Financial Accounting: An Introduction to Concepts, Methods, and Uses [antikvár]

PREFACE This book has been designed primarily for a one-semester course in financial accounting at the undergraduate level. However, with some modifications in the topics covered or in the depth at which they are covered, the book is adaptable to a one-quarter course at the MBA level or to a two-quarter sequence of courses at the undergraduate level. Suggested outlines for courses with 30,45, and 60 class contact hours are presented on pages I, II, and EIL The 30-contact-hours oudine provides an overview of the essential concepts and procedures but little depth on any of the topics. The procedures for preparing consolidated financial statements are deemphasized. We feel that the 45-contact-hours outline provides adequate coverage of the concepts and procedures and permits some time to be spent on financial statement analysis. The principal difference between the 45- and 60-contact-hours outlines is in the number of questions and problems assigned on each topic. We find that Chapter 3 is one of the most critical chapters in the book. You may wish to devote more class time to this chapter than is suggested. Chapter 5, covering the statement of cash flows, is a difficult one and additional time may be warranted here also. Some of the material in Chapters 12 and 13 may be deleted or deemphasized in order to devote more time to Chapters 3 and 5. Some instructors prefer to cover the statement of cash flows (Chapters 5 and 14) and financial statement analysis (Chapter 6) at the end of the course. Coverage of these chapters can be easily delayed until after Chapter 13 without causing any difficulties in teaching Chapters 7 through 13. Following the suggested course outlines is a test bank containing examinations and suggested solutions that you may use, or adapt for use, as you find convenient. All of these test questions have been used in our classes, and they are as free of ambiguity as we can make them. As you know, constructing error- and ambiguity-free tests is hard. We make no guarantees that we have succeeded. After the test bank is a set of check figures which you may wish to distribute directly to your students. These are selected numerical answers to various problems. These numbers are, in effect, "bottom lines" which your students can use to check the accuracy of their work. In most cases, the student cannot merely copy the check figures and have a complete answer. In cases where this can be done, we have provided similar questions without check figures. Next is presented for each chapter a set of Notes and Comments, and Answers and Solutions. The Notes and Comments are divided into three parts. First, a list of chapter objectives is presented which summarizes what we feel are the critical concepts and procediu'es to be emphasized in the chapter. Second, some suggestions concerning the manner in which the material in the chapter might be structured for class presentation are offered. Third, a set of lecture outiines is presented along with some teaching hints which we have found to be useful. The Notes and Comments are based on our experiences using the text. We are particularly receptive, however, to your suggestions as to how this book might be improved in subsequent editions. A set of transparency acetates is available from the publisher in a separate package. S.D. C.P.S. R.L.W.