ACIS 2115
Principles of Financial Accounting
Spring 2016
INSTRUCTOR:
OFFICE:
E-MAIL:
OFFICE HOURS:
Lynn Almond
Pamplin 3054
lalmond@vt.edu
Tuesday, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. and by appointment
Course Goals:
This is an introductory financial accounting course to give the student a basic understanding of
accounting; the “language of business”. The student will learn accounting concepts and the correct way
to perform accounting procedures.
Course Objectives:
 Interpret accounting terminology, the basic accounting equation, and the accounting cycle.
 Record business activities and maintain accounting records.
 Create financial reports and financial statements.
 Interpret financial information to measure financial performance.
 Assess the financial health of an organization.
Prerequisites:
The only prerequisite is a positive attitude and a desire to learn a lot of fundamental business concepts.
Course Material:
Access Code for WileyPLUS. You absolutely have to have this item for this class. The access code will give
you access to the homework assignments, an electronic copy of the textbook, videos, and a variety of other
resources that will help you be successful in this class.
You can purchase the access code online at www.wileyplus.com. The access code for WileyPLUS is included
with new textbooks sold by the campus bookstores.
The textbook for this course is Financial Accounting, Tools for Business Decision Making, 8th Edition, by
Kimmel, Weygandt and Kieso. Please note: You are not required to purchase a print copy of the textbook,
you will have access to an electronic copy of the text if you have the WileyPlus access code. You are
required to have a WileyPlus access code for this class and you will have to read the text in its electronic or
print form.
There are two copies of the textbook for this class on reserve in the library.
Wall Street Journal subscription – The Wall Street Journal is a great source of news and information for
the business community. I strongly recommend you obtain a subscription. I think as a PCOB student you
should have some awareness of the business world around you. Student subscription rates are a
bargain, generally about $1 per week. You will receive a print copy of the paper and online access to the
WSJ as well. A representative from the WSJ will be available in the Pamplin Atrium for subscriptions and
there is a link on the course Scholar site to subscribe as well.
Helios Videos – There are three videos I would like you to watch to accompany chapter 7. The videos
are produced by Helios, a company started by a VT alum that is now on the faculty at DePaul University
in Chicago. Kelly Richmond Pope has spent several years traveling around the country interviewing white
collar criminals and studying many factors related to white collar crime. The videos are very engaging
and I think you will find them interesting. You will see information about fraud and internal controls in a
much more engaging manner than simply reading about it in the textbook.
I will also post study guides to accompany the videos on Scholar. There will be questions on the quizzes
and tests related to the videos. You do not have any additional assignments to complete related to the
videos, just be familiar with them and the concepts they illustrate.
Below are detailed instructions for accessing the videos.
1. Go to: http://store.heliosdigital.com/product?catalog=e-case-0067-Almond
2. Click the Buy Now button (located in the lower left corner).
3. Enter a username (must be all lowercase letters, no spaces) then click I am a new
customer. Click Login.
4. Complete Account Details then click Create Account.
5. Choose to pay by Credit Card or PayPal then click Proceed.
6. Enter payment information then click Submit.
7. On your receipt, you will see Training Access Details. Click where it says Click here to be taken
to your e-case.
8. To access your e-case again later, go to http://training.heliosdigital.com/login/index.php and
login using the username and password you created to purchase the e-case.
If you have any trouble with the product link, you may directly navigate to your course pack by going to
http://store.heliosdigital.com, click on Course Packs and scroll down the page to the Virginia Tech icon.
Any issues or questions related to this e-case should be directed to support@heliosdigital.com or you
may call (312) 789-4470.
COURSE STRUCTURE
This course is designed as a hybrid course. A large amount of the course material and all of the assignments
are online. The class meets one day per week for one 50 minute class session. Class attendance is not optional,
you are expected to attend class.
You need to look carefully at your class schedule for the day of the week you have class. Every week you
should read the appropriate chapter before class and complete the pre-class homework assignment and the
Orion assignment. These are both due before class.
The class period will be used to reinforce and explain the material the student has already read, and to work
through example problems.
There are homework assignments due both before and after the class meeting. All assignments, both before
class and after class are due at 11 p.m. on the due date. Homework and Orion assignments will not be
accepted after the due date. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to do the homework assignments. If you
choose to wait until the last minute, or have internet connection problems, that is the risk you take.
