ACW2851
Accounting information systems and financial modelling
Unit Guide
Semester 1, 2015
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this work may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the host Faculty and
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The information contained in this unit guide is correct at time of publication. The University has the right
to change any of the elements contained in this document at any time.
Last updated: 03 Mar 2015
Table of Contents
ACW2851 Accounting information systems and financial modelling - Semester 1, 2015..................1
Mode of Delivery..............................................................................................................................1
Workload requirements....................................................................................................................1
Additional workload requirements........................................................................................1
Unit Relationships........................................................................................................................................1
Prerequisites....................................................................................................................................1
Prohibitions......................................................................................................................................1
Chief Examiner(s)........................................................................................................................................1
Campus Lecturer(s).....................................................................................................................................2
Malaysia...........................................................................................................................................2
Tutor(s)........................................................................................................................................................2
Malaysia...........................................................................................................................................2
Your feedback to Us....................................................................................................................................2
Previous Student Evaluations of this Unit....................................................................................................2
Academic Overview...................................................................................................................................3
Learning Outcomes.........................................................................................................................3
Unit Schedule.............................................................................................................................................4
Teaching Approach..........................................................................................................................5
Assessment Summary.....................................................................................................................5
Hurdle Requirements...........................................................................................................6
Second marking...................................................................................................................6
Return of final marks............................................................................................................6
Exam viewing.......................................................................................................................7
Assessment criteria..............................................................................................................7
Assessment Requirements......................................................................................................................8
Assessment Tasks...........................................................................................................................8
Assessment task 1...............................................................................................................8
Assessment task 2...............................................................................................................8
Assessment task 3...............................................................................................................9
Examination(s).............................................................................................................................................9
Examination 1..................................................................................................................................9
Learning resources....................................................................................................................................10
Feedback to you........................................................................................................................................10
Assignment submission.............................................................................................................................10
Online submission.........................................................................................................................10
Prescribed text(s) and readings.....................................................................................................10
Examination material or equipment...........................................................................................................10
Other Information....................................................................................................................................12
Policies..........................................................................................................................................12
Graduate Attributes Policy.................................................................................................12
Student Charter.........................................................................................................................................12
Student services........................................................................................................................................12
Monash University Library.........................................................................................................................12
Moodle 2....................................................................................................................................................12
Disability Liaison Unit................................................................................................................................13
ACW2851 Accounting information systems and financial
modelling - Semester 1, 2015
The objective of this unit is two-fold. First, the unit provides students with a broad introduction to
accounting information systems and the role technology plays in accounting. The focus will be on an
introduction to: enterprise systems; database management; documentation methods; internal controls;
and the core business processes found in organisations. Second, the unit focuses on corporate
modelling theory; models as decision support tools; types and uses of models; benefits and limitations of
models; effective spreadsheet design; auditing spreadsheet models and development of various models
using an industry standard spreadsheet.
Mode of Delivery
Malaysia (Day)
Workload requirements
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per
semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study.
Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled
activities. The unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled
activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online
engagement.
See also Unit timetable information
Additional workload requirements
In addition to class attendance you are expected to spend another 9 hours per week on independent
work, including assignments and exam preparation, and preparation for tutorials.
Unit Relationships
Prerequisites
Students must have passed one unit from the following: AFG1000, ACG1000, AFP1000, ACP1000,
AFW1000, ACW1000 or AFW1001 (pre 2009) before undertaking this unit.
Prohibitions
AFC2160, AFC2851, ACC2851, AFF2051, AFF2851, ACF2851, AFG2851, ACG2851, AFP2851,
ACP2851, AFW2051, BUS1060, BUS3030, AFW2851
Chief Examiner(s)
Dr Siew Eu-gene
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ACW2851 Accounting information systems and financial modelling - Semester 1, 2015
Campus Lecturer(s)
Malaysia
Dr Siew Eu-Gene
Campus: Malaysia
Phone: +60 3 5514 4934
Email: [email protected]
Tutor(s)
Malaysia
Mr Ravindra Narayanan
Campus: Malaysia
Email: [email protected]
Suhaily Shahimi
Your feedback to Us
Monash is committed to excellence in education and regularly seeks feