Accounting 151A Online
Introduction to Accounting: Bookkeeping Concepts

INSTRUCTOR Cheryl Furbee
Spring 2012
Revised (1/5/12)

WELCOME to Introduction to Accounting. This is an "online" class, designed to be presented entirely via the internet. There will be no on-campus meetings, no orientation. Quizzes, assignments, etc. will all be done online. Expect to spend 12-20 hours/week to complete the requirements of this class. Be sure to watch the Welcome Video and read the Online Orientation; the links are on the instructor's homepage.

This is the "core" course for Cabrillo's Accounting Program; it contains the building blocks of accounting theory and procedures. It is required or recommended that students complete this course before enrolling in other accounting courses at Cabrillo College; success rates improve when students complete this course first.

TEXTBOOKS AND SUPPLIES

Text and Online Homework Program:

• You must have two items for this class:
1. A textbook.
2. Access to the McGraw-Hill online homework program to be used for online homework submission and grading. This program automatically grades assignments and provides immediate feedback so you know if you are doing the work accurately. Access to this online homework program can be purchased in one of two forms:
   • Connect is the online homework program = the required part of the software.
   • Connect Plus provides access to the required online homework software as well as access to the ebook, narrated slides, and "guided examples".
     
     NOTE: The publisher allows you to use Connect Plus for a 21-day free trial period. The easiest way to gain this access is through Blackboard so you don't have to do anything with this until the semester begins. More instructions will be available in Blackboard. Once you have purchased or registered your access code for either of these programs, you will not be refunded for the cost. It is recommended, therefore, that you NOT buy or register your access code until after the add/drop period (two weeks). This allows for the possibility that, in the event you change your mind about the class, purchased the wrong text, or personal events prevent you from continuing in the class, you can return a new text and code to the bookstore for a full refund, use it for a different section of the class, or for a future semester. Also, this allows you to experiment with the ebook to see if this is something you would prefer to use rather than the hard copy of the text. Thirdly, if you have ordered a text online and not received it or you have financial aid that is not available on the first few weeks, you can use the ebook to get started. If you purchase the text before class begins, treat it well so it can be returned, if necessary.
     
     
• There are multiple ways for you to purchase these two items:
1. Purchase a new text:
• College Accounting, 13^th Edition, Chapters 1-30, Price, Haddock, and Farina, Mc-Graw Hill, in hard copy or loose-leaf format.
• If you purchase a new text from the Cabrillo Bookstore, the text will be bundled with an access code to Connect Plus, good for one year from date of registration. Obviously, you will still have the text for future use, if desired. As stated in the above NOTE, do NOT register this code until after the first 2-3 weeks of the semester..
2. Purchase a used text. After the 21-day trial period you will be required to buy an access code to Connect. You can buy this online with a credit or debit card from McGraw-Hill for approximately $45. Or you can purchase it from the Cabrillo Bookstore for approximately $53.
3. Purchase Connect Plus stand alone (no physical text); again wait for a couple of weeks to buy the code. This provides you the ebook (you do not have to have the hard copy) and the homework software. While this is probably the best price, there are some disadvantages of this option:
   • Using only an ebook can be problematic and many past students would not recommend it because prior editions have been too difficult to locate information, but publisher's are improving on their ebooks every year so this option may work well for you. Try it during the 21-day free trial period and see how you like it.
   • The second half of the text is required for Acct 6 and Acct 159. Acct 6 is offered online only during the spring semester and Acct 159 during the fall semester; they will hopefully be offered on campus during the opposite semesters. Therefore, you may lose access to the text before you complete these two classes because your access expires in one year.
   • The hard copy of the text can be used as a resource for Acct 1A and a small amount for Acct 1B.
   • You can sell the used text.
     
     
4. Purchase the 12th edition of College Accounting and an access code to Connect. There are only a few changes in the information between the two editions. The main differences are in the names and numbers in the exercises and problems; Connect is based on the 13th edition. If you think you can tolerate and work with these differences, you should be able to purchase a used text at a very good price.
5. Only the first 13 chapters of the text are used in ACCT 151A, the second half is used in ACCT 6 and ACCT 159. If you know you will NOT continue with the follow-up classes, you can order the text for Chapters 1-13; however, many students have used the second half for help in ACCT 1A.
6. Texts are available from online book stores but be sure to order at least 3-4 weeks before the semester begins to ensure the text arrives by the beginning of the semester. The first quiz is due by the second Monday of the semester; no extensions will be given. However, a copy of the text is on two-hour reserve in the Cabrillo Library and you can use the ebook.
• Optional - Study Guide and Working Papers for College Accounting, 13th edition, Chapters 1-13, Price, ISBN 978-0-07-743057-3. The Study Guide summarizes essential points in each chapter, contains self test questions, and contains forms that help you organize your solution to homework problems and the two mini-practice sets.
  
• User Name and Password in the Computer Technology Center OR off-campus access to the Internet.
• Access to Microsoft Excel, version 03, 07, or 10 or you can use the Computer Technology Center on either campus. You can also use the Open Office Calculate Program, if necessary.

COURSE OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES:

Learning Outcomes:

• Analyze and synthesize information necessary to complete the full accounting cycle.
• Construct fully classified financial statements for a sole proprietorship in a service and/or merchandise business.

Objectives:

• Recognize various forms of business organizations - sole proprietorship, partnership and corporation.
• Understand the basic accounting equation, T accounts, double entry accounting system, journalizing, and posting.
• Explain and create trial balances, income statements, statements of owner’s equity, and balance sheets.
• Utilize special journals and subsidiary ledgers, adjustments, corrections and reversing entries.
• Apply major federal/state laws pertaining to payroll and payroll taxes, to create required accounting transactions.
• Critically assess, identify, and execute the accounting cycle and each of the steps in the accounting period.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING
Since each person has valuable life and vocational experiences to share, online attendance is extremely important and helps to create a more interesting and beneficial class. Many discussions are designed to learn more about the accounting profession and other "real world" information. It is required that you log into your class at least 3-4 times/week. All activities are due on Mondays by 11:59 p.m. even if Monday is a holiday. No credit will be given for late work.

It is expected, of course, that you will complete your own work. If it is determined that you "cheated" (as defined by generally accepted college standards in the U.S.) on any exam or assignment, you will receive zero points credit for that exam and/or assignment. You are encouraged to work together for many assignments but NOT on the exams.

Grading
 

Grading Scale
 

It is your responsibility to officially withdraw from the class to avoid a letter grade. Excessive absences and/or failure to accurately complete five or more weekly assignments throughout the semester may result in being denied access to Blackboard. This denial may be followed by a drop from the course at the instructor's discretion. However, if the instructor does not initiate a drop, it is your responsibility to withdraw or receive an F grade. The Pass/No Pass option is available by notifying the instructor.

Special Journals Review Problem
This is the Critical Thinking Problem from Chapter 9 to be completed using Connect. It is designed as a review of the special journals covered in Chapters 7-9.

Exams
An exam will be given for every chapter, completed online via Blackboard. They will consist mostly of true/false and multiple-choice questions but may include matching, terminology, problem solving, computations, journalizing, creation of statements, etc. You will be given a one week "window of opportunity" to take the exams. This window will open on Tuesdays at 12:01 a.m. and close on Mondays at 11:59 p.m. unless otherwise stated. No make-ups will be given for late exams.