Course Co-Ordinator
Associate Professor Janice Loftus
Location: 13:10, Level 13, 10 Pulteney Street (Nexus 10)
Telephone: 8313 1024
email: janice.loftus@adelaide.edu.au

Teaching Assistant
Jessica Yi
email: jessica.yi@adelaide.edu.au

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1. Apply knowledge of accounting techniques, concepts, principles and theories to solve financial reporting problems.
2. Apply a structured decision model to exercise judgement in the application of accounting standards.
3. Work in teams to design and undertake a research project.
4. Effectively utilise oral and written communication skills to communicate to peers.
5. Apply the code of ethics for professional accountants to make sound decisions.

Rankin, M., P. Stanton, S. McGowan, K. Ferlauto and M. Tilling, Contemporary Issues in Accounting, 2012, John Wiley and Sons, Australia.* AND

Financial Reporting Handbook 2017, John Wiley & Sons, Australia (CAANZ Handbook).*

* E-book is available.

Students are permitted to use earlier editions of the Handbook but may place themselves at a disadvantage in doing so.

Please note: The 2017 Handbook will also be very helpful to those studying Corporate Accounting III.

Readings
At relevant sections of the course additional prescribed readings elaborate on, or supplement, items in the prescribed texts. These readings are provided via links on the course website (MyUni) or are available in the Barr Smith library.

If you are seeking additional reading in relation to assumed knowledge you should refer to:

• Deegan, C. (2014). Financial Accounting Theory, 4th Edition.McGraw-Hill, Australia.
• Godfrey, J., A. Hodgson, A. Tarca, J. Hamilton and S. Holmes, Accounting Theory, 7th Edition, 2010, John Wiley and Sons, Australia.
• Henderson, S., G. Peirson, K. Herbohn, T. Artiach and B. Howieson (2017) Issues in Financial Accounting, 16th edition. Pearson Education Australia.
• Leo, K., J. Knapp, S.McGowan and J. Sweeting (2015) Company Accounting, 10th Edition, John Wiley & Sons Australia.
• Loftus, J., K. Leo, N. Boys, S. Daniliuc, B. Luke, H.N. Ang and K. Byrnes, (2015) Financial Reporting, John Wiley & Sons Australia
• Loftus, J., K. Leo, R. Picker, V. Wise and K. Clark (2013), Understanding Australian Accounting Standards, 3rd Edition, John Wiley & Sons Australia.
• Picker, R., K. Clark, J. Dunn, D. Kolitz, G. Livne, J. Loftus and L. van der Tas, (2016), Applying IFRS Standards, 4th Edition, Wiley.

Resources to assist in developing communication skills:

The writing centre provides academic learning and language development services and resources for local and international students including drop-in consultations: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/

An internationally recognised volunteer program is also available to provide language support for students from non-English speaking backgrounds who have an additional need to improve their oral communication: http://international.adelaide.edu.au/life/connecting/talkaussies/

Students should refer to the course website for certain required readings and additional references as directed. The website also includes links to some useful websites.

https://myuni.adelaide.edu.au/webapps/login/

At this advanced level of study you are much more responsible for the quality of your learning than when you first entered university. Accordingly, active rather than passive learning is emphasised. For each topic there are self-study questions; and tutorial questions.

Self-study questions

Self-study questions facilitate your comprehension of the content of the prescribed readings. Guidance on self-study questions is provided on MyUni. Your learning will be enhanced by attempting the questions before referring to the guidance notes to assess your response.

Tutorial questions

Tutorial questions are generally more challenging than self-study questions because they emphasise analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information, as well as the development of creative solutions to problems. There are two types of tutorial questions:

• Tutorial questions that you should attempt in preparation for the tutorial, and which are submitted electronically as homework; and
• In-class activities, which are to be completed during tutorials.

Students in this course are expected to attend one lecture and one tutorial class each week.
· Lectures : 2 hours per week, commencing Tuesday 25 July
· Tutorials: 1.5 hours per week, Tutorials START week commencing Monday, 31 July 2017

The University expects full-time students (i.e. those taking 12 units/semester) to devote a total of 48 hours/week to their studies. Accounting Theory III is a three-unit course and you are expected to commit 8 - 9 hours of private study outside of your regular classes.

