UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND BUSINESS ANALYTICS
ACCOUNTING 300-INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
SYLLABUS –SECTION B1 WINTER 2021
Instructor: Jeffrey Herzog, MAcc, CPA Email: [email protected] Meeting Time: T/Th 9:30 – 10:50 am Office Hours: By Appointment Meeting Format: Zoom Meeting Office Hours Format: Zoom Meeting
All times are stated in Mountain Time (MT) 1. Course Description and Objectives
Accounting 300 is an introductory course in accounting intended for non-business students. In this class you will be introduced to the basic concepts of financial reporting and managerial accounting. We will spend time analyzing how accountants prepare financial reports and how to become a better user of the data. An understanding of accountancy is important because
accounting is the language of business. As future stakeholders in the private and public sectors it is useful to speak, read, and understand the language.
Specific skills developed in this course include the ability to:
- Read and understand financial statements.
- Use accounting data to gauge the performance of an organization.
- Understand how different accounting policies affect the financial statements.
- Contrast and compare an organization’s net income and cash flows.
- Distinguish between financial and managerial accounting.
- Utilize basic concepts of cost accounting.
- Generate and implement annual budgets.
2. Academic Integrity
Absolute and complete academic honesty is expected of you in this course. It is important for you as a student to behave in an ethical manner.
The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online at
https://www.ualberta.ca/governance/resources/policies-standards-and-codes-of-conduct/code-of- student-behaviour) and avoid any behaviour that could potentially result in suspicions of
cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence.
Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.
3. Course Outlines
Policies about course outlines can be found in the University Calendar1.
1 University Regulations – Academic Regulations – Evaluation Procedures and Grading System – Course Requirements, Evaluation Procedures and Grading
4. Evaluation
Your grade in this course will be based on the marks you obtain on ten (10) online quizzes, one midterm exam, and one comprehensive2 final exam. The marks will be weighted as follows to determine your percentage mark in the course:
Online Quizzes 30%
Midterm Exam 30%
Final Exam 40%
Total 100%
These grades represent the only marks available to students. No additional work or extra credit is available.
Letter grades will be assigned to percentage marks in accordance with the University Calendar3. Grades in this course will be based on a combination of absolute achievement and relative performance. Historical letter grades are roughly4 as follows:
Percentage Grade Letter Grade
95% + A+
90% - 94.99% A 85% - 89.99% A- 80% - 84.99% B+
75% - 79.99% B 70% - 74.99% B- 65% - 69.99% C+
60% - 64.99% C 56% - 59.99% C- 53% - 55.99% D+
50% - 52.99% D
<50% F
4.1 Online Quizzes
Twelve (12) scheduled online quizzes will be administered in this course through eClass. The marks for your best ten (10) of these online quizzes will count towards your final mark in the course. Online quizzes will become available one week prior to the submission deadline and will be available until 11:59 pm on the Friday they are due. Please see the tentative class schedule for due dates.
Online quizzes are to be completed individually. This means that at any time before you submit your quiz you are to be working on the quiz by yourself and not talk, email, or communicate with anyone else. The quiz should not be discussed with anyone until after the deadline has passed.
You are welcome to use any materials from the course to assist you in completing the quiz. You will have 20 minutes to write and submit each quiz, after which time the quiz will automatically submit for grading. Each quiz may cover material from the previous lecture recordings, zoom meetings, textbook readings, and chapter recommended questions assigned. You will only have one attempt at each quiz. There will be no opportunity to make up a quiz.
2 With emphasis on post-midterm material
3 University Regulations – Academic Regulations – Evaluation Procedures and Grading System – Assigning Grades
4 Actual letter grades may differ depending on class performance
4.2 Examinations
All examinations in this course will be open book and administered through eClass. You will have eighty (80) minutes to write and submit the midterm exam and two (2) hours to write and submit the final exam.
• Midterm Exam – Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 9:30 am
• Final Exam – Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at 2:00 pm
The midterm exam and final exam are to be completed individually. This means that at any time before you submit your exam you are to be working on the exam by yourself and not talk, email, or communicate with anyone else. The exam should not be discussed with anyone until after the deadline has passed.
The instructor will be readily available to answer questions via email or zoom during examinations. If students experience technological difficulties during the exam, they should contact the instructor immediately. Students should communicate the nature of the technological issue (including a screenshot if possible) and how much exam time they have lost due to the technological issue. Depending on the severity of the disruption, students may be provided with additional exam time and/or a physical copy of the exam to complete and submit via email.
Expectations for student conduct during exams are outlined in the University Calendar5. 4.3 Remarking Policy for Online Quizzes and Midterm Exam
Online quizzes will be returned to students. Grades and solutions to online quizzes will be posted on eClass following the submission deadline.
Midterm exams will be returned to students. Grades and solutions to the midterm exam will be posted on eClass after marked exams have been returned.
Students should review the marking carefully and bring to my attention any questions about their marks as soon as possible. No remarking requests will be accepted more than one week after the results have been made available. All appeals must be in writing via e-mail. Assessments
submitted for appeal may be subject to an entire review. This may result in a lower grade.
