ACCT601 full course

ACCT 601 full course – All Discussions , Term Paper Project and all week assignment

 

Communication Skills and Report Writing (graded)

 

Using the University library or other websites for
research, select an article that is relevant to TCO 1, which is: Given the
importance of communication in an organization, demonstrate a mastery of
communication skills and report writing through research projects, written
assignments, and oral presentations. The article should relate to some aspect
of communication skills and report writing. Give the class a brief synopsis of
the article, including the title and web link. Discuss the relevant items of
the article and how it pertains to communication skills and report writing.

 

 

 

 

week 2

 

 

Current and Future Issues in Accounting (graded)

 

Locate a website (for example, the AICPA site) or an article
regarding the CPA Horizons 2025 project. Summarize one or more of the
conclusions and/or predictions of CPA Horizons 2025. How do you see the current
issues and the possible changes for the future impacting your career?

 

week 3

 

Professional and Ethical Judgment (graded)

 

Locate a website presenting the code of ethics, code of
professional conduct, or similar code for an accounting or auditing-related
organization. Possibilities include the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants, the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (select a
state), the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the Institute of Internal
Auditors, the Institute of Management Accountants, and the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Summarize one or more provisions of the code, and address
how you see the rules affecting you in your professional accounting or auditing
career.

 

 

 

weeek 4

 

Future of IFRS (graded)

 

After reading the most recent IASB Board Meeting Summaries,
discuss one topic that you found. What do you think the impact (of this
particular topic) might be on U.S. companies if the United States adopts IFRS?

 

week 5

 

 

Reporting and Disclosure Requirements (graded)

 

After reading the three recent articles, discuss one topic
that you found in the articles. How does this topic impact U.S. companies (or
the company that you work for)?

 

 

 

 

week 6

 

 

 

 

Financial Statement Analysis and Interpretation (graded)

 

Let’s discuss the results of the financial statement
analysis paper that you are working on for Week 6. What company did you select?
Discuss one of the ratios that you analyzed. What was the result and why?

 

week 7

 

 

Keys for Effective Presentations (graded)

 

What are two major points that you would like to present
about your Term Paper? How do you plan to present them in an oral presentation?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Course Project: Term Paper

 

Objectives|Guidelines|Milestones|Grading Rubrics|Best
Practices

 

Objectives

 

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The term paper is an opportunity for you to explore in-depth
an issue pertinent to the role of an accountant in your chosen area of
interest. The objective of the term paper is to help you transfer the concepts
and research techniques that you learned from the class and from your chosen
area of interest in your MSAC degree program. Accordingly, you will be able to
choose a topic in a broad area such as:

 

Financial accounting and/or reporting

Governmental accounting and/or reporting

Nonprofit accounting and/or reporting

Managerial accounting

Auditing – public

Auditing – internal

Taxation

Fraud

Other topic from a course that you took in your MSAC program
at DeVry/Keller

Although the topic areas are fairly open-ended, it is
expected that each paper will have theoretical underpinnings, as well as
practical implications. Suppose, for example, your interest is in auditing for
fraud. An ideal paper would include not only a discussion of why frauds occur
but also recommendations for a business or other entity to guard against
frauds. Hence, a discussion of the internal control procedures and the role of
internal and external auditors might be apt. In effect, both the “why” and
“how” of establishing the appropriate procedures would need to be addressed.

 

Guidelines

 

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APA format and citations are required.

 

All University policies are in effect including the
plagiarism policy.

 

Any questions about this paper may be discussed in the
weekly Q & A discussion topic.

 

No late papers for Week 7 or oral presentations for Weeks 7
and 8 will be accepted.

 

Papers must be submitted in Word document using a 10 or 12
point font and double-spaced.

 

Milestones

 

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The ultimate result of your analysis will be a final term
paper in APA format. The final term paper is due in Week 7, and an oral
presentation will be presented by you in Week 7 or in Week 8 (see the
instructor’s requirement for the class). Because the research and writing of
the paper is a course-long project, a number of milestones and deliverables
will need to be observed. As an overview, those steps are as follows. Get
familiar with the Term Paper Template that should be used as a minimum format
for your term paper. You can add sections if you want to break down your
analysis into subjects. Use the template each week as you complete the sections
to build toward your final term paper.

 

Week 1 – Select your topic problem statement. Prepare a one
page summary (double-spaced) describing your topic proposal problem statement.
You should discuss what your topic is, between three and five areas that you
plan to analyze about this topic, and how you plan to approach your research on
this topic. Your problem statement should also explain how the topic fits with
the course, the degree and your focus area. Submit your topic proposal problem
statement to the Week 1 Term Paper Dropbox no later than midnight Sunday at the
end of Week 1. Your professor will review and approve your topic – or give you
feedback and comments on your topic proposal.

