The role of critical evaluation in finance: evidence from an MSc in finance programme

This article explores how prepared MSc in Finance students at a British University were for a research based dissertation; how much they knew about independent research prior to starting the dissertation; and how the University assisted them during this research work. Three changes were carried out within the programme with the main aim of immersing students in research practices. Students were provided with the opportunity to discuss and evaluate critically the methodologies and findings of real research studies in Finance.
Thus, the study provides practical suggestions on how to support the students' experience of dissertation work. Furthermore, this article contributes to the literature on what constitutes research in Finance and on how students can learn about standards of academic validation, by offering a subject-specific perspective on information literacy.

Pre-refereed item as permitted by publisher.