4.4 Absence from Term Work
Occasionally, life events occur that require a student to miss term work. However, excused absences are not granted automatically and will be considered only for acceptable reasons such as incapacitating illness, severe domestic affliction, or religious convictions.
Unacceptable reasons include, but are not limited to, personal events such as vacations,
weddings, or travel arrangements. When a student is absent without an acceptable excuse, a final grade will be computed using a raw score of zero for the work missed. Any student who applies for or obtains an excused absence by making false statements will be liable under the Code of Student Behaviour.
5 University Regulations – Academic Regulations – Examinations (Exams) – Conduct of Exams
4.5 Absence from Midterm Examination
If you are absent from the midterm exam for a legitimate reason, please email me within two (2) days (or as soon as possible). If the midterm is missed for an acceptable reason, the weight of the midterm will be reallocated to the final exam. Your final exam will be an additional hour and include additional questions covering midterm topics. There will be no deferred midterm exam in this course. Furthermore, I follow the policy of sending all requests for deferral to the
undergraduate office.
4.6 Absence from Final Examination
Missed final exam procedures are outlined in the University Calendar6. The deferred final exam will tentatively be held on Friday, May 7, 2021 at 9:00 am.
4.7 Final Exam Viewing and Reappraisals
Marked final exams will not be returned. If a student wishes to view their final exam, please e- mail the instructor after final grade distributions have been made to set up an appointment.
Please note that no answer key will be provided. This is not a time to ask questions about how a question should have been answered, but to review for any addition errors or marking issues.
Once final grades have been assigned, the instructor will not change the course grade except in the case of a recording or calculation error.
Please see the University Calendar for information regarding applications for final exam reappraisals7.
5. Course Materials and Activities 5.1 Textbook
Introduction to Accounting, Fourth Canadian Edition by Kimmel, Weygandt, Kieso, et al8 ISBN 9781119773078
This is a custom textbook, made up of specific chapters from the following textbooks:
Financial Accounting: Tools for Business Decision-Making, Eighth Canadian Edition by Paul D.
Kimmel, Jerry J. Weygandt, Donald E. Kieso, Barbara Trenholm, Wayne Irvine, and Christopher D, Burnley. Copyright © 2020.
Managerial Accounting: Tools for Business Decision-Making, Fifth Canadian Edition by Jerry J.
Weygandt, Paul D. Kimmel, Donald E. Kieso, and Ibrahim M. Aly. Copyright © 2018.
This text is available in an e-book (online) version. To access the e-book, you will need to create an account through WileyPLUS if you do not already have one.
6 University Regulations – Academic Regulations – Attendance – Absence from Final Exams; University
Regulations – Academic Regulations – Examinations (Exams) – Conduct of Exams – Brief Absence from an Exam, Cancellation of Paper During Exam
7 University Regulations – Academic Regulations – Examinations (Exams) – Notification of Results – Reappraisals
8 Students wishing to use older versions of the textbook must accept whatever risks are involved. Older versions of the textbook are similar, although not identical to the most current version. Textbook problem solutions will only be posted for the most current version of the textbook.
5.2 eClass
Students can view course materials and announcements on eClass. Please plan to check this site regularly and/or make sure your settings in eClass will send you emails when there are updates.
The address for eClass is https://eclass.srv.ualberta.ca.
5.3 Recommended Study Schedule
A recommended study schedule is available on eClass. Students are encouraged to adapt this schedule to fit their individual schedules.
Scheduled Tuesday classes will generally be conducted asynchronously. Students are recommended to spend this time preparing for synchronous classes by reviewing applicable sections of the textbook and viewing pre-recorded lecture videos posted on eClass.
Scheduled Thursday classes will be conducted synchronously using zoom meetings. Class time will be spent debriefing pre-recorded lecture videos and completing class exercises. Students can access the meeting links through eClass. These classes will be recorded and made available on eClass within 24 hours of class ending.
Following class, students should complete recommended textbook questions and compare their answers to the solutions posted on eClass.
Students are required to have their video turned off during zoom meetings to preserve bandwidth. Furthermore, audio should be muted when not participating in class discussions.
Students are not required to use their actual (or preferred) names when using zoom; however, aliases should be professional. Students are expected to behave in a professional manner during zoom meetings.
5.4 Class Attendance
Presence at zoom meetings, participation in class discussions, and completing class exercises are important components of this course. Students will serve their interests best by regularly
attending class. Those who choose not to attend must assume whatever risks are involved.
Students are responsible for all information provided in class (e.g. announcements, exercise solutions, notes, etc.). If a student is absent from a class, it is their responsibility to review zoom meeting recordings or arrange for a peer to provide them with the information they missed.
6. Other 6.1 E-mail
Please do not email the instructor with questions concerning course content. Instead, these questions should be posted on eClass, such that all students can benefit from the instructor’s response. Questions can either be posted on the discussion board or the comments section of lecture videos. Students have the option to post discussion board questions anonymously.
Students are welcome to answer questions posted on eClass in a professional manner. The instructor reviews all posts and will add clarification where necessary.