Week 2 – Submit a list of five-to-eight current references
in APA format for your course project. Annotate your references – briefly
describe the content of the reference and how it relates to your course
project. Submit your Week 2 Term Paper list of references assignment to the
Week 2 Term Paper Dropbox no later than midnight Sunday at the end of Week 2.

References are very important. At least five-to-eight
references are required for the Week 7 paper. Anonymous authors or web pages
are not acceptable. At least three of those sources used should be from
academic journals and/or professional publications. All sources should be
current within the past 18 to 24 months from the Keller library. All references
should be cited within the body of your work and listed on the last page of
your term paper in a section titled “References.”

 

Week 3 – Complete the problem statement for your course
project. You should discuss the topic problem for your term paper and a minimum
of three to five problems that you intend to research related to your topic.
Submit your Week 3 Term Paper problem statement assignment to the Week 3 Term
Paper Dropbox no later than midnight Sunday at the end of Week 3.

Week 4 – Research and summarize a review of the literature
on your topic – briefly describe the literature and how it relates to your term
paper. Submit your Week 4 Term Paper literature review to the Week 4 Term Paper
Dropbox no later than midnight Sunday at the end of Week 4.

The segment referred to as a “review of the literature” is
intended as a starting point for your research. In effect, you should research
what other experts and commentators have already analyzed with respect to the
problem that you are scrutinizing.

 

Week 5 – This week, you need to submit a draft of your term
paper. Submit your Week 5 Term Paper draft to the Week 5 Term Paper Dropbox no
later than midnight Sunday at the end of Week 5.

Week 6 – This week, you need to submit a draft of your term
paper including your summary and conclusions. Submit your Week 6 Term Paper
draft with summary and conclusions to the Week 6 Term Paper Dropbox no later
than midnight Sunday at the end of Week 6.

 

Week 7 – Prepare an executive summary; finalize your term
paper including executive summary and the finalized version of the term paper
components that you completed in Weeks 1 through 6 – with references in APA
format. Submit your Week 7 Final Term Paper to the Week 7 Term Paper Dropbox no
later than midnight Sunday at the end of Week 7.

For the Week 7 paper, you should use the Term Paper Template
which includes (in APA format): a cover page, table of contents, an executive
summary, introduction, review of the literature, analysis and recommendations,
summary and conclusion, appendix (if you want to include items in an appendix)
and references. Appropriate headings should be used to designate the various
sections of the paper. The paper should be in the range of a minimum of 15
pages, double-spaced, and 10-12 point fonts. The page count is of the content
and, thus does not include the cover page, table of contents, appendix or
exhibits, or references.

 

References are very important. At least five-to-eight references
are required for the Week 7 paper. Anonymous authors or web pages are not
acceptable. At least three of those sources used should be from academic
journals and/or professional publications. All sources should be current within
the past 18 to 24 months from the Keller library. All references should be
cited within the body of your work and listed on the last page of your term
paper in a section titled “References.”

 

Weeks 7 and 8 – Oral Presentation – prepare a 10–15 minute
oral presentation of the summary of your Term Paper. Submit your Weeks 7 and 8
Term Oral Presentation of your term paper to the Week 8 Term Paper Dropbox no
later than midnight Tuesday of Week 8.

Weeks 7 and 8 Oral Presentation will include the use of
PowerPoint slides to be used as talking points with a 10–15 minute
presentation. No more than 10 slides should be used. The oral presentation is
intended as a summary of your research and analysis. As such, it should be a
summary of the problem you researched, an overview of the literature review,
and a discussion of your conclusions and recommendations.

 

Grading Rubrics

 

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The term paper will be graded each week on the deliverables
that are due for the week. The deliverables will be graded on factors such as
the quality of the research topic, the quality of the information properly
cited within the paper, the introduction, main content and facts, the analysis
and recommendations, the conclusion, organization and structure, professional
appearance, length, grammar, and sentence structure.

The oral presentation will be graded on factors such as the
quality of the PowerPoint slides, the effectiveness of the narration,
professionalism, validity and structure, length, grammar, organization, main
content, and the overall communication aspects of the presentation.

Specifics regarding the grade point allocations are
presented in Doc Sharing in a grading rubric. The grading rubric for your Term
Paper and Oral Presentation is in Doc Sharing in a document titled Grading
Rubrics for Term Paper and Oral Presentation.

