Last Updated: 1-16-08
Subject to minor changes from future edits.
Accy. 1 Financial Accounting - Course Syllabus: Spring 2008 - Professor: H. David Brecht
(files open as web (htm), video (wmv), and Microsoft Office files (doc, xls, & ppt) – use Internet Explorer as the browser & use Microsoft Office)
1. Instructor's office:  TAH 2088
2. Instructor's phone: 278-7149 If you cannot talk to me at class time, then come by the office or make an appointment. Email provides almost continual office hours. It is checked several times a day, often including weekends. I almost never remember to check for telephone messages.
3. Scheduled Office Hours: MTWR 8:45-9:15; MWF 11:50-12:10
4. Instructor's email address: chocgrape-go@yahoo.com or brecht@csus.edu
5. Course web address: http://www.csus.edu/indiv/b/brechthd/***.htm
6. Class Schedule:
			Accy. 1 Sec. 4	MW	7:30-8:45	TAH 1026	absolutely no office hours before 7:30am
			Accy. 1 Sec. 7	TR	7:30-8:45	TAH 1026	absolutely no office hours before 7:30am
			Accy. 1 Sec. 10	MWF	11:00-11:50	TAH 1026	absolutely no office hours from 10:30-11:00am
7. Final Exam Schedule:							exam day and time
			Accy. 1 Sec. 4	MW	7:30-8:45	TAH 1026	Mon, May 19th		8:00-10:00
			Accy. 1 Sec. 7	TR	7:30-8:45	TAH 1026	Thur, May 22nd		8:00-10:00
			Accy. 1 Sec. 10	MWF	11:00-11:50	TAH 1026	Wed, May 21st		10:15-12:15
8. Textbook (optional): Fundamentals of Financial Accounting; 2005 Edition (the old edition); Phillips, Libby, Libby.
9. Course Goals: Accy. 1 is the introductory course to financial accounting. What is learned is important in many future courses and not just accounting courses, especially finance and Accy. 2. Its primary goals are to learn:
	a. How organizations report their financial activity/results to the public – concepts and methods; understanding and being able to prepare basic financial statements. Also, limited coverage of ways that financial statement users use this information.
	b. How accounting measures and records an organization's financial activity – transaction analysis and limited coverage of bookkeeping.
10. Grading:
						% of Course Grade
	1st, 2nd, & 3rd Midterm Exams					72%
	Practice Problems					28%
	Optional Comprehensive Final Exam The single grade for the exam automatically replaces your lowest 2 midterm exam grades and lowest 6 practice problem grades - if they are below the final exam grade. It cannot lower your course grade.
	A strictly applied rule: Regardless of even the most legitimate reasons, there will be no individual make-ups for midterm exams or practice problems. The optional final is a single make-up opportunity. However, you can do work with another class at its scheduled time for that work – but only if there is seating space available. You must get the instructor's permission to attend another section's class.
	● No "INCOMPLETE" course grades are given. ● If you miss the 3rd midterm and final exam, your grade will be (a) a C- or any higher    grade or (b) a "WU" if your grade is below a C-.
	THE ONLY WAYS TO EARN THE GRADE YOU WANT ARE LISTED IN THIS SYLLABUS – that is, your exam and practice problem grades. There is no extra work or other way to raise a grade.
	EXPECT THAT NO CURVE WILL BE GIVEN.
11. Letter grades.
i. A grades are given for 92.5% through 100%.
ii. A- grades are given for 90% through 92.499%.
i. B+ grades are given for 87.5% through 89.999%.
ii. B grades are given for 82.5% through 87.499%.
iii. B- grades are given for 80% through 82.499%.
i. C+ grades are given for 77.5% through 79.999%.
ii. C grades are given for 72.5% through 77.499%
iii. C- grades are given for 67.5% through 72.499%.
i. D grades are given for 60% through 67.499%.
ii. D- grades are given for 50% through 59.999%.
i. F are given when your course points are below 50%.
12. Types of class days, assignments, and activities.
a. Self-study problems. Past practice problems and exams are available on the course CD. These materials are similar to what will be on the practice problems and exams that you do for course credit. These problems are available for self-study. Generally, problems in the textbook are less comprehensive and do not integrate problem elements as the past course materials and current course work do. Still, solutions to some of the problems in the 2005 textbook edition are on the course web site if you find them helpful. Also, textbook discussions can help you understand the course topics.
b. YOU WILL NOT LEARN ALL THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IN THIS COURSE FROM LECTURES, which make up only 37% of class time. A LOT OF SELF-STUDY IS REQUIRED TO DO WELL. Lecture days are devoted to a lecture overview of the material to be learned for a chapter. Usually, the PowerPoint slides presented in the lecture videos and on the course web site are explained. However, new explanations of a chapter's concepts and problem-solving techniques may be given. Also, exam information and other course information may be given during the in-class lectures. If you miss classes, get to know another student so you can find out about any missed information.
