Short Summaries Using Concise Annual Analysis Rep
There are two deliverables to the course project:
- Annual Analysis Report – Due Week 7 – 150 Points
- Narrated PowerPoint Presentation (summarizing your findings) – Due Week 8 – 50 Points
You will submit your Annual Analysis Report in a Word document and your presentation in a Narrated PowerPoint Presentation. The Narrated PowerPoint Presentation should be at least 10 minutes long.
Annual Report Analysis
Your Annual Analysis Report is due at the end of Week 7. Obtain an annual report from a public corporation that is interesting to you. Apply everything you’ve learned to date to respond to the following questions.
- Who are the firm’s auditors? Do they provide a clean opinion on the financial statements?
- Have there been any subsequent events, errors and irregularities, illegal acts, or related-party transactions that have a material effect on the financial statements?
- Describe the trend in total assets and total liabilities for the years presented.
- What are the company’s three largest assets for the most recent year presented?
- What are the company’s three largest liabilities for the most recent year presented?
- What types of stock does the company have? How many outstanding shares are there for each type of stock for the most recent year presented?
- Does the company use the single-step income statement, multiple-step income statement, or a variation of both?
- Does the income statement contain any separately reported items, including discontinued operations or extraordinary items, in any year presented? If it does, describe the event that caused the item. (Hint: There should be a related footnote.)
- Describe the trend in net income over the years presented.
- Does the company have other comprehensive income? If yes, what is the nature of the transaction(s)?
- Does the company use the indirect or direct method for preparing the cash flow statement?
- What is the trend in cash from operations for the years presented?
- What are the two largest items included in cash from investing activities?
See sections below for further guidelines.
Please be sure to submit the completed Annual Analysis Report by the end of Week 7 and the Narrated PowerPoint Presentation by the end of Week 8.
Guidelines
- Papers must be 8 to 10 pages; use 12-point font; be double-spaced; and include a cover page, table of contents, introduction, body of the report, summary or conclusion, and works cited.
- Even though this is not a scientific-type writing assignment, references are still very important. At least three authoritative outside references are required (anonymous authors or web pages are not acceptable). These should be listed on a final page titled Works Cited.
- APA Formatting is to be followed for your submission.
- Appropriate citations are required.
- All DeVry University policies are in effect, including the plagiarism policy.
- Any questions about this paper may be discussed in the weekly Q and A discussion topic.
- This project is worth 200 total points (150 Points for the Paper, and 50 for the Narrated PowerPoint Presentation) and will be graded on quality of the research topic, quality of included information, use of citations, grammar, and sentence structure.
Grading Rubrics
Annual Analysis Report
| Category | Points | % | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|
| Documentation and Formatting | 20 | 14% | Quality work will include a title page, proper in-paragraph citations, and a Reference page with references from all citations and sources used. Proper use of APA formatting and writing style. |
| Organization and Cohesiveness | 30 | 20% | Quality work will include an introduction based upon a well-formed thesis statement. The logical order of the content will be derived from the thesis statement. The content will be properly subdivided. The conclusion will summarize the previously presented content and will complement the thesis statement from the introduction. |
| Editing | 20 | 14% | Quality work will be free of any spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. Sentences and paragraphs will be clear, concise, and factually correct. |
| Content | 80 | 52% | All key elements of the assignment are covered in a substantive way. Major points are stated clearly, supported by details (examples or analysis), and organized logically. The paper links theory to relevant examples of current experience and industry practice. Quality work will have a significant scope and depth of research to support any statements and will employ sound use of reasoning and logic to reinforce conclusions. Relevant illustrations or examples were presented. |
| Total | 150 | 100% | A quality paper will meet or exceed all of the above requirement. |
Narrated PowerPoint Presentation
| Category | Points | % | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|
| Documentation and Formatting | 5 | 10% | There is good contrast between font and background on all slides. Slides are enhanced with images/diagrams to help the audience understand the content. Layout is visually pleasing. To avoid cluttering, present key points as short summaries using concise bullet lists. |
| Organization and Cohesiveness | 5 | 10% | Each slide presents one summarized idea and a few supporting facts. Text is kept to a minimum to convey key points, organized in logical slide sequence to conclude with recommendations, strategies, and solutions. Slides show transitions to help organize information into sub-sections, link and show progression through topics. Logical flow maintained throughout the slide presentation. |
| Audio | 5 | 10% | Speaker communicates the intended information with clear pronunciation and easy to hear/understand. Speaking style exhibits enthusiasm, generates interest and keeps the audience engaged |
| Research | 10 | 20% | Slides show significant scope and depth of research to support all statements. Slides provide relevant illustrations or examples. Sound use of reasoning and logic to reinforce conclusions is present. |
| Analysis | 20 | 40% | Slides present all key elements of the assignment in a substantive way. Major points are stated clearly and supported by examples or analysis, organized logically. The slides link theory to relevant examples of current experience and industry practice in depth and clarity. |
| Recommendations | 5 | 10% | Slides include conclusions clearly explained and supported by the research and analysis data. Recommendations are consistent with the interpretation of research and conclusions. |
| Total | 50 | 100% | A quality presentation will meet or exceed all of the above requirements. |
Best Practices
The following are the best practices in preparing this paper.
- Cover Page: Include who you prepared the paper for, who prepared it, and date.
- Table of Contents: List the main ideas along with the section and pages on which they are located. The illustrations should be included separately.
- Introduction: Use a header on your paper.
The purpose of an introduction or opening is
- to introduce the subject and why the subject is important;
- to preview the main ideas and the order in which they will be covered; and
- to establish the tone of the document.
Include in the introduction a reason for the audience to read the paper. Also, include an overview of what you are going to cover in your paper and the importance of the material. (This should include or introduce the questions you are asked to answer on each assignment.)
- Body of Your Report: Use a header titled with the name of your project. (Example: An Analysis of the Financial Statements of Nike.) State the main ideas, state major points in each idea, and provide evidence. Break out each main idea you will use in the body of your paper. Show some type of division, as in separate sections that are labeled, separate group of paragraphs, or headers. Include the information you found during your research and investigation.
- Summary and Conclusion: Summarizing is similar to paraphrasing but presents the gist of the material in fewer words than the original. An effective summary identifies the main ideas and major support points from the body of your report. Minor details are left out. Summarize the benefits of the ideas and how they impact the overall topic.
- Work Cited: Use the citation format as specified in the Syllabus.
Additional hints on preparing the best possible document.
- Apply a three-step process of writing: Plan, write, and complete.
- Prepare an outline of your paper before you go forward.
- Complete a first draft, and then go back to edit, evaluate, and make any changes required.
- Use visual communication to further clarify and support the written part of your report. You may use example graphs, diagrams, photographs, flowcharts, maps, drawings, animation, video clips, pictograms, and tables.