Project Title: The City of Providence, RI: A Case Examining the Financial Condition of a U.S. Municipality

I. Project Title: The City of Providence, RI: A Case Examining theFinancial Condition of a U.S. Municipality
II. Introduction
For the past year, you have been working as a staff accountant at Brightlite Accounting
in the Small Business Accounting Department. Through the corporate grapevine, you
heard that Chris, one of the Supervising Accountants in charge of government
accounts, has been promoted to manager, which means there will be an opening in the
much-coveted department for government accounting. Based on conversations and
observation at the water cooler over the course of the year, you are very interested in
transferring to the Government Accounting Department. Apparently, the manager of
that department (your professor) is not only an amazing teacher and mentor, but really
interesting and fun to be around. Plus, you are incredibly excited about the possibility of
being promoted!
You decide to approach Chris, whom you know casually, and inquire about what he
does and if there is anything you could do to improve your chances of getting the job.
He tells you the position requires not only a good understanding of government
accounting but also requires research, writing, and presentation skills. Chris mentions
that the department manager (your professor) has already received several inquiries
from well qualified people within the firm, so to expect a little competition. To make the
candidate selection process fair, the department manager (your professor) is requiring
all applicants to write an APA-style paper and create a PowerPoint presentation on a
case that recently came across his desk, details provided below.
While you aren’t sure who your competition might be, you know that over the course of
earning your graduate degree you learned how to make award-winning presentations
and reports, so you are confident that based on this requirement, the job is practically
yours already.
[Right here you broke away from the story line by saying “please feel free to ask
questions and good luck.” Do you see that now?
When the department manager (your professor) posted the job announcement, she
encouraged internal candidates to feel free to ask questions if needed.
III. Steps to completion
Step 1: Read through the case
Chris instructed you to complete the first two parts of the case. Part I requires a 10-15
page research report in APA-style. Part II requires an audio-enhanced PowerPoint file
with and speaker’s notes placed under the slides.
Step 2: Research and develop a draft report for part I
Write a 10-15 page, APA style research report. Feel free to use charts and graphs as
needed to jazz up your report. Sometimes a picture says a thousand words (Frederick
R. Barnard, 1921). Be judicious in deciding which data you’ll present in graphic form.
You must have a minimum of three reliable reference sources to support your research.
Include a reference page at the end of the paper.
Step 3: Prepare your presentation for Part II
Prepare an oral presentation to thoroughly cover all of the questions in Part II. The oral
presentation should be prepared using PowerPoint with voice and notes (the notes
should be embedded underneath the slides) for people who may not be able to hear the
presentation and for you to use as you’re making the recording. There are no specific
number of PowerPoint slides required as long as you thoroughly answer all of the
questions in your presentation.
Remember to cite your sources.
IV. Deliverables
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A 10-15 page research report in APA style
An oral presentation using PowerPoint with voice and notes
V. Helpful hints
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Start this project early in the semester.
Search the UMUC library for scholarly sources on your chosen topic
Review and refresh your memory of APA style formatting.
Prepare a draft version at least 3 weeks before it is due.
Ask a classmate, friend, or family member to read your report before submitting it
to the Graduate Writing Center.
Submit your draft to the Graduate Writing Tutors at least 2 weeks before it is due.
FREE Graduate Writing Tutors can be accessed in your LEO classroom.
Make edits to your report after reviewing feedback from the writing center tutors.
Ask the manager (your professor) questions as needed.
Submit the report and presentation on or before its due date.
VI. Rubrics
Research
Report
Writing
Compete
ncies
Correct
format
Exceeds
Performance
Expectations
13.5 points
Meets
Performance
Expectations
12 points
Does Not Meet
Performance
Expectations
0 points
Clear, correct,
and concise use
of English
grammar with
no spelling or
punctuation
errors. Employs
professional
writing without
colloquial
language.
Organization is
easy to follow
and congruent
with graduate
level writing
skills.
Clear, correct,
and concise
use of English
grammar with
some spelling
and or
punctuation
errors.
Employs
professional
writing with
some
colloquial
language.
Organization is
not easy to
follow but the
submission is
written at the
graduate level.
Confusing,
incorrect, and or
wordy use of
English grammar
with many spelling
and or punctuation
errors. Employs
unprofessional
writing with a
significant amount
of colloquial
language.
