Accounting Research Acctg 642 Syllabus
Fall 2007
Prerequisites: Acctg 433 (Financial Reporting), Acctg 342 (Taxation I), and 442 (Auditing I) or concurrent enrollment. For accounting majors only.
Instructors: Dr. Richard Ott, Dr. Dan Deines, Dr. Mark Linville
Offices: Ott (216), Deines (114), Linville (16)
Telephones: Ott (5639), Deines (6038), Linville (6381)
Office Hours: See individual instructor
Class Hour: TU 9:30
Classroom: C208
Texts:
Weirich & Reinstein, Accounting and Auditing Research, Southwestern
Class Notes--Union Copy Center or Varneys
Objectives
The three main objectives of this course are for students to: (1) become familiar with the various resources available in solving the type of problems they will confront in accounting practice; (2) develop further their critical thinking skills; and (3) improve their written and oral communication skills. To achieve the first objective, students will be required to identify and utilize various sources in the KSU library. Critical thinking skills will be developed further through case analysis and research. Topics will be researched in the tax, financial, auditing, and ethics areas. Finally, students will prepare written reports and make oral presentations after becoming knowledgeable in the research process.
Department of Accounting Learning Objectives The Department of Accounting's curriculum is designed to correspond to levels of Bloom's Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives. Lower levels of Bloom's Taxonomy (knowledge, comprehension, and application) are emphasized in the lower division courses while the higher cognitive objectives (analysis, synthesis and evaluation) are stressed in upper division/graduate courses. This does not imply that some of the higher cognitive objectives are not reached in the lower division courses, just that it is not emphasized. Synthesis and Evaluation are the levels of Bloom's Taxonomy this course emphasizes. In addition, the accounting program lists ten learning objectives for its students. These objectives are listed below with the appropriate emphasis in this course.
1. Technical Knowledge--High
2. Critical Thinking--High
3. Ethical Standards--High
4. Teamwork--High
5. Diversity—NA (Not Addressed)
6. Accounting Origins—NA
7. Oral Communication--High
8. Written Communication--High
9. Computer Skills--High
10. Lifelong Learning--High
In addition to the departmental objectives, the following learning objectives for students in accounting research are also stated. Students will be able to do/know the following upon completion of this course:
1. To learn how to use RIA Internet Tax Research service.
2. To learn how to use the Financial Accounting Research System (FARS).
3. To know the precedential value of the important tax law sources (Internal Revenue Code, Treasury Regulations, Revenue Rulings and Procedures, Letter Rulings, Determination Letters, and the judicial system).
4. To be able to identify the issues involved in solving financial, auditing, and tax problems.
5. To know the steps and procedures in the accounting research process.
6. To know the hierarchy of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
7. To write clear and concise business memos.
8. To know sources available for solving auditing problems(Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS), Statements on Auditing Standards (SAS), Professional Standards, Audit and Accounting Manual, Industry Audit Guides Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services (SAARS), Attestation Standards, Single Audit Act, Yellow Book, Statements of Position).
9. To know the sources available for solving financial accounting problems (Statements of Financial Accounting Standards, Accounting Principle Board Opinions, Accounting Research Bulletins, Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) minutes, Technical Bulletins, Statements of Position).
10. To know the hierarchy of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
11. To make clear and concise oral presentations.
Class Organization
Students learn how to locate various sources in the KSU library and the research process during the first part of the course. The case method is used to apply what has been learned during the first part of the course. Students can expect approximately 1 to 2 cases a week. This will vary by instructor. There are three instructors for this course.
Grading
The course grade will be determined as follows: Weirich and Reinstein (Ott) 19%* Tax (Ott) 26% Financial Section (Deines) 29% Audit (Linville) 26% 100% (Rounded)
* An exam determines 65% of this grade and class participation accounts for the remaining 35%. Class participation grades may vary with each instructor because each instructor determines how his/her portion of this course is to be graded.
Student Responsibilities
Readings, library work, and/or cases are assigned for each class. Students are expected to have completed the work before class. Class participation, case analysis, written reports, and oral presentations are weighted considerably in determining the course grade. Failure to be prepared will most likely lead to failure in the course.
Kansas State University Undergraduate Honor System: Kansas State University instituted an undergraduate honor system in 1999. The basic difference between the new honor system and the old one related to academic dishonesty is that students now hold majority representation on hearing panels. This significant change gives students ownership in the honor system and a reason to protect the integrity of our university.
I expect you will do all academic work in this class. Do not collaborate on any academic work unless specifically approve by me.
On all assignments, exams, or other course work undertaken by students, the following pledge is implied, whether or not it is stated: "On my honor, as a student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work."
Please visit the Honor System web page for more information at: http://www.ksu.edu/honor.
Any student with a disability who needs an accommodation or other assistance should make an appointment to speak with Dr. Ott as soon as possible.
September 24, 2007--last day to drop a course without a "W" being recorded. October 26, 2007--last day to drop a course.
Assignment Schedule
Date Instructor Assignment
T Aug 21 Ott Intro--Tax--Ch 1 & 7 Weirich (W)
Tax--Authoritative sources--Notes (N) pp.44-58; 66-69 (W) Ch 1 Questions (Q)1-21, Ch 2 Q 1-15, Ch 7 Q 1-15
U 23 Ott Tax--Authoritative sources-- Notes (N) pp.44-58; 66-69 (W) Ch 1 Questions (Q)1-21, Ch 2 Q 1-15, Ch 7 Q 1-15
T 28 Ott Library Resources, RIA, and Tax Quiz
U 30 Ott Case 1 Taxpayer vs. IRS (M) Chap 7, 8, 9, 10 (N) pp. 59-65 Group Memo to the file.
T Sept 4 Ott Case 2 Taxpayer vs. IRS
U 6 Ott Judges----all group papers Kennedy and Coe (Deb Prater and Shellee Callahan)
T 11 Ott Case 3--Taxpayer vs. IRS
U 13 Ott Judges--all papers—individual K&C Presentation T 15 Ott W Ch 2 Q 1-15 if not completed Ch 3 Q 1-6, Ch 4 Q 1-8
U 20 Ott W Ch 4 Q 9-16 Ch 5 Q 1-13
T 25 Ott Group presentations--limit 12 minutes
"The House of GAAP" Journal of Accountancy June 1984 Pgs. 122-127
"The FASB's Emerging Issues Task Force" Journal of Accountancy June 1986 Pgs. 96-104
"Sas No. 69" Journal of Accountancy March 1992 Pgs. 108-111 "EITF Consensuses and the GAAP Hierarchy" Journal of Accountancy May 1992 Pgs. 103-110
U 27 Ott Ch 6 (W) Q 1-18 Ch 8 Q 1-19 Presentations Enron, Worldcom Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, And Mutual Funds—Journal of Accountancy December 2004 Pgs. 32-36.
T Oct 2 Ott W Ch 9 Q 1-8 & Ch 10 Q 1-11
U 4 Ott Weirich Exam
T 9 Deines Financial
U 11 Deines Financial
T 16 Deines Financial
U 18 Deines Financial T 23 Deines Financial
U 25 Deines Financial
T 30 Deines Financial
U Nov 1 Deines Financial
T 6 Deines Financial
U 8 Linville Audit
T 13 Linville Audit
U 15 Linville Audit
T 20 Linville Audit
U 22 Holiday
T 27 Linville Audit
U 29 Linville Audit
T Dec 4 Linville Audit
U 6 Linville Audit
W 12 Final Exam 2:00-3:50--Audit ACCTG 642 Accounting Research Fall 2007
Dr. Richard Ott Dr. Dan Deines Dr. Mark Linville