.
ACCOUNTING 390W: REPORTING FOR ACCOUNTANTS
Syllabus
Fall 2015
Instructor: Jim Vogt, CFE
Office: SSE 2427 – Tu/Th 12:30 to 1:30 & Wed 4:30 to 6:30 (and by appointment)
Email: jvogt@mail.sdsu.edu
C
ommunication skills are considered one the most important for accountants. Accounting practitioners,
faculty, and professional organizations agree that good writing and speaking skills are imperative to
success in accounting. While most practitioners recognize the importance of writing skills in the
accounting profession, research shows many accounting graduates lack the necessary writing skills associated
with grammar, spelling, and sentence construction and that this deficiency stems from insufficient coverage of
communication fundamentals in higher education.
This course provides the opportunity for students to recognize deficiencies in their communications skills and
provides the tools and opportunities to focus on areas needing improvement. Students interested in a career in
any accounting related field should find this course valuable.
Course Objectives:
The primary objective is to provide the guided practice necessary to master fundamental concepts of business
communication. You will be focused on three core subjects within communications: (1) planning
communications, (2) writing, and (3) presenting. This course will also fulfill the requirements of an upperdivision writing course (a “W” course) as set forth by SDSU.
Basic Writing Prerequisites:
The course satisfies the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement for students who have completed 60
units, completed the Writing Placement Assessment with a score of 8 or higher (or earned a C or higher in RWS
280 or 281, or LING 281 if score on WPA was 7 or lower); and completed the General Education requirement
in Composition and Critical Thinking. Admission to the College of Business as an accounting major also
required.
University Writing Center
San Diego State University has a Writing Center that is free to students. The Writing Center is located on the
ground floor of the Professional Studies and Fine Arts building (PSFA-116). The PSFA building is located
directly west of Hardy Tower. For more information, see the Writing Center webpage at
http://writingcenter.sdsu.edu/index.html
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Course Logistics:
Scheduled class times are:
Tu/Th
4:00 to 5:50
SSW 2500

Prerequisites: You must be admitted to the accounting major in the SDSU College of Business. You
must have scored an 8 or better on the WPA or received a grade of C or better in RWS 280, RWS 281,
or LING 281. You must have received a grade of C or better in ACCTG 331.

Course Materials:
a. Harvard Business School Management Communication Coursepack available at:
https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/access/38918338
Computers