Organization is not
easy to follow and
the submission is
not written at the
graduate level. Or
did not submit.
The format of
the cells,
graphs, tables,
overall report,
statement, etc.
are easy to read
and understand.
The work has a
professional
appearance.
The format of
the cells,
graphs, tables,
overall report,
statement, etc.
are mostly
easy to read
and
understand. T
he work has a
somewhat
The format of the
cells, graphs,
tables, overall
report, statement,
etc. are not easy to
read and
understand. The
work appeared
unprofessional. Or
did not submit.
professional
appearance.
Accuracy
of
numbers
Presentati
on
Content
of
Presentat
ion
Organizat
ion of
Presentat
ion
All numbers on
the are
accurate.
Most of the
numbers on
the work are
accurate.
Most of the
numbers on the
work are
inaccurate. Or did
not submit.
Exceeds
Performance
Expectations
10.1 points
Meets
Performance
Expectations
9 points
Does Not Meet
Performance
Expectations
0 points
Information on
the face of
slides is
accurate and
relevant, and all
academic
references are
included where
necessary and
per APA
guidelines.
Information on
the face of the
slides is mostly
accurate and
relevant with
only a few
minor errors;
all academic
references are
not presented
and or not in
APA format.
Information on the
face of the slides is
inaccurate and or
irrelevant; academic
references are not
provided or not in
APA format. Or did
not submit.
Slide
sequencing is
logical and tells
“a story” that
walks the
audience
Slide
sequencing is
mostly logical
and tells “a
story” that
walks the
Slide sequencing is
illogical. The slides
may tell a story, but
not in an organized
Notes to
the
Slides
Audio
Enhance
ment
through
explanations,
steps in a
process, or
other
dimensions of
the
presentation.
audience
through
explanations,
steps in a
process, or
other
dimensions of
the
presentation.
manner. Or, did
not submit.
Notes are
presented on all
slides and
match the audio
perfectly.
Notes are
presented on
most of the
slides and
match the
audio for the
most part.
Notes are not
presented on most
of the slides and
they do not match
the audio for the
most part. Or did
not submit.
Audio file is
clear and
without any
static. Speaker
enunciates
clearly, uses full
sentences, and
speaks at a
reasonable
pace throughout
the
presentation. T
he timing of the
presentation fits
the
requirements of
the project. The
quality of the
audio suggests
Audio file is
clear and
without static
for the most
part. Speaker
enunciates
clearly, uses
full sentences,
and speaks at
a reasonable
pace for most
of the
presentation.
The timing of
the
presentation
may be 1
minute too
Audio file is not
clear and may
contain static. The
speaker is difficult
to understand, may
speak too slowly or
too fast for most of
the
presentation. The
timing of the
presentation may
be 2 or more
minutes too short or
too long. Overall,
the presentation is
not polished nor
professional. Or,
did not submit.
it was
rehearsed.
Citation
APA
Style
short or too
long.
Exceeds
Performance
Expectations
9 points
Meets
Performance
Expectations
8 points
Does Not Meet
Performance
Expectations
0 points
Includes
sufficient
credible
sources from
peer reviewed
journals,
academic,
and/or
professional
resources. All
sources are
cited per APA
style, including
properly cited
in-text citations.
The reference
list is complete
and accurate.
Wikipedia,
Investopedia,
and other nonacademic
resources were
not used.
Includes some
credible
sources from
peer reviewed
journals,
academic,
and/or
professional
resources. So
me of the
sources are
cited per APA
style, including
properly cited
in-text
citations. The
reference list
is complete
and mostly
accurate.
Wikipedia,
Investopedia,
and other nonacademic
resources
were not used.
Includes few
credible sources
from peer reviewed
journals, academic,
and/or professional
resources. Many
sources are not
cited or incorrectly
cited per APA style,
including properly
cited in-text
citations. The
reference list is
incomplete and
inaccurate.
Wikipedia,
Investopedia, and
other nonacademic
resources were
used. Or, did not
submit.
Overall
Score
Exceeds
Performance
Expectations
90 or more
Meets
Performance
Expectations
80 or more
Does Not Meet
Performance
Expectations
0 or more