ACCT2301 – Spring 2024 SYLLABUS

INTRODUCTORY FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING

ACCT 2301
SPRING 2024
INSTRUCTORS
Jieying Zhang
Office: JSOM 4.812
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Wednesdays from 11:30 pm – 12:30 pm, or by appointment

N. Bugra Ozel
Office: JSOM 4.403
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Wednesdays from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm, or by appointment

TA Office Hours: Thursdays from 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm (via MS Teams), or by appointment

Click here to join the meeting, Meeting ID: 233 754 139 648

- Yang Zhang ([email protected]): From Jan 18th to Feb 22th

- Grace Gu ([email protected]): From March 21nd to April 25th

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course introduces financial accounting, which is the language of business. It provides a base level
of knowledge needed by investors, corporate managers, and executives to understand, analyze, and
discuss corporate financial information.
Financial accounting is concerned with the preparation and public dissemination of financial reports
designed to reflect corporate financial conditions. By providing timely, relevant, and reliable
information, these reports facilitate the decision-making of investors, creditors, and other interested
parties. The course will familiarize you with the basic principles, practices, and concepts of financial
accounting that underlie corporate financial statements. It begins with an overview of the procedures
necessary to prepare and understand the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement. It
continues with examining the accounting for the most common transactions, such as accounts
receivable and revenue recognition, inventories, long-term assets, debt, and stockholder’s equity.
This course is recommended for students who are considering a career in the finance industry, positions
that involve strategic decision-making in manufacturing and service operations, as well as those who
would like to manage their own investments. The content of this course is essential if you want to
pursue a career in investment banking, financial analysis, consulting, general management, or
entrepreneurship.
COURSE MATERIALS:
• The course’s E-Learning page: It is the central repository for the following class materials:
o Lecture slides;
o Practice exams and their solutions;
o Practice problems, their solutions, and solutions to textbook problems;

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o Press articles and other supplementary material

• Textbook (recommended): Financial Accounting by Libby, Libby, and Hodge, 11. Ed.,
2022, McGraw Hill (ISBN: 1264229739). In the schedule below, practice problems from the
textbook are assigned to reinforce the material covered for each topic.
GRADING POLICY:
The final grade of each student will be determined based on the higher of the following two
weighting schemes (total: 100 points):
Weight
Exam I 35%
Exam II 35%
In-Class Quizzes (Best 7 out of 8) * 21%
Attendance and Professionalism 9%
* Each quiz is worth 3 points

Please note that the above weighting scheme will be strictly adhered to. There is no possibility of
earning any extra credit or adjusting your scores for any reason other than grading errors.
Grades are distributed based on relative performance evaluation (i.e., curve). The average grade for
this class has been a B+ in the past. Approximately 80% of the class enrollment (following the end of
the drop period) receives a B or above. Students with poor weighted average scores (below 50)
typically receive a final grade of “F.”

1. EXAM I & EXAM II:

There are two exams for this course. Each exam is structured such that students should be able to
solve it in 105 minutes, but to give everyone a fair chance to work through it carefully, we allot 120
minutes to the exams. For exam dates and the topics covered, see the class schedule below.
The exams will take place in the testing center, and you can take the exams during any 120-minute
window within the testing center’s operating hours on the exam date. You must book a time slot with
the testing center through the testing center’s website (https://ets.utdallas.edu/testing-center) at
least three days before the exam date. Note that this is a hard cutoff, and the testing center does
not accommodate any student who tries to schedule a seat less than three days before the exam.
It is the student’s responsibility to book a time slot and attend the exam during the scheduled
time. If you fail to book your exam or fail to show up at the testing center, you may not be given
a makeup exam.
Exams are closed-book. You are allowed to use a calculator (but not your cell phone).

EXAM ACCOMMODATION AND CONFLICTS:

If you need an accommodation due to a disability, please contact the AccessAbility Resource Center
as soon as possible in person at Suite 2.224 in the Administration Building, via phone at (972) 883-
2098 (voice or TTY), or via [email protected]. You will be provided with
accommodations approved by the office.
To be excused from an exam, the student must email the professor as soon as possible (prior to the
exam when possible) with written evidence (i.e., from a doctor or UTD Student Health Clinic) that
the student is seriously ill or unavailable for another excusable reason at the scheduled time of an
exam. This is the only valid process to be excused from an exam. Please note that attending
social/sports events, job interviews, or simply not feeling well without a written doctor’s note are not
considered excusable reasons. In the event of an excused absence from Exam 1, a makeup exam will

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be given in the week after spring break. In the event of an excused absence from Exam 2, a
makeup exam will be given in May 2024.
Students who fail to take an exam without making arrangements with the professor in accordance
with the preceding requirements will receive a grade of zero for that exam.

REQUESTS FOR REGRADES:

If you feel that an exam has been incorrectly graded, you should email the professor – not a TA –and
submit a written explanation of the points of contention within two weeks of the release of the exam
scores. Requests made after this deadline will not be considered. Please note that the entire exam will
be re-graded, which may result in an increase or decrease in the total score. All re-grade decisions are
final.

