Leavey School of Business
Santa Clara University
Fall 2015
ACTG 180 Syllabus
Accounting For Business Decisions
Date of this version: August 1, 2015
Professor Michael Calegari
Office: Lucas 316K
Email: mcalegari@scu.edu
Overview of the Course
This course is an introduction to financial accounting concepts and practices in the United States. The
course is intended to be both practical and theoretical.





On the first day, we begin with a review of the four primary financial statements, calculate and
interpret several basic financial statement ratios, and discuss the reporting environment.
On day 2, we learn how to account for balance sheet, revenue, and expense transactions and how to
summarize these transactions in the financial statements.
Day 3 covers how business transactions are reported in the asset side of the balance sheet.
Day 4 describes how financing transactions are reported in the liability and equity sections of the
balance sheet.
Day 5 (the final day) covers the cash flow statement.
We approach the material both from a preparer standpoint and a user standpoint. By understanding how
financial statements are prepared, we will be better able to analyze these statements.
Course Materials
Libby, Libby, and Short, Financial Accounting (8th edition)
Solutions to Selected Homework Problems in Libby Book (on Camino / Canvas)
Class Notes (Handout / on Camino)
Lectures and Assigned Readings
The textbooks should be considered reference materials to clarify topics discussed in class and to provide
practice problems. The class will follow the books and will make extensive use of the exercises and
problems at the end of each chapter.
Camino / Canvas
Solutions to textbook problems are posted on Camino, which is the online course management used by
SCU. You can access Camino through the SCU Login page (http://www.scu.edu/siteindex/sculogin/). If you
are enrolled in the course, you can access Camino with your SCU login ID and password. Students who
drop the class will not be allowed to access the homework solutions.

At the top of the Camino / Canvas page is a pull-down menu for Courses. Clink on ACTG 180. This
will get you into the course page.

