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I have been reading some of your advice on here while finalising my rap. One thing that has concerned me is that you often mention gross profit margin as crucial. While I would have included it for a manufacturing or retail company, given airlines are a service industry I had actually eschewed GPM and only focused on revenue, net profit, and industry specific profitability ratios around ask/rpk etc. I have also looked at all cost elements. I am wondering if I should go back and add it in?
@jenecho – Don’t worry as long as you have covered operating profit / net profit well. The markers expect some significant emphasis on profitability so as long as you explain your reasons for not focusing on GP that should be OK especially if you have included some of the important KPIs. There are usually no hard and fast rules but a good evaluation should normally cover revenue, profit, liquidity, gearing and investor ratios but be tailored to the industry with sensible appropriate commentary
@trephena
Thanks for your guidance all along. One little thing i wanna clear,I have used different colors and styles for all graphs of my ratios. Do all my charts/graphs need to be in same color and style? or i can use different models. Coz i have seen some online mentor websites discouraging use of different colors and different styles. Secondly, i have written my in RAP in ‘ defualt Calibri font’, though the size is between 10 to 12 for headings and descriptions. Should it be Aerial? or is it acceptable in this font as well?
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Thanks @trephena.
I have another question. Trying to cut my words down and I have seen mention of list of abbreviations which may help but don’t want to annoy the marker.
In the past I have always thought best practise was to write the full name the first time plus acronym in brackets eg international air transport association (IATA) and then use the acronym after. If I actually create a specific list is this still necessary? And with industry specific common terms like IATA and rpk, should I assume that he marker has already read a dozen airline raps and knows what it is already so the list of abbreviations is just a courtesy?
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To be clear I am not suggesting that I don’t need the expanded abbreviations at all, more a question of which will annoy the marker less- an initial expansion within the text, or a separate list. And if a list is OK then is it OK to make it an appendix, otherwise he word count isn’t improved!
Also, where would you put reference to sources for charts and graphs? I currently have them in the main document, so they are counted in the word count, but could put them into the excel graphs so that they are not counted by word- or would that make the examiner think you are manipulating the word count? I don’t have any tables etc pasted as pictures, I am just talking about pie/line/column charts
@ Trephena
hi i completed my research work and tested it on plagiarism software online got 1% of similarity. i wanted to know for how much % of plagiarism is acceptable and can you advice me any link so that i can test my project on a more reliable system
thank you
Hi Vinessen,
Which software did you use? I would love to test my rap as well.
Thank youHi i used a software online called plagramme. type it on google you will have it
@jenecho – The protocol is to use the full name with acronym first time. Then as long as you have an abbreviation list as an appendix it should be fine (this is actually preferable than having a list at the being forcing the marker to keep having to scroll up and down) . You could put the references on the graphs themselves. I think generally markers only get annoyed where tables have been used extensively to avoid the word count limit or they drown in an ocean of abbreviations. Otherwise they will turn a blind eye to a few words potentially over the limit
@vinessen – such a program can only match external sources and can’t match to other student’swork – this is because only Turnitin has the student papers in its repository. So 1% should be fine for you (but if a student copies from external sources and another student does the same the match count on the OBU program will count this and produce a higher score) but don’t worry it is unlikely to push you into the ‘danger zone’.- Topics: 0
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@Trephena, Thank you so much for your help.
I have identified my word count issues in that part two is way too long- in particular the explanations of accounting techniques used at 1200 words!! Please can you tell me what you would expect to see in this section. I have explained different types of financial analysis, and different types of ratio with reference to sources. Then I have explained each ratio I will undertake in (probably too much) detail, explaining how it is calculated and why if non-standard, again referring to sources, and what the uses and limitations are.
I am thinking that maybe I should lose nearly all this section and go down to 2-300 words and just give
types of financial analysis eg trend, benchmark, ratios
types of ratios eg profitability, liquidity etc
limitationsIn which case, a) would you expect to see a list of the specific ratios to be calculated at all?
and b) would you expect an explanation of the specific ratios anywhere at all in the main document or in a glossary?
and c) where the ratio is non-standard, eg a gearing or ROCE ratio that includes lease adjustments, where would you explain this- in section two or the relevant part of section 3 when you are looking at gearing or roce?Obviously my section 2 is way too long but I don’t know whether I still need the explanations but move them into part 3, which will not actually help the overall word count!