CLASS POLICIES:
Attendance and class participation:
This is a hybrid course. Much, but not all, course material is provided online and your class will meet one
day per week. This is a challenging course, and will require a commitment on your part to be successful.
Accounting is a subject that is dependent on your understanding of earlier material to be able to
understand later material in the course. Build a solid foundation of accounting knowledge early in the
course and you will find the later topics much easier to understand.
Conduct:
I expect you to behave in a professional manner and be respectful of your classmates. I want everyone
to have an opportunity to do your best in this class. I sincerely want everyone to do well in this class;
learning accounting is like learning a new language. You will have to put some time into it and practice
to really understand the language and the concepts.
Cell phone usage is very distracting, not just for you but for me and your fellow students. I do not want
to see or hear any cell phones. Please mute them and put them away during class.
Plan to show up on time, stay for the entire class, and engage yourself in the class for 50 minutes. It is
very distracting to me and your classmates when people are coming in late and getting up and leaving
early.
It is distracting to your classmates if you are using your laptop to entertain yourself during class. Please
do not watch YouTube videos, play games, or otherwise entertain yourself. Not only are you not paying
attention, but you are distracting classmates that might need to pay attention to the class. Your
classmates are here to engage in the class, and it is very difficult when there are a lot of distractions.
Course Changes:
Please be aware that the class schedule is a general guide and may be changed as we go through the
semester. I will let you know about any changes to the syllabus during class or by email. It is your
responsibility to keep up with any changes that are announced.
Testing Policies:
You must provide pencils and a calculator for the test. Instructors will not have extra pencils or
calculators for you to use.
You may not use a cell phone calculator. Calculators may not be shared.
Cell phones must be turned off and put away during tests.
Graded tests may not be kept by the student. The instructor will retain them.
Tests and Grades:
There will be three tests in this course; two tests during the semester and a final exam. The two tests
during the semester are 2 hours in length and the test will be given on Thursday evenings from 7 – 9
p.m. The first test is on February 25 and the second test is on April 7. The final exam is on Wednesday,
May 11, from 7:45 – 9:45 a.m. The locations for the two tests and the final exam will be announced.
There are a total of 500 possible points. Grades will be assigned based on the following scale:
Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
Points
460 +
450 – 459
435 – 449
410 – 434
400 – 409
385 – 399
360 – 384
350 – 359
335 – 349
310 – 334
300 – 309
< 300
Points earned on the following items will determine your grade:
Assignments
Test 1, Chapters 1 – 5 (Thursday, February 25)
Test 2, Chapters 6 – 9 (Thursday, April 7)
Final Exam, Comprehensive (Wednesday, May 11)
In-class quizzes (7 quizzes, 2 will be dropped)
Before class and after class homework assignments (WileyPlus)
Before class Orion assignment (WileyPlus)
TOTAL
Points
100
100
120
25
125
30
500
The key to success in this class is to manage your time so that you can study the material and do the
assignments as they are covered in class. Waiting until the 36 hour period before a test is not a
productive way to learn accounting. If you will pace yourself and work your way through the course over
the entire semester, you will find the course much easier and you will do better. Please, do not wait
until the last minute to do the assignments or prepare for the tests.
During the semester, test grades will be posted on the course Scholar site and homework grades are
posted on the WileyPlus website as you complete them. If you feel there has been an error in the
recording of a grade, you have three days from the day the grade was posted to bring the error to my
attention.
The total points available in the homework and Orion assignments are greater than the total required
for full credit. There are 140 homework points in WileyPlus and 36 points in Orion. Once you reach 125
points for the homework assignments and 36 points for the Orion assignments you will receive full
credit for them. Earning additional points beyond the minimum will not be treated as extra credit. I
encourage you to do all of the assignments to help you understand the material. The extra points are
intended to give you a “buffer” to allow you to not answer some questions correctly or not complete
them by the due date and still not penalize your grade.
Homework must be completed in WileyPlus by 11 p.m. on the due date to get credit for it. You have the
option of printing out homework problems. I personally find it very helpful to print the problems out so
that I have the entire problem in front of me, making it unnecessary to scroll up and down the screen to
find information. Also, be aware the homework problems are the problems at the end of each chapter in
the text. You may see different numbers in your problem, but the text of the problem will be the same.
