Topics for the review/critique
Description of how to do LITERATURE REVIEW/CRITIQUE
Task requirements
Format and printing requirements
Submission requirements
Provision of topics for the review/critique
You must select one of the following eight topics.
Category A: The state of reforms and regulation 8 years after the global financial
crisis
Topics 1‐3:
1. Has regulation succeeded in reducing financial sector leverage?
2. What is the current state of regulation around the globe? Who is ahead?
3. What is the current status of Basel III? Is the financial system already
overregulated?
Category B: How regulators are dealing with ongoing issues – market
infrastructure reform
Topics 4‐6:
4. Electronic trading issues: High frequency trading (HFT) and market glitches: Is
the solution a forced slow down?
5. Are the newly formed central counterparties (CCPs) the next “too big to fail”
entities?
6. From over the counter trading to clearing corporation to exchanges
Category C: From idiosyncratic to systemic risk
Topics 7‐8:
7. Do corporates and banks need a new approach to bankruptcy prediction?
8. How reliable are the corporate and banks financial statements in estimating
default risk?
Description of how to do LITERATURE REVIEW/CRITIQUE
You need to write a literature review/critique for a specific topic.
The aim of a literature review is to show “that the writer has studied existing work in
the field with insight” (Haywood and Wragg, 1982). It is not enough merely to show
what others in the field have discovered. You need to view the work of others with
insight to review critically. An effective review analyses and synthesizes material, and it
should meet the following requirements (Caulley, 1992):
1. The review traditionally provides a historical overview of the theory and the
research literature, with a special emphasis on the literature specific to the topic.
2. The review must be shaped by a focus on key areas of interest, including research
which provides a background to the topic.
3. It should also be selective – start with the overview and then quickly narrow into
discussing the research that relates to your specific topic.
4. Compare and contrast different authors’ views on an issue.
5. Another way of looking at the process is to think of you as a film director (Rudestam
and Newton, 1992). You can think of providing your audience with:
a. Long shots to provide a solid sense of the background;
b. Middle distance shots where the key figures and elements to be examined are
brought clearly into view;
c. Close‐up shots where the precise focus of your work is pinpointed.
6. Classify a group of authors who draw similar conclusions. Note areas where authors
are in disagreement.
7. Criticize aspects of methodology.
8. Highlight exemplary studies.
9. Identify patterns of trends in the literature.
10.
Highlight gaps and omissions in previous research or questions left unanswered.
11. Conclude by summarizing what the literature says.
12. Comment and suggest potential research opportunity in the field.
‘Literature’ should include journal articles. In your literature review, at least six key
journal articles should be included.
Task requirements
1. The assignment MUST be completed individually.
2. You must address the question of the topic chosen, and provide the literature
review/critique following the instructions provided above.
3. The maximum length of the essay (including abstract, body text, references and
appendices) is 1,500 words. Essays exceeding the word limit will be penalised
with 10% penalty.
4. An abstract of no more than 200 words is to preface the essay.
5. All essays must include a list of references in academic form using the Harvard
citation style. All sourced material, including direct quotations, must be
appropriately acknowledged.
6. Use your own words. Reference wherever necessary. Do NOT plagiarise.
7. Do NOT cooperate with others. Any collusion will be treated seriously and
penalised.
Format and printing requirements
1. Please ensure that an assignment coversheet is attached to the front of the
assignment. Clearly state the topic number that you have attempted on the
coversheet. Failure to do so will result in a 5% penalty.
2. The assignment must be typed (word processed), in font size 12 with 1.5 line
spacing, on one side of the paper only.
3. Pages are to be consecutively numbered.