Northwestern University Business Institutions 260: Accounting and Business Finance Syllabus for Winter 2016 Robin Soffer
[email protected] Class Meetings:
Tuesday & Thursday 12:30-1:50 pm 2:00-3:20 pm
Classroom Location:
555 Clark Room B01
TA Sessions:
Wednesday 5pm – 5:50 pm University Hall 122 Wednesday 6pm – 6:50pm University Hall 122 TAs: Andrew Brenneman (
[email protected]) Ryan Grandin (
[email protected]) Our TAs will have office hours by appointment and extra evening sessions before exam 1 and exam 2, announced via Canvas.
Soffer Office Hours:
By appointment, starting at 3:30 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The location for appointments will vary and will be posted on Canvas
Course Web Site:
Canvas
Course Description:
This is an introductory survey course in accounting. The course covers both financial and managerial accounting. Students will learn to understand the financial statements of an organization, with emphasis on the Income Statement and Balance Sheet. Students will learn to understand, analyze and explain the financial performance of a company and to make managerial decisions using this information. Students will work in teams to prepare an in-depth financial analysis of a company. Evaluation of Student Work: Exam 1
30%
Exam 2
30%
Homework including cases
15%
BIP 260 Project
25%
How to get a good grade in this class: 1. Come to every class and pay attention 2. Take good, detailed notes in class 3. Do all the homework and practice problems Required Text/Materials: This course requires a textbook, the homework software (Connect), two cases and a course packet. Please note that you will want to buy the textbook and the homework software together. The homework software is NOT available separately. It is available with a new textbook or with the electronic book. So, if you buy a used book, you will still need to buy the electronic book with Connect, which will be more expensive than just buying the electronic book. The table on the next page explains the materials you will need for the course.
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Textbook with Connect options
Accounting What the Numbers Mean, 10th edition, Marshall, McManus, Viele. You must have the tenth edition. And you must have Connect. Options: 1. Electronic book with connect: ISBN 9780077515850 2. Regular paper textbook with connect: ISBN 9780077729875 3. Looseleaf book with connect: ISBN 9780077718978 These should be available at Norris. If you want the electronic book with Connect, you can also buy it directly at http://connect.customer.mheducation.com/students-how-to-order/ Once you purchase the book/ebook, you will need to register for Connect by going to http://connect.mheducation.com/class/r-soffer-winter-2016
Cases
Course Packet
Need help? For more information on registering for Connect, I have posted a powerpoint deck about Connect on Canvas, see the link on our Canvas home page. There are two cases for this course which must be purchased online through the Harvard Business Publishing website. Here is the website to go to for purchasing the two cases: https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/access/43082006. You will need to register on this site. If you use this link, the two cases will be at the discounted price of $3.95 each The course packet is available at Quartet Copies, 825 Clark Street, Evanston
Attendance and attention Attendance is crucial to success in this course. Attendance will be taken in class. You must attend the class section in which you are registered. Taking good notes and paying close attention in class is extremely important. You are responsible for the material covered in class and some of this material is not in the readings or posted lecture notes. In addition, we will be discussing important information about preparing a successful final project during class. Please do not come to class late or leave during the class. Unethical behavior I am very serious about ethical behavior. If you are caught cheating or plagiarizing, you will be given an “F” in this course and the dean will be notified and asked to pursue further action. I believe that students who choose unethical behavior should get the toughest consequences available. I have caught students in the past and they would tell you that it is totally not worth it. Homework Homework will be done and submitted online via Connect. It is your responsibility to understand how Connect works. Connect problem sets are due online before noon on Wednesdays. The due dates are in the syllabus and on Connect. Please note that if you do not submit your homework on time, Connect will automatically submit your homework as is. You cannot submit homework late. Homework and cases are due as assigned, even if you have an excused absence for a university activity. Cases must be submitted in the classroom, at the beginning of class. Emailed and late assignments will not be accepted. It is your responsibility to back-up your project and cases. Please keep in mind that a computer problem does not give you an extension to a due date.
