This course is designed as an introductory accounting course for graduate students, and provides an introduction to the concepts underlying external financial reporting. The unit utilises a transaction-effect approach to the preparation of financial statements. The course examines the main financial statements produced by an accounting system and the process by which these statements are prepared. The course covers fundamental issues relevant to the use of accounting information as a decision aid. Contents include accounting concepts, double entry and accrual systems of accounting, financial statements preparation and analysis. There are no prerequisites that need to be satisfied. The course assumes no previous knowledge of accounting. 

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. explain the accounting assumptions and principles underlying the financial information;
2. identify the main users of financial accounting reports, and the main purpose for which information is used;
3. understand the concepts of assets, liabilities, equity, income and expense;
4. apply accounting principles to the preparation and recording of accounting entries;
5. develop the knowledge and ability to prepare financial statements for organisations characterised by moderately complex financial transactions;
6. analyse and interpret financial statements with regard to key aspects of performance;
7. develop analytical and communication skills.

Research-Led Teaching

As part of the assessment, students will conduct research to complete the assignment which is set in a realistic business context.

Required Resources

Nobles, Mattison, Matsumura, Best, Fraser, Tan and Willett (2016) Horngren’s Accounting (8^th Edition). Publisher: Pearson Australia.

Students are expected to have access to a copy of the prescribed book for the duration of the semester. The book can be purchased from the on campus bookshop, with a small number of copies also available for 2 hour loan in the reserve loan section of the Chifley Library.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups and individuals

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Other Information

ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS

As a further academic integrity control, students may be selected for a 15 minute individual oral examination of their written assessment submissions.

Any student identified, either during the current semester or in retrospect, as having used ghost writing services will be investigated under the University’s Academic Misconduct Rule.

 

COMMUNICATION

 

Email and the Wattle Course Website

Email and the Wattle course website are the preferred ways of communication.

If necessary, the lecturer and tutors for this course will contact students on their official ANU student email address. Students should use this email address when contacting staff as spam filters used by ANU may not allow other email addresses to be received. Information about your enrolment and fees from the Registrar and Student Services' office will also be sent to this email address.

 

Announcements

Students are expected to check the Wattle site for announcements about this course, e.g. changes to timetables or notifications of cancellations. Notifications of emergency cancellations of lectures or tutorials will be posted on the door of the relevant room.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction: Accounting, business structures & regulations	[No tutorial classes this week]
2	Recording business transaction
3	The adjusting process	In-Tutorial Quiz 1
4	Completing the accounting cycle	Academic Integrity and Referencing Exercise (Due Friday 4pm)
5	Accounting for receivables and payables	In-Tutorial Quiz 2
6	Accounting for non-current liabilities & Financial statement analysis
7	Accounting for inventory
8	Internal control and cash	In-Tutorial Quiz 3
9	Accounting for non-current assets	MYOB assignment (Due Thursday 4pm)
10	Cash flow statement
11	Accounting for partnership	In-Tutorial Quiz 4
12	Accounting for companies

Tutorial Registration

Please see Wattle for tutors' information.

If you have tutorials, please copy the following:

“Tutorial signup for this course will be done via the Wattle website. Detailed information about signup times will be provided on Wattle. When tutorials are available for enrolment, follow these steps:

1. Log on to Wattle, and go to the course site.

2. Click on the link “Tutorial enrolment”

3. On the right of the screen, click on the tab “Become Member of ……” for the tutorial class you wish to enter.

4. Confirm your choice

If you need to change your enrolment, you will be able to do so by clicking on the tab “Leave group…” and then re-enrol in another group. You will not be able to enrol in groups that have reached their maximum number. Please note that enrolment in ISIS must be finalised for you to have access to Wattle.”

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Academic Integrity and Referencing (AIR) Workshop & Individual Writing Assignment	5 %	20/03/2020	20/04/2020	7
In-Tutorial Quizzes	6 %	10/03/2020	16/03/2020	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Homework exercises and tutorial preparation	4 %	10/03/2020	16/06/2020	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
MYOB Group Assignment	15 %	07/05/2020	31/05/2020	3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Final Examination	70 %	06/06/2020	04/07/2020	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Examination(s)

Materials Permitted In The Exam Venue:

• Calculator (non programmable)
• Dictionary–Unannotated paper-based English translation dictionary (no approval required)

Assessment Task 1

Academic Integrity and Referencing (AIR) Workshop & Individual Writing Assignment

• Students must attend the Academic Integrity and Referencing Workshop (conducted by the Academic Skills and Learning Centre) prior to submitting this assessment. Attendance at the Academic Integrity and Referencing Workshop is compulsory.
• This is an individual assessment. The writing exercise examines your ability to appropriately reference scholarly research in preparation for your project.
• Assessment criteria: Clear, coherent and cohesive expression and presentation with correct referencing.

