Second Round Electronics: A Case for Critical Thinking

2013 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 983-989 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Johnstone ◽  
Brandy Mackintosh ◽  
Fred Phillips

ABSTRACT This instructional case requires students to provide advice to a client who is currently the sole owner of a for-profit company that reconditions and sells used electronics. The client is considering purchasing a similar company with the vision of expanding into the sales and service of emerging technologies. The target company's unaudited financial statements contain questionable accounting choices and judgments that appear to enable the company to meet external financial reporting constraints. In their role as financial advisers, students are expected to use critical thinking skills to identify and evaluate questionable choices in the target company's financial statements. This case is suitable for use in introductory and intermediate financial accounting as well as introductory auditing and assurance courses, and can be used as a context for in-class discussion, as a basis for exam questions, and/or as a writing assignment. Assessment rubrics and Teaching Notes accompany the case for use by instructors.

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 593-608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred Phillips ◽  
Brandy Mackintosh

ABSTRACT This instructional case requires students to provide advice to a client who is currently a co-owner of a for-profit art gallery. The client is planning to purchase his co-owner's shares at a price to be determined based on their company's recent financial performance. The company's financial statements, prepared by the client's co-owner, contain accounting choices and judgments that students should identify and evaluate using critical thinking skills. This case is suitable for use in introductory and intermediate financial accounting, and in introductory auditing and assurance courses. Accompanying the case is a set of teaching notes and assessment rubrics for use by instructors.


2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 117-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Dickins ◽  
Rebecca G. Fay

ABSTRACT Strong systems of internal control over financial reporting (ICFR) are critical to the production of reliable financial statements. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations require that companies design, maintain, and regularly evaluate their systems of ICFR, and Auditing Standard No. 5 requires that auditors evaluate companies' systems of ICFR. Therefore, it is necessary for accountants to be able to (1) describe and classify internal controls and (2) determine deficiencies in internal control. Recent reports suggest that accountants may lack sufficient training and guidance in these respects (e.g., Rapoport 2012). This activity provides an opportunity for students to practice these skills while learning more about the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission's (COSO) 2013 Framework. Provided are a summary discussion of ICFR and the COSO 2013 Framework, an outside-of-class reading assignment, and an activity that requires students (independently or in groups, either in or outside of class) to employ critical-thinking skills to: (1) classify (i.e., map) a listing of controls as being aligned with one (or more) of the COSO 2013 Framework's five components and 17 principles that comprise a well-designed system of internal control, and (2) identify any deficiencies (gaps) in design due to missing or inadequate internal controls.


2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 493-524 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason C. Porter

ABSTRACT Recent accounting scandals have emphasized the need to think beyond debits and credits. Accounting students must understand the effects of transactions on a company's financial position, as well as the pressures and incentives they will someday face to misrepresent that position. This case introduces students in intermediate financial accounting courses to both of these important objectives. First, the case improves students' critical thinking skills in accounting by allowing them to determine if various correcting entries should be made, and what the effects of those transactions will be on the company's financial statements. Second, the case improves students' ability to evaluate ethical consequences by introducing them to conflicting incentives regarding those corrections: the obligation to provide investors with high-quality financial statements that fairly present the company's financial position versus the pressure to maintain a high stock price for investors. The case may be completed using either U.S. GAAP or IFRS.


2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Fred Phillips

ABSTRACT This case requires students to evaluate financial reporting practices adopted by a small apparel company. The company's owner/manager has recently taken the business in a new direction, and is asking for help in determining whether the company's existing financial accounting policies continue to be appropriate and how alternative policies would affect the reported financial results. This case will require students to apply knowledge of financial accounting and financial statement ratios to judge the appropriateness of selected accounting policies. This case is designed for use in introductory and intermediate financial accounting courses that aim to develop students' critical thinking skills.


Author(s):  
James Penner ◽  
Jagjit Singh Saini

This case is based on the accounting at a for-profit zoo. It provides students with an opportunity to explore and apply the Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) using a real-life example. This case challenges the students to use critical thinking skills to identify the relevant standards, as there is no direct reference in the ASC for accounting at a for-profit zoo.  An assessment of the students indicates that the case provides a useful learning experience in interpreting and applying the authoritative Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) in a real-life situation. Additionally, the assessment results indicate that the case helps students to enhance their critical thinking, teamwork and problem-solving skills. This case could be used in any intermediate or advanced financial accounting class in which students are expected to use the ASC and learn the application of GAAP.    


