Unlocking the Power of Human Experience Through Storytelling

This rubric provides a detailed grading scale for assignments, covering six categories: Argument, Analysis and Evaluation; Application; Communication; Research/Information Literacy; Practical Skills; and Referencing. The scale ranges from A (exemplary) to E (limited understanding), with F indicating insufficient evidence of knowledge, understanding, and skills. The rubric outlines specific criteria for each category, including clarity of argument, coherence of structure, and effective use of relevant sources.

FACULTY: FBS / LAF
Final mark awarded:_____
Assessment Cover Sheet and Feedback Form 2016/17
Module Code:
AF3S130
Module Title:
Business Analysis for
Accountants
Module Lecturer:
Louise Miles
Assessment Title and Tasks:
Essay 1
Assessment No.
e.g. 1 of 1
No. of pages submitted in total including this page:
Completed by student
Word Count of submission
(if applicable): Completed by student
Date Set:
1st November 2016
Submission Date:
10 am - 9th January
2017
Return Date:
6th February 2017
Part A: Record of Submission (to be completed by Student)
Extenuating Circumstances
If there are any exceptional circumstances that may have affected your ability to
undertake or submit this assignment, make sure you contact the Advice Centre on your
campus prior to your submission deadline.
Fit to sit policy:
The University operates a fit to sit policy whereby you, in submitting or presenting
yourself for an assessment, are declaring that you are fit to sit the assessment. You
cannot subsequently claim that your performance in this assessment was affected by
extenuating factors.
Plagiarism and Unfair Practice Declaration:
By submitting this assessment, you declare that it is your own work and that the sources
of information and material you have used (including the internet) have been fully
identified and properly acknowledged as required1. Additionally, the work presented has
not been submitted for any other assessment. You also understand that the Faculty
reserves the right to investigate allegations of plagiarism or unfair practice which, if
proven, could result in a fail in this assessment and may affect your progress.
Intellectual Property and Retention of Student Work:
You understand that the University will retain a copy of any assessments submitted
electronically for evidence and quality assurance purposes; requests for the removal of
assessments will only be considered if the work contains information that is either
politically and/or commercially sensitive (as determined by the University) and where
requests are made by the relevant module leader or dissertation supervisor.
Details of Submission:
1 University Academic Misconduct Regulations

Note that all work handed in after the submission date and within 5 working days will be
capped at 40%2. No marks will be awarded if the assessment is submitted after the late
submission date unless extenuating circumstances are applied for and accepted (Advice
Centre to be consulted).
You are required to acknowledge that
you have read the above statements
by writing your student number (s) in
the box:
Student Number(s):
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP A RECORD OF ALL WORK
SUBMITTED
2 Information on exclusions to this rule is available from the Advice Centre at each Campus

AF3S130 Business Analysis for Accountants
Assignment 2016/17
This counts as 50% of your overall module mark
(Word count 3000 words)
Throughout the year you have conducted research on a company of your choice and the
industry it operates in.
Required
1. Using appropriate models, conduct an analysis of your chosen company’s current
strategic position. Your analysis should be based on information using a wide range
of relevant sources including journals and current news reports.
2. Identify and critically discuss the current challenges of operating in the industry of
the company you have chosen and how these challenges may affect your chosen
company.
3. Discuss how the resources and competences of your chosen company may provide
new opportunities for the organisation.
Please note the following:
1. All materials used in the preparation of your report should be clearly referenced
using Harvard referencing.
2. Marks will be awarded for each of the following categories based on the University
of South Wales’ marking criteria as attached.
Marking scheme Marks
available
1. Analysis of the current strategic position. 50 marks
2. Identification and critical discussion of the challenges of operating in the
industry of your chosen company
20 marks
3. Discussion of how the resources and competences of your chosen company
may provide new opportunities for the organisation.
20 marks
4. Referencing and presentation. 10 marks

