engineering economy

Select one mutual fund from each of three different firms. Acquire information about the funds, their policies, their costs, etc. Track and graph the value(s) of the funds from starting week 2 through ending week 11. Determine your before-tax rate of return on each of the funds (including your costs of investment). Assess the relative performance of each of the funds

Note: There are a large number of sites on www from which information and guidance can be acquired. For example, you will find several sites if you use the key word “mutual fund” and “investment” in the search engine of Google or Yahoo.

A one-page Project Status Report is due on week ending 5. This is mandatory for every student to submit it and will not be graded. It is used to monitor your progress. If you miss the deadline, you will lose the grade for final report. The report should briefly describe the work accomplished to date. The report must be typed.

The final Project Report is due on week ending 12, and should include:
• Abstract (one paragraph)
• Description of Purpose (maximum one paragraph)
• Statement of Process (maximum one page)
• Presentation and Discussion of Results (maximum four pages)
• Appendixes (to include copy of status report plus supporting documentation, including references as appropriate)

? Written communication rubric posted on Moodle will be used to grade your term project. Therefore, you must use it before you submit your final report.
? The report must be typed, double-spaced, using an easily-read font with standard margins, on 8-1/2″ x ll” paper.
? It is expected that proper English grammar, spelling and sentence structure will be used.
? The report should be stapled in the upper-left-hand comer and no covers or bindings should be used.
? Spreadsheets should be used for data analysis, and graphical representations must be computer-generated.
? It is a fundamental principle of academic integrity that the authorship of the intellectual content of work that is submitted as part of a class assignment must be fairly represented. Contributions of language and thought must be appropriately credited; submissions that do not do so are not acceptable.

Written Communications Scoring Rubric

Excellent (4)    Good (3)    Adequate (2)    Weak (1)
ABSTRACT/SUMMARY: Papers are expected to summarize the contents by briefly conveying the paper’s essential information.    The abstract/summary is concisely written and presents the assignment’s objectives, methods, and results obtained.    The abstract/summary presents nearly all the assignment’s objectives, methods, and results obtained.  It may lack conciseness.    The abstract/summary presents many of the assignment’s objectives, methods, and results obtained.  It may lack conciseness.    The paper fails to provide an abstract/summary or presents only a few of the assignment’s objectives, methods, and results obtained.
RESPONSE TO ASSIGNMENT:
Papers are expected to completely address the topic and requirements set forth in the assignment.      The paper responds to the assignment and addresses the topic and all requirements.    The paper responds to the assignment and addresses the topic and nearly all requirements.    The paper addresses the topic and responds to most of the requirements of the assignment.     The paper does not respond to many of the requirements of the assignment or responds in a superficial, simplistic, or disjointed manner.
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION:
Papers are expected to provide an appropriate level of analysis, discussion and evaluation including consideration of alternatives as required by the assignment.    Gathered material is completely analyzed and evaluated, providing support for main points with reasons, explanations, and examples as appropriate including a complete analysis of any appropriate alternatives.    Gathered material is analyzed and evaluated and appropriate reasons, explanations, and examples are given for most of the main points.  Some analysis of alternatives is done if appropriate to the assignment.    Most of the gathered material is analyzed and evaluated and many of the main points are supported with reasons, explanations, or examples.  Some alternatives are identified if appropriate to the assignment.    The depth of analysis and evaluation of the gathered material is inadequate or not all the main points are supported with reasons, explanations, or examples, and may include unnecessary material.
ORGANIZATION AND FORM:
Papers are expected to be well-organized in overall structure and show good form and format including the use of appropriate diagrams, tables, and other figures, and all sources used are appropriately referenced.    The paper is well-structured; its organization contributes to its purpose.  The form and format, including an appropriate use of diagrams, tables, and other figures, facilitate the overall understanding and readability of the paper, and all sources used are appropriately referenced.    The paper is generally well-structured, with only a few flaws in overall organization.  The form and format are adequate and, for the most part, appropriate diagrams, tables, and other figures are used to aid in its understanding and readability, and appropriate references are given for sources used.    The structure of the paper is adequate for the most part, but it contains several organizational flaws. The form and format are adequate for the most part but contain some flaws or the paper is missing some necessary diagrams, tables, or figures, or it fails to appropriately reference all sources used.    The paper is poorly structured; organizational flaws undermine its effectiveness.  The form and format detract from its effectiveness or insufficient diagrams, tables, or other figures are provided to aid understanding and readability.  Sources are not appropriately referenced.
WRITING STYLE, GRAMMAR AND MECHANICS:
Papers are expected to be stylistically effective – that is, to contain well-structured sentences, well-chosen words, and an appropriate tone, as a means of achieving its purpose. They are also expected to maintain sentence level correctness in terms of syntax, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.    The sentence structure, word choice, fluency, and tone of the paper enhance its effectiveness and reinforce its purpose. The syntax, grammar, spelling, and punctuation are correct.    The sentence structure, word choice, fluency, and tone of the paper contribute to its effectiveness and adequately support its purpose, and sentence level errors do not seriously detract from the paper’s effectiveness.    The sentence structure, word choice, fluency, and tone of the paper are adequate for the most part, but there are some instances of poor word choices, lack of fluency, inappropriate tone or sentence level errors that occasionally detract from the paper’s effectiveness.    The sentence structure, word choice, fluency, and tone of the paper detract from its effectiveness or are inappropriate to its purpose and/or sentence level errors are so frequent and disruptive that they detract from the paper’s effectiveness.
CONCLUSIONS:
Papers are expected to draw appropriate conclusions based on its content or findings and make recommendations as appropriate.    The paper draws a complete set of valid conclusions based on its content or findings and makes appropriate recommendations.    The paper draws conclusions and makes recommendations as appropriate that are largely complete and valid.     The paper draws some appropriate conclusions and makes some appropriate recommendations.    The paper fails to draws valid conclusions or the conclusions drawn are incomplete, and it fails to make appropriate recommendations.