If a student needs to email the instructor, please include “ACCTG 300” in the subject line.
6.2 Taking Pictures, Recording Audio or Video
Taking pictures, recording audio, or recording videos of zoom meetings, lecture recordings, or any other teaching environment by students is only permitted with the prior written consent of the instructor, or as a part of an approved accommodation plan.
6.3 Course Materials
Instructor agreements with CPA Canada and John Wiley & Sons, Inc. expressly prohibit distributions of materials outside of eClass. Lecture recordings, class notes, exercise solutions, and other course materials are to be used solely for personal study and are not to be used or distributed for any other purpose without prior written consent from the instructor.
6.4 Technological Issues with Zoom
In the event zoom shuts down during a synchronous class, the instructor will attempt to reopen the meeting. The instructor will provide a 5-minute window to allow students to re-join the meeting before continuing the class.
In the event the instructor is unable to reopen the meeting, the instructor will notify students that class is cancelled. Relevant class materials will be posted to eClass.
6.5 Accommodations
Students should contact the instructor as soon as possible if they require course accommodations, such that appropriate arrangements can be made.
ACCTG300–B1TENTATIVEi CLASS SCHEDULE
Week Date Topics Readings Recommended Questionsii
1 T Jan 12*iii Th Jan 14
The Purpose and Use of Financial Statements
Quiz #1 Due January 15th at 11:59 PM Chapter 1 P1.1A, P1.2A, P1.4A, P1.5A, P1.7A, P1.9A 2 T Jan 19
Th Jan 21*
A Further Look at Financial Statements
Quiz #2 Due January 22nd at 11:59 PM Chapter 2 E2.9, P2.2A, P2.3A, P2.4A, P2.5A 3 T Jan 26
Th Jan 28*
The Accounting Information System
Quiz #3 Due January 29th at 11:59 PM Chapter 3 P3.4A, P3.5A, P3.6A, P3.9A, P3.10A, P3.11A 4 T Feb 2
Th Feb 4*
Accrual Accounting Concepts
Quiz #4 Due February 5th at 11:59 PM Chapter 4 E4.1 (use ASPE), P4.2A (transactions 3, 4, & 5) 5 T Feb 9
Th Feb 11*
Reporting and Analyzing Inventory
Quiz #5 Due February 12th at 11:59 PM Chapter 5 P5.1A, P5.4A, P5.5A, P5.9A, P5.11A, P5.13A 6 Feb 15 – 19 No Classes – Family Day, Reading Week
7 T Feb 23 Th Feb 25*
Internal Control and Cash
Reporting and Analyzing Receivables Quiz #6 Due February 26th at 11:59 PM
Chapter 6 Chapter 7
P6.5A, P6.7A, P6.9A
P7.2A, P7.3A, P7.5A, P7.6A, P7.7A, P7.10A 8 T Mar 2
Th Mar 4*
Reporting and Analyzing Liabilities
Quiz #7 Due March 5th at 11:59 PM Chapter 8 BE8.4, BE8.8, E8.12, P8.1A, P8.4A, P8.6A, P8.8A 9
T Mar 9* Midterm Review
Th Mar 11 MIDTERM EXAM 9:30 AM 10 T Mar 16
Th Mar 18*
Reporting and Analyzing Long-Lived Assets
Quiz #8 Due March 19th at 11:59 PM Chapter 9 P9.2A, P9.3A, P9.4A, P9.7A, P9.8A, P9.10A, P9.12A
11 T Mar 23 Th Mar 25*
Reporting and Analyzing Shareholders’ Equity
Quiz #9 Due March 26th at 11:59 PM Chapter 10 P10.3A, P10.4A(a-d), P10.5A, P10.7A, P10.10A 12 T Mar 30
Th Apr 1*
Statement of Cash Flows
Quiz #10 Due April 2nd at 11:59 PM Chapter 11 P11.1A, P11.2A(a), P11.3A, P11.5A, P11.9A 13 T Apr 6
Th Apr 8*
Managerial Cost Concepts and Cost Behaviour
Quiz #11 Due April 9th at 11:59 PM Chapter 12 P12.40A, P12.42A, P12.45A, P12.46A, P12.48A 14 T Apr 13
Th Apr 15*
Decision Making: Cost-Volume-Profit Budgetary Planning
Quiz #12 Due April 16th at 11:59 PM
Chapter 13 Chapter 14
P13.39A, P13.40A, P13.41A, P13.43A, P13.48A, P13.49A
P14.34A, P14.36A, P14.38A, P14.40A, P14.44A
Date * Class scheduled to be conducted synchronously. Students will be notified if there are any changes in scheduling.
i This is a general guideline for the semester. Topics will be covered in sequence; however, it may be necessary to go faster or slower than indicated. Also note that the textbook is a guide. There will be strong emphasis on the notes provided in class, which may have material not covered in the text.
ii Additional practice problems are available through WileyPLUS, which is included with the purchase of the textbook (physical and ebook).
iii A “Meet the Teacher” meeting is scheduled for T Jan 12 during regular class time. This meeting will be spent making formal introductions, reviewing the syllabus, and introducing students to the accounting discipline.