Applied Empirical Accounting
Module description
This module prepares you for the dissertation stage of the Accounting and Finance MSc program where you are required to conduct an empirical analysis aimed at addressing a particular research question. This module will provide the basic skills and knowledge-set required to perform this task. More broadly, the course will help you later in your career to perform independent empirical research as well as to be able to read and understand published academic research in Accounting and Finance disciplines.
Full module specification
| Module title: | Applied Empirical Accounting |
|---|---|
| Module code: | BEAM056 |
| Module level: | M |
| Academic year: | 2018/9 |
| Module lecturers: |
|
| Module credit: | 15 |
| ECTS value: | 7.5 |
| Pre-requisites: | None |
| Co-requisites: | None |
| Duration of module: |
Duration (weeks) - term 1: 11 |
Module aims
The module objectives are fourfold:
- Equip you with the basic statistics and econometrics to be able to conduct independent research and understand published research in the fields of Accounting and Finance.
- Training in accessing and retrieving data, creating, managing and analysing such datasets (e.g., access to WRDS, preparing datasets and using these in empirical analysis with STATA or similar software).
- Equip you with the basic methodological skills to be able to conduct and understand qualitative research in Accounting and Finance.
- Critically review and discuss seminal empirical, archival and qualitative papers in Accounting and Finance.
ILO: Module-specific skills
- 1. critically review and discuss seminal papers in Accounting and Finance
- 2. create, manage and analyse large datasets using statistical and econometric techniques
- 3. understand the various stages involved in conducting independent research
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
- 1. utilise appropriate analytical and statistical techniques and tools to formulate a well-founded answer to a specified research question in Accounting and Finance
ILO: Personal and key skills
- 1. conduct independent research based on a well-defined research question
- 2. independently read and understand published empirical research in Accounting and Finance
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 120 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Contact hours | 20 | Lectures |
| Contact hours | 10 | Practical exercises and/or workshop |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly help hour and progress checks | 10 x 1 hour | 1-6 | Verbal |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 80 | 20 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coursework | 80 | 4,000 word individual research project | 1-6 | Written feedback |
| Class tests | 20 | 4 x multiple choice/short format tests | 1-6 | Written feedback |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coursework and in-class tests | Revise and re-submit coursework 100% | 1-6 | July/August |
Re-assessment notes
Syllabus plan
Part I (4 sessions)
- Carrying out a successful research project
- Research questions and objectives
- Writing a literature review
- Review and discussion of appropriate Accounting and Finance literature
- Guidance to the requirements and tools available to conduct empirical research
- Statistical and econometric techniques: sampling, descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, comparison of samples, correlations, regression analyses (OLS, logit, probit), dummy variables, diagnostic tests (heteroskedasticity, multi-collinearity), issues in inference (e.g., endogeneity).
Part II (4 sessions)
- Computer-based lab sessions to introduce students to STATA (or similar package)
- Accessing datasets on WRDS, Thomson One Banker (or similar databases)
- Creating, managing and merging datasets
- Application of concepts taught in Part I
- Replication of selected prior studies (where appropriate)
- Review and unification of previous sessions
Part III (2 sessions)
- Methodologies in qualitative research in Accounting and Finance
- Critical review and discussion of seminal qualitative papers in Accounting and Finance
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic reading: lecture notes, textbooks and academic papers
ELE – College to provide hyperlink to appropriate pages
STATA (or equivalent software package)
Web based and electronic resources: eLibrary, electronic databases
Module has an active ELE page?
Yes
Origin date
06/06/2014
Last revision date
25/09/2014