engineering economy

Select one mutual fund from each of three different firms. Acquire information about the funds, their policies, their costs, etc. Track and graph the value(s) of the funds from starting week 2 through ending week 11. Determine your before-tax rate of return on each of the funds (including your costs of investment). Assess the relative performance of each of the funds

Note: There are a large number of sites on www from which information and guidance can be acquired. For example, you will find several sites if you use the key word “mutual fund” and “investment” in the search engine of Google or Yahoo.

A one-page Project Status Report is due on week ending 5. This is mandatory for every student to submit it and will not be graded. It is used to monitor your progress. If you miss the deadline, you will lose the grade for final report. The report should briefly describe the work accomplished to date. The report must be typed.

The final Project Report is due on week ending 12, and should include:
• Abstract (one paragraph)
• Description of Purpose (maximum one paragraph)
• Statement of Process (maximum one page)
• Presentation and Discussion of Results (maximum four pages)
• Appendixes (to include copy of status report plus supporting documentation, including references as appropriate)

? Written communication rubric posted on Moodle will be used to grade your term project. Therefore, you must use it before you submit your final report.
? The report must be typed, double-spaced, using an easily-read font with standard margins, on 8-1/2″ x ll” paper.
? It is expected that proper English grammar, spelling and sentence structure will be used.
? The report should be stapled in the upper-left-hand comer and no covers or bindings should be used.
? Spreadsheets should be used for data analysis, and graphical representations must be computer-generated.
? It is a fundamental principle of academic integrity that the authorship of the intellectual content of work that is submitted as part of a class assignment must be fairly represented. Contributions of language and thought must be appropriately credited; submissions that do not do so are not acceptable.

