FI310 Financial Econometric
Mid-term Group Assignment
The purpose of this group assignment is to train your skills to write academic paper in
the formal manner. I recommend each group have four to five students, and those
students who do not have the group yet should contract with the teaching assistant
(TA) for coordination. The length of this group assignment is around 5,000-8,000
words (10% range is allowed), including tables, references and abstract.
Students can freely choose their topics in financial area and can use the data that I
provided in class. For example:
1. Forecasting the stock price using time series models
2. Corporate finance related topics, including
a) Firm performance
b) Corporate governance
c) Corporate social responsibility
d) Merger and Acquisition
e) Asset allocation
……
Marks will be given not the topic your choice, but the logical of the paper (writing
style), whether the students can interpret the empirical results and the use of academic
references. The detailed rubric can be found in the following table.
When you submit the group assignment, please create a zip file that contains the
following materials:
1. The group assignment (PDF or Word file)
2. The data of your empirical analysis (.dta or .xls file)
3. The command of your empirical analysis (.do file)
I will explain how to write a high-quality academic paper in the videos, so please
watch these videos carefully.
The submission deadline is 21nd July, 2023. Please do not submit your assignment
later than the date, otherwise you will lose marks!
Good luck!
Rubric (评分细则)
Criterion First Class
≥90%
Upper Second Class
≥80%
Second Class
≥70
Third Class
≥60%
Fail
<60
Nomarks
Introduction
10marks
This criterion assesses
your introduction to
the essay. The
introduction should
clearly show your
understanding of the
topic.
≥7 marks
Conveys essential
elements of the
report in a clear,
succinct and
persuasive overview
≥6 marks
Conveys valuable
elements of the essay in
a mostly clear and
persuasive overview.
≥5 marks
Conveys some key
elements of the essay
but the resulting
overview is unclear.
≥4 marks
Conveys a few key
elements of the essay
resulting in a very
unclear overview.
<4 marks
Conveys little of
relevance, seriously
limiting the clarity of
the overview
0 marks
No introduction
was provided.
Discussion of the topic
30 marks
This criterion
assesses if your essay
demonstrates a good
understanding of the
topic/statement.
≥21 marks
Student
demonstrates an
excellent grasp of
course material and
produces a highly
tailored essay that
addresses all aspects
of the statement.
Additionally, the
essay has a clear,
consistent, logically
developed argument
that leads
convincingly to
conclusions and
≥18 marks
Student demonstrates a
strong understanding
of course material,
applying this
knowledge to produce
an essay that is
well-tailored to the
statement.
Also, the essay has
a logical argument
that is less
consistently or
clearly developed
but leads to
conclusions and
≥15 marks
Student demonstrates a
decent understanding of
the course material
provided, however
with apparent errors and
gaps. The relevance of
arguments is unclear,
and points are perhaps
insufficiently explained.
Also, the logical
development is
somewhat flawed, and
conclusions are only
partly supported. The
essay partially answers
≥12 marks
Student demonstrates a
basic understanding of
course material
provided, however
with apparent errors and
gaps and limited
explanation. Little of
relevance to the
statement.
Also, the logical
development is
seriously flawed, and
conclusions are not
supported by the
argument. The essay
<12
Student
demonstrates very
limited or lack of
understanding of
course material.
Also, there is no
logical argument nor
are there appropriate
conclusions/answers
to the problem raised
in the statement.
0 marks
The
statement is
not
discussed.
answers the problem
that has been raised
in the statement.
answers the
problems raised in
the statement.
the problem raised in
the statement.
does not directly
answer the problem
that is raised in the
statement
Use of evidence and
supporting material
10 marks
This criterion
assesses if your essay
makes good use of
relevant concepts
and if it uses and
demonstrates an
understanding of
appropriate texts
and
readings.
≥7 marks
Excellent use of
supporting materials.
Arguments in this
essay make clear,
consistent, and
convincing use of
appropriate
concepts
throughout. The
opinions argued in
the essay are
consistently
supported using
relevant,
high-quality
evidence.
≥6 marks
Good and relevant use
of
supporting materials.
Arguments in this
essay make some
clear and convincing
use of appropriate
concepts. The
opinions argued in the
essay are supported
using
relevant, high-quality
evidence at the
important
points, though the
evidence is
not always most
relevant or
best quality
≥5 marks
Decent use of relevant
supporting materials.
Arguments in this
essay make some use
of appropriate
concepts but this is
less clear and
convincing. The
opinions argued in
the essay are
supported using
relevant,
high-quality evidence
only
in some places or the
choice of evidence is
not appropriate
≥4 marks
Limited use of
relevant supporting
materials.
Use of the concepts in
this essay is
inappropriate and/or
seriously flawed. The
opinions argued in the
essay are generally
not supported using
relevant, high-quality
evidence.