Once in the course page, click on the “modules” section on the left side of the page. This will bring
you to the page with all the files that we will use in class.
1
Class dates, times, and location
Day
Sat/Sun
Sat/Sun
Sat/Sun
Sat/Sun
Sat/Sun
Date
Aug 29 / 30
Sept 5 / 6
Sept 12 / 13
Sept 19 / 20
Sept 26 / 27
Time
9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location
L209
L209
L209
L209
L209
First Day of Class
On the first day of class (Monday, June 8), the class will meet for five hours (from 9:00-2:00
Students should bring the Libby book, pencils, paper for taking notes, and a simple calculator to the first
day of class. The calculator should be a simple nonfinancial / nonstatistics calculator that performs only
basic functions (as the CPA exam only allows candidates to use basic calculator functions). You will need
the calculator and the Libby book each day of class.
Grades
Grades will be based on class attendance and participation (7%) and daily quizzes (93%). Grades are based
on average scores: A: 90%-100%; B: 80%-90%; C: 70%-80%; D: 60%-70%; F: below 60%. Grades in the
lower portion of the A, B, and C ranges will receive a minus (A-, B-, or C-). Grades in the upper portion of
the B, C, and D ranges will receive a plus (B+, C+, D+).
Daily Tests
We will begin each day (except the first day) by with a test that is based on the previous week's lecture and
homework assignment. All tests will be worth the same amount of points, though some tests will be more
difficult than others. The final test (on Day 5) will be the most difficult.
After the test at the beginning of Day 5, we will continue with additional material. You will not be tested on
this additional Day 5 material.
Daily Homework
The syllabus includes homework assignments to help you understand the material. However, you do not
turn-in the homework and I will not grade the homework.
Tutoring
Drop-in tutoring sessions will be held on the first floor of Lucas Hall, long desk built into the wall between
L106 and L107 on certain weekday nights.
1. Tutoring hours will be announced on the first day of class.
2. Tutors will also be available by appointment at other times during the week.
3. Email addresses for the tutors will be distributed to students either by email or in class.
2
Tentative Assignment Schedule
The class will follow the Libby book. Here is a tentative schedule of the topics that we will cover in each
class. Chapters 1-5 are critical – it will be helpful to read these chapters before the class.
Day
Sat/Sun
Sat/Sun
Sat/Sun
Sat/Sun
Sat/Sun
Date
Aug 29 / 30
Sept 5 / 6
Sept 12 / 13
Sept 19 / 20
Sept 26 / 27
Chapters
Chapters 1 and 13
Chapters 2 – 5
Chapters 6 – 8
Chapters 9 - 11
Chapter 12
Academic integrity
A student who is guilty of a dishonest act (e.g., cheating of any kind, plagiarism of any kind, texting
questions or answers, copying or photographing new or used exams or assignments) in an examination,
paper, or other work required for a course, or who assists others in such an act will receive a grade of F for
the course.
Recommendations on how to Succeed in this Class
Accounting is the language of business. Similar to other foreign languages, you must practice using
accounting in order to learn accounting. Memorization is not enough. To do well in class, here is what I
recommend:
1. Attend class.
2. Study the notes (the quizzes are based on the notes)
3. Redo the examples and problems in the notes. We will have covered most of these in class; but you
really need to be able to solve these examples and problems without resorting to the notes.
4. Read the book (but don’t take too much time). Concentrate on those areas in which you had
difficulty doing the problems in the notes.
 Note: some of the topics in the notes are NOT covered in the book. For these topics, the
problems in the notes will be your only examples of how to solve these problems.
5. If you have time, take the self study quiz. At the end of a topical area within each chapter, Libby
often provides a “self study quiz.” You should complete these quizzes each evening for the
appropriate chapter.
6. If you have time, review the Demonstration Case. At the end of each chapter, Libby usually
provides a “Demonstration Case” that shows you how to solve some of the key problems in the
chapter. You should solve this case each evening for the appropriate chapter.
7. If you have time, do as many homework problems as possible. We will review some (definitely not
all) homework problems in class. This is the key thing: you must physically do as many
problems as possible each week.
 Note: most homework problems will not be on the quiz.
8. If you have time, solve the continuing case problem each evening. Careful – this may take some
time, so manage your time wisely.
9. Ask questions in class if you are confused about anything.
10. Help each other. If you can accurately explain a solution to another student, then you will better
understand the problems on the quizzes.
The class material builds on itself. Don't wait until later in the course to understand concepts introduced
early in the course: you will be overwhelmed.
3
Reading and Recommended Homework Assignments
Date of this version: August 1, 2015
Week 1
Chapter 1
Self study quizzes
Demonstration case
Multiple choice questions
Exercises
Problems
Read entire chapter, including supplements A and B
Pages 8, 11, 13
Page 21
2, 5, 8, 9, 10
3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12
1
Chapter 2
Self study quizzes
Problems
Read pages 40-47
Pages 46, 67
1
Chapter 3
Read pages 98-104
Chapter 5
Define: Gross Profit Ratio
Self study quizzes
Demonstration case
Problems
Read pages 224-234
Read pages 238-239
Page 232
Page 249
6
Chapter 9
Define: Working capital
Mini-exercises
Read page 462
4
Chapter 13
Define: Return on Equity
Define: Net Profit Margin
Define: Current Ratio
Define: Debt-Equity Ratio
Read pages 653-655
Read page 657
Read pages 659-660
Read page 664
4
Week 2
Chapter 2
Self study quizzes
Demonstration case
Multiple choice questions
Mini-exercises
Exercises
Read entire chapter
Pages 53, 56, 62
Page 69
1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9
3, 4
4, 6, 8, 13, 14, 16
Chapter 3
Self study quizzes
Demonstration case
Multiple choice questions
Mini-exercises
Exercises
Problems
Read entire chapter
Pages 108, 110, 119
Page 125
2, 5, 6, 7, 8
7, 8
3, 4, 6, 8, 13, 18
2, 3
Chapter 4
Self study quizzes
Demonstration case
Multiple choice questions
Mini-exercises
Exercises
Problems
Comprehensive problems
Read entire chapter
Pages 173, 183
Page 184
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
3, 4, 6
6, 7, 13, 14, 17, 18
2, 4
1 (requirements 2 and 3 only)
Chapter 5
Self study quizzes
Demonstration case
Multiple choice questions
Exercises
Problems
Read entire chapter
Pages 238, 248
Page 247
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10
3, 10
8
5
Week 3
Chapter 6
Self study quizzes
Demonstration case
Multiple choice questions
Exercises
Problems
Cases and projects
Read entire chapter, including chapter supplement
Pages 282, 287, 292, 298
Pages 299 and 300
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
3, 6, 9, 12, 16, 17, 22, 25
1, 2, 4
6
Chapter 7
Read entire chapter except for "Inventory Methods and Financial
Statement Analysis" (pages 350-52)
Pages 333, 341, 344, 347, 348
Page 350
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
3, 4
1, 4, 5, 11
2, 4, 9
7
Self study quizzes
Demonstration case
Multiple choice questions
Mini-exercises
Exercises
Problems
Cases and projects
Chapter 8
Supplement
Self study quizzes
Demonstration case
Multiple choice questions
Mini-exercises
Exercises
Problems
Chapter 9
Self study quizzes
Multiple choice questions
Mini-exercises
Exercises
Problems
Read entire chapter except for "Natural Resources and Intangible Assets"
(pages 409-10)
Read chapter supplement (pages 415-6)
Pages 387, 390, 398, 403, 416
Page 412 (not Case B)
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
3, 4, 5, 9
2, 3, 5, 8, 10, 13, 17, 18, 19
6, 8, 10
Read pages 450-463
Page 463
3, 5
6
2, 9
6, 7
6
Week 4
Chapter 9
Self study quizzes
Demonstration case
Multiple choice questions
Mini-exercises
Exercises
Problems
Read pages 464-473
Page 467
Page 472
1, 2, 3, 8, 9
1, 2, 7, 8
10, 14, 15
11, 12
Chapter 10
Self study quizzes
Demonstration case
Multiple choice questions
Mini-exercises
Exercises
Problems
Cases and projects
Read entire chapter but SKIP the chapter supplements
Pages 503, 506, 512, 516, 518, 523, 526
Page 519
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
2, 3, 4
8, 11, 15
7, 10, 12
4
Chapter 11
Read entire chapter except for "Stock Dividends" (page 556) and chapter
supplements
Pages 552, 555
Page 563
1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9
2, 4, 8
4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 15
2, 4, 5, 9
Self study quizzes
Demonstration case
Multiple choice questions
Mini-exercises
Exercises
Problems
Week 5
Chapter 12
Self study quizzes
Demonstration case
Multiple choice questions
Mini-exercises
Exercises
Problems
Cases and projects
Read entire chapter
Pages 593, 602, 609, 615
Page 611
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
5, 6
1, 2, 4, 9, 11
1, 5
5
7