SITUATION ANALYSIS CHECK LIST
To help you ensure your situation analysis is complete, here is a list of items the grader will look for
when grading your papers. I highly recommend that you use this as a check list. Please note
however, the mere presence of the topic in your paper is not enough to warrant a good grade. It is
the quality of the coverage and the clarity of your work that matters. All the items shown on this
checklist will be graded.
COMPANY
Maximum 2 pages; add charts & graphs to the appendixes
Company description
Mission and Goals
SWOT
Maximum 3 pages;add charts & graphs to the appendixes (SWOT table in body of the paper)
SWOT Table (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) -Text in the tables could be single spaced
SWOT Description
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
Maximum 3 pages; add charts & graphs to the appendixes
SWOT Table for at least 2 competitors -Text in the tables could be single spaced
State your “educated” opinion regarding “gaps” in the market and trends at industry level
CUSTOMER ANALYSIS
Maximum 3 pages; add charts & graphs to the appendixes
Define the segment(s) (be specific with your segmentation variables)
Identify the Needs and Wants for the segment(s)
MARKETING & PRODUCT OBJECTIVES
Maximum 3 pages; add charts & graphs to the appendixes
Current market and Target Markets (Be specific)
New product/Service (Present your new/revised product(s)/Service(s) here)
Positioning (Perceptual map required)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (Write ES only after you have completed all sections of the paper)
Maximum 2 pages
Two-page, double space, executive summary is given at beginning
Summarizes the whole document CLEARLY AND CONCISELY
MKT304 – Prof. Sean Keyani
Last Revised: 2/13/16
SA Checklist: Page 1 of 3
SITUATION ANALYSIS CHECK LIST
Notes:
Be consistent with your references. You may use any professionally accepted format (this is noted
on your contract) as long as you use it consistently throughout the paper.
I would highly recommend using the automatic “References\Citations and Bibliography – \Table
of Contents” in MS Word (“Reference tools” for Macintosh computers). For web reference
guidance for both MLA or APA format, you may look to: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
For library resources; please use the following links:
http://library.calstate.edu/northridge/databases/subject/business-economics
http://library.csun.edu/ResearchAssistance/AskUs
When using web sources, remember to reference the actual source of your data or information, not
the search engine you used to get to the source. GOOGLE, for instance, is NOT a source, nor is
library.csun.edu. They are the vehicles you used to find your source. Any web citations should include
the full URL address as well as the date you received information from that URL address. Sources
should also be CREDIBLE. For instance, Wikipedia should not be used as a source in your paper – it
is not a credible source for information (this doesn’t mean that you can’t use it, you just need to go
to the direct source to find the credible information).
FORMAT OF THE PAPER
Does not exceed the page limits
(Max 16 pages excluding cover page, table of contents, executive summary, references page and appendixes)
Pages have numbers (Page X of Y format)
Appropriate 12 point font size, double-spaced, one-inch margins
MUST CITE ALL INFORMATION (otherwise = plagiarism = F)
Provide a reference section at the end of the paper in correct style/format
Edit/proofread and use correct Spelling and Grammar
Use tables/charts/graphs effectively to present information
Use an appropriate tone and write clearly
MKT304 – Prof. Sean Keyani
Last Revised: 2/13/16
SA Checklist: Page 2 of 3
SITUATION ANALYSIS CHECK LIST
Important Reminders:
• Be sure to cover all the items on the SA checklist. You may want to use items of the checklist as a
headings/sub-headings in your paper.
• Refrain from adding definitions from your textbook to “fill” the paper.
• Your feelings, perceptions and experiences as a consumer are not necessarily facts. This is a
research-based paper so, it cannot be based on what you feel or assume is true. It MUST be
based on research and facts. In other words, DO NOT ASSUME because you and/or your team
have a certain perception about a product, market, company, etc. all consumers will have the same
perceptions as you do.
• Your paper MUST have in-text citations throughout the paper and a reference page at the end of
the paper.
• Be sure to follow the formatting guidelines listed on page 2 of the SA checklist.
• Be sure NOT to copy and paste material from internet or other teams’ work(s) into your paper.
Please note that you will submit this paper on Turnitin too and note that “plagiarism=F”
• Your paper does not have to be 16 pages, 16 is the maximum number of pages allowed for this
paper.
• If you have problems within your team, I expect you to be able to resolve any conflict as adults.
It is important that you focus on the goal, work together and complete the paper in time. All
students in this class will have a chance to review their teammates and provide a peer evaluation
to me at the end of the semester. I take peer evaluations very seriously.
• Tone of the paper: if you’re not sure, you can assume that you are a consulting firm creating this
SA for the company you’re working on.
• Please refer to syllabus for important information regarding late submissions.
• Each team needs to submit ONE copy of the SA paper on Turnitin and ONE copy of the paper for
grading. There are two separate links for these two on moodle and their deadlines are different.
Only ONE person per team will upload the two copies of the paper into moodle.
• Files MUST be in .doc or .docx format.
• First upload, into Turnitin, must to be done by 11:00 p.m. the day before due date.
• Second upload, for grading, must be done by on the due date (Please refer to syllabus for due
dates)
MKT304 – Prof. Sean Keyani
Last Revised: 2/13/16
SA Checklist: Page 3 of 3