Assignment workshop: research, planning and referencing

This week’s topics

Assignment workshop: research, planning and referencing

1. Unpacking the assignment brief and criteria
2. Finding and evaluating sources
3. Planning and referencing
4. Craap Test for evaluating sources

What you will be able to do

• 1.1 Explain the need for financial record-keeping.
• 1.2 Explain the importance of liquidity and solvency in business.
• 1.3 Explain the accounting equation.
• 1.4 Explain how to record financial transactions using the double-entry method of bookkeeping.
• 2.1 Examine the purpose and importance of end of year adjustments in the preparation of final accounts.
• 2.2 Calculate the value of revenue and cost of sales, for given data, over the accounting period.
• 2.3 Calculate year-end adjustments, for given data, to account for irrecoverable debts and provisions for doubtful debts.
• 2.4 Calculate year-end adjustments, for given data, to account for accruals and prepayments when preparing the financial statements.
• 2.5 Calculate the cost of depreciation from different methods of depreciation for given data.
• 3.1 Explain the purpose of preparing final accounts for sole traders and partnerships.
• 3.2 Prepare final accounts, including relevant adjustments, for a specific sole trader business.
• 3.3 Prepare final accounts, including relevant adjustments, for a specific partnership business.
• 3.4 Analyse the financial statements of a selected business.
• 4.1 Explain the professional characteristics and ethical principles exhibited by an accountant.
• 4.2 Evaluate the impact of a breach of ethics on accountants and business organisations.
• 4.3 Explain the role of regulatory bodies for accountancy in a specific country.
• 4.4 Identify the requirements for external audit and the basic processes undertaken.

Activity

Start with this week’s video, then: Plan the unit assignment against every criterion; source and reference the evidence.

Study materials

Videos

• Craap Test for evaluating sources · YouTube · Talking Libraries and Books · 7 min · for registered students

Further resources

• Writing for Success, ch. 8.1–8.3: Prewriting, outlining and drafting · PDF · Saylor Academy, textbook chapter; pp. 281–318 · for registered students
• Harvard Referencing quick guide 2025 (York St John University) · PDF · Other, report · for registered students
• Evaluating Information: Applying the CRAAP Test · PDF · Other, report · for registered students