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Course community Each student has an important role in our classroom community. Each of you has unique experiences which can be shared with the class. Often, just asking a question can help other students learn. To maximize the learning opportunity for everyone, I ask you to participate actively in class discussions, work enthusiastically and positively on class activities and help each other on in-class problems and mini-cases. If you have ideas for the class, please let me know. Your contribution to our course community can have a positive impact on your grade. Suggested Practice Problems To keep your homework to a moderate workload, I have selected only a portion of the available problems for the assigned problems sets. For most students, this will not be enough practice to master all of the topics in each chapter. In addition, some important topics are not covered in the homework. For this much needed practice, I have provided practice problem sets on Connect. I have also posted on Canvas a list of suggested practice multiple choice and matching problems from your textbook. The book website: www.mhhe.com/marshall10e - has answers to odd number problems and provides extra practice opportunities. Doing the practice problems is highly recommended to prepare for the exams. Exams You must take all exams in your assigned class period. There will not be a makeup exam. If you have a conflict with the scheduled exam times you should not be taking the course this term. Please make sure you check these scheduled exam dates now. Exams will be closed book and you will not be able to use any notes. Only four function calculators will be allowed. Graphing calculators and calculator functions of other electronic devices (e.g. computers, cell phones, Blackberries) will not be allowed. This means that you may need to purchase an inexpensive simple calculator for this course. You will not be permitted to share calculators during the exams. Students may not leave during an exam. If you have a very serious emergency on the day of the exam, you must send me an email before the exam time, explaining your situation. I will then decide if you have a truly legitimate situation. For example, hospitalization is a legitimate reason for missing an exam. Having a stomach ache is not a legitimate excuse. Please understand that legitimate reasons for missing an exam are quite rare. If the reason, in my judgment, is not legitimate, you will get a zero on the test for a grade of F that cannot be made up. Don't make this mistake. Any problem that causes you to miss a test must be documented by an independent source and your academic advisor must contact me. Computers and other forms of internet access are not allowed in the classroom Except for cases of documented disabilities, computers and Ipads are not allowed in the classroom. Such devices must remain in your bag and may not be placed on your desk. Mobile telephone devices should be turned off and be placed in pockets or backpacks. Students may not make or receive phone calls, surf the web, or send or receive text messages during class. I do not allow any type of recording of class. Canvas and Course Announcements Syllabus updates, material for in-class exercises and announcements will be posted on Canvas. It is your responsibility to check Canvas before each class and to make sure you are set up to receive all Canvas announcements. Please note that the syllabus and project description can change and any changes will be announced on Canvas. I will also send you information and reminders via email. It is your responsibility to check your email. Final Project This course will not have a final exam as scheduled by the University. Instead, you will have a group final project. A description of the final project is posted on Canvas. Details of the final project requirements will be discussed in class.
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Any student with a documented disability needing accommodations is requested to speak directly to the AccessibleNU Center (847-467-5530) and the instructor, as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first two weeks of class). All discussions will remain confidential.
COURSE SCHEDULE Class
Date
1
Tuesday, January 5
Topic
Assignments Due at beginning of class
Course Introduction Chapter 1 In-class Starbucks exercise
Read the project description and syllabus Complete the welcome survey on Canvas
TA Using the SEC website Wednesday, Session for your project January 6 1 How to do business research Chapter 2 Thursday, 2 Introduce In-class January 7 PepsiCo exercise Chapter 3 and part of Chapter 11 Tuesday, PepsiCo In-class 3 January 12 exercise Project Day: Ratios
Read Chapters 1, 2
Read Chapter 3 Project Part 1: Company/team selection due by noon (online survey on Canvas and group sign up on Canvas)
TA Wednesday, Chapter 2 Session January 13 2
4
Thursday, January 14
Chapter 4 Intro to Chemalite
5
Tuesday, January 19
Chapter 4 In-class Debit/Credit Exercise
Problem Sets Due online at 11:59 am
Project Part 2: Financial Statements due Read Chapter 4 Bring Chemalite case packet to class. Case is not due today. Helpful hints will be provided!
4
Chapter 2 Homework
TA Session 3 6
Thursday, January 21
7
Tuesday, January 26
TA Session 4 8
9
Tuesday, February 2
10
11
TA session 5
12
13
TA Session 6
14
Chapter 5 Smooth Accounting
Read Chapter 5
Chapter 6 and Present Value
Read Chapter 6, including appendix Chapter 5 & 6 Homework
Wednesday, Chapter 5 and 6 January 27 Thursday, January 28
TA Session
Chapter 3 & 4 Homework
Wednesday, Chapter 4 January 20
Chemalite and catchup
Answers to Chemalite Case due at beginning of class today. (See questions on Canvas)
Exam 1 Chapters 1-6 Plus all material covered in class
Wednesday, TA Session Cancelled! February 3 Thursday, Chapter 7 February 4 Chapter 9 and overview Tuesday, of Chapter 8 February 9 Financing a new business
No Homework Read Chapter 7
Read Chapter 9 Optional: Read Chapter 8 Project Part 3 due. Paper copy turned in at beginning of class. Excel model emailed to TA by noon. Read Chapter 11 Bring in Sears Case. Case is not due, but hints will be given.
Wednesday, Chapter 7 February 10
Thursday, February 11
How to do the ratio analysis (Chapter 11) Project Day: Ratios Analysis
Tuesday, February 16
Chapter 10 and Business Ethics Project Day: Using the 10-K and Segment Analysis
Read Chapter 10
Chapter 9 & 11 Homework
Wednesday, Chapters 8 and 9 February 17
Thursday, February 18
Chapter 7 Homework
Chapter 12 In-class Manufacturing
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Read Chapter 12 Project Part 4 due via Turnitin Midterm Peer Eval due (Survey on Canvas) Both due at 5pm
15 TA Session 7
Tuesday, February 23
Read Chapter 14
Chapter 14
Wednesday, February 24 Chapter 12-14
Chapter 10 & 12 Homework
16
Thursday, February 25
Chapter 16
Read Chapter 16 Extension requests due
17
Tuesday, March 1
Finish Chapter 16 and Sears Case Project Day: Ratio Analysis
Sears Wal-Mart Case due at beginning of class today (see Canvas for questions) Chapter 14 and 16 homework
TA Session Wednesday, Chapter 14-16 8 March 2
18 Project Extension Due Date
Thursday, March 3
Exam 2 Chapters 7-11,12,14,16 Plus all material covered in class
Project Part 5 due in class unless extension granted If extension granted, Project Part 5 and Final Peer Evaluation are due
Wednesday, March 9
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