The First Accounting Course: An Outcomes Assessment Approach Project

Abstract

This paper discusses a class project that can be used in an introductory accounting class as an outcomes assessment tool.  The project is done in groups of four to five students.  Each student analyzes one company’s ratios for a two year period and compares their firm’s ratios with their firm’s industry’s ratios.  When this is complete, the group then uses the individual firm data to make an investment decision.  The investment decision must be based on the data from the individual firm ratios.  Once the group has decided which firm to invest in, they then have to complete a pro-forma income statement for the firm assuming a $2 billion expansion.  Overall, the project is done in steps that help the students build their final project throughout the semester.  The project is submitted at the beginning of the 13^th week of classes so that the instructor can grade it and hand it back to the students at the beginning of the 14^th week of classes.  The groups present their projects during the last two class periods of the semester.