Written Communications Scoring Rubric

Excellent (4)    Good (3)    Adequate (2)    Weak (1)
ABSTRACT/SUMMARY: Papers are expected to summarize the contents by briefly conveying the paper’s essential information.    The abstract/summary is concisely written and presents the assignment’s objectives, methods, and results obtained.    The abstract/summary presents nearly all the assignment’s objectives, methods, and results obtained.  It may lack conciseness.    The abstract/summary presents many of the assignment’s objectives, methods, and results obtained.  It may lack conciseness.    The paper fails to provide an abstract/summary or presents only a few of the assignment’s objectives, methods, and results obtained.
RESPONSE TO ASSIGNMENT:
Papers are expected to completely address the topic and requirements set forth in the assignment.      The paper responds to the assignment and addresses the topic and all requirements.    The paper responds to the assignment and addresses the topic and nearly all requirements.    The paper addresses the topic and responds to most of the requirements of the assignment.     The paper does not respond to many of the requirements of the assignment or responds in a superficial, simplistic, or disjointed manner.
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION:
Papers are expected to provide an appropriate level of analysis, discussion and evaluation including consideration of alternatives as required by the assignment.    Gathered material is completely analyzed and evaluated, providing support for main points with reasons, explanations, and examples as appropriate including a complete analysis of any appropriate alternatives.    Gathered material is analyzed and evaluated and appropriate reasons, explanations, and examples are given for most of the main points.  Some analysis of alternatives is done if appropriate to the assignment.    Most of the gathered material is analyzed and evaluated and many of the main points are supported with reasons, explanations, or examples.  Some alternatives are identified if appropriate to the assignment.    The depth of analysis and evaluation of the gathered material is inadequate or not all the main points are supported with reasons, explanations, or examples, and may include unnecessary material.
ORGANIZATION AND FORM:
Papers are expected to be well-organized in overall structure and show good form and format including the use of appropriate diagrams, tables, and other figures, and all sources used are appropriately referenced.    The paper is well-structured; its organization contributes to its purpose.  The form and format, including an appropriate use of diagrams, tables, and other figures, facilitate the overall understanding and readability of the paper, and all sources used are appropriately referenced.    The paper is generally well-structured, with only a few flaws in overall organization.  The form and format are adequate and, for the most part, appropriate diagrams, tables, and other figures are used to aid in its understanding and readability, and appropriate references are given for sources used.    The structure of the paper is adequate for the most part, but it contains several organizational flaws. The form and format are adequate for the most part but contain some flaws or the paper is missing some necessary diagrams, tables, or figures, or it fails to appropriately reference all sources used.    The paper is poorly structured; organizational flaws undermine its effectiveness.  The form and format detract from its effectiveness or insufficient diagrams, tables, or other figures are provided to aid understanding and readability.  Sources are not appropriately referenced.
WRITING STYLE, GRAMMAR AND MECHANICS:
Papers are expected to be stylistically effective – that is, to contain well-structured sentences, well-chosen words, and an appropriate tone, as a means of achieving its purpose. They are also expected to maintain sentence level correctness in terms of syntax, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.    The sentence structure, word choice, fluency, and tone of the paper enhance its effectiveness and reinforce its purpose. The syntax, grammar, spelling, and punctuation are correct.    The sentence structure, word choice, fluency, and tone of the paper contribute to its effectiveness and adequately support its purpose, and sentence level errors do not seriously detract from the paper’s effectiveness.    The sentence structure, word choice, fluency, and tone of the paper are adequate for the most part, but there are some instances of poor word choices, lack of fluency, inappropriate tone or sentence level errors that occasionally detract from the paper’s effectiveness.    The sentence structure, word choice, fluency, and tone of the paper detract from its effectiveness or are inappropriate to its purpose and/or sentence level errors are so frequent and disruptive that they detract from the paper’s effectiveness.
CONCLUSIONS:
Papers are expected to draw appropriate conclusions based on its content or findings and make recommendations as appropriate.    The paper draws a complete set of valid conclusions based on its content or findings and makes appropriate recommendations.    The paper draws conclusions and makes recommendations as appropriate that are largely complete and valid.     The paper draws some appropriate conclusions and makes some appropriate recommendations.    The paper fails to draws valid conclusions or the conclusions drawn are incomplete, and it fails to make appropriate recommendations.