KAP001 Capstone Project

Task Instructions

Task marks: 20 | Referencing and presentation: 5 Total marks: 25

Total word limit: 1,500 words

Weighting: 20%

Introduction

The Research Task is the initial step of your research project, which will lead to the development of a research proposal in Assignment 2. This process begins with considering appropriate research problems and developing a research topic of interest. This research effort typically starts by scanning libraries for existing sources to help finalize your research topic and inform subsequent research steps. A primary purpose of this Research Task is to provide feedback on the quality of journal articles selected for your literature review in Assignment 1.

Research Task (20 marks | Word limit: 1,500 words)

You are required to choose and justify a research topic, providing a list of five (5) research papers for inclusion in your review on the topic. The topic should relate to financial planning or applied finance. You should carefully select your area of interest, as your research topic will form the basis of your literature review in Assignment 1 and your research proposal in Assignment 2.

Your answer to this task could be presented in four parts. The bullet points specify what must be included in your discussion.

1. Introduction (8 marks)

• This must be a concisely presented clear introduction explaining the background of your topic which should be realistic and researchable. (4 marks)
   
• Introduction should include why the research problem is important to solve, and how the chosen topic relates to the broader research problem. (4 marks)

2. Selection of research papers (10 marks)

• This should be a selected list of five (5) research papers that are concisely summarised and justified for relevancy to your research interest. (5 marks)
   
• These five (5) research papers should have been published in scholarly journals (peer-reviewed) within the last four years (current) unless your research is a historiography. Seminal papers are an exception to this rule, if you are able to provide a brief justification. (5 marks)

Note: List your chosen five (5) research papers in the task body (not in the reference list). These references will count towards the word count. Note that it is recommended to use Kaplan Professional's preferred referencing style, Harvard, but the consistent application of any other referencing style will also be accepted.

3. Conclusion (2 marks)

• A brief synopsis on your topic including a summary of the next steps in your research (i.e. how your work in this assessment will help in the next assessment).

4. Reference lists (included in the marks for referencing and presentation)

References are only required if you have used any resources (for example, any sources you use to justify the importance of your research) other than the five (5) papers listed within the 'Selection of research papers' section. As noted above, it is recommended to use Kaplan Professional's preferred referencing style, Harvard, but the consistent application of any other referencing style for in-text citations and within the reference list will also be accepted.