Assessment Brief 1

Programme title: Foundation Year in Business and Law

Module name: Contemporary Issues in Accounting
Assessment title: How would the stakeholders of a company, listed on the
London Stock Exchange, make use of the published annual
report and accounts?
Module code: U10473
Class start date: 25th September 2023
Class end date: 21st January 2024
Module lecturer:
Internal verifier: Kaviraj Santayana
Submission deadline: 27th November 2023, time: 2 pm
Assessment type: Individual Essay + Poster (One Word Document)
Weight: 50% (2000 words)

Brief Module Overview

This module will provide you with an understanding of understand the importance of financial
and of management accounting in running a business effectively, and to gain an appreciation of
the current issues in accounting.

Module aims

To introduce students to the purpose and basic mechanics of accounting in both theory and
practice.

Assessment Brief 1 (Accounting) * Page 1 of 8

Assessment 1 – Essay + Poster

QUESTION TO BE ADDRESSED
How would the stakeholders of a company, listed on the London Stock Exchange, make use
of the published annual report and accounts?

GUIDANCE
You should focus on the statement of profit or loss, the statement of financial position and the
cash flow statement. References to the other published information are also encouraged.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

This assignment provides an opportunity for you to reflect on your knowledge of accounting
and its relevance to a wide selection of users.

The essay should be informative, easy to follow, and delivered in an interesting and clear
manner. You should be able to demonstrate the extent of your understanding of the basic
theory and practice of FINANCIAL accounting in the modern context, and its value to business
and the wider community.

The poster should be informative, easy to understand and visually appealing.

MODULE LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this module students should be able to:

No Learning outcomes
1 Demonstrate an understanding of basic theory and practice of financial and
management accounting and its basic terms and concepts.
2 Explain the value of financial and management accounting processes to a
business
5 Demonstrate an understanding of the current contemporary issues affecting the
accounting discipline

Assessment Brief 1 (Accounting) * Page 2 of 8

Submitted work is normally marked and returned within three weeks (during term time) of the
submission deadline. All modules are moderated/second marked internally by staff and
confirmed by external examiners. All marks are provisional until they are confirmed by the
relevant module board.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Essay – the essay will contribute 80% to the overall grade (1,600 words). It will be assessed
using the following weighting:
• 25% Clarity of expression
• 25% Addressing the question
• 25% Content & range of knowledge
• 25% Conclusions
Please note that diagrams, quotes, appendices, and tables do not constitute part of the word
allocation. A copy of the assessment grading for the essay can be found in Appendix 1.

Poster – the poster will contribute 20% to the overall grade. It will be assessed using the
following weighting:
• 50% Presentation (visual)
• 50% Addressing the question
A copy of the assessment grading for the poster can be found in Appendix 2.

SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS
Cover Sheet – you MUST attach a completed cover sheet with your essay. See Appendix 3.
Presentation – your individual assignment should be word-processed. Line spacing should be
one and-a-half-spaced, with at least an inch (2cm) margin, and font size should be no smaller
than 12 point, Times New Roman, or 11-point Arial. Your student number should appear on
each page and pages should be numbered.

DESCRIPTION/GUIDANCE
Assessment How would the stakeholders of a company, listed on the London Stock
Title: Exchange, make use of the published annual report and accounts?
Delivery Individual Essay and Poster
Method:

Assessment Brief 1 (Accounting) * Page 3 of 8

Type/Format: Report by MS Words
Word Count: 2000 words (Essay + Poster)
(Please note that diagrams, quotes, appendices, and tables do not
constitute part of the word allocation).
Weight: 50% Marks
Submission CCCU Turnitin
method:
Basic Complete the set reading and complete all required preparation for
Guidelines: lectures and seminars. Ensure that your assessments are submitted on
time and that guidance is sought in a timely manner, if required,
beforehand.
Assessment Essay – the essay will contribute 80% to the overall grade (1,600 words).
criteria: It will be assessed using the following weighting:
• 25% Clarity of expression
• 25% Addressing the question
• 25% Content & range of knowledge
• 25% Conclusions

Poster – the poster will contribute 20% to the overall grade (400 words).
It will be assessed using the following weighting:
• 50% Presentation (visual)
• 50% Addressing the question

Assessment marking/grading criteria

Criterion 100-80: 79-70: 69-60: 59-50: 49-40: 39-20: 19-0:
Excellent Very Good Good Sound Satisfactory Fail Fail
1
2
3
4

Assessment Brief 1 (Accounting) * Page 4 of 8

REFERENCING SYSTEM
The Business students are required to use Harvard as the standard referencing
convention.

