Overall Research and Analysis Project (RAP) Archives - "VM" Virtual Mentoring

Introduction about Oxford Brookes University (OBU)

maq — Sat, 28 Dec 2019 03:04:29 +0000

Oxford Brookes University (OBU) is currently ranked as one of the best modern universities in the UK. The Oxford Brookes University has an well renowned, international reputation and offers high quality education. It offers its students excellent teaching and research capabilities, allowing them to obtain a globally recognized degree.

The Oxford Brookes University has a tradition lasting over 150 years. Its beginnings were as a small School of Arts, and through dedication and persistence, it has grown into a modern university with a worldly reputation for excellence in teaching and research.

Some of the Oxford Brookes University’s achievements can be seen below:

The OBU is thinking in terms of world-wide, expanding its international boundaries and improving the internationally recognized research.
The OBU estate is famous for its multi award-winning buildings and facilities, and the continuous investments help make it into one of the best in its class.
At OBU the strive is to teach excellence, with high student satisfaction and quality in teaching and research. The highly qualified academics that work at OBU support the student’s development and creativity, ensuring that the students have stimulating experience, lots of opportunities for developing their skills, and offer opportunities for students to partake in projects that enable them to further improve their capabilities.
The OBU character is reflected in the graduates that can easily use the experiences gained at OBU to achieve great career success and make a significance in the world.
The OBU staff consists of 2800 professionals, and with the students, alumni, partners and supporters, this is a community that has a guaranteed success.
The OBU is located in Oxford, UK, an amazing city and a place where we have a great economic, cultural and social influence.

The Oxford Brookes University is incorporated by Statute pursuant to the Education Reform Act 1988 and was named a University by the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. This is the base power for the OBU’s power to grant awards, degrees, diplomas, certificates, etc. and is under the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) which has awarded OBU with a “broad confidence” in the quality and standard of its awards. These are powers awarded on the base of OBU having the appropriate procedures for quality assurance and standards of the awards in design and operation.

The Oxford Brookes University is subjected to the examination of the QAA, which is responsible to the UK Government’s Department of Education for ensuring the quality of UK Higher Education in public interest. So, even of a student does not physically attend the OBU in order to obtain a BSc (Hons) degree in Applied Accounitng, this degree programme is still under the same rigorous standards as the other degrees offered by OBU and adheres to the standards set by the QAA.

The Oxford Brookes University Business School is delivering some extraordinary teaching, research and enterprise activities in three correlated areas. This is a central part of the OBU, and has a significant role in the bringing initiatives for upholding the mission and vision of the OBU. The OBU Business School is dedicated to maximal improvement of the intellectual, social, and economic potential of the people and communities it serves.

The OBU Business School has been awarded the award of a national, multi-million-pound Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning. This award has led to the developing a new learning centre on campus with implementation of the latest technology in support of the learning process, and this is done in a café-style environment.

The latest QAA audit made to the OBU has brought a conclusion that it has the broad confidence (which is the highest possible category) in the quality and the standards that need to be fulfilled for gaining a IBU reward.

By obtaining a BSc (Hons) in Applied Accounting by OBU, a student shows their potential to the potential or current employers that they possess all important graduate skills that are allowing them to have a stellar career in finance and accounting, and it is obtained from an university known for its excellence.

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Ideal Presentation of the Research Report

maq — Thu, 26 Dec 2019 14:00:01 +0000

What is the ideal Presentation of Research Report?

As far as the presentation of the Research Report is concerned then it needs to be processed on size A4 pages. The text needs to be in black colour against white background. The student should avoid the use of graphics or pictures behind the text, also note that italic and heavy bold letters are harder to read.

The font should also be appropriate standard business font like Arial with font size of 11 or 12. A larger font size may be appropriate for section headings. The maximum line spacing should be 1.5 lines. If using a spelling and grammar checker, the student should be careful not to unintentionally change the meaning of the text.

OBU does not mean or wish to prescribe all the different aspects of the presentation of the Research Report, and the student should identify the best practice for writing a business report which is a part of the activities of gathering information.