You will need to bring a laptop each day in which we have an in-class writing assignment. If you do not
have a laptop you will need to get a loaner from the library tech center.
Assessment
Your primary assessment will be through in-class writing assignments, presentations, and quizzes.
Assessment
Quizzes (7)
% of grade
10%
In class writing assignments (9)
25%
Individual Presentations (4)
25%
HBP Modules (3)
10%
Group Project:
Report
Presentation
15%
15%
Total for course
100%
Quizzes
Quizzes are scheduled after the materials have been read and discussed in class. I will drop your lowest quiz
score automatically; thus there are no other provisions for missed quizzes.
In Class Writing Assignments (“ICW”)
In order to assess your independent ability to write, there will be a number of in-class writing assignments that
form a significant portion of your grade. I will drop your lowest in-class writing assignment score; thus there
are no other provisions for missed in-class writing assignments.
Individual Presentations
There are four individual presentations. Topics will be discussed in class.
Harvard Business Publishing Modules
There are three Harvard Business Publishing modules. The modules are to be completed outside of class. Each
module concludes with an on-line exam.
Homework and Participation
I do not expect to assign homework that is required to be turned in and graded (although I reserve the right to do
so). Preparing for class should typically involve reading the assigned materials and on occasion, preparing
materials. Your contribution to class discussions is an invaluable part of your learning experience, and the
experiences of the other students in the class. Without your active involvement in the class meetings, the class
will not be a success for any of us.
Style Guide
Most of the written assignments should be prepared using the 390W-adapted MLA format and style. There is a
brief style guide posted in Blackboard. More information on MLA style can be found on numerous websites
and are available at no charge.
TurnItIn
Almost all written work is required to be submitted on TurnItIn on Blackboard unless instructed otherwise.
TurnItIn is a document submission system that interfaces directly with Blackboard and permits instructors to
provide on-line feedback without having to print papers for grading. TurItIn also checks your work for
potential plagiarism. Your grades and comments can be found in TurnItIn once all the papers have been graded.
It is in your best interest to examine any instructor comments on previous work to help you improve your
written work on the next assignment. Your score will also be presented in your Blackboard gradebook.
Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity
review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source
documents in the Turnitin.com database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers.
Learning Objectives:
The BSBA Accounting program has a number of student learning objectives. This course is intended to address
the following program level objectives:
Goal I: Written and Oral Communication - Communicate effectively with individuals, teams, and large groups,
both in writing and orally.
SLO 1.1: Write well-organized and grammatically correct papers including letters, memos, case
analyses, and research reports.
SLO 1.2: Make effective oral presentations that are informative as well as persuasive, as appropriate.
In addition, all W courses at SDSU have specific learning objectives as well.
In order to prepare you to write in and for the accounting discipline, you will practice writing that includes
the following components:
a. Disciplinary means of argumentation and exposition.
b. Disciplinary ways of reasoning, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating.
c. Disciplinary formats, genres, and conventions.
d. Disciplinary vocabulary and prose style.
In addition, students will
3
• Write with an awareness of general or specific audiences outside of their major disciplines (for
example, ability to convey information or perspectives relevant to a discipline or to an audience beyond
it).
• Demonstrate an understanding of the rhetorical situation-purpose, context, and audience.
• Apply writing processes effectively (i.e., research, prewriting, drafting, revision, and editing).
• Actively read texts using a variety of reading strategies such as annotation, visual organizers,
questioning, and discussion.
• Produce a minimum of 2,000 words of writing per credit unit.
This course intends to provide students with the opportunity to meet all of the above learning objectives through
a series of readings, assignments, projects, quizzes, exams and presentations. The course level objectives are:
1. Apply the rules of grammar, mechanics and usage to written communications.
2. Plan and construct written communications that consider audience and message prior to completion.
3. Plan and construct oral communications that consider audience and message prior to presentation.
Meeting the Objectives:
To help you in meeting these objectives, I have provided an array of education elements including:
 Harvard Business School Management Communication Modules
 In class writing assignments
 Individual and group presentation assignments
 Office hours.
Academic Honesty
Accounting is a profession that depends on trust – individuals, companies and society as a whole place reliance
on the decisions and opinions of accountants. For most of history, accountants were viewed among the most
trusted members of society. In recent years, certain events have eroded this trust. Rebuilding this trust will take
a long time but can be accomplished if future accountants ensure that such lapses do not recur. I take my role in
this effort very seriously (and I hope you will as well).
All assignments are individual assignments unless specifically instructed otherwise. As such, all homework,
projects, cases, assignments should be your own work only unless otherwise instructed. Your work means you
are the sole author unless you have adequately cited the sources and made it clear to the reader that these are not
your words and the assignment permits you to do so. If you are unsure what plagiarism is, then you should
review the tutorial found here: http://library.sdsu.edu/guides/tutorial.php?id=28
The SDSU Standards for Student Conduct (http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/conduct1.html) states that unacceptable
student behavior includes “cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of academic dishonesty that are intended to gain
unfair academic advantage.” Any student suspected of academic dishonesty will be reported to the SDSU
Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities; if found responsible for academic dishonesty, the student may
receive an F in ACCTG 390.
ACCOUNTING 390W – FALL 2015
Course Calendar:
Date
8-25
Topic
Course
Introduction –
Materials &
Structure
Readings
In Class Writing
#1
Bring Computers
See
Blackboard
for posted
readings
9-1
Resume Lecture
See
Blackboard
for posted
readings
9-3
In Class Writing
#2
Bring Computers
8-27
Quiz
(Content on
Quiz)
HBS
Assignments
In-Class
Writing
Presentation #1
Topic Assignment
#1 Capabilities
Groups Assigned
#2 Resumes
Bring 4 copies of
your resume
Quiz #1 Resumes
9-8
9-10
Presentation #1
Presentation
Debrief
9-15
Presentation #1
Presentation
Debrief
9-17
Interviews &
Presentations
Lecture
See
Blackboard
for posted
readings
9-22
Grammar Part I
&
Business Memos
See
Blackboard
for posted
readings
HBS - Planning
Communication
9-24
In Class Writing
#3 Bring
Computers
See
Blackboard
for posted
readings
HBS - Planning
Communications
Exam Due
Group Report –
Company Selection
Due
HBS - Introduction
Quiz #2 Interviews &
Presentations
Quiz #3 –
Grammar I &
Business
Memos
Bloomberg login
and self-training
completed with
notification to
Instructor
5
#3 Technical
Acctg Issue Memo
Date
Topic
9-29
Grammar Part II
& Business
Letters
10-1
In Class Writing
#4 Bring
Computers
10-6
Grammar Part III
& Business
Reports
10-8
Presentation #2
10-13
Presentation #2
10-15
Excel Lecture –
Bring Computers
10-20
Writing Emails
Lecture
10-22
In Class Writing
#6
Bring Computers
10-27
Portfolio
Reviews
10-29
Portfolio
Reviews
11-3
In Class Writing
#7 Bring
Computers
11-5
Presentation #3
11-10
Presentation #3
11-12
In Class Writing
#8 Bring
Computers
Readings
See
Blackboard
for posted
readings
See
Blackboard
for posted
readings
See
Blackboard
for posted
readings
HBS
HBS - Writing in
Business (through
Writing Style)
Quiz
(Content on
Quiz)
Assignments
In-Class
Writing
Quiz #4 –
Grammar II &
Bus. Letters
#4 Technical
Tax Issue –
Letter
HBS - Writing in
Business thru end
Quiz #5 –
Grammar III &
Bus. Reports
Group Report – Ind.
Part 1a & 1b due in
Turnitin - 10pm.
HBS – Writing in
Business Exam Due
See
Blackboard
for posted
readings
See
Blackboard
for posted
readings
See
Blackboard
for posted
readings
#5 Reviewing
the Work of
Others (not in
class)
Quiz #6 – Excel
Quiz #7 Emails
Group Report – Part
1 due in Turnitin 10
PM
HBS - Presenting in
Business through
Practice the
Presentation
#6 E-mail
Grp Report – Ind.
Excel projects due
via e-mail
#7 CPA
Regulations
OPEN TOPIC
Date
Topic
11-17
Business
Etiquette Lecture
11-19
Presentation #4
11-24
Presentation #4
11-26
Thanksgiving
No class
12-1
In Class Writing
#9 Bring
Computers
12-3
PCAOB
Proposal Debate
12-8
12-10
Readings
HBS
HBS - Presenting in
Business through the
end
Harvard Presenting
Exam Due
Group
Presentations
Group
Presentations
7
Quiz
(Content on
Quiz)
Assignments
Grp Report - Group
company case study
reports due
In-Class
Writing
#9 Internal
Control
Walkthrough
Memo