BUSINESS AND IT DIVISION
BA 2003 ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES I
Course Syllabus--Fall 2013
Instructor:
Office Location:
Office Hours:
Voice:
Email:
Web:
Kim Jones
John Paul Hammerschmidt Building, B205
Monday and Wednesday 9:00-1:00 Tuesday and Thursday 12:30-1:30 and Friday by
appointment
870-391-3519
kpotts@northark.edu Note: My preferred method for students to contact me is by
email. Please allow 24 hours for a response from me.
www.northark.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is a broad overview of the fundamental purposes, theory and methods of accounting with
emphasis on the construction and interpretation of accounting statements and their related schedules.
RATIONALE
This course should begin to fulfill the needs of college students who are planning careers in accounting as well
as those studying business administration, liberal arts, law, or other disciplines. Accounting Principles I is the
student’s first step in a more comprehensive training program concerned with the design of the system of
records, the preparation of reports based on the recorded data, and the interpretation of reports. Individuals
engaged in such areas of business as finance, production, marketing, personnel, and general management
need not be expert accountants but their effectiveness is enhanced if they have a good understanding of
accounting principles. This course is designed to help the students gain that understanding.
AUDIENCE
This course is a requirement for the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Administration with an
emphasis in Accounting and Management. This course is also a requirement for the Accounting Certificate.
This course will transfer to certain four-year institutions for students planning to major in Business or a related
field.
NEXT COURSE IN SEQUENCE
BA 2013 Accounting Principles II
COURSE GOALS
The student will:
Use appropriate accounting practices for sole proprietorships both service and merchandising enterprises
in completing exercises, problems and tests.
Utilize terminology related to accounting through written and verbal communication with the instructor.
Complete an accounting cycle for a merchandising business by completing a practice set.
Accurately handle payroll, receivables, inventories, fixed assets, and intangible assets by completing
exercises, problems and tests.
COURSE RESOURCES

Personal computer - The student is expected to have access to a computer with these system
requirements.
http://portal.northark.edu/ics/Academics/Academics_Homepage.jnz?portlet=Resources_for_Online_S
tudents
If you have any problems with your computer, i.e., computer crashes, Internet goes down, or etc., it is your
responsibility to have a backup plan.
 Email Account—A Northark email account was issued to you automatically when you enrolled in your
classes. To access your email, navigate to Northark’s Web site at www.northark.edu. On the Students
tab, you should see a link Student Email. You may also access your email from web.mail.northark.edu.
Your email address will be your username@mail.northark.edu
 Textbook-Accounting, Warren, Reeve, Duchac, 24th ed., Cengage Publishing Co.; Bundled with
CengageNOW Access Card-ISBN: 1133072933
 Accounting Working Papers, Chapters 1-17, Cengage Publishing Co.; ISBN: 0538478535
 Pumping Iron Practice Set, Cengage Publishing Co; ISBN: 1111821615
 Microsoft Excel Software
 Pen and pencil
 Ruler/Straight edge
Optional:
Calculator/Financial Calculator-Texas Instruments BA II Plus-If you have had Business Math or Financial
Math, you already have a financial calculator. This will be helpful in later chapters. It is not required, but
very useful. If you do not have one and would like to purchase one, they are for sale in the Northark
bookstore.
ON-CAMPUS RESOURCES

Your instructor-Do not hesitate to contact me during office hours or by appointment (by phone or in
person). E-mail is also an excellent way to communicate. . When you email please put in the subject
line the class you are in and make sure you have your name somewhere in the document! **Please
allow a 24-hour response time. If I cannot respond within this time period, I will alert the class in the
Announcements section on our course site. Remember, Sunday is my offline day! **
 The Library-Provides study area and computers for your use.
 Tutors-Contact the Student Services Counselor
ASSISTANCE FOR COURSE
If you are having any issues in your blended course, the first person you should contact is your instructor by
email. If you need technical assistance for logon issues, contact Brenda Freitas (Northark IT department) at
bfreitas@northark.edu or 870.391.3275.
COURSE CONTENT
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
Introduction to Accounting and Business
Analyzing Transactions
The Adjusting Process
Completing the Accounting Cycle
Accounting Systems
Accounting for Merchandising Businesses
Inventories
Receivables
METHOD OF INSTRUCTION
This course is a blended course. You are responsible for the material and if there are any questions, you are
responsible for informing your instructor as soon as possible. Each week we will cover 1 -2 chapters from the
textbook followed by in class and out of class assignments from each chapter. It is important to read the
chapters before class and be prepared for the material that will be covered during that class period.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Students will be required to complete: textbook exercises/problems from each chapter; complete exams; and
complete the Pumping Iron Practice Set by the stated due dates at the stated time.
COURSE EVALUATION
Students will be evaluated in this course and given grades: A, B, C, D, F or other “grade symbols” as explained
in the current college catalog. Sixty percent of your grade will be based on exams, 20% of your grade will be
based on homework; and 20% of your grade will be based on the Analysis Exam/Practice set “Pumping Iron”.
REMINDER: The Practice Set must be completed and the Analysis Exam taken by the due
date or no credit will be given for the course! NO EXCEPTIONS!
Grading Scale
90-100
80-89
70-79
60-69
Below 60 F
A
B
C
D
Attendance policy
It is the student’s responsibility to discuss any absences and the possibility of makeup work with the instructor
as soon as possible.
Students are expected to attend all class meetings and officially withdraw from courses they are no longer
attending.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Academic fraud and dishonesty are defined as follows:
♦
Cheating: Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in
any academic exercise.
♦
Facilitating academic dishonesty: Intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another
commit an act of academic dishonesty.
♦
Test tampering: Intentionally gaining access to restricted test booklets, banks, questions, or answers
before a test is given; or tampering with questions or answers after a test is taken.
♦
Plagiarism: Intentionally or knowingly representing the words and ideas of another as one's own in any
academic exercise.
Academic dishonesty will not be permitted. It shall be at the instructor’s discretion to fail the student for that
assignment, remove the student from the class, reduce the student’s grade, or petition to have the student
suspended from the college.
COURSE CALENDAR/SCHEDULE
A schedule is provided on the portal site under Course Materials.
PROVISION FOR CHANGES
The instructor will notify students of any updates/changes in the course syllabus on the portal site under
Announcements. Check Daily!
ADA STATEMENT
North Arkansas College complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990. Students with disabilities who need special accommodations should make their
requests in the following way:
Talk to your instructor during office hours about your disability or special need related to your
classroom work; and/or
Contact Student Support Services and ask to speak to Kim Brecklein.