RESEARCH PROJECT

 Company name: American Express

The students have to complete an individual (determined by your professor) financial research project. The purpose of this assignment is to test the students' ability to research, analyze and present financial information. The students will be required to research key financial data, analyze the information, apply the appropriate financial concepts and formulas and prepare a credible management level financial report.

The Financial Research Project, as described below, will be assigned on-line on the beginning of week 1 of the course.  This project is due, submitted online via LEO, not later than the date indicated in the course schedule.

 Your specific assignment for the project is stated in the section “Project Description” of the Syllabus.

This report should be about 8-10 double-spaced typewritten pages (without tables and graphs).

The Research Report must be posted to the LEO Student Assignments as a Attachments are limited to a maximum two files in doc, docx., xls. xlsx., or rtf. formats. OTHER FORMATS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE, will not be reviewed and graded.

If these formats are not available, use the following option:

File - Save As – in the bottom of the window for saving file you see “save as type” – choose type Rich Text Format for doc. file, and previous option of Excel for Excel file. 

Pdf. files will not be accepted and graded.

All works must be Word processed. Handwritten and scanned work will not be accepted and graded.

This Written Assignment is valued at 20% of your final course grade. This report will require (1) financial data research, (2) the application of a wide range of financial theories, and (3) quantitative analysis to prepare a professionally-sound and supported recommendation. The report will be evaluated based on the following three factors:

--30%----The quality of the supporting research and references.

--50%----The analysis of the data, presented in the report. The student demonstrates understanding and application of economic concepts and formulas.

--20%----The presentation approach, professionalism, logic and persuasiveness of your recommendation  

Notes taken for papers and research projects should accurately record sources of material to be cited, appropriately quoted, paraphrased or summarized, and papers and research projects should acknowledge these sources in the appropriate places in the text of the paper as well as in a reference list at the end of the paper, in accordance with accepted citation practices.

The resubmission of research projects from previous classes, partially or in its entirety, is unacceptable, and will result in a grade of zero for the graded exercise.