My research is based on Ryanair vs EasyJet. Is there a maximum word count guidance on each ratio? I have very detailed analysis of operating profit margin where the word count is 700 words but can easily reduce it to 600. The word count on the other ratios are considerably less, below 300. I have been asked by my mentor to ensure all ratio analysis have no more than 300 words each. I am struggling to reduce my operating profit margin word count as I lose the detailed analysis I have carried out and the referencing.
My whole report is currently at 7490 words.
Please help. Any advise is appreciated.
Part 2 ->your,research approach, types of sources, choice of models and theory, basic definitions, LIMITATIONS . Ratio formulae and calculations go in appendix but any specific explanations put in part 3
It is impossible to prescribe how much to write for each ratio. All I can say is let your graphs do the talking and only cite numbers where they are significant otherwise you will be a victim of Death by Numbers. Students simply fail to realise how boring a passage of text is when it is crammed full of numbers and it all becomes a meaningless morass of figures and more figures instead of informative text that sets out proper explanations.
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Thanks trephena. No worries, my rap is more like death by charts and graphs than numbers! Removing the excess formulae/ratio calculations should help my word count. Is there any need to specifically lay out the formulae for ratios in my excel appendices or can I assume the marker will follow the active excel formulae behind the charts and tables?
@trephena
Is that ok to write Questions in SLS or it should be written in long essay of 2000 words without any question on top?First note this question should have been posted on the appropriate forum topic as it is NOT about airlines!!! Then please read my comments on SKS 2000 word count and Rule REVERTED.
Dear Trephena,
Should I adjust profits? I mean my mentor asked me to adjust profits for exceptional items, but it’s hard as most of the IFRS have not been studied in f7.
Any advice?
Regards,
Ehsan- Topics: 0
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Hi Trephena.
I am targeting submission period 33 and have chosen topic 8 and Easyjet as my main company against Raynair but noticed that the two have different reporting date therefore quickly my question is and I dont want to repeat what you explained all along in this thread…….. since March 2016 results for Raynair has not been published yet can I use the 2015 results of both companies?
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Hi Trephena.
I am targeting submission period 33 and have chosen topic 8 and Easyjet as my main company against Raynair but noticed that the two have different reporting date therefore quickly my question is and I dont want to repeat what you explained all along in this thread…….. since March 2016 results for Raynair has not been published yet can I use the 2015 results of both companies?
Please advise?
You have to use the latest available for your main company otherwise it is am automatic fail. You can prepare most of your work and either adjust the comparator section later as is likely that Ryanair (note the correct spelling) will have produced their latest age well before you submit. Otherwise you use Ryanair.s previous year results (provided that this complies with the 3 month rule set out in the Info Pack) and explain any limitations of using them
Hey there, I need help. To be honest, I’m lost.I have been researching and researching for the last week, to find two suitable comparators, but its been a futile exercise. I have read and re read all 122 posts of this topic, and I’m sorry, but I still don’t know what to do.
I like the airline industry, its very much more interesting, as compared to the other topics. but I cant seem to matched airlines to use as competitors. My main is British Airways. Are AirFranceKLM or Lufthansa group suitable competitors? they are both groups and HUGE ones at that. Would I need to use the IAG group as a direct competitor? Is the competitor supposed to be a Europeon Airline?Its difficult to find competitor airlines with the same yearend and the same currency, based in the same country(so I’m not even trying to match any of these), and if I give up and use Singapore Airlines, is CathayPacific a good competitor. HELP pleaseI’m searching for airlines of same currency.
If I choose any airlines of different currency than it will be difficult to compare both companies amounts, as we have to convert a lots of figures and amounts so that you can compare and comment respectivelyBy the way I tried to compare Emirates airlines with Eithad airlines, but the problem with Eithad airline is that, it is not that competitive as Emirates airline is.
So can someone kindly advice me of such airlines(competitors) which are using same home currency or international currency such dollar for example and are competitive in the same time.
The whole point of using ratios is that it obviates the need for currency translations. (I am sure I have mentioned this previously several times on our forum). The only time currency becomes a potential ‘problem’ is when comparing revenues so what you do is compare year on year growth instead.
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