Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read Chapters 1 and 2 of your textbook.
Imagine that you are hired as a data analyst for a bank. The bank would like to learn more about its customers’ spending and banking habits to identify areas of improvement. You have been asked to review the bank’s income statements over the last 5 years and identify trends that will allow them to better understand their customers.
Download your chosen bank’s annual income statements from the last 5 years from the Mergent database in the Ashford University Library. Review the Getting Started with Mergent resource for tips on accessing and searching the Mergent database. Use the “Company Financials” tab in Mergent to access the income statements.
Identify three variables or categories that the bank may be interested in further researching, such as sales or revenue. Using these three variables or categories, build a frequency table, a bar chart, and a pie chart using Excel. Review the Microsoft Excel Help Guide (Links to an external site.) for resources to help utilize Microsoft Excel. You will be using the same three variables in each table and chart, so the same data will be displayed in three different formats.
After creating the three tables, which of the tables and charts do you find most useful for communicating information about the bank’s customers? Write a brief case report summarizing your analysis and results.
In your paper,
Identify three variables in the income statements that the bank may be interested further researching to learn more about its customers.
Develop a frequency table, a bar chart, and a pie chart using variables in the income statements for your bank.
Analyze the table and charts to find the most useful information for communicating information about the bank’s customers.
Summarize your analysis and results, including how the charts were useful in your research.
The Turning Variables Into Knowledge paper
Must be two to three double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages, charts or tables), and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA Style (Links to an external site.) resource.
Must include a separate title page with the following:
Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Date submitted
Grading Rubric
Identifies Three Variables in the Income Statements which the Bank May Consider for Customer Research
Total: 1.00
Distinguished - Clearly and accurately identifies three variables in the income statements which the bank may consider for customer research.
Proficient - Identifies three variables in the income statements which the bank may consider for customer research. Minor details are slightly unclear or inaccurate.
Basic - Vaguely identifies three variables in the income statements which the bank may consider for customer research. Relevant details are unclear and/or inaccurate.
Below Expectations - Attempts to identify three variables in the income statements which the bank may consider for customer research; however, significant details are unclear and inaccurate.
Non-Performance - The three variables in the income statements which the bank may consider for customer research are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.
Develops a Frequency Table, a Bar Chart, and a Pie Chart Using Variables in the Income Statements for the Bank
Total: 1.00
Distinguished - Develops a thorough frequency table, a bar chart, and a pie chart using variables in the income statements for the bank.
Proficient - Develops a frequency table, a bar chart, and a pie chart using variables in the income statements for the bank. Minor details are missing.
Basic - Develops a partial frequency table, a bar chart, and a pie chart using variables in the income statements for the bank. Relevant details are missing.
Below Expectations - Attempts to develop a frequency table, a bar chart, and a pie chart using variables in the income statements for the bank; however, significant details are missing.
Non-Performance - The frequency table, bar chart, and pie chart using variables in the income statements for the bank are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.
Analyzes the Table and Charts to Find the Most Useful Information for Communicating Information Regarding the Bank’s Customers
Total: 1.00
Distinguished - Comprehensively analyzes the table and charts to find the most useful information for communicating information regarding the bank’s customers.
Proficient - Analyzes the table and charts to find the most useful information for communicating information regarding the bank’s customers. The analysis is slightly underdeveloped.
Basic - Partially analyzes the table and charts to find the most useful information for communicating information regarding the bank’s customers. The analysis is underdeveloped.
Below Expectations - Attempts to analyze the table and charts to find the most useful information for communicating information regarding the bank’s customers; however, the analysis is significantly underdeveloped.
Non-Performance - The analysis of the table and charts to find the most useful information for communicating information regarding the bank’s customers is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.
Summarizes the Analysis and Results, Including How the Charts Were Useful in the Research
Total: 1.50
Distinguished - Thoroughly summarizes the analysis and results, including how the charts were useful in the research.
Proficient - Summarizes the analysis and results, including how the charts were useful in the research. Minor details are missing.
Basic - Minimally summarizes the analysis and results, including how the charts were useful in the research. Relevant details are missing.
Below Expectations - Attempts to summarize the analysis and results, including how the charts were useful in the research; however, significant details are missing.
Non-Performance -The summary of the analysis and results, including how the charts were useful in the research is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.
Written Communication: Control of Syntax and Mechanics
Total: 0.75
Distinguished - Displays meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains no errors and is very easy to understand.
Proficient - Displays comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains only a few minor errors and is mostly easy to understand.
Basic - Displays basic comprehension of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains a few errors which may slightly distract the reader.
Below Expectations - Fails to display basic comprehension of syntax or mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains major errors which distract the reader.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: APA Formatting
Total: 0.75
Distinguished - Accurately uses APA formatting consistently throughout the paper, title page, and reference page.
Proficient - Exhibits APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout contains a few minor errors.
Basic - Exhibits limited knowledge of APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout does not meet all APA requirements.
Below Expectations - Fails to exhibit basic knowledge of APA formatting. There are frequent errors, making the layout difficult to distinguish as APA.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: Page Requirement
Total: 0.50
Distinguished - The length of the paper is equivalent to the required number of correctly formatted pages.
Proficient - The length of the paper is nearly equivalent to the required number of correctly formatted pages.
Basic - The length of the paper is equivalent to at least three quarters of the required number of correctly formatted pages.
Below Expectations - The length of the paper is equivalent to at least one half of the required number of correctly formatted pages.
Non-Performance - The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.