This TMA requires you to do a brief literature review in order to get familiar with empirical research in finance. First, you have to choose a research topic.

Learning Outcomes
The following learning outcomes will be assessed in TMA 01:

Select, access and evaluate relevant published research and information across a range of areas relevant to finance theory and its application, through the OU library and other web-based resources
Carry out a review of finance literature
Develop digital scholarship skills by finding, using, managing and sharing information and literature using digital resources
Identify and understand relationships within the data
Design an empirical research methodology to explore a finance research problem
Identify relevant theories in the finance literature
Distinguish and choose amongst the range of methods available for the collection of evidence (data) and understand the characteristics of this evidence.

 
Questions (100 marks)
Introduction
This TMA requires you to do a brief literature review in order to get familiar with empirical research in finance. First, you have to choose a research topic. There are no restrictions in your choice. This topic could be a

theme from finance you find interesting;
something that you encountered during your studies in the MSc in Finance and found intriguing, or
a research question related to your professional experience.

Once you have decided on a research topic, use the OU Library Resources to identify three research papers relevant to it. These research papers could be quantitative research studies, qualitative research studies, or a mix of both. They could even be a purely theoretical analysis of your research question. Please make sure that you choose research studies that you can follow and understand. If there is some technical analysis in the papers, make sure that you are able to discuss the main points and empirical findings.
Using quotations and a proper referencing style (e.g. OU Harvard referencing system), which ought to be applied consistently throughout your answer, prepare an essay that answers the following questions:

Offer a brief outline of your chosen research topic and explain why its study is important (motivation).

(15 marks)

Based on the studies you have identified, explain which methodology could be considered the best for the investigation of the research topic.

(15 marks)

Summarise the main argument, the dataset (if any), and the main findings of the three papers you chose. Do they agree or disagree? Do they offer conflicting evidence? Explain your answer. .

(30 marks)

Critically assess your discussion in question (3). Which studies do you find inadequate and which arguments/evidence do you find more convincing? Explain your answer.

(20 marks)

If you decide to investigate this research topic, what would be your main research question? Would it be a qualitative or quantitative project? How would you design your data collection? Explain your answer.

(20 marks)
(Total 100 marks)