Grade Knowledge, Understanding
and Relevance
Argument, Analysis and
Evaluation
Application Communication Research/Information Literacy Practical Skills
(Referencing)
90-100%
A16
A piece of work which displays exemplary evidence of complete understanding of the concept under discussion across all categories and criteria, and which provides evidence of scholarly excellence and originality
80-89%
A15
An excellent grasp of the subject
matter is shown throughout the
assignment and how it applies to
its themes, questions and issues
An excellent level of critical
analysis and evaluation of
the issues is contained in
the assignment. The
assignment displays
originality.
An excellent level of
application of appropriate
knowledge is
demonstrated
The assignment demonstrates
a very sophisticated level of
writing, displaying excellent
clarity of argument, a coherent
and organised structure and
original, well-evidenced and
coherent insights
The assignment utilises a wide range of relevant
sources, displaying outstanding information
literacy skills in respect of research & accessing
sources, distinguishing the most relevant and
appropriate sources, and using them in the
assignment in an excellent manner
The assignment has been
properly referenced
throughout, in accordance
with the system of
referencing prescribed in the
course documentation.
70-79%
A14
A full and comprehensive grasp
of the subject matter is shown
throughout the assignment and
how it applies to its themes,
questions and issues
A full and comprehensive
level of critical analysis and
evaluation of the issues
contained in the assignment
is displayed
A full and comprehensive
level of application of
appropriate knowledge to
the issues contained in the
assignment is
demonstrated
The assignment displays a
sophisticated level of writing,
displaying very good clarity of
argument, a coherent and
organised structure and
provides well-evidenced and
coherent insights
The assignment utilises a wide range of relevant
sources, displaying excellent information literacy
skills in respect of research & accessing
sources, distinguishing the most relevant and
appropriate sources, and uses them in the
assignment in a very effective manner
The assignment has been
properly referenced
throughout, in accordance
with the system of
referencing prescribed in the
course documentation
60-69%
B11-B13
There is a substantial knowledge
of relevant material, showing a
clear grasp of themes, questions
and issues therein. The
assignment is consistently
focused on being relevant to the
requirements of the assessment
A good, clear and orderly
analysis of the issues and a
good level of evaluation of
the issues contained in the
assignment is displayed
A good, clear and orderly
level of application of
appropriate knowledge to
the issues contained in the
assignment is
demonstrated
A well written assignment, with
good grammar and spelling, in
a readable style with a good
structure
The assignment utilises a good range of relevant
sources, displaying very good information
literacy skills in respect of research & accessing
sources, distinguishing the most relevant and
appropriate sources, and uses them in the
assignment in a largely effective manner
The vast majority of the
information in the
assignment has been
properly referenced in
accordance with the system
of referencing prescribed in
the course documentation
50-59%
C8-C10
Adequate knowledge of a fair
range of relevant material is
shown, with intermittent
evidence of an appreciation of
its significance. The assignment
seeks to address the
requirements of the assessment
but it also contains parts that are
not directly relevant.
Some analytical treatment is
displayed, but the
assignment tends to be
more descriptive than
analytical. There is some
evidence of evaluation of the
issues contained in the
essay but it is of limited
scope.
Satisfactory application of
the appropriate knowledge
to the issues contained in
the assignment is
demonstrated but it also
indicates clear limitations
in this respect
A competently written
assignment, with only minor
lapses from standard
grammar, and a satisfactory
structure
The assignment utilises a satisfactory range of
relevant sources, displaying good information
literacy skills in respect of research & accessing
sources, distinguishing the most relevant and
appropriate sources, and uses them in the
assignment in a competent manner
Most of the information in
the assignment has been
properly referenced in
accordance with the system
of referencing prescribed in
the course documentation
40-49%
D5-D7
A basic understanding of the
subject is shown, but only a
limited range of material is used.
There is a significant degree of
irrelevance.
There is little evidence of
analysis or evaluation in the
assignment – it is largely
descriptive
Limited application of
appropriate knowledge to
the issues contained in the
assignment is
demonstrated
An assignment with a simple
basic style but with significant
deficiencies in expression
and/or structure
The assignment utilises a narrow range of
relevant sources, displaying limited information
literacy skills in respect of research & accessing
sources. It fails to distinguish relevant and
appropriate sources from those that are not
and/or uses relevant and appropriate sources in
an inadequate manner
Some of the information in
the assignment has been
properly referenced in
accordance with the system
of referencing prescribed in
the course documentation
35-39%
E4
A limited understanding is
shown of a narrow range of
material.
The content of the assignment
has little relevance to its
requirements
There is very little, or no,
evidence of analysis or
evaluation in the
assignment. It is heavily
dependent on description
A limited assignment that
demonstrates an
overwhelmingly
unsuccessful attempt to
apply appropriate
knowledge to the issues
contained in the
assignment
An assignment with numerous
deficiencies in expression,
presentation and structure
The assignment is based on an inadequate use
of literature, often with an over reliance on basic
textbooks and class materials
Much of the information in
the assignment has not
been properly referenced in
accordance with the system
of referencing prescribed in
the course documentation.
0-34% F1-3 The assignment has insufficient evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the level of the qualification. The work is weak in most, if not all, of the above indicators