Best Practices

 

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The following are the best practices in preparing this
paper.

 

Cover Page – Include who you prepared the paper for, who
prepared, and date.

Table of Contents – List the main ideas and section of your
paper and the pages in which they are located. The illustrations should be
included separately.

Introduction – Use a header on your paper. This will
indicate you are introducing your paper.

The purpose of an introduction or opening:

 

Introduce the subject and why the subject is important.

Preview the main ideas and the order in which they will be
covered.

Establish a tone of the document.

Include in the introduction a reason for the audience to
read the paper. Also, include an overview of what you are going to cover in
your paper and the importance of the material. (This should include or
introduce the questions you are asked to answer on each assignment.)

 

Body of Your Report – Use a header titled with the name of
your project. Example: “The Development of Hotel X – A World Class Resort”.
Then proceed to break out the main ideas. State the main ideas, state major
points in each idea, and provide evidence. Break out each main idea you will
use in the body of your paper. Show some type of division like separate
sections that are labeled; separate group of paragraphs; or headers. You would
include the information you found during your research and investigation.

Summary and Conclusion – Summarizing is similar to
paraphrasing but presents the gist of the material in fewer words than the
original. An effective summary identifies the main ideas and major support
points from the body of your report. Minor details are left out. Summarize the
benefits of the ideas and how they affect the tourism industry.

Work Cited – Use the citation format as specified in the
Syllabus.

Additional hints on preparing the best possible project.

 

Apply a three step process of writing… Plan, Write, and
Complete.

Prepare an outline of your research paper before you go
forward.

Complete a first draft and then go back to edit, evaluate,
and make any changes required.

Use visual communication to further clarify and support the
written part of your report. You could use examples like graphs, diagrams,
photographs, flowcharts, maps, drawings, animation, video clips, pictograms,
tables, and Gantt charts.

 

 

 

Get familiar with this Term Paper Template. The items in red
are some recommendations of the things that should be covered in each section
of the template. Do not include the red explanations – remove them before you
complete your Term Paper.

 

[Type the document title]

 

[Type the document subtitle]

 

Author name

 

[Pick the date]

 

Include who you prepared the paper for, who prepared the
paper, and date submitted.

 

[Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is
typically a short summary of the contents of the document. Type the abstract of
the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of
the document.]

 

 

Table of Contents

 

I. Executive Summary.1

 

II. Introduction.1

 

III. Review of Literature.1

 

IV. Analysis.1

 

V. Recommendations.1

 

VI. Summary and Conclusions.1

 

VII. Appendix x.1

 

VIII. References.1

 

List the main ideas and section of your paper and the pages
in which they are located. The illustrations should be included separately.
Make sure that you have page numbers in your paper and list the page number(s)
in the table of contents for the page where the appropriate section starts.

 

Helpful Notes: Prepare an outline of your paper before you
go forward. The outline is due at the end of Week 5 – which is also the first
draft of your paper.

 

Complete a first draft and then go back to edit, evaluate,
and make any changes required.

 

You can use example like graphs, diagrams, photographs,
flowcharts, maps, drawings, etc. to help clarify and support the written part
of your report.

 

 

I. Executive Summary

 

Use a header titled with the name of your project.

 

Explain what you found, how you researched your topic, and
what you recommend.

 

II. Introduction

 

Problem statement and how the topic fits with the course,
the degree, and your focus area.

 

Include a reason for the audience to read the paper. Include
an overview of what you are going to cover in your paper and the importance of
the material.

 

Preview the main ideas and the order in which they will be
covered.

 

Establish a tone of the document.

 

III. Review of Literature

 

References and sources used should be from academic journals
and professional publications and should be current within the past 18–24
months.

 

IV. Analysis

 

State the main ideas, state major points in each idea,
provide evidence. Show some type of division like separate sections that are
labeled; separate group of paragraphs. You would include information you found
during your research and investigation.

 

Generally your analysis will depend on what your intent is
in your problem statement. You need to analyze your findings in comparison to
what you said that you wanted to study (in your problem statement). You can
discuss such things as: how do the findings relate to your problem statement?
How do your findings compare and contrast with each other or with your problem
statement or with an aspect of the profession?

 

V. Recommendations

 

What do you recommend? The recommendation can be for a
particular company, the profession or the public.

 

VI. Summary and Conclusions

 

Summarize your work and your findings. The conclusion should
include a recommendation.Summarizing is similar to paraphrasing but presents
the gist of the material in fewer words than the original. Identify the main
ideas and major support points from the body of your report. Minor details are
left out. Summarize the benefits of the ideas and how they affect the
profession, company, or public.

