Citing a financial model..?
What is typically considered standard when you use a model you found online as far as citing goes? I found a template online, "reverse engineered" it (which took me awhile lol) and slightly improved it with number customization along with additional features.
How should I go about citing this model or do I not need to? The reason I pulled the model to begin with is because I had never done this type of modelling before and needed a reference point.
Any advice is sincerely appreciated.
Thanks, macro_surfer
It depends. If what you took out of the model was "generic" (calculating FCF for a DCF), I think the academic standard would say you don't really need to cite. However, if there was proprietary knowledge in the model (a specific calc for options value etc.) then you should probably highlight that.
I'd give you this piece of advice: if someone has questions (or if there is a mistake) can you stand by your work? Even if people use templates that have been around "forever" and a mistake is found on your watch you own it.
I can stand by my work and could do it from scratch at this point. It would take me a good amount of time but could still do it.
Its not your everyday model but all calculations are standard. Its more or less my presentation of it is identical which worries me. I went ahead and cited it.
Is this for a class? There's little to no downside to over-citing, and the risk is you get called out for plagiarizing, so I'd just always over-cite.
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