Excel Student Project
Overview
Select some statistical or financial aspect of an area of interest. Examples could include sports performance statistics; population statistics; university enrollment statistics; financial performance data of single department, business or entire industry; price data over time and/or in different regions of a commodity such as gasoline; price differences/ranges for a product purchased online or between, say, WalMart, Kmart, or Target. The analysis must analyze percentage change as well as numerical change. You should also briefly discuss possible reasons behind the changes in numbers, although this will be conjecture on your part. It should appear plausible, though (see examples, below).
The aspect you choose must be focused enough to analyze in
some depth but not so narrow that your analysis is simplistic or silly. Your analysis should support conclusions that
you will draw and explain in an accompanying two-page report. It should list
and explain all your assumptions (see
Text Project 3).
Example 1: You choose to explore FGCU’s growth since it opened by looking at yearly enrollment figures. You locate this data (probably available online and certainly available at the library; please feel free to consult me for help in locating data) input these figures into tables, and chart those figures in graphs, thus presenting the growth in both numerical/statistical and visual terms. Your analysis would include comparison of year to year growth in different years—e.g., growth from Fall 2000-to Fall 2001, and growth from Fall 2001 to Fall 2002. The analysis should also include a predictive and/or what-if element. That is, in describing growth trends over current and past years, it would also predict Fall 2003 enrollment based on this data, and certain assumptions. This applies to all projects regardless of subject: they should predict some statistical or financial outcome drawn from projecting/trending out your data over time into the near (or far if you wish) future.
Returning to the above enrollment example, you would explain your analysis and conclusions in an accompanying report. You would say something like this, supported by and referring to the data, tables and charts:
“FGCU has grown steadily since its
doors opened in 1997. 1st
year enrollments was just such and such.
By Fall 2002, enrollment had reached such and
such. The greatest yearly increase by
number was from Fall 200? to Fall 200?. The greatest percentage increase was from
Fall 199? To Fall 199?. Recent large increases might in part be
attributed to the downturn in the local and national economies, as more people
are out of work or underemployed and seeking to improve their employability. This might also or alternatively reflect stepped
up advertising and marketing by the University.”
Example 2: You analyze athletic performance statistics in an ongoing or just completed season, or over a career to date (please choose a current athlete or team, not a retired athlete or past team). Again, you should project those statistics over the full season or over upcoming seasons (through the remainder of a projected career). For instance, you can analyze Ricky Williams’ (Miami Dolphins running back) rushing and or/ receiving yards to date this season, projecting them statistically over the entire season. Your analysis, presented statistically and explained in an accompanying report, might demonstrate/say something such as this:
“Williams’s rushing totals to date, when projected over the entire season, put him on pace to rush for 1800 yards for the season. In my opinion, he is not likely to reach that level, however, because opponents will increasingly key on him, and he is likely to tire or be slowed down by injuries as the season wears on.”
In the above example, your analysis, to be reasonably complete, should include overall career and previous year summary statistics.
Extra credit: You will receive up to ten points extra credit by including, in addition to the required predictive/projection component, a what-if scenario based on some event altering the trends. For example, you could include a what-if scenario in which Ricky Williams is injured and does not play for some number of games; or, in the case of the enrollment example, a neighboring college such as International College, Edison, USF or FIU radically restricts enrollment, thereby potentially causing a surge of enrollment at FGCU (you would base your what-if scenario assumption on some formula, a percentage or ratio). The what-if scenario should be included as a distinct and appropriately labeled worksheet within your project workbook.
Guidelines and
Required Elements
Your analysis should be accomplished via multiple worksheets
(meaningfully labeled) within a single workbook file. It should include several
tables (at least 3, one of which should be a summary table presenting your most
important conclusions, and one of which should be a data table upon which data
output depends; see required elements
below for more information) and at least two charts, all of which must be
appropriately labeled, meaningful, and correctly and attractively formatted. You must submit the project in electronic
format. You must additionally submit the
Excel workbook component of the project in printed format. Your name MUST be prominently featured on
every page of the Workbook as well as on every page of the accompanying Word
documents (report and cover letter).
Please DO NOT submit the cover letter and report in hard copy—only the
workbook. The printed version of the Workbook
must be formatted so that data tables and charts are not cut-off from page to
page. The information should not be too
small to read comfortably. You will be marked down in cases where
elements are cut off or overly miniaturized in the electronic or printed
version.
Your project is to include a separate brief report (2 – 3 pages including charts and tables) describing the major points of the analysis and the conclusions you draw from it, referring to specific worksheets in the Excel workbook you create, and include a copy of at least one of the charts and one of the summary tables from your workbook. The report should refer to and explain the relevance/implications of the tables and charts to your analysis. It should also list the sources of you data in a references section at the end (follow the general guidelines from the Word research paper).
Your project is also to include a merged cover letter to the people listed in a table I will provide (the same table from the Word test). The cover letter should relate to the analysis, presenting it as an example of your work, as in the Word Project.
Required elements:
Excel Workbook/Worksheets
· Multiple, meaningfully labeled worksheets within a single workbook.
· Your name prominent on every worksheet.
· The source(s) of you data provided on main worksheet, including name of publication and/or person, and url (website info) if applicable.
· Workbook (including multiple worksheets) must be submitted electronically AND in hardcopy form (printed out on paper).
· At least three tables and two charts. One of the tables must be a data table that functions as the basis for output (see text project 4). Another of the tables must summarize your conclusions. The tables and charts must all be coherent, logically consistent, meaningful (not trivial), attractive, and suitably titled and labeled. See the Excel text projects 1-6 for examples.
·
Formulas and functions must be used at every
point where they are called for. Failure to use formulas and functions
appropriately and correctly will result in severe grade mark downs. See text project 2 especially.
· A predictive component, based on projecting past and current data and trends to some point in the future. These projections must be based on formulas and functions. They should be clearly presented as projections. See text project 3 especially.
Word Report
· 2-3 pages, formatted similarly to research paper in the Word section of the course.
· Must include at least one chart and one table copied (or linked) from the Workbook (see me for explanation and demonstration of object linking and embedding)
· Reference section attributing the source(s) of your data.
Cover Letter
· Must be formatted exactly like previous Word cover letters.
· Must be merged using the 5 person table I provide.
Conclusion
Do a good job and have fun. Don’t spend too much time gathering data. Concentrate on presenting your information and conclusions logically and attractively, in a well organized package. Seek my help and that of your peers and others for areas you’re struggling with. Use the text as your main reference. Use Excel Help. Come up with a meaningful analysis that is not trivial or overly obvious.
Good luck.