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Importance of the overall research approach

maq — Thu, 26 Dec 2019 13:27:32 +0000

Important Tip for preparation of Research and Analysis Project (RAP) -Understanding the importance of the overall research approach

Students can get confused by the requirement to “explain the general research approach” that is outlined in the guideline for preparing the RAP. A proposed explanation that the research is the “framework… developed in order to meet the project objectives and provide answers to the research questions”, does not satisfy the student’s expectations. What is this, what does it mean, and why it’s importance?

A good explanation can be: the base structure which shapes and guides the student’s Research Report. This provides the link between the goal that the student is trying to find out and an outline to the methods the student has used to give the necessary answers. This sets a series of parts that are important to the research process, and the ones related to the RAP are noted below:

The original problem or issue that is defined by the topic the student selects in the context of the selected company.
The specific research questions and report objectives which the student sets or proposes, to answer or meet.
Review of literature relevant to the concepts/theories/models in accounting and business in order to determine which the student will use, identification of their limitations, and develop the understanding of the issues in the context of the selected company.
Methods of gathering information the student will use including a discussion of the limitations of the information gathering process, and any ethical issues arising and how their resolution.
The analysis and evaluation the student conducts based on the business/accounting techniques etc. applied in providing answers to the proposed research questions and meeting the report objectives.
Conclusions and all (if any) relevant recommendations of practical benefit that have come out from the performed research.

Even though the above explanation makes the research process to look like an orderly and sequential, it is not so much in practice. In reality this process is tangled, disorganised and messy. It is still very helpful for the student to set a plan of action before proceeding with the actual research.

Every student should write a short statement that will outline the selected approach before the actual information gathering begins, or in the list above this is between stages c. and d. After this, the student should ask the following questions:

Will this approach enable me to answer the research questions and meet the report objectives I have set?
If not, do I need to gather more information from a wider range of secondary sources, or conduct some primary research, or both?
Or do I need to review and revise my research questions or project report objectives?
After the student has ensured themselves that they are familiar with all the important facts about research, only then they should proceed with the investigation and information gathering process. The clear way of consideration of the general research approach and the layout of a statement based on that act as guides during the whole research process, and influence on the structure of the student’s actions and deeds.

The layout of a clear statement about the general research approach enables the examiner to note that the student has in fact adopted a systematic approach that is appropriate and helpful for reaching the set objectives.

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Eligibility criteria for ACCA students for submission of RAP to OBU

maq — Thu, 26 Dec 2019 10:10:43 +0000

Eligibility criteria for ACCA students for submission of Research and Analysis Project (RAP) to Oxford Brookes University (OBU)

In order to obtain a BSc (Hons) in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University, the ACCA student must:

Have passed the three ACCA Applied Skills examinations Financial Reporting (was F7), Audit and Assurance (was F8), and Financial Management (was F9)
Have passed, or gained exemption from, the other six papers at the Knowledge Level and Skills Level. Note that conditional exemptions do not qualify you to submit the RAP.
Have completed the ACCA Ethics and Professional Skills module (or the previous Professional Ethics module)
Be up-to-date with the payment of your ACCA subscription fees.
Demonstrate currency of knowledge by either

– passing your RAP within 10 years of the earliest of date of your
first ACCA examination pass, or the date of your first ACCA exemption
being granted
or
– passing 3 ACCA examinations (either Applied Skills or Strategic
Professional) within 5 years of submission of your RAP
or
– being a full member of ACCA of good standing (that is have an up to
date CPD record)

If you are a student and hold exemptions for ACCA Applied Skills examinations Financial Reporting (was F7), Audit and Assurance (was F8), and Financial Management (was F9) you can forfeit these in order to be eligible for the BSc. Once you have forfeited your exemption you cannot reverse this decision. If you wish to do this please contact ACCA.

If you are a member who gained exemptions from Financial Reporting (was F7), Audit and Assurance (was F8), and Financial Management (was F9) then you are not eligible for the BSc Applied Accounting.