Mainly, the differences between the in-class overview lectures and the lecture videos are the speed and completeness of the presentations; the opportunity for questions and answers only in class, email, or office hours; and the ability with in-class lectures to spend more time on areas that students identify as most difficult. Generally, the in-class lectures are a fast overview of what you need to study. The lecture videos are, at least in the instructor's view, slower paced and more complete.
c. Practice problem days are usually exclusively devoted to working practice problems.  The goal is to master the problem material. A practice problem is handed out that requires the same type of knowledge as the in-class, video lecture, and exam problems. However, the problem may be different in the specific transactions or elements you are asked to solve. The practice problem is open textbook and notes, so you are well advised to PRINT OUT THE POWERPOINTS and have them at hand. You can work alone or form a group with one or two other students to solve the practice problems. At the end of class, each student hands in his/her individual solution to be graded. To receive any credit for a practice problem, you must attend almost the entire class and participate with your group (if you are in one). The purpose of this requirement is to avoid coming late to class and just copying someone else's solution.
While working a practice problem, students can call over the instructor for help. This help is generally designed to help you learn how to solve the problem using the resources available (typically, most students use the PowerPoint printouts as their primary resource). Examples of help are: ● helping you find on the PowerPoint printout the explanation of what to do and then leaving you to work with, apply, and learn it; ● helping you apply a technique on the PowerPoint printout to the practice problem; ● frequently the above two steps are iterative, where first you are helped to find what to do; then, GIVEN THAT YOU HAVE SOME SOLUTION ATTEMPT TO EVALUATE, telling you if you did it right; ● or if you are not doing it correctly, giving you help on YOUR WRITTEN ATTEMPT ranging from hints to more detailed explanations of what to do. ● helping a group work toward a good solution, where for example one group member might be on the right track and one may not be; ● looking at your entire answer to let you know if you got it right or where it is incorrect; this may not be done for all practice problems.
NOTE THAT YOU NEED TO COME TO CLASS WITH YOUR PowerPoint PRINTOUTS AND SOME FAMILIARITY WITH THE TYPE OF PROBLEM THE CLASS WILL BE SOLVING. THE INSTRUCTOR WILL HELP YOU FOCUS YOUR STUDY ON LAB DAYS, BUT THIS HELP IS NOT DESIGNED TO OVERCOME COMING TO CLASS COLD with no advance preparation and no PowerPoint printouts to learn from. IT IS DESIGNED TO (a) POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, (b) STRENGTHEN YOUR ABILITY TO THINK ABOUT AND WORK WITH THE SUBJECT, AND (c) STRENGTHEN YOUR ABILITY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. For a practice problem class day, there are a lot of students (up to 60) for the instructor to help in the above ways and this typically uses up all of the time available. YOU NEED TO BE PREPARED TO MAKE WRITTEN SOLUTION ATTEMPTS THAT THE INSTRUCTOR CAN EVALUATE AND HELP YOU WITH – as opposed to sitting down to give you teaching help from zero.
If your practice problem solution is "mostly" complete and accurate in the instructor's judgment, the grade is 100%. If the solution is "not sufficiently" complete or accurate in the instructor's judgment, the grade is 75%. If the solution is "excessively" incomplete or inaccurate in the instructor's judgment, the grade is 35%. If the solution is "grossly" incomplete or inaccurate in the instructor's judgment, the grade is 0%. A solution not handed in during the class gets 0%. IF YOU ARE LATE TO CLASS, CHECK IN WITH THE INSTRUCTOR AND HE WILL TELL YOU IF YOU NEED TO WORK ALONE OR CONDITIONS YOU NEED TO SATISFY IF WORKING WITH A GROUP TO GET CREDIT.
13. Midterm and final exams include quantitative problems & true-false/multiple-choice questions. They will be similar to the past exams on the course CD.
14. Current practice problem and exam solutions are usually not discussed in class by the instructor, but are posted on the course web site. Of course, the instructor is available to discuss your problem or exam one-on-one, including by email.
