One of the many pressures finance students are faced with is that of writing finance assignments. The task can be very challenging at first. However, writing is a skill that can be learned and perfected over time and with practice.
College-level writing calls for a specific tone and voice. Informal language such as the use of slang and colloquialisms as well as posing questions in the body of your assignment is not acceptable. A perfect finance assignment is one that clearly communicates, employs formal language, and follows the set instructions.
Here are 9 tips to write a perfect finance assignment.
1. Plan ahead
The first step towards a perfect assignment is planning. Planning ahead, helps you determine how much time you need to complete the assignment. Finance assignments can be technical and complex. Planning ahead allows you to allocate sufficient time for each problem that needs tackling, which ensures you are not rushed.
Planning also enables you to determine what tools you need to complete the said assignment. For example, a paper on corporate governance would only require you to get books and web sources on the topic while an assignment on financial statements analysis would need you to get tools like a calculator to execute it. Avoiding last-minute rushes is essential for having the perfect reliable finance assignment that is polished, accurate, and well-executed.
2. Read and understand the assignment instructions
Every assignment given comes with a list of instructions. These instructions will state the topic you will cover, the outline your assignment should take, how many marks each section of the assignment has, and the length of the assignment. Not only reading but also understanding the instructions given is very important when writing assignments.
An assignment asking you to discuss budgetary controls would be very different from one asking you to demonstrate how budgets are created. While discussing budgetary controls is mainly just typing text, demonstrating budget creation could involve making tables and figures. Reading the instructions will tell you where to focus your writing, where to do more research, and what to give more attention to. A perfect assignment is not only one that is done but one that is done in adherence to the instructions given.
3. Do deep research
Armed with your writing instructions and the tools you had prepared, then comes the research. Most finance topics are not easy and will require deep research to both understand and be able to write on. Use course books and research papers as these give more accurate information on the finance topics you are handling.
For practical assignments, you can visit established audit firms to help you explain some aspects. You can use web tools where needed to help you further dissect your assignment topics. Taking the time to do deep research before you begin simplifies the writing process. It gives you an idea of the outline as well as the voice your paper will take.
4. Have an impressive introduction
The introduction of your assignment sets the pace for the rest of your article. For your assignment to be perfect, ensure that you write a catchy introduction. Although finance topics may seem technical, it is still possible to create an introduction that prompts the reader of your essay to want to read more of what you have written.
For an assignment discussing say, corporate restructuring strategies with a special focus on mergers, ensure that your introduction clearly communicates this. Your thesis statement should depict the aspect of mergers you will be discussing and the argument in your introduction should tie back to your thesis. Ensure that your introduction adheres to the instructions given by your instructor, otherwise, they may not want to continue reading your assignment.
5. Create the first draft of the assignment
Having clarity on the concepts of finance previously researched enables smooth writing of the first draft. The instructions given on the paper help you determine what academic writing style to use. Use that to create the outline of your assignment. Most assignments take the basic form of an introduction, main body, conclusion, and then references. Note that the first draft may not be what you finally submit to your instructor.
It is meant to be a skeleton to guide your writing. When creating the draft, make sure to lay out all the problems that you are tackling in the paper as well as all the information you have collected from the different source materials used. Discuss your finance topic, make arguments for it and justify your work. Every sentence, figure, paragraph, and finance problem you put out should go towards proving your assignment topic.
6. Ensure that your work is properly edited
One skill you will have to master with college-level assignments is editing and proofreading. Going through your work once is not enough to have that perfect assignment. Check that the in-essay references are done correctly and that the presentation of your work is in order. Ensure that the voice used in the paper is formal, direct, and precise.
A critical analysis of financial statements assignment, for example, would need graphs and tables to depict the various analysis discussed in the paper. Ensure to include these tables and figures to further illustrate your point. Ensure that your work is properly labeled and that the financial data, workings, and equations, if any, are properly and accurately presented. Remember that a perfect assignment is easy to read and conveys the point without too much fluff.
7. Write an impactful conclusion
A perfect assignment is one that impressively concludes the main points discussed in the paper. Having a good conclusion is one way of showing your mastery of the finance topic presented. Your instructor may check your conclusion first, as a way of identifying the points you will be discussing in your assignment and if they hit the mark. You want to have an impressive conclusion for this purpose.
Paraphrase your thesis statement and review some of the ideas and main points discussed in the main body of the assignment. Make sure to summarize the main points proved in your assignment and tie them back to your thesis. Relating your conclusion to your introduction makes for a perfect ending and a perfect paper.
8. Properly reference your work
Most of the ideas, facts, and writing provided in your essay are likely from books, courses, and online pages. It is therefore important to ensure that you properly reference your work. The referencing style used depends on the instructions given. Ensure that the main body has proper references, where you have directly quoted or paraphrased another author's work.
Have a separate page at the end of your document where you will cite your sources, including those not cited on the page. Plagiarism is highly discouraged in college-level assignments. While they do not expect your work to be original thoughts and words, they expect that you state your sources on the assignment. Having references will also show your instructor that you properly researched your work.
9. Check for grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure
A perfect finance assignment has excellent grammar and punctuation, proper sentence and paragraph structure, no plagiarism, and is easy to read. You do not want to have work that is too congested that it repels the reader. You want an assignment whose paragraphs and sentences are well-spaced and structured. Proper presentation makes it easier for your professor to follow your work.
The instructions given could include the theme font, font size, spacing, margins, and orientations to set on your paper. Ensure that your assignment clearly follows the guide that is given. There are many online resources you could use to check the grammar and punctuation of your work. Other resources check for plagiarism. Employ these resources to ensure that your assignment is presentable and perfect for grading.