The dates for the in-class quizzes are marked on the class schedule. You will see a (Q) on the class day
for the days there will be a quiz. The quizzes will be short, typically five multiple-choice questions. Each
quiz is worth five points. There will be no make-up quizzes. There are seven quizzes scheduled through
the semester, the two lowest quiz grades will be dropped.
Grades will not be discussed in any manner other than in person. You can come to office hours or
schedule an appointment to discuss grades.
Note: The instructor reserves the right to adjust the final grades based on the class average and in
accordance with the guidelines and grading standards for the course.
Alternate Test Dates:
There will be no alternate test dates without prior approval. If a student has an acceptable excuse they
are expected to schedule an alternative test time before the regularly scheduled test time. If a student is
ill or must attend to an emergency, documentation must be provided to the instructor to support the
event.
If an acceptable explanation of a student’s absence from a test is not received, a grade of zero will be
assigned for the test. Too many tests or lack of preparation are not acceptable excuses for missing an
exam. You have several weeks of advance notice for the tests, manage your time wisely.
The final exam for this course is a common time exam. All sections of this course will take the final exam
at the same time. The location for the exam will be announced.
The university policies regarding final exams will be strictly adhered to. The policy regarding
multiple exams in a 24 hour period states:
A student with conflicting examinations or with more than two officially scheduled
examinations in twenty-four hours may reschedule an examination with permission
sought by the student from the student’s college dean NO LATER THAN April 15, 2016
and by arrangement with the appropriate instructor.
Be sure to look at your exam schedule for all courses you are taking before the deadline. The university
policy will be adhered to, no exceptions.
Outside Help, Tutoring and Campus Resources
I frequently encounter upper-class students that would like to tutor people in the introductory
accounting courses. If you feel you need to hire a tutor you can contact me and I can put you in touch
with people that provide tutoring services.
You can also contact the Student Success Center here on campus for tutoring and other aids. Here is a
link to the Student Success Center:
www.studentsuccess.vt.edu
Another resource for students is the Cook Counseling Center:
www.ucc.vt.edu
The Virginia Tech Dean of Students office can be reached at:
www.dos.vt.edu
Extra Credit:
There are no opportunities for individual extra credit in this class, so please do not ask for extra credit at
the end of the semester when you have not earned the grade that you want. Begin working hard now
for the grade that you want!
Communication:
Feel free to contact me by email, but be aware that I receive a large volume of emails and I will not carry
on a conversation by email. I will gladly talk with you about any issues you have, I hope to have an
opportunity to meet many of you as we go through the semester.
Take advantage of the forums on Scholar. There are a lot of questions that can be answered through the
forum by your classmates. I will monitor the forums as well and contribute to them as well.
I do want you to succeed in this class, and you are welcome to visit my office for help. I have office hours
as indicated on the front of this syllabus. I will gladly set up an appointment to meet with you as well if
my office hours are not convenient for you. My TA and the TAs teaching sections of this class all have
office hours as well. I encourage you to take advantage of them and let us all help you.
I will send the entire class emails throughout the semester. Sometimes I want to convey additional
information to you about the class and I will also share information with you about events and special
activities you may be interested in. I frequently get information about events, scholarships and other
opportunities that I want to make you aware of.
Honor Code:
THE HONOR CODE WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED IN THIS COURSE. ALL ASSIGNMENTS SUBMITTED SHALL
BE CONSIDERED GRADED WORK, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR COURSEWORK ARE
COVERED BY THE HONOR SYSTEM.
Students with special needs or circumstances:
Students with documented special needs or circumstances should come by my office at the beginning of
the semester so the necessary accommodations can be arranged. Students with accommodations for
exams will take their exams at the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) Office. Please contact me
a minimum of one week prior to a test to schedule a time for you to take the test at the SSD office. I will
make the reservations for you; it is a simple process but I will need you to help me since I do not know
your schedule. It is your responsibility to contact me to make a reservation to take tests at the SSD
office.
The Office for Services for Students with Disabilities can be reached at:
www.ssd.vt.edu