Students
AFIN8005 – Research Methods in Banking and Finance
2021 – Session 1, Special circumstances
Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group activities on campus, and most will keep an online version available to those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face-to-face and online activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
General Information
Download as PDF
| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Terry Pan
Room 524, Building 4ER
3-5pm, Thursday
Lecturer
Jianlei Han
Room 528, Building 4ER
3-5pm, Thursday
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MFin or ((Admission to MCom in Finance or MBkgFin) and 30cp at 6000 level or above)
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit describes and analyses the methodology of contemporary research in banking and finance. It covers quantitative and qualitative methods to assist students to conduct further research in the future. |
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: Recognise research methods used in the banking and finance areas.
- ULO2: Articulate research questions in response to a business problem or opportunity.
- ULO3: Apply relevant methods to address finance issues or problems.
- ULO4: Work productively in a group to design a research study.
General Assessment Information
Assessment criteria for all assessment tasks will be provided on the unit iLearn site.
It is the responsibility of students to view their marks for each within-session-assessment on iLearn within 20 days of posting. If there are any discrepancies, students must contact the unit convenor immediately. Failure to do so will mean that queries received after the release of final results regarding assessment tasks (not including the final exam mark) will not be addressed.
Late submissions and extensions
Tasks 10% or less – No extensions will be granted. Students who have not submitted the task prior to the deadline will be awarded a mark of 0 for the task, except for cases in which an application for special consideration is made and approved.
Tasks above 10% - No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission – 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for special consideration is made and approved. No submission will be accepted after solutions have been posted.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Analysis Project | 15% | No | Week 8 |
| Research Proposal | 40% | No | Week 13 |
| Final Examination | 45% | No | During University Examination Period |
Data Analysis Project
Assessment Type 1: Quantitative analysis task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Week 8
Weighting: 15%
A project will be designed to test the knowledge of data analysis using statistical software packages.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Recognise research methods used in the banking and finance areas.
- Apply relevant methods to address finance issues or problems.
Research Proposal
Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 40%
The task involves development of a research proposal, conduct individual literature review and presentation.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Recognise research methods used in the banking and finance areas.
- Articulate research questions in response to a business problem or opportunity.
- Apply relevant methods to address finance issues or problems.
- Work productively in a group to design a research study.
Final Examination
Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: During University Examination Period
Weighting: 45%
A two hour open book online exam will be held during the University Examination period.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Recognise research methods used in the banking and finance areas.
- Articulate research questions in response to a business problem or opportunity.
- Apply relevant methods to address finance issues or problems.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
| Required Text: |
There is no prescribed textbook. Readings (where applicable) are taken from relevant academic books and journals. Refer to iLearn for further details. |
| Unit Web Page: | Access to iLearn |
| Technology Used and Required: |
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| Delivery Format and Other Details: |
General Information This course introduces you to the fundamentals of doing research. The course is designed to introduce you to an understanding of a variety of different methods, basic programming skills using R, study designs and the fundamentals of qualitative and quantitative analysis. You will apply the skills by developing your own research questions, study design and project relevant to your studies or professional lives. The course will also provide a foundation to those of you who plan to conduct further research as part of your postgraduate studies. No prior knowledge or experience in research is required to take this course, apart from the prerequisites listed. The course is aimed at the postgraduate level. Classes Students must thoroughly read all assigned materials before coming to the class so that they are fully prepared to discuss the key issues. Timetables You are required to attend your timetabled classes. The timetable for classes can be found on the University web site http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/ |
Unit Schedule
| Week | Topic |
| 1 | The Research Process |
| 2 | Literature Review and Research Data |
| 3 | Introduction to Regression |
| 4 | R Introduction 1: Basics |
| 5 | R Introduction 2: Statistics, Loops, and Regression Analysis |
| 6 | Portfolio Analysis and Its Implementation in R |
| 7 | Time Series Analysis and Its Implementation in R |
| 8 | Data Visulization in R |
| 9 | Event Study, Fund Performance Evaluation, and Market Efficiency |
| 10 | Qualitative Research I |
| 11 | Qualitative Research II |
| 12 | Presentation of Research Proposal |
| 13 | Revision and Introduction of Final Exam |
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Unit information based on version 2021.02 of the Handbook