For members, OBU will check your membership record with ACCA to confirm that your CPD is up to date. There is no need to provide OBU with confirmation of this.

Note: Information extracted from Information Pack 2021-22

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Key characteristics of good Research and Analysis Project (RAP)

maq — Sat, 20 Jul 2019 15:58:10 +0000

As more than 38% students fail (as per OBU) their Research and Analysis Project (RAP) in every session and mostly there are common reasons for their failure. By a review of the causes for failing after each submission period, a conclusion has been reached that the students have issues with the research process. The “Research” is seen by students as something done by academics and not practitioners. Research can be a new experience for many student, and it is very different than the standard learning and taking the exams they are used to. It comes as no surprise that many students have difficulty in starting their project work. These problems can be really seen and understood in the comparison of a “good: and “weak” projects.

The good Research and Analysis Project is characterized by (1) Very specific and achievable project objectives; (2) A logical structure of the Research Report, supported and guided by a clearly explained overall research approach; (3) A proper, systematic approach to the process of gathering information that is relevant to the topic issues in the studied company and the report objectives; (4) The analytical and evaluative approach to the process of gathering information based on integrating and applying knowledge of relevant accounting and business theories/concepts/models important for meeting the original research report objectives.

In sharp contrast, reasons for the failed RAPs are (1) Either no objectives are set, or objectives that are too general or unrealistic are proposed; (2) The absence of a clear statement of the overall research approach and a very inappropriate report structure and content is in place; (3) The gathering if information is unplanned and is not appropriate to the issues in the studied company or relevant to the Research Report objectives; (4) The gathered information, including information derived from relevant academic theories/models etc. is described instead of analysed and evaluated same with the issues in the studied company, and no conclusions and relevant recommendations are made to the Research Report objectives.

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Importance of Information Technology in preparation of RAP

maq — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 19:00:50 +0000

Importance of Information Technology in preparation of RAP

The student demonstrates their graduate skills by showing evidence of assessing online sources of information and using spreadsheets during the preparation of the Research Report.

An important thing for the student to consider at the beginning of the project, is how they are planning to meet this requirement. This may influence the selection of information sources and the student should carefully consider the possible impacts on the project objectives and the research questions.

The student will have to word process their Research Report, and this is a part of the graduate skills requirement. OBU also requires evidence of the using of spreadsheets for data processing. This can be shown via the use of spreadsheets for the preparation of the financial ratios or performance indicators, and the student can include the preparation of graphs, tables and charts from the questionnaire findings database. The Excel spreadsheets need to be submitted in the Appendix (as .xlsx or .xls files). The used spreadsheets need to show appropriate use of formulae. Screenshots and PDF files of spreadsheets are NOT acceptable documents.

The Skills and Learning Statement can include a reflection on the use of the student’s IT skills and their possible improvement by conducting the project research.

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Confidentiality and Anonymity in RAP

maq — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 18:43:56 +0000

The OBU requires from its students to include in the Research Report a full detail about the company investigated for the research, the used information sources and the actual data that has been collected. This provides assurance to the OBU that the work submitted is original and the gathered information and analysis in the Research Report are genuine.

If the student plans to collect the primary data from the staff of the selected company, they need to get permission for this by a senior member of the management of the company. In many cases, even though the student has obtained permission, the company may demand the research findings be kept confidential because of different concerns like confidentiality or commercial sensitivity.

If the student wishes for their Research Report to be considered confidential, in order to satisfy the requests of the selected company, then the student should send an e-mail to acca@brookes.ac.uk and request such permission. The student should state the reasons supporting this demand and the ways in which the student plans to resolve these issues during the preparation and presentation of the Research Report. The student will also have to identify the company that is the focus of the Research Report.

It is not allowed that the student submit a project with amended data in order to try and cover/disguise the company’s identity.

OBU reminds the students that all submitted RAP projects are confidential and securely stored. They are never published, and are reviewed only by the OBU marker and moderator and in some cases by an external examiner.

Click here for detail about complete guidance of Research and Analysis Project

Important Links

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