinary process. Sufficiently integrates research with course content.
Basic - Vaguely applies budgets as disciplinary process. Minimally integrates research with course content.
Below Expectations - Attempts to apply budgets as disciplinary process; however, research and course content are not integrated.
Non-Performance - The application of budgets as disciplinary process is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Critical Thinking: Conclusions and Related Outcomes (implications and consequences)
Total: 0.75
Distinguished - Conclusions and related outcomes are logical and clearly reflect student’s informed evaluation and ability to place evidence and perspectives discussed in priority order.
Proficient - Conclusions and related outcomes are logical and reflect student’s informed evaluation and ability to place evidence and perspectives discussed in priority order.
Basic - Conclusions and related outcomes are identified and minimally reflect student’s informed evaluation and ability to place evidence and perspectives discussed in priority order.
Below Expectations - Conclusions and related outcomes are not logical or reflective of student’s informed evaluation and ability to place evidence and perspectives discussed in priority order.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Reading: Analysis
Total: 0.70
Distinguished - Appraises tactics for relating ideas, text structure, or other textual features in order to gain knowledge or insight within and across texts and disciplines.
Proficient - Recognizes connections among ideas, text structure, or other textual features, to analyze how they support a sophisticated understanding of the text as a whole.
Basic - Recognizes the connections among portions of a text in considering how these connections contribute to a fundamental understanding of the text as a whole.
Below Expectations - Makes an effort to recognize portions of a text as needed to respond to inquiries posed in the assignment.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Written Communication: Context of and Purpose for Writing
Total: 0.75
Distinguished - Demonstrates methodical application of organization and presentation of content. The purpose of the writing is evident and easy to understand. Summaries, quotes, and/or paraphrases fit naturally into the sentences and paragraphs. Paper flows smoothly.
Proficient - Demonstrates sufficient application of organization and presentation of content. The purpose of the writing is, for the most part, clear and easy to understand. There are some problems with the blending of summaries, paraphrases, and quotes. Paper flows somewhat smoothly.
Basic - Demonstrates a limited understanding of organization and presentation of content in written work. The purpose of the writing is somewhat evident, but may not be integrated throughout the assignment. There are many problems with the blending of summaries, paraphrases, and quotes. Paper does not flow smoothly in all sections.
Below Expectations - Organization and presentation of content is extremely limited. The purpose of the writing is unclear. There is little or no blending of summaries, paraphrases, and quotes. Paper does not flow smoothly when read.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Written Communication: Control of Syntax and Mechanics
Total: 0.60
Distinguished - Displays meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains no errors, and is very easy to understand.
Proficient - Displays comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains only a few minor errors, and is mostly easy to understand.
Basic - Displays basic comprehension of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains a few errors, which may slightly distract the reader.
Below Expectations - Fails to display basic comprehension of syntax or mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains major errors, which distract the reader.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

APA Formatting
Total: 0.60
Distinguished - Accurately uses APA formatting consistently throughout the paper, title page, and reference page.
Proficient - Exhibits APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout contains a few minor errors.
Basic - Exhibits basic knowledge of APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout does not meet all APA requirements.
Below Expectations - Fails to exhibit basic knowledge of APA formatting. There are frequent errors, making the layout difficult to distinguish as APA.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Page Requirement
Total: 0.60
Distinguished - The paper meets the specific page requirement stipulated in the assignment description.
Proficient - The paper closely meets the page requirement stipulated in the assignment description.
Basic - The paper meets over half of the page requirement stipulated in the assignment description.
Below Expectations - A fraction of the page requirement is completed.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Resource Requirement
Total: 0.60
Distinguished - Uses more than the required number of scholarly sources, providing compelling evidence to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.
Proficient - Uses required number of scholarly sources to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.
Basic - Uses less than the required number of sources to support ideas. Some sources may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are used within the body of the assignment. Citations may not be formatted correctly.
Below Expectations - Uses inadequate number of sources that provide little or no support for ideas. Sources used may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are not used within the body of the assignment. Citations are not formatted correctly.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Organization: Introduction, Thesis Statement, and Conclusion
Total: 1.40
Distinguished - Paper is logically organized with a well-written introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion.
Proficient - Paper is logically organized with an introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion. One of these requires improvement.
Basic - Paper is organized with an introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion. One or more of the introduction, thesis statement, and/or conclusion require improvement.
Below Expectations - Paper is loosely organized with an introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion. The introduction, thesis statement, and/or conclusion require much improvement.
Non-Performance - The introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.