 

VII. Appendix x

 

You can include an appendix or exhibits if you would like to
(this is optional).

 

VIII. References

 

References are very important. At least five-to-eight
references are required for the term paper. Anonymous authors or web pages are
not acceptable. At least three of those sources used should be from academic
journals or professional publications and should be current within the past 18
to 24 months from the Keller library. All references should be cited within the
body of your work and listed on the last page of your term paper in a section
titled “References.”

 

 

 

 

 

you decide

 

 

Scenario

 

Scenario Summary

 

You have been invited to attend a meeting where your
immediate supervisor will be presenting a draft of detailed financial
projections to the chief financial officer and a subsequent meeting with the
company president. You’ve not been involved in the preparation of the analysis
thus far but understand that you might have some tasks delegated to you after
the meeting. In addition, you realize that the company is at a critical
juncture from issues such as high attrition of the accounting staff, current
economic conditions, and increased competition.

 

Your Assignment

 

You have recently been hired in the fairly small accounting
department of a corporate business. The department is so small, in fact, that
you may be called on at times for tasks ranging from simple bookkeeping, to
preparation of financial statements and projections, and to perhaps even
filling-in on the internal audit staff. One of your first responsibilities is
to assist a senior level accountant with a detailed financial projection after
input from the chief financial officer and the president of the company.

 

KEY PLAYERS

 

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Transcript

 

YOU DECIDE

 

Activity or Assignment

 

Assignment

You need to draft a summary of how you will handle the
situation. Specific questions that should be addressed are:

 

Do you feel that there might be an ethical issue present?
For the moment, assume that no laws have been broken and just focus on any
possible ethical issues.

If you were going to report a suspected ethical issue, how
would you do so? For instance, to whom would you report? Would you discuss the
matter with anyone first?

Would the manner in which you respond vary depending on
whether this corporation was privately held or publicly traded?

Does the fact that you have only been recently hired play
into your decisions?

What possible sources of guidance might be available from a
professional organization and/or your state’s regulatory body overseeing the
accounting profession?

Lastly, please assume that you suspect that some state or
federal laws have been broken. The problems might be beyond just a possible
ethical issue, in other words. Would this change your handling of the
situation?

After reading through the You Decide activity and
considering the questions listed here, please prepare a paper in APA format.
The paper should include responses to the specific questions posed above, but
you may include other points if you so desire. The paper should be double-spaced,
11-point or 12-point type, and between 750 and 1,000 words (three to four
pages).

Category Points Description

Understanding 20 Demonstrate a strong grasp of the
problem at hand. Demonstrate understanding of how the course concepts apply to
the problem.

Analysis 20 Apply original thought to solving the
ethical problem. Apply concepts from the course material correctly toward
solving the ethical problem.

Execution 10 Write your answer clearly and
succinctly using strong organization and proper grammar. Use citations, if any,
correctly.

Total 50 A quality paper will meet or exceed
all of the above requirements.

 

 

 

Week 1

 

 

Communication Skills and Report Writing Individual
Assignment

 

 

 

Using the articles that were selected on communication
skills and report writing from the Week 1 readings, summarize five aspects of
communication skills and report writing that are discussed in the articles that
you selected. Explain why each aspect of communication skills and report
writing is vital to an accountant’s professional career. The summary should be
a minimum of five-to-eight pages (counting the cover page and bibliography).
The font size should be 12 and the type can be Times New Roman, Verdana, or
Arial. Your paper should be properly cited using APA referencing style. This
means that the citation should be in a bibliography – and in the body of the
paper if you refer to or directly quote any information, terms, etc. from
others. You should include a minimum of three references in your paper. This
paper is a research/reference paper – you need to learn something new from this
assignment, not give your ideas about your experience. Submit your paper to the
W1_Individual_Assignment Dropbox no later than midnight Sunday at the end of
Week 1.

 

 

 

Week 2

Current Issues Paper Individual Assignment

 

Go to a website that discusses FASB, SEC, IFRS, etc.

 

Describe and discuss the changes that have occurred within
the prior 12 months in the standards and rulings issued by one of these
standard setting bodies. You could also incorporate the standards that are
being contemplated through pending discussion drafts/exposure documents.

 

Your paper should be a minimum of five-to-eight pages
including a cover page and bibliography.

 

The font size should be 12 and the type should be Times New
Roman, Verdana, or Arial.

 

Your paper should be properly cited using APA referencing
style. This means that the citation should be in a bibliography – and in the
body of the paper if you refer to or directly quote any information, terms,
etc. from others.