LEARNING MATERIALS/RESOURCES:

Essential Resources:
Core text book – Dyson, J. and Franklin, E. (2020), Accounting for non-accounting students
(10th ed.), Pearson Education Limited: Harlow.

Recommended Resources:
Journals, magazines & academic articles related and relevant to the subject:
You are expected to keep abreast of current academic theory and the events affecting
accounting practice in organisations and societies. This may be via published and
academic journals, newspapers, trade magazines etc.
 bbc.co.uk
 Financial Times
 Accountancy Age (Journal)
 Journal of Corporate Accounting & Finance
 Publications by “Big four” accounting firms – PWC, Deloitte, Ernst & Young,
KPMG
 Publications by Professional Accounting Bodies – ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA, ICAEW,

Websites:
You are expected to keep abreast of news and developments concerning accounting
practice. Websites you need to use and be aware of are:
 http://www.bbc.co.uk
 http://www.cipfa.org.uk

Please note that the format and order of this reading list is for illustrative purposes only.
Additional sources can also be found in Library services. Students are requested to submit a
single alphabetical order bibliography list containing all sources used for each piece of work

Assessment Brief 1 (Accounting) * Page 5 of 8

submitted. For guidelines on the required Harvard referencing style please refer to:
http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/library/docs/harvard.pdf

This handbook should be read in conjunction with other sources:

• Student Handbook: for programme academic information applying to all modules
• Current Student Webpages: for generic student experience information
• Advice for Students Blackboard for Business School information

DATE AND VALIDITY OF ASSESSMENT BRIEF:

Valid for academic year 2023/2024.

Assessment Brief 1 (Accounting) * Page 6 of 8

Appendix 1 – Essay
CRITERION 100-80
Excellent
A. KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING
1. Knowledge and Shows systematic and
application of accurate knowledge and
subject and understanding of key theories
theories beyond what has been
taught. Theories are
consistently and appropriately
applied in the assignment.
CCCU Assessment grading criteria: Foundation Year/Level 0
79-70 69-60 59-50 49-40 39-20 19-0
Very good Good Sound Satisfactory Fail Fail
Demonstrates an Shows an accurate Sound but descriptive Selection of theory is Knowledge of key There is a lack of
accurate, systematic understanding of key knowledge of key satisfactory, and theories is inaccurate relevant subject-
understanding of key subject-specific theories, theories with terminology, facts and and/or incomplete. specific theory.
theories. Appropriately which are appropriately appropriate application; concepts are handled Choice of theory
selected theoretical integrated within the the work is balanced accurately, but inappropriate.
knowledge is applied in context of the towards the descriptive application and Application and/or
the assignment. assessment task. rather than the critical or understanding are understanding is very
analytical. generalised or limited. limited.

D. TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
16. Clarity of Fluent writing style, Fluent writing style, Language generally Meaning is clear but The meaning is often The meaning is unclear
expression (incl. appropriate to assignment. appropriate to the fluent and expressive. language not always unclear with frequent throughout. Errors in
accuracy, spelling, grammar, spelling, and assignment. grammar, grammar, spelling, and used fluently. grammar, Meaning is largely clear, errors in grammar, spelling, grammar,
grammar, numeracy are highly spelling, and numeracy numeracy are accurate. spelling and/or but language choices spelling, and or punctuation and/or
punctuation, and accurate. are accurate. numeracy are mainly include errors which numeracy. numeracy make
numeracy) accurate. detract from the style interpretation
and fluency. Accuracy of challenging for an
spelling, grammar, assessor.
punctuation, and
numeracy allows
understanding but needs
to be improved.

Assessment Brief 1 (Accounting) * Page 7 of 8

Appendix 2 – Poster CCCU Assessment grading criteria: Foundation Year/Level 0

CRITERION 100-80 79-70 69-60 59-50 49-40 39-20 19-0

Excellent Very good Good Sound Satisfactory Fail Fail
PRESENTATION AND STYLE
Presentation Message is presented clearly Presentation is clear and Presentation is clear and Presentation has a Visual aspect and/or Presented in a Presentation is
(visual) and imaginatively with strong has strong visual impact. has some visual impact. generally sound structure of presentation disorganised manner. disorganised and/or
visual impact. structure and visual tools is adequate but limited. Lacks appropriate incoherent and/or
are used effectively. support from visual medium is non/visual.
tools.

Assessment Brief 1 (Accounting) * Page 8 of 8