Due: Week 4 Friday - 4:00:00 pm.

Value: 5%

Hurdle Assessment requirements: Attendance in the Academic Integrity and Referencing Workshop and the submission of this assignment are necessary to pass the course.

Assessment Task 2

In-Tutorial Quizzes

• Students will be required to sit four (4) in-tutorial quizzes throughout the semester.
• These quizzes will be run according to the schedule on class structure (unless otherwise notified by the lecturer).
• The coverage of each quiz will be on topics after the last quiz, up to and including the previous week’s lecture topic(s).
• Each quiz takes 10 – 20 minutes in duration, and will be held any time during the tutorial (students are strongly advised to be punctual in these weeks).
• Only the three (3) best quizzes out of the four (4) will be graded.
• For quiz marks to be considered, students are requested to sit the quiz in the tutorial they are officially enrolled in.

Due: In tutorial classes of Week 3, 5, 8 and 11. The due date listed in the assessment summary is the earliest possible date.

Value: 6% (2% each)

Estimated return date: Each quiz will be returned in the following tutorial after the quiz. The return date in the assessment summary is for the first quiz.

Assessment Task 3

Homework exercises and tutorial preparation

Students are required to prepare fully for each weekly tutorial. Tutors will randomly select four (4) weeks of the semester to mark the preparedness of students for class based on their written responses to the tutorial questions for that week. This assessment will take place at the beginning of the tutorial, so students should be prepared each week to show tutors the work they have done prior to class, either on paper, or on their own personal computing device.

Submitting your work in a tutorial class that you are not registered with will not be considered. Evidence of preparation provided after the tutorial will not be accepted. A mark of zero (0) for late or no submission will be strictly enforced.

In case you cannot attend your tutorial class due to misadventure, illness or other extenuating circumstances and unforeseen events, please notify your tutor as soon as possible with supporting evidence (such as medical certificates). If you were excused for absence, unless for illnesses, please email the scans/photos of your homework to your tutor before your class begins in order to have your homework considered for marking.

Due Date: Four (4) random collections between Weeks 3 and 12. This assessment task is assessed in tutorial classes.

Value: 4% (1 mark each)

Marks will be allocated according to the following:

0/1: Limited or no evidence of preparation for tutorial, mostly incomplete responses. Or, student has copied answers from previous year tutorials.

0.5/1: Evidence that most questions have been attempted to a reasonable level.

1/1: Evidence of thorough and complete preparation on all questions.

Assessment Task 4

MYOB Group Assignment

This is a group assignment. A group may either have three (3) or four (4) members only. Group members can be any students enrolled in BUSN7008 (i.e. members may come from different tutorial classes). It is advisable to start looking for –and choose wisely– your group members as soon as possible. Please note conflicts among group members shall be expected. The successful handling of group conflicts also forms part of the assessment.

The assignment will be released on Wattle in Week 6. Students are expected to self-learn MYOB and complete an MYOB practice set. Through completing an accounting cycle with the MYOB software in a realistic commercial scenario and writing up a business analysis report, students will gain the technical skills, practical experience and develop analytical and communication skills.

Please be aware of the time investment in learning a new accounting software is substantial -- it is advisable to set (and stick to) a plan to self-learn the software and complete this exercise well before the assignment due date. 

Late submissions will not be accepted.

Group size: Either three (3) or four (4) members in a group.

Due: Week 9 Thursday - 4:00:00 pm.

Value: 15%

Assessment Task 5

Final Examination

The final examination lasts for 3 hours plus 15 minutes of reading time before the exam begins. The final examination covers all topics in this course. The examination is closed-book, with no formula sheet provided.

Value: 70%

Centrally administered examinations through Examinations, Graduations & Prizes will be timetabled prior to the examination period. The due date listed in the assessment summary is the earliest possible date. Please check ANU Timetabling for further information. Exam scripts will not be returned. Students may review their exam scripts by appointment during scheduled sessions at the RSA School Office.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.

The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with.

The Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

Online Submission

Academic Integrity and Referencing Exercise is submitted using Turnitin in the Academic Integrity and Referencing Wattle site. MYOB group assignment is submitted using Turnitin in BUSN7008 Wattle site. You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education).

Besides using Turnitin to submit the group assignment, students are also required to submit a copy of the MYOB group assignment in the slot under the counter of the RSA office by 4pm on the due date. All assignments are cleared, sorted and date-stamped at 4pm on due date. Do not hand your assignment to the lecturer or tutor. If you intend to submit the assignment prior to the due date, you must advise the office staff in advance of your intention to do so. Hard copy assignment submission must include the RSA cover sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission not permitted. Submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

During teaching periods assignments will be returned during tutorials. All assessments must be collected by students. All uncollected assessments will be securely destroyed.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Resubmission of assignments is not applicable. 

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students