Wk       Starting               Topic
               PART I – ACCOUNTING REGULATION AND THE NEED FOR JUDGEMENT
1         24/07/17              Topic 1: Why we need to exercise judgement in applying principles-based accounting standards
               PART II – WHAT IS AN ACCOUNTING POLICY AND HOW TO CHOOSE ONE
2         31/07/17              Topic 2: Definition and recognition
3         07/08/17              Topic 3: Measurement and disclosure
4         14/08/17              Communication skills - Critiquing writing and SGDE Guidance
5         21/08/17              Mid-semester test held during scheduled lecture time Tuesday 22 August
6         28/08/17              Topic 4: How to choose an accounting policy
               PART III – OVERARCHING ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
7         04/09/17              Topic 5: The role of ethics in accounting
               PART IV - GATHERING EVIDENCE
8         11/09/17              Topic 6: Economic consequences of accounting policy choice- agencey theory
        MID-SEMESTER BREAK   
9         03/10/17              Topic 7: Capital markets research
10       09/10/17              Communication skills: Report writing for SGDE reports
               PART V – ACCOUNTING POLICY DECISION MODEL APPLIED
11       16/10/17               Topic 8: Social & environmental reporting and accounting for carbon trading
12       23/10/17               Revision and Exam skills

The third-year stage of the the University of Adelaide Small Group Discovery Experience (SGDE) for accounting is implemented in this course. Students can either form their own group of five members from the same tutorial, or be placed in a group by staff.

Several skills workshops will be provided to help you (and your small group) on your journey of discovery. The skills workshops will be accommodated within the usual lecture timetable. The skills workshops will cover analysing questions, accessing on-line materials, giving and using feedback, research, oral presentation and report writing.

Assessment Summary
A variety of assessment tasks are used to reflect your knowledge and understanding of the content covered and your progress in achieving the learning objectives for Accounting Theory III. 

Requirements
To pass this course, a mark of at least 50% must be obtained on the final exam, as well as a total of at least 50% overall. Students not achieving the minimum exam mark will be awarded no more than 49.

Assignment Guidelines including Referencing Details: Correct referencing is important because it identifies the source of the ideas and arguments that you present and helps to avoid the problem of plagiarism. This course makes use of the “Harvard” system of referencing. Guidelines for the use of this style of referencing can be found in the Communication Skills Guide:
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/professions/current-students/downloads-forms/ This booklet also provides guidelines on a range of other important communication skills (including writing essays and reports, making oral presentations etc.).

Late Assignment Submission: Students are expected to submit their work by the due date to maintain fairness and equity. Extensions will generally only be given for medical or other serious reasons. All requests for extensions must be emailed to the lecturer in charge of the course before the due date. Each request will be assessed on its merits. Unless subject to an extension (by prior arrangement) assignments will be penalised by a 10% mark reduction (10% of the maximum mark) for each day, or part thereof, that it is late.

Extensions for assignments may be granted under special circumstances. An extension request based on illness or exceptional personal circumstances must include the Supporting Statement/Certification Form, of the Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment application form at: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/exams/mod_arrange.html
Students applying for an extension based on medical reasons must visit their medical practitioner, with that approved University form, and have the medical practitioner complete it. A doctor's certificate will not be accepted. Any student seeking an extension must contact the course co-ordinator PRIOR to the due date. Extensions, except on medical grounds, cannot be given after the due date.

Marking of Assignments: Staff will aim to complete marking communicate feedback and grades to students within three weeks of submission.

Assessment Detail
The assessment components are as follows:

Individual Assignment 8%
Course learning outcomes 1, 3 and 4.
Due Date: Tuesday, 19 September 2017, on or before 6.00 p.m.

Mid-semester Test (Week 5) 16%
A one hour, closed-book test will covering topics one to three, inclusive. This assessment task relates to course learning outcomes 1 and 4. Further details, including location(s), will be posted on MyUni. There will be no face-to-face lecture in week 5.

Tutorial Activities: 12%
This assessment task relates to learning outcomes 1 - 4. Marks are NOT awarded for merely attending tutorials. Tutorial participation marks will be awarded for participation in various activities, including:
· Writing tasks (average of two) (4 marks)
· Homework (4 marks), and
· Engagement in general class discussion and in-class activities (4 marks).

Short-Answer Writing Tasks: The first writing tasks will be on topic 1 and held during tutorials in the week commencing  7 August
(Week 3). The second writing task will be held during tutorials in the week commencing 11 September (Week 8). The second writing task will be based on topic 4. Writing tasks will be scheduled at the beginning of tutorial classes, unless specified otherwise by your tutor. Writing tasks can only be taken in your enrolled tutorial. Missed tests cannot be 'made up' on another occasion for any reason (including medical). Requests for special consideration may be made in accordance with University policy and, if granted, will be addressed by reweighting of assessment. The writing tasks are intended to help develop your written communication skills.

