ACCTING 7019 - Accounting Concepts and Methods (M)
North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2020
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General Course Information
Course Details
Course Code ACCTING 7019 Course Accounting Concepts and Methods (M) Coordinating Unit Adelaide Business School Term Semester 2 Level Postgraduate Coursework Location/s North Terrace Campus Units 3 Contact Up to 3 hours per week Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y Corequisites COMMERCE 7033/CORPFIN 7033 Incompatible ACCTING 7000 Assessment Exam/assignments/tests/tutorial work as prescribed at first lecture Course Staff
Course Coordinator: Wei Xu
Teaching in Semester 1
Dr. Wei Li
The University of Adelaide Business School
Level 13, Room 13.31
10 Pulteney Street
The University of Adelaide, AUSTRALIA 5005
Ph : +61 8 8313 0508
e-mail: wei.li02@adelaide.edu.au
Web: https://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/wei.li02
Teaching in Semester 2
Dr. Wei Xu
The University of Adelaide Business School
Level 13, Room 13.25
10 Pulteney Street
The University of Adelaide, AUSTRALIA 5005
Ph : +61 8 8313 8124
e-mail: wei.xu01@adelaide.edu.au
Course Timetable
The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.
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Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1 Identify, measure, record and communicate financial information for the purpose of providing general purpose financial reports in accordance with the Conceptual Framework and Australian Accounting Standards. 2 Conduct research of a practical nature by sourcing data and using basic analysis techniques to make informed judgements. 3 Explain the purpose of, and factors which influence the content of, financial statements. 4 Compare and contrast different business structures and relevant accounting practices. 5 Communicate accounting information and research findings in a professional manner. 6 Critically reflect on own learning. University Graduate Attributes
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:
University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s) Deep discipline knowledge
- informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
- acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
- accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
1 - 5 Critical thinking and problem solving
- steeped in research methods and rigor
- based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
- demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
1 - 5 Teamwork and communication skills
- developed from, with, and via the SGDE
- honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
- encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
1, 2, 3, 5 Career and leadership readiness
- technology savvy
- professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
- forward thinking and well informed
- tested and validated by work based experiences
1 - 6 Intercultural and ethical competency
- adept at operating in other cultures
- comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
- able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
- demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
2 Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
- a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
- open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
- able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
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Learning Resources
Required Resources
Text Books:
During this course we will be making extensive use of the electronic resources associated with the text:
Financial Accounting, 6th Edition by Carlon, Mladenovic-McAlpine, Lee, Mitrione, Kirk and Wong.
To increase your success in this course you should have WileyPlus associated with the text. From this link http://www.wileydirect.com.au/buy/financial-accounting-reporting-analysis-and-decision-making-6th-edition/ you can purchase the eText + WileyPLUS.
Financial press:
In this course, we may use articles from the financial press to illustrate the concepts discussed and for the research assignment. All major newspapers have a business section and many are currently on the internet. The Australian Financial Review is the most comprehensive financial newspaper in Australia.
Use of the internet:
Accounting Concepts and Methods (M) will make use of various internet sites which are accounting related. Access to the internet can be via the library or various computer pools located within the university.
AASB Conceptual Framework and Standards:
Other resources such as the Accounting Conceptual Framework and Accounting Standards will be provided on MyUni.Online Learning
Many course resources are available on the course website: www.myuni.adelaide.edu.au, including:
- Lecture and tutorial documents;
- Sample exams and suggested solutions; and
- Assessment task related documents.
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Learning & Teaching Activities
Learning & Teaching Modes
Design of this course is based on facilitating learning in an environment where you are actively engaged by applying abstract concepts to practical problems that are meaningful to you. By giving you a range of activities and time to reflect on what you have learnt you get the opportunity to build up a good understanding which you can demonstrate through assessment tasks at appropriate times throughout the semester. The course design has been well thought out to help you learn but it will only work if you put the effort in and work consistently throughout the semester. If you do work consistently there is no reason why you will not do well.
There are four key activities:
1. Pre-class activity – Preparation
Each week you should read through the appropriate chapter of the text book before the lecture. Do this online by following the link in the weekly module on MyUni. Read the eBook and watch and do the interactive activities. These are often a series of slides and animations with audio which explain key concepts followed by something for you to do. You are not expected to be able to do activities 100% correctly at this stage but you should at least watch and attempt them as it will give you a broad overview of the weekly topic which enables you to get maximum benefit from the following lecture and tutorial time. After reading the relevant chapter and activities you should also have a first attempt at the relevant online activity.