15. Allow two weeks for practice problems and exams to be graded.
16. There will be a seating chart for the class, although attendance is not required.
Class Assignments Schedule Below are the course topics and daily activities. The timing of coverage and exams may change plus-or-minus a day or two. Be alert to information given in class about changes – even with only “day-before” notice. Some assignments, topics, or even chapters may have to be deleted if we run short of time.
	The MWF class will do each week what the MW class does. I have never taught MWF, and need to see how this times out each day.			This is a problems/lab course. Most learning is by self-study & working in-class problems, not from classroom lectures. Only 37% of the time is spent with lectures. (See 12.b. above for more on this.)
	Target Dates
	MW	TR	MWF
	January M28	January T29	January M28 W30 February F1	Course Syllabus, Web Site Access, CD, Web Grade Book, etc.
	W30	R31		chapter 1 – Overview of Accounting's Financial Statements (Lecture Day) video lecture = 78 minutes {{There is an extra video and hardcopy problem on the CD and web.}}
	February M4	February T5	M4 W6 F8	chapter 1 – continued (Lab Day - practice problem #1(1-a))
	W6	R7		chapter 1 – continued (Lab Day - practice problem #2(1-b))
	M11	T12	M11 W13 F15	chapter 2 – Balance Sheet (Lecture Day) video lecture = 60 minutes
	W13	R14		chapter 2 – continued (Lab Day - practice problem #3(2-a))
	M18	T19	M18 W20 F22	chapter 2 – continued (Lab Day - practice problem #4(2-b))
	W20	R21		chapter 3 – Income Statement (Lecture Day) video lecture = 42 minutes {{There is an extra video and hardcopy problem on the CD and web.}}
	M25	T26	M25 W27 F29	chapter 3 – continued (Lab Day - practice problem #5(3-a))
	W27	R28		chapter 3 – continued (Lab Day - practice problem #6(3-b))
	March M3	March T4	March M3 W5 F7	chapter 4 –  End-of-Period Adjusting Entries (Lecture Day) video lecture = 51 minutes
	W5	R6		chapter 4 –  continued (Lab Day - practice problem #7(4-a))
	M10	T11	M10	chapter 4 –  continued (Lab Day - practice problem #8(4-b)) This will be a practice exam (excluding the T/F).
	W12	T13	Q1,2:W12 Q3:F14	Midterm Exam #1 (Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4)
	M17	T18	M17 W19 F21	chapter 5 – How Financial Statements are Used (Lecture Day) video lecture = 26 minutes chapter 6 – Internal Control & Merchandising Operations (Lecture Day) video lecture = 41 minutes
	W19	T20		chapter 7 – Receivables (Lecture Day) video lecture = 38 minutes
	M24	T25	M24 W26 F28	chapter 7 – continued (Lab Day - practice problem #9)
	W26	T27		chapter 8 – Inventory (Lecture Day) video lecture = 48 minutes
	March 31 – April 4			SPRING BREAK
	April M7	April T8	April M7	chapter 8 – continued (Lab Day - practice problem #10)
			W9	Questions Answered Help
	W9	T10	F11	Midterm Exam #2 (Chapters 5, 6, 7, 8)
	M14	T15	M14 W16 F18	chapter 9 – Long-Lived Assets (Lecture Day) video lecture = 52 minutes
	W16	R17		chapter 9 – continued (Lab Day - practice problem #11)
	M21	T22	M21 W23 F25	chapter 10 – Liabilities (Lecture Day) video lecture = 49 minutes self-study homework assignments
	W23	R24		chapter 10 – continued (Lab Day - practice problem #12)
	M28	T29	M28 W30 May F2	chapter 11 – Stockholders' Equity Section of Balance Sheet (Lecture Day) video lecture = 33 minutes self-study homework assignments
	W30	May R1		chapter 11 – continued (Lab Day - practice problem #13)
	May M5	T6	M5	Exam Review
	W7	May R8		Midterm Exam #3 (Chapters 9, 10, 11)
			W7	Questions Answered Help
			F9	Midterm Exam #3 (Chapters 9, 10, 11)
	May M12	T13	M12	Exams Handed Back
	W14	May R15	W14 F16	NO CLASS (will be in my office during class hours, and can come down to the classroom if several people show up for help)
	Chapter 12 – Cash Flows Statement – covers technical aspects in preparing this statement. It will be important to upper division accounting students. Accounting majors should watch the video lecture = 24 minutes
	Optional Final Exam (chapters 1 – 11) (see page 1 of syllabus for date, day, time)