This document provides an overview and introduction to the Research Analysis Project (RAP) for the BSc Honours in Applied Accounting Degree from Oxford Brookes University. It outlines the eligibility requirements and objectives of the RAP. Key parts of the RAP include an analysis of the company's financial performance over three years using ratio analysis and business models, as well as a skills and learning statement reflecting on the experience. The document provides guidance on the structure, content, and formatting of the various sections that make up the RAP.

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2. Introduction
Mentoring Presentation (Part I of Part III)
Introduction to Research Analysis Project
Presented By:
Mr. Hammad Ahmed Qureshi
(ACCA, Masters Eq. BSc Hons.)
For
Oxford Brookes University
RESEARCH ANALYSIS PROJECT (RAP)
BSc Honours in Applied Accounting Degree
Part 1 – Introduction to RAP
Part 2 – Analysis in RAP
Part 3 – Presentation & Conclusion
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3. Eligibility and Way Towards
RAP
• Opted into BSc Honors program
• Opted in before passing any paper after F6
• Completed professional ethics module by 31st March 2014
• Complete RR
• Complete SLS
• Submit RAP
• 10 Years limit from start of ACCA
• Same rules for resubmission (Resubmission statement is required if same
topic/organisation)
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4. Objectives of RAP
RAP:
• Evaluation of accounting concepts, principles and their application
• Prepare, evaluate, analyze & interpret financial statements
• Boundaries of accountant & development of information system
• Ethical responsibilities of accountant
• Limitations of analysis & information
• Improvement of your communicational and recommendation skills
• Able to fulfill need of difference audiences
• Self managed learning
BSc Honors Degree:
• Meet academic requirements
• Help in future employment role
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5. Project Mentor
Mentor Can be:  Tutor of you  Senior in your organization  A Qualified ACCA  Other can be subject to approval
Mentor’s Responsibilities:
• Provide feedback on your work
• Advice and support you in preparation of RAP
• Confirms OBU that it is your work
• Reviews your project
• Three mandatory meetings
• Sharpening of your interpersonal skills
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6. Skills to be Demonstrate
RAP:
Technical and Professional Skills
1.Understanding of accountancy/business models (Choice of models, evidence of wider reading, be
clear & relevant)
2. Application of accountancy/business models (Insightful & critical application of model)
3. Evaluation of information, analysis & conclusion (Critical thought & rigorous approach)
4. Presentation project findings (Can engage reader in coherent manner, appropriate structure &
coherent report)
Graduate Skills
5. Communication (Fluent language, grammar and spellings)
6. Information gathering and referencing (Evidence of range of information sources & use of Harvard
Referencing System)
7. Information Technology (Use of online sources & use of spread sheet and/or other software)
8. Ethics (Evidence in report)
SLS:
1. Self Reflection (Address four questions, recognize own strength and weaknesses & reflect yourself)
2. Communication Skills (PowerPoint presentation, appropriate structure & present report findings)
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7. Documents in a RAP
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Grade will be allocated based on report quality but for SLS
only pass or fail
PRODUCE A BALANCED REPORT
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8. Part 1 – Introduction 2,000-2,300 Words
• Reason for selecting your topic (100-200 Words):  Why you have chosen this topic?  Refer (History and current & future qualification)
“I want to develop this RAP in line with my profession as I have completed ACCA by opting for
advance financial and performance management papers and have now opted for ICAEW. I am
currently working in the audit department of Ernst & Young and topic 8 would help me in sharpening
my analytical skills”.
• Reason for selecting particular organization (100-200 Words):  Why your research work focused that organization?
“Atlas’s vision is to become a market leader[4] and to grow as a tough competitor in international
market[4]. Their vision and mission is very dynamic and external oriented so I want to assess whether
AHL, on the basis of its performance, is moving towards its mission. Also Government of Pakistan is
providing businesses with financial and tax incentives[41] in order to promote investment. This analysis
will allow me to illustrate and assess how AHL is performing using such incentives”.
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9. Part 1 – Introduction 2,000-2,300 Words
• Project objectives (0-100 Words)
• Evaluate how efficient and effective company has performed over a three year period.
• Increasing my knowledge and sharpening my skills regarding critical evaluation of accounting
principles and concepts plus improving my application skills of applying those accounting
principles and analysis techniques.
• Understanding and applying accounting and business techniques and their practical
• Limitations
• Research questions (0-100 Words)
• How company has performed financially over three years?
• Determination of company’s strategic position?
• How company has performed in relation to competitors?
• Research Approach (How You Will Achieve Above Objectives? (0-200
Words)  Analyze financial performance of company through ratio analysis over three years  Benchmarking By:
o Comparing main company against another company in same industry over three years
o Comparing main company against industry standards over three years
o Comparing main company against two companies in same industry over three years  Corporate appraisal using two business models
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10. Part 1 – Introduction 2,000-2,300 Words
• Accounting and Business Techniques (800-900 Words)  Definition of finance  Definition of financial analysis  Definition of ratio analysis  Why ratio analysis is important and why you have selected it  Limitations of ratio analysis  Definition of business analysis  Definition of business models you have selected  Why you have selected them and why the models you have selected are
important  Limitations of those models  Definition of cross-sectional or competitor analysis  Limitations of cross-sectional or competitor analysis  You can write definitions of ratios here or in analysis part
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11. Part 1 – Introduction 2,000-2,300 Words
• Information gathering (400-500 Words):
 Here you will explain the information sources on which you have researched.  Use balanced sources, do not rely solely on Annual Report.  Data resources can be:  Annual report  Company’s website  Newspapers  Internet  Media  Study Text  Student accountant (Recommended By Mentor)  What were limitations of information gathering?  How did you overcome those limitations?
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•Ethics:
•Write about ethics and ethical
issues you faced?
•How you catered those issues?