2. In-class activities – Understanding
Having completed the preparation you can come to the lecture and tutorial ready to actively listen and participate in discussion and activities. The lecturer or tutor will not need to labour the key terms, as they were covered in the preparation and minimal explanation should see you grasp these concepts. Examples will be worked through, questions asked and answered, concepts compared, discussed, and relationships formed with previous work. This will build up your body of knowledge and understanding. All of the weekly material will be not be covered in each class. The activities are designed so that you can use the skills you have learnt to answer the remaining questions. A guide for students is provided at the end of each week to assist in your revision.
3. Real World application – Consolidation
Many of our examples use simplified data to enable understanding. The real test comes in applying the concepts you have learnt to real company annual reports. What this does is take an abstract concept demonstrated in simplified examples in the textbook and lectures/tutorials and illustrates that concept in its full complexity in a real world setting. You are given activities to do in the Research Project with real annual reports; such as finding key elements and calculating key ratios. Through applying your knowledge in this way, you will consolidate your understanding. The research project is a team activity. You should approach this as a “team” and work closely together to find the required information and discuss your annual reports. Much can be learnt through helping each other to discover items and through discussing concepts.
4. Assessment - Demonstration
At various points throughout the semester and ultimately at the end of semester you will complete assessment tasks. These are individual and team tasks and the final exam which gives you an opportunity to demonstrate that you have achieved the learning outcomes of the course. In addition, and most importantly, you get feedback and find out which concepts you are struggling with so that you can work on these areas.Workload
The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
The University expects full-time students (i.e. those taking 12 units per semester) to devote a total of 48 hours per week to their studies. This means that you are expected to commit approximately 9 hours for a three-unit course or 13 hours for a four-unit course of private study outside of your regular classes.
Students in this course are expected to attend all lectures throughout the semester plus one tutorial class each week.Learning Activities Summary
The following topics are covered:
1. An introduction to accounting (and introduction to the general purpose financial statements and the Conceptual Framework)
2. The recording process
3. Accrual accounting concepts
4. Inventories and reporting and analysing inventory
5. Accounting information systems
6. Reporting and analysing cash and receivables
7. Reporting and analysing non-current assets
8. Reporting and analysing liabilities
9. Accounting and analysing equity
10. Cash flow statements
11. Analysing and integrating GAAP (an in-depth look at the Conceptual Framework)
An outline for each topic will be made available on MyUni. -
Assessment
The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:
- Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
- Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
- Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
- Assessment must maintain academic standards.
Assessment Summary
ASSESSMENTS DUE DATE WEIGHTING LEARNING OUTCOMES Weekly Multiple Choice Questions Before the start of each lecture. 5% 1, 3, 4 Consultation At least twice
(one before mid-semester break, the other after)5% 5, 6 Six Fortnightly Online Extended Activities Weeks 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 12. 15% 1, 3, 4 Research Project Week 8 (to be confirmed - see handout on MyUni) 20% 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Final Examination Date to be confirmed - 3 hours + reading time (10 minutes) 55% 1, 3, 4, 5 TOTAL 100% Assessment Related Requirements
To gain a pass for this course, a mark of at least 50% must be obtained on the final examination as well as a total of at least 50% overall result.
Students not achieving the minimum final examination mark will be awarded no more than 49 for the course.
Assessment Detail
Weekly Online Activities 5%
Each week before the lecture you should have a first attempt at the online activity. There is no time limit and you may do these as often as you like up until the end of semester. This activity is designed to help you to understand the course content and is not a test of your understanding. You are encouraged to try the activities after reading the text to gauge how much you understand and again after having completed the relevant tutorial. You will be notified of the suggested time you should first attempt these on MyUni (the due date is before the weekly lecture time), however please note that you may attempt them multiple times up until the end of week 12. For each attempt you will get different questions. Regardless of how many attempts you make, your highest attempt will be counted. You should refer to your text and notes and discuss issues with your fellow students which will aid your understanding of the content. In particular, don’t just focus on the right answer, often understanding can be gained by reflecting on why the wrong answers are incorrect.