 

Submit your paper to the W2_Individual_Assignment Dropbox no
later than midnight Sunday at the end of Week 2.

 

Week 4

 

Current Issues Paper Individual Assignment

 

 

Go to a website that discusses FASB, SEC, IFRS, and/or IASB.

 

Describe and discuss the standards and rulings that are
being contemplated through pending discussion drafts/exposure documents of FASB
and IASB.

 

Your paper should be a minimum of five-to-eight pages
including a cover page and bibliography.

 

The font size should be 12 and the type should be Times New
Roman, Verdana, or Arial.

 

Your paper should be properly cited using APA referencing
style. This means that the citation should be in a bibliography – and in the
body of the paper if you refer to or directly quote any information, terms,
etc. from others.

 

Submit your paper to the W4_Individual_Assignment Dropbox no
later than midnight Sunday at the end of Week 4.

 

 

 

Week 6

Financial Statement Analysis Paper Individual Assignment

 

One basic method that an accountant can use to analyze the
financial situation of a business is ratio analysis. This can be a useful tool
no matter the type of legal structure of the business and regardless of whether
or not ownership is public or private. To help assure the availability of the
necessary data, though, this assignment will be focused solely on a
publicly-traded company.

 

As an overview, you will choose a publicly traded company
from a list provided at the end of this assignment. Locate the company’s
website, retrieve the latest company’s annual report from that site, calculate
specific ratios for the latest two fiscal years, and respond to a limited
number of analysis questions.

 

Please note that this entails far more than finding
pre-calculated ratios from a website such as Yahoo! Finance or Google Finance.
If you desire, you can use such a site for a reasonableness check on the
results of your calculations, but any such comparisons should not be part of
your resulting paper. Also, you might not match exactly to their figures anyway
since those may include quarterly updates.

 

The paper should be three-to-four double-spaced pages (not
counting the cover page and bibliography) in Word doc using a standard font (11
or 12 point) and appropriate margins (e.g., no more than one-inch). APA
formatting should be followed. The paper should include a section for the ratio
calculations and a section to respond to questions. You should also include a
cover page and a bibliography.

 

Your paper should be properly cited using APA referencing
style. This means that the citation should be in a bibliography – and in the
body of the paper if you refer to or directly quote any information, terms,
etc. from others.

 

Submit your paper to the W6_Individual_Assignment Dropbox no
later than midnight Sunday at the end of Week 6.

 

For the section showing the ratio calculations, provide
appropriate details regarding the formula used, the source of the data, and the
resulting calculations. Although you are certainly welcome and encouraged to
use Excel to complete these tasks, copying and pasting from Excel into the Word
document is discouraged unless it can be done in a manner that is cosmetically
appropriate.

 

The requirements for the ratio analysis section are:

 

1. Compute the following for each of the two most recent
years:

 

· Profit Margin

 

· Return on Shareholders’ Equity

 

· Current Ratio

 

· Interest Coverage Ratio

 

2. Document your work by including items such as:

 

· The website for the company

 

· The web page link for the annual report (or file name if a
PDF is downloaded)

 

· The page number of the annual report (rather than the PDF)
for each number used

 

· Appropriate details of the calculations

 

The questions that should be addressed in the second section
of the paper are:

 

1. If you were an accountant for a potential vendor for this
company, explain which of these ratios would be of the most interest to you.
Would there also be a second ratio of interest to you?

 

2. If you were an accountant for a potential investor in
this company, explain which of these ratios would be of the most interest to
you. In your opinion, what other ratio or ratios beyond the ones listed above
should also be considered in an investment context?

 

3. What is your overall opinion of this company based on the
limited analysis completed via the four ratios? Feel free to mention any
questions that you feel should still be considered in view of the ratios and/or
the changes from one year to the next.

 

Please also consider these suggestions for your success on
this assignment:

 

o If you choose a company from the list and have any trouble
finding its website, the annual reports, or specific information, consider
selecting a different company from the list instead.

 

o If the company has subsidiaries, be sure to use the
consolidated financial statements.

 

o Be sure to use the financial statements rather than
summaries elsewhere in the annual report.

 

ACCT 601

 

Lists of companies for the financial statement analysis
individual assignment.

 

List #1

 

Barnes & Noble, Inc.

 

Intuit Inc.

 

The Kroger Co.

 

Macy’s Inc.

 

Zale Corporation

 

List #2

 

Dell Inc.

 

Family Dollar Stores Inc.

 

Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp.

 

Tractor Supply Company

 

Verizon Communications Inc.