2. IN-CLASS QUIZZES:
There will be eight in-class quizzes during the semester, which will be held on the dates indicated
below and in the class schedule. Quizzes will be given at the end of the class (quiz time cannot be
adjusted based on individual circumstances, so please be punctual). Each quiz will take about 15
minutes and will consist of 4-5 questions (primarily multiple choice). The quizzes will be closed-book,
and no notes will be allowed.
Note that sharing quiz information with your classmates or accepting third-party help will result in a
referral to the Office of Community Standards and Conduct, and students caught cheating will
receive a grade of “F” for the course.
In computing your final grade, only the seven highest quiz scores will be counted (i.e., the lowest quiz
score will be dropped from the computation). If, for some reason, you are unable to attend class on one
of the quiz days, we will simply count the seven quizzes that are completed. No make-up quizzes will
be given.

3. CLASS ATTENDANCE, PROFESSIONALISM, AND PARTICIPATION:

Class attendance refers to whether you are physically present in the classroom during the scheduled
class time. Professionalism refers to the respect you display towards your classmates and the
professors. Students who attend all class sessions, consistently make contributions to facilitate
discussions, provide new insights, and follow class etiquette (see below for details) will receive the
full score for attendance and professionalism. Students who are repeatedly absent from the class, who
have no contribution or contributions that are obvious or irrelevant to the discussions, or who
repeatedly fail to demonstrate professionalism will receive low or no points for attendance and
professionalism.
6 of the 9 points will be assigned based on your attendance at lectures. Each professor will randomly
choose 6 sessions to record attendance (excluding exams and review sessions), and if you attend 10
or more sessions in total, you will receive the full 6 points.
The remaining 3 points will be based on our subjective judgment of your participation and
contributions to class discussions and the professionalism you demonstrate during the class.

CLASS ETIQUETTE:
Both as a courtesy to your fellow students and the professor, and to ensure that everyone has the best
opportunity to learn, please adhere to the following professionalism principles:

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• Please display name tents to make interactions easier.

• Class starts and ends on time. You should remain in attendance for the duration of the class,
except in an emergency. If a unique situation arises, such that you must come in late or leave
early, please inform your professor ahead of time and sit in an open aisle seat close to the door.
• Any use of electronic devices is only allowed if required for the purpose of this class (e.g., for
polls/attendance tracking, taking quizzes, or taking notes).
• We expect that you treat this course as a professional engagement. Please do not carry on private
conversations during class.
• The class is interactive, and all students are encouraged to ask their questions at any time. From
time to time, we may cold call (not in a mean way), so be prepared.

TEACHING ASSISTANT AND OFFICE HOURS:

The teaching assistant for the course is Yang Zhang ([email protected]) and Grace Gu
([email protected]).
The TAs will hold regular office hours according to the schedule posted on the course’s E-Learning
page. Office hours will be held online. The TA will reserve the first half of the time slot to go over
pre-designated textbook problems. This is the recitation part of the office hour sessions. During the
second half of the time slot, the TA will answer student questions about concepts, problems, or other
topics covered in class.
If you have general questions about class content or concepts, please use the discussion board on E-
learning, where your fellow students can also provide answers to your questions.

UT DALLAS SYLLABUS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The information contained in the following link constitutes the University’s policies and procedures
segment of the course syllabus: http://go.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies.
ACADEMIC SUPPORT RESOURCES: The information contained in the following link lists the
University’s academic support resources for all students. Please see http://go.utdallas.edu/academic-
support-resources.

Warning! Every topic we will cover in this course builds on the topics that precede it. Batch
processing will almost surely be inefficient, frustrating, and unproductive. We strongly encourage
you to keep up with the class. Let the fun begin!

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TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE (READINGS ARE BASED ON THE 11TH EDITION OF THE TEXTBOOK)
Section Section Slides and Textbook (TB)
Session Title Quiz Case Practice Problems
001/002/003 004/005/006 Readings
Slides: #1
1 1 Introduction to Financial
TB: Chapter 1 and Chapter 5
Thur. 1/18 Wed. 1/17 Accounting
(Read p. 234-245)
Q: 3, 5
Slides: #2
2 2 MC: 2, 3, 6
Financial Statement Overview TB: Chapter 2
Tue. 1/23 Mon. 1/22 M: 2-4, 2-5
(Read p. 44-58)
E: 2-3, 2-5
MC: 5, 7
3 3 M: 2-6, 2-7, 2-10
Balance Sheet Slides: #3
Thur. 1/25 Wed. 1/24 E: 2-5, 2-9, 2-13
TB: Chapter 2
P: 2-3(parts 1-3)
(Read p. 58-71)
4 4 P: 2-1,2-2(parts 2-4),
Balance Sheet Quiz 1 Wayfair
Tue. 1/30 Mon. 1/29 AP:2-1, 2-2(parts 2-4)
Q: 10, 11
5 5 Income Statement and Accrual
M: 3-3, 3-6, 3-7
Thur. 2/1 Wed. 1/31 Accounting Slides: #4
E: 3-2, 3-3, 3-4, 3-6, 3-8, 3-9
TB: Chapter 3
6 6 Income Statement and Accrual Artsy Animals P: 3-2, 3-7,
Quiz 2
Tue. 2/6 Mon. 2/5 Accounting (Part 1) AP: 3-2, 3-7
7 7 Adjusting Entries and Preparation
Thur. 2/8 Wed. 2/7 of Financial Statements MC: 3, 4
8 8 Adjusting Entries and Preparation Slides: #5 M: 4-2, 4-4, 4-5
Quiz 3 TB: Chapter 4 E: 4-3, 4-4, 4-9, 4-11, 4-16
Tue. 2/13 Mon. 2/12 of Financial Statements
9 9 Adjusting Entries and Preparation Artsy Animals P: 4-2, 4-7
Thur. 2/15 Wed. 2/14 of Financial Statements (Part 2)
10 10 Short-Term Assets: MC: 5, 8, 9
Quiz 4 Slides: #6
Tue. 2/20 Mon. 2/19 Accounts Receivable M: 6-3, 6-4
TB: Chapter 6
11 11 Short-Term Assets: E: 6-8,6-9,6-16
(Skip p. 308-315) Track Group
Thur. 2/22 Wed. 2/21 Accounts Receivable P: 6-2
12 12
Review Session for Exam I Will be streamed from MS Teams and recorded
Tue. 2/27 Mon. 2/26
13 EXAM I -- Covers Sessions 1 through 12 (inclusive)
CAN BE TAKEN BETWEEN FRIDAY, MARCH 1 – WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6
14 You must book your seat with the testing center at least 3 days in advance
SPRING BREAK (MARCH 11 - MARCH 17)

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Section Section Slides and Textbook (TB)

Session Title Quiz Case Practice Problems
004/005/006 001/002/003 Readings
15 15 Short-Term Assets: Q: 8, 9
Slides: #7
Mon. 3/18 Tue. 3/19 Inventories MC: 1, 2, 4, 5
TB: Chapter 7
16 16 Short-Term Assets: E: 7-2, 7-6, 7-8, 7-17, 7-18, 7-19
(Skip p. 369-374)
Wed. 3/20 Thu. 3/21 Inventories P: 7-2, 7-3
17 17 MC: 2, 9
Property, Plant, and Equipment Quiz 5 Slides: #8
Mon. 3/25 Tue. 3/26 M: 8-8
TB: Chapter 8
E: 8-3, 8-4, 8-7, 8-16
18 18 (Read p. 400-416 and
Property, Plant, and Equipment P: 8-2, 8-5
Wed. 3/27 Thu. 3/28 p. 421-423)
AP: 8-2, 8-5
Slides: #9 E: 8-21
19 19
Intangible Assets TB: Chapter 8 SunOpta Inc. P: 8-6, 8-7, 8-8
Mon. 4/1 Tue. 4/2
(Read p. 424-434) AP: 8-6
20 20 Slides: #10 Q: 6, 7, 10
Operating Liabilities and Debt Quiz 6
Wed. 4/3 Thu. 4/4 TB: Chapter 9 MC: 3, 6, 7
(Skim p.472-486; E: 10-3, 10-8, 10-11, 10-13, 10-
21 21 Starbucks
Operating Liabilities and Debt Read 487-495) 15, 10-17
Mon 4/8 Tue. 4/9 Corp.
and Chapter 10 P: 10-6, 10-9, 10-10, 10-14
22 22 Q: 3, 9
Stockholders’ Equity Quiz 7
Wed. 4/10 Thu. 4/11 MC: 2, 4, 6, 7
Slides: #11 M: 11-6
23 23 TB: Chapter 11 E: 11-1, 11-6, 11-7, 11-15, 11-16,
Stockholders’ Equity PepsiCo Inc.
Mon. 4/15 Tue. 4/16 11-20, 11-21
P: 11-5
24 24 Q: 6, 10, 11, 12
Statement of Cash Flows Quiz 8
Wed. 4/17 Thu. 4/18 Slides: #12 MC: 3, 5, 6, 7
25 25 TB: Chapter 12 E:12-1, 12-5, 12-7, 12-12, 12-16
Statement of Cash Flows Now Inc.
Mon. 4/22 Tue. 4/23 P: 12-1, 12-2
MC: 1, 4, 8
M: 13-3, 13-4, 13-10
26 26 Basics of Financial Statement Slides: #13
Kohl’s Inc. E: 13-1, 13-4, 13-6, 13-8, 13-9,
Wed. 4/24 Thu. 4/25 Analysis (FSA) TB: Chapter 13
13-12
P:13-9
27 27
Review Session for Exam II Will be streamed from MS Teams and recorded
Mon. 4/29 Tue. 4/30
28
EXAM II -- Covers Sessions 15 through 27 (inclusive)
CAN BE TAKEN BETWEEN WEDNESDAY, MAY 7- SATURDAY, MAY 10
29
You must book your seat with the testing center at least 3 days in advance

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