Homework: Completed homowork must be uploaded on MyUni each week by 6.00 p.m  on the day before your scheduled tutoiral. The homework will be assessed four times per semester. Students are not given prior knowledge of the weeks in which homework will be assessed. Tutors do not provide feedback on submitted homework. It is the responsibility of students to take additional notes, etc. during tutorials.

Engagement in General Discussion: This is an assessment of your ability to answer questions when your tutor directs a question to you as well as contributing to general class discussion and in-class activities. Demonstrating that you have prepared answers to tutorial questions and being willing to discuss them in class is an important part of tutorial participation. Your participation will be assessed on how often you engage in class discussion of tutorial questions, the quality of your contribution and the extent to which you comply with appropriate tutorial etiquette (as described in this course outline under Teaching and learning Activities – Teaching and learning modes). The full range of the marking scale may be used – if you attend every tutorial but make no contribution, you should expect to be awarded zero for this assessment item.

Research Report on Small Group Discovery Experience (SGDE)  14%

This assessment task relates to course learning outcomes 1,3,4 and 5. This course will facilitate the third-year SGDE for the accounting plan of the Bachelor of Commerce. Assessment of your participation
in the SGDE will be based on a group report:
·        Individual contribution to a group presentation in tutorials in week 11     (4 marks)
·        Group mark awarded for written submission due 11.59 p.m. on the day of your scheduled tutorial in week 12 (week commencing 23 October 2017) (10 marks)

Each group will also give a 10-minute presentation of their SGDE proposal (research questions and methods) in tutorials in week 6
for formative feedback:

·  Feedback on your research proposal from your group’s mentor; and
·  Feedback on your presentation skills from your tutor.

The first oral presentation (week 6) will be assessed for the purpose of providing formative feedback only, and will not be counted towards your grade. The marking rubric for the group tutorial presentations will be posted on MyUni to assist you in your preparation. The same rubric will be used to assess the oral presentation in week 11.

Final Exam 50%
There will be a three-hour exam. This assessment task relates to course learning outcomes 1 - 5. The Financial Reporting Handbook will be permitted in the final examination (Hard copies only; e-books not permitted). This must be unannotated and contain no inserts or other material and no sticky tabs. It is permissible for the Handbook to include highlighted text. Handbooks will be checked and offenders may face penalties for cheating. In this course, only calculators incapable of storing text are permitted in the final examination. You are not permitted to take a DICTIONARY (English or English-Foreign) into the examination. Legible hand-writing and the quality of English expression are considered to be integral parts of the assessment process. Poor or illegible handwriting may result in marks not being awarded.

Presentation of Assignments
The assignment may be completed individually or in groups of up to three students. The assignment relates to learning objectives (a) to (e). Criteria for assessing the assignment will be provided with the instructions.

· Assignments must be submitted electronically through MyUni Turnitin Assignments, which is a computer programme that detects plagiarism.
· Please retain a copy of all assignments submitted.
· All group members are expected to contribute approximately equally to a group assignment.

We acknowledge the contribution of feedback from past students in our endeavours to providing a more effective learning environment.

The vast majority of students agreed that the course has clearly identified learning outcomes, is well organised, uses appropriate strategies to engage in learning, uses on-line resources and technologies to support learning and is supported by effective feedback. Responses were more dispersed in relation to workload (72% broad agreement) and methods of assessment (74% broad agreement).

Individual comments are dispersed and sometimes contradictory, reflecting the diversity of learning needs and approaches to learning within the enrolment.

SGDE was introduced in 2016 in conjunction with the University of Adelaide strategy for teaching and learning. Frequently recurring comments about the SGDE activity and the course response (in italics) are summarised below:

The SGDE report was the best part of the course.

It was a bit too much to have the small group assignment as we were really busy with revisions for other course but we still have assignments to deal with for this course when it is week 12 or 13.

Staff allocation of students to SGDE groups is dumb.

It was good not having to find my own group. Everyone just did the job.

Although we removed a topic, reduced other assessment tasks, and linked the individual assignment to the SGDE project, to avoid workload problems, further consideration was given to workload issues in designing assessments in semester 2. This included further reduction to the scope of the individual assignment and bringing forward the presentation to facilitate better time management for finalising the report. While these initiatives alleviated the problem to some extent, the following changes were introduced in 2017 in response to student feedback:

1. Learning activities will be organised to ensure that SGDE groups will have had their first meeting with their mentor before the mid-semester break to facilitate better time management.

2. In semester 1 we will trialed allowing students the opportunity to self-select into a SGDE group by the end of week 2. However, students will not be required to do so.

UPDATE FROM THE TRIAL
As many students took advantage of this opporuntity we have decided to continue the practice in semester 2 of 2017.