<4 marks
No use of relevant
supporting materials.
This essay does not
make any use of
appropriate concepts.
The opinions argued
in the essay are not
supported using
appropriate
evidence.
0 marks
This essay does
not
make any use
of
the relevant
concepts. The
opinions
argued in the
essay are not
supported
using
evidence of
any kind.
Originality and critical
reflection
30 marks
This criterion
assesses if your essay
demonstrates critical
≥21 marks
Exemplary critical
reflection on the
topic of the
statement and on
resources provided
and/or identified
≥18 marks
Insightful critical
reflection on the topic
of the statement and/or
on resources provided
and/or identified
through independent
≥15 marks
Some critical reflection
on the topic of the
statement and/or on
resources provided
and/or identified
through independent
≥12 marks
Limited critical
reflection on the topic
of the statement or on
resources provided or
identified through
independent research.
≥12 marks
No relevant
critical reflection
is evident
(descriptive
essay).
0 marks
Descriptive
essay,
irrelevant to
the statement.
and independent
thinking.
through
independent
research.
Demonstrates
excellence in
original thinking
in arguments
and/or approach
and critical
analysis.
Overall, originality
is shown in a
highly-
relevant and
persuasive
research.
Some original
thinking in
arguments and/or
approach and critical
analysis.
Overall, some
originality is shown
in a relevant manner.
research.
Some original
thinking in arguments
or approaches and/or
critical analysis.
Overall, some
originality is shown,
but lacking in
relevance or clarity.
Limited original
thinking in arguments
or approaches and/or
critical analysis.
No original thinking
in arguments or
approach and/or
critical analysis.
Structure and
Conclusion
10 marks
This criterion assesses
the overall structure
and conclusions of
your essay. The essay
should be structured
around the
introduction, main
body (discussion) and
conclusions.
Conclusions would
normally very briefly
synthesise the body of
the essay. It also
should provide your
≥7 marks
The essay was very
well structured with
an effective
introduction, a
coherent and logical
progression of
argument through
the body, and
conclusions that
flow naturally from
the preceding
argument.
Conclusions provide
a clear summary and
a
persuasive
synthesising
≥6 marks
The essay was
structured around
elements of
introduction, body
and conclusions, but
some elements of
these sections were
not effectively
written. However,
conclusions provide a
clear summary and a
relevant overall
argument.
≥5 marks
The essay was
structured around the
elements of
introduction, body and
conclusions, but the
effectiveness of each in
building the argument
presented was limited.
Conclusions provide a
mostly clear summary
and a limited overall
argument
≥4 marks
The essay was
structured around the
elements of
introduction, body and
conclusions, but there
were not used
effectively in building
the argument presented.
Conclusions provide a
somehow unclear
summary and a
limited overall
argument
<4 marks
The essay lacked a
suitable structure.
Conclusions provide
an unclear summary
and no overall
argument.
0 marks
No logical
structure and
no
conclusions
were
provided.
overall argument
regarding the
statement.
argument.
Academic writing
style, formatting and
referencing
10 marks
This criterion
assesses if your essay
is well
written, i.e., whether
it organises and
presents findings in
an appropriate
academic style
≥7 marks
Essay appears very
professional and
excellently
referenced. English
syntax and
grammar are at an
excellent level and
has a narrative style
that
communicates
clearly to the
reader
throughout the essay
Excellent use of
appropriate
references to
relevant literature,
which demonstrates
extensive
independent
research and
reading.
Consistent and
accurate referencing
throughout.
≥6 marks
Essay appearance is
suitable, and it is
very well-referenced.
English syntax and
grammar are at a
very high level and
has a narrative style
that
communicates clearly
for the majority of
the essay
Very good use of
appropriate references
to relevant literature,
which demonstrates
considerable
independent research
and reading.
Consistent and
accurate referencing
throughout.
≥5 marks
Essay appearance is
suitable, but with
referencing errors
English syntax and
grammar are at a high
level and has a
narrative style that
communicates clearly
for the majority of the
essay, but with some
repeated errors of
expression
Good use of appropriate
references to relevant
literature, which
demonstrates some
independent research
and reading. Mostly
consistent and accurate
referencing.
≥4 marks
Essay appearance is
somehow suitable and
contains referencing
errors. English
syntax and
grammar are at an
acceptable level and
has a narrative style
that communicates
with some difficultly
for the reader
Little use of appropriate
references to relevant
literature, with
little evidence of
independent research
and reading. Significant
inconsistency or
inaccuracy in
referencing.
<4 marks
Essay appearance is
unsuitable formatting
and contains
considerable
referencing errors.
English syntax and
grammar are poor so
that the essay fails to
communicate the
content to the reader
No use or very poor
use of appropriate
literature, with no
evidence of
independent research
and reading. Poor
referencing.
0 marks
Unstructured
and
unreferenced
essay.