2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy R. Oliver

Master the art of writing about dance! And learn about dance at the same time. This comprehensive guide provides students with instructions for writing about dance in many different contexts. It brings together the many different kinds of writing that can be effectively used in a variety of dance classes from technique to appreciation. In addition, it offers strategies for improving critical thinking skills, and shows how writing and critical thinking are closely linked. Part I focuses on informal writing such as freewriting, with sample exercises and prompts. Part II outlines approaches to writing three different kinds of formal papers: critiques, essays and research papers. Writing about dance teaches on two levels. First, the writer is learning dance content as s/he writes. Engaging in the writing assignment causes the writer to take a look at an aspect of dance and to become a 'momentary expert'. Secondly, writing itself is a way of learning. Writing involves the brain in three kinds of interaction, that is, the intellectual act of critically thinking, the physical act of writing or typing, and the visual aspect of seeing the writing on the page. The critical thinking and contemplation involved in writing can deepen students understanding of dance technique, dance creativity, and dance as an art form. Students will use this book on their own, or teachers may make assignments from it. It teaches about dance writing, but also about the very basics of dance appreciation.


2012 ◽  
Vol 45 (02) ◽  
pp. 298-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gamze Çavdar ◽  
Sue Doe

AbstractTraditional writing assignments often fall short in addressing problems in college students' writing as too often these assignments fail to help students develop critical thinking skills and comprehension of course content. This article reports the use of a two-part (staged) writing assignment with postscript as a strategy for improving critical thinking in a lower-division political science course. We argue that through well-designed writing assignments, instructors can encourage students to reconsider concepts, critically evaluate assumptions, and undertake substantive revisions of their writing.


The purpose of this paper is to examine how the Framework-based Teaching (FBT) approach improves the critical thinking skill among accounting students at tertiary education level. This qualitative study is conducted using the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) approach, where reflections from lecturers ‘experience in teaching and learning process are gathered. Data are collected from both accounting lecturers and students who implemented the FBT approach using the inquiry-based learning technique in the financial accounting course. Data are analysed using content analysis. The results from the study indicate that, based on lecturers’ reflection, students are pushed to think in depth in classes using the inquiry based learning of the FBT approach. This is supported by students’ feedback on their own critical thinking ability. Thus, the FBT approach improves the critical thinking skills among accounting students. The implication of this study is the practicability of the FBT approach in teaching financial accounting course at university level in encouraging critical thinking skills.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-132
Author(s):  
Sukma Diviana ◽  
Rangga Putra Ananto ◽  
Wiwik Andriani ◽  
Roni Putra ◽  
Armel Yentifa ◽  
...  

Mosque is an entity that aims not for profit (non-profit entity), so that financial accountability becomes an important aspect for mosques. Good accountability can be realized by presenting the mosque's financial reports in accordance with generally accepted accounting standards. The standard governing the financial reporting of non-profit entities is the Interpretation of Financial Accounting Standards No. 35 (ISAK 35). By implementing ISAK 35 in the presentation of mosque financial reports, interested parties will be able to assess the financial performance of the mosque. The object of this research is Mosque Baitul Haadi. Data were collected through a series of interviews and observations. Until now, Mosque Baitul Haadi only presented financial reports as far as cash in and cash out. This study aims to compile the financial statements of Mosque Baitul Haadi based on ISAK 35 using Microsoft Excel application tools. The financial statements that will be produced are the statements of financial position, comprehensive income statements, cash flow statements and notes to financial reports.


2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-139
Author(s):  
Christine E. Earley ◽  
Nancy Chun Feng ◽  
Patrick T. Kelly

ABSTRACT This case is intended for use in a wide variety of learning contexts, including undergraduate and graduate government and not-for-profit accounting courses, advanced accounting courses, public policy courses, along with courses that address municipal pensions at the college or university level, or other training programs. The case achieves four primary objectives: developing proficiency in ratio analyses for a municipality, conducting research related to the financial status of a municipality, improving critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and developing an awareness of potential public interest issues facing municipal leaders. We find that students benefit from analyzing the financial condition of the City of Providence, RI and develop critical thinking skills through their analyses.


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