Consultation 5%
Consultation is helpful to clarify confusion of knowledge and assessment requirements. You are expected to book and attend a consultation with your tutor at least twice during the semester. One is before the mid-semester break, the other is after. This is the minimum requirement. You are encouraged to take advantage of the consultation time to improve your understanding each week anytime you need. You may visit on your own, with another student, or bring your research project team members.
Six Fortnightly Online Extended Activities 15%
In the relevant week at a designated time you will get a short online activity. This will be a timed activity and is designed for you to test your knowledge of the previous weeks’ content. This will give you timely feedback on your level of understanding. Each activity is available once, it is not multiple attempts like the weekly activities.
Research Project 20%
The research project brings together the key concepts that you have learnt in the early weeks of the course and allows you to demonstrate your knowledge in a real world context through the use of company annual reports. This project will be worked on in team of four (4) and should be approached as a “team” event. That is, everyone working together and helping each other to discuss the requirements and derive an outcome. An excellent project will be one that is presented in a professional manner, provides the information asked for, and is seamlessly put together and not dis-jointed. Extensive guidance will be provided on the project requirements.
Final Exam 55%
There will be a three-hour examination covering all topics studied in the course. The examination will be online and open-book assessment. The quality of English expression is considered to be integral parts of the assessment process and there will be short written answer questions. The exam will consist of multiple choice, problem based and written questions. Sample exams and suggested solutions will be provided on MyUni.Submission
Presentation of the Research Project
A copy of the Business School's Communication Skills Guide may assist you in preparing your assignments. A copy of this guide can be downloaded from https://www.adelaide.edu.au/professions/students/professions-support-hub#documents-and-links This publication also provides guidelines on a range of other important communication skills including how to write essays and management reports, making oral presentations, short answer, etc.
In preparing any written piece of assessment for your postgraduate studies, it is important to draw on the relevant 'literature' to support critical analysis. Also essential is to reference the literature used. Correct referencing is important because it identifies the source of the ideas and arguments that you present, and sometimes the source of the actual words you use, and helps to avoid the problem of plagiarism. The Harvard System is widely used in the Business School. Guidelines for the use of this style of referencing can be found in the Communication Skills Guide.
Please retain a copy of all assignments submitted.
The research project is submitted by one group member only via MyUni.
Online submission confirms your acknowledgement of the University’s policy on plagiarism (refer below to the Academic Honesty Policy under 'Policies and Guidelines'). Students must NOT submit work for an assignment that has previously been submitted for this course or any other course without prior approval from the lecturer-in-charge.
Late Assignment Submission
Students are expected to submit their work by the due date to maintain a fair and equitable system. Extensions will generally only be given for medical or other serious reasons.
If practical requests for extensions should be emailed to the lecturer-in-charge of the course a minimum of 5 days before the due date. Each request will be assessed on its merits. A late assignment (without prior arrangement) may be penalised by 20% of the total assignment mark for each day that it is late. Requests for extensions after the due date must be made with supporting documentation by completing the Application for Assessment Extension form within seven (7) days of the task due date. If possible an alternative time to complete the assessment will be negotiated. The nature and form of the documentation to accompany a request for an extension must be in accordance with the instructions of the Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment (see below under 'Policies and Guidelines'). Students who fail to submit any piece of assessment and fail to provide adequate supporting documentation to the Course Coordinator will be awarded a score of zero for that component of the course assessment.
Return of Assignments and Tests to students
Online assessment tasks are marked automatically with results and feedback available on completion. We will aim to mark and return the research project to students within two (2) weeks of the due date with feedback. These will be marked online and available via MyUni.Course Grading
Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:
M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme) Grade Mark Description FNS Fail No Submission F 1-49 Fail P 50-64 Pass C 65-74 Credit D 75-84 Distinction HD 85-100 High Distinction CN Continuing NFE No Formal Examination RP Result Pending Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.
Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.
Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.
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Student Feedback
The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.
SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
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Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
- Academic Credit Arrangements Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progress by Coursework Students Policy
- Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy
- Copyright Compliance Policy
- Coursework Academic Programs Policy
- Elder Conservatorium of Music Noise Management Plan
- Intellectual Property Policy
- IT Acceptable Use and Security Policy
- Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment Policy
- Reasonable Adjustments to Learning, Teaching & Assessment for Students with a Disability Policy
- Student Experience of Learning and Teaching Policy
- Student Grievance Resolution Process
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