12. Part 1 – Introduction 2,000-2,300 Words
• Describe briefly the industry sector in which company you have
 chosen operates (200-250 Words): Global Market
“Global market for motorcycle showed an increasing trend except for FY08 due to credit crunch and
global recession. However, demand in Asia is increasing[9], as Asia and Africa have become the
world's fasted growing markets. Market share of approximately 77%[9] relates to Asia due to increasing
 demand in Pakistan, China and India”. Local Market
“Automobile industry of Pakistan however shows an improvement in current year with a growth rate of
16.5%[10].Motorcycle industry of Pakistan is 47 years old, when Atlas group started assembling
motorbikes in 1964[29]. Pakistan ranked 7th in the world[47] for the production of motorcycles and holds
 2%[47] of global demand”. Remember Trends here
• Description of the chosen company (150-200 Words):
“Atlas Honda is a public listed company of Pakistan which manufactures motorbikes and some high tech components,
such as, shock absorbers[12] in collaboration with leading parts manufacturers like Showa Atsumitech[12], Nippon
Denso[12] and Toyo Denso[12]. AHL is a joint-venture between Atlas Group and Honda Motor Company Japan. The
company was created in 1988 by the merger of Punjdarya Limited Sheikhoopura and Atlas Auto Limited[12]”
.
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13. HARVARD REFERENCING SYSTEM
• Referencing (Through Harvard Referencing System)  List of References
• You will have cited a number of books, journals, newspaper articles etc, using the author’s name
and the date of publication. You will provide a list of all those authors, giving full details of what
their work is called, and where it was published. This list is headed References.  Bibliography
• You may also have used material that has been helpful for reading around the subject, but which
you do not make specific reference to in your own work. It is important to acknowledge this
material. Under the heading Bibliography
• References (See Guide)
 Report from a Database  Web Page  [1] BSc, Information Pack, Karachi. [Online] Available at: http://www2.accaglobal.com/documents/bscinfopack.pdf
[Accessed 8 September 2011]  Newspaper Article  Chapter In Book  Printed Journal Article  Electronic/Online Journal Article
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(Website: Trading Economics[25])
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Email Film on DVD Thesis Conference Paper
Picture Referencing

14. HARVARD REFERENCING SYSTEM
• Example (Numbered Styled Referencing)
Global market for motorcycle showed an increasing trend except for FY08 due to credit crunch
and global recession. However, demand in Asia is increasing[9], as Asia and Africa have become
the world's fasted growing markets. Market share of approximately 77%[9] relates to Asia due to
increasing demand in Pakistan, China and India. Economic crisis and increased accidents have
also affected demand for motorbikes in USA, Japan and Europe:
(Website: TAC Safety[20])
[9] International Transport Forum, Workshop on motorcycling safety, Karachi. [Online] Available at:
http://www.internationaltransportforum.org/jtrc/safety/Lillehammer2008/Lillehammer08Rogers.pdf [Accessed 10
October 2011]
[20] TAC Safety, Motorcycle Crash Data, Karachi. [Online] Available at:
http://www.tacsafety.com.au/jsp/content/NavigationController.do?areaID=12&tierID=1&navID=2B63301D7F00000
10080CB01C9E47EBA&navLink=null&pageID=162 [Accessed 12 September 2011]
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15. Skills & Learning Statement – 2,000
Words
• Questions:
 Reflect on what you have learnt from the meetings with your project mentor,
including the presentation that you gave to your project mentor?  To what extent do you think you have achieved the RAP research Objective
& research questions you set?  How have you demonstrated your interpersonal and communication skills
during the project work?  Reflect on how undertaking the RAP helped you in your accountancy
studies and/or current employment role?
Answers must be between 350 to 650 words for each question.
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16. Skills & Learning Statement – 2,000
 Tell about your mentor, where did you find
him/her and why you have selected
him/her?  Meeting definition (Online Three Video
Meetings via Skype)
• First Meeting (80-100 Words)  Read BSc Info Pack  Conversation emailed already  Agenda decided before  Topic selection  Organization selection  Sources of info  Instrument used for meeting  Discussion on RAP objectives  You asked questions
 Timetable was decided  Mentoring was one on one basis  Given feed back on selected topic
and organisation selection  Write your experience  What we discussed in the meeting  Write briefly  Conclusion at the end  Agenda for next meeting was set
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Words
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17. RAP Structure
• Page : A4 size
• Black text on white background
• Different color/size for headings can be use
• Font : Arial
• Font Size : 11 or 12
• Line Space: 1.5
• Regular Backup
• Write in Past Tense i.e. assuming that a completed report will be
submitted to marker.
• Stated word counts are for idea, these are not rule of thumb
• Work on Part 1 can be completed properly within 10 days
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18. Thank You
Best of Luck
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