COMM 111/211/611 - Introduction to Financial Accounting

Key information
• Instructor: Dr. Ning Zhang
• Office hours: 11:30am to 12:30pm, Monday, starting from the third week
• Course Email: smithqueenscomm@gmail.com

1. Course Description and Learning Objectives

This course is an introductory financial accounting course. This course provides an introduction to the financial accounting and reporting process
from the perspective of external decision makers. The course focuses on fundamental accounting concepts and principles and is designed to provide
an overview of financial reporting system. Specifically, you will succeed at the end of the semester by being able to:
• Understand important financial accounting terminology: You should be able to understand assets, liabilities, expenses, revenues, etc., from
major financial statements.
• Learn to prepare financial statements: You should be able to prepare a balance sheet, income statement, statement of cash flows, and
statement of shareholders’ equity.
• Learn to read, interpret and critically analyze financial statements: You should be able to make assessment of a company’s “economic
well-being” based on its financial statements.

2. Course Format, Administration and Materials

Class format is a combination of interactive lecture and in-class practice problems. I expect questions from you during class and you should expect
questions from me. I have a teaching assistant helping you throughout the course in this fall and I encourage you to take advantage of this privilege.
The textbook is:
• Financial Accounting (5th Canadian edition or above). Harrison, et al. Pearson

3. Course Grading Scheme

Your performance will be evaluated based on homework assignments, quizzes and examinations as shown below:
Attendance 10%
Quizzes (Best 3 of 4) 15%
Midterm 25%
Final 50%
Quizzes: Quizzes will be online and include only multiple choice questions. You will have a week to complete the quiz. I will have practice quiz
questions for you a week prior to the scheduled quiz time. I will announce the date and time the quiz takes place along the way we make progress this
fall.

Midterm and final exams: You will be given a midterm and a final exam (both in-person). I will announce the topics that are covered in the midterm
exam two weeks before the midterm. The final exam will be cumulative.

4. Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to the fundamental values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. It is the responsibility of all

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faculty, staff, and students at Queen’s to support and uphold these fundamental values of academic integrity. I have attached a complete academic
integrity statement at the end of this syllabus issued by Queen’s University.

5. Disabilities Accommodations Statement

Students with physical and learning disabilities must contact the instructor as soon as possible in order for special accommodations/modifications.
Queen's University is committed to achieving full accessibility for persons with disabilities. Part of this commitment includes arranging academic
accommodations for students with disabilities to ensure they have an equitable opportunity to participate in all of their academic activities. If you are
a student with a disability and think you may need accommodations, you are strongly encouraged to contact Queen’s Student Accessibility Services
(QSAS) and register as early as possible. For more information, including important deadlines, please visit the QSAS website
at: http://www.queensu.ca/studentwellness/accessibility-services/.

6. Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Indigenization at Smith

Smith School of Business is committed to cultivating a vibrant, diverse and inclusive academic and work environment rooted in a culture of mutual
respect and equity such that all members of our community feel safe, possess a strong sense of belonging, and are empowered to thrive.

7. Course Schedule

Week Topic Quiz

1 The Financial Statements
2 Transaction Analysis
3 Accrual Accounting and the Financial Statements Quiz 1
4 Receivables and Investments
5 Inventory and Cost of Goods Sold Quiz 2
6 Property, Plant and Equipment and Intangible Assets
7 Mid-term
8 Liabilities Quiz 3
9 Shareholders’ Equity
10 Financial ratios

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 Academic Integrity Statement

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Definition of Academic Integrity

Any behavior that compromises the fundamental scholarly values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility in the academic setting is
considered a departure from academic integrity and is subject to remedies or sanctions as established by Smith School of Business and Queen's
University.

These behaviors may include plagiarism, use of unauthorized materials, unauthorized collaboration, facilitation, forgery and falsification among other
actions. It is every student’s responsibility to become familiar with Queen’s School of Business policy regarding academic integrity and ensure that his
or her actions do not depart, intentionally or unintentionally, from the standards described at:
https://smith.queensu.ca/about/academic_integrity/index.php.

Helpful FAQ’s about academic integrity are at: https://smith.queensu.ca/about/academic_integrity/faq.php

To assist you in identifying the boundary between acceptable collaboration and a departure from academic integrity in this specific course, I provide
the following guidelines for individual and group work. If my expectations still are not clear to you, ask me! The onus is on you to ensure that your
actions do not violate standards of academic integrity.

Individual Work

Assignments and examinations identified as individual in nature must be the result of your individual effort. Outside sources must be properly cited
and referenced in assignments; be careful to cite all sources, not only of direct quotations but also of ideas. Ideas, information and quotations taken
from the internet must also be properly cited and referenced. Help for citing sources is available through the Queen’s University library:
http://library.queensu.ca/help-services/citing-sources.

Group Work

I will clearly indicate when groups may consult with one another or with other experts or resources. Otherwise, in a group assignment, the group
members will work together to develop an original, consultative response to the assigned topic. Group members must not look at, access or discuss
any aspect of any other group’s solution (including a group from a previous year), nor allow anyone outside of the group to look at any aspect of the
group’s solution. Likewise, you are prohibited from utilizing the internet or any other means to access others’ solutions to, or discussions of, the
assigned material. The names of each group member must appear on the submitted assignment, and no one other than the people whose names
appear on the assignment may have contributed in any way to the submitted solution. In short, the group assignments must be the work of your
group, and your group only. All group members are responsible for ensuring the academic integrity of the work that the group submits.

Consequences of a Breach of Academic Integrity

Any student who is found to have departed from academic integrity may face a range of sanctions, from a warning, to a grade of zero on the
assignment, to a recommendation to Queen's Senate that the student be required to withdraw from the University for a period of time, or even that a
degree be rescinded.

As an instructor, I have a responsibility to investigate any suspected breach of academic integrity. If I determine that a departure from Academic
Integrity has occurred, I am required to report the departure to the Dean’s office, where a record of the departure will be filed and sent to the program
office to be recorded in the student file.