All Students,

I have had several request concerning the content and scope of your research paper which is worth 400 total points. So, I will summarize what is expected. The "Research Assignment" which is posted to Brightspace (formerly referred to as D2L) and was sent to you previously in an email covers all of the general requirements. At a minimum, I expect at least a 25 page research paper excludingattachments and exhibits) to provide the relevant information and analysis. This will be submitted in the Drop-Box in Brightspace/D2L when you have completed this assignment. The paper should be double-spaced with a normal font size for the print (either a 10 to 12 font).

Your research paper should be typed (double spaced) in a Word document where you will have your primary discussion. However, you may have Excel attachments which you may use for capturing the necessary financial data and then performing the necessary ratios or calculations you deem appropriate (which would be excluded as part of the minimum 25 pages).

Such as you may show earnings per share (EPS) information by showing "identifying" the formula for obtaining this information and then showing your calculation on the Excel worksheet (attachments). Hint: it should agree with the information on the 10K. You may wish to refer to your textbook for all of the formulas that you "may" need to perform.

Note: Always use the latest 10K which is available (which should be for the calendar year 2015)?

First: You are provided a Group of companies: A thru F which is on page two of the research assignment. I expect you to pick from this group of companies (you will be working with two companies for comparative analysis). However, you may select a different company that you are familiar with but you will then be required to provide a competitive company in the same industry for comparative analysis and you must get approval first if you do not like the list of companies provided.

Second: As the instructions provided, you will use only one of the companies with a group as your primary entity to perform all of the analysis as required in items 1 thru 4 listed on the research assignment:

Your Primary Entity: such as Group "F" and you plan on using "Caterpillar"

1. Primary Line of Business - as noted in the research assignment.

2. Public Accounting Firm Opinion - discuss as provided in the research assignment.

3. A selected list of financial information from the financial statements.

4. Answer the questions as identified on the research assignment.

Third: You will perform a comparative analysis between the two companies you have selected as a group. Therefore, if you picked Group "F" your company for comparative analysis is "Deere". As the research assignment has indicated you will use common-size financial statements & profitability ratios to evaluate your primary entity with its competitor.(Group-Fis used to compare Caterpillar to Deere and identify what you feel is relevant analyze.

I hope that this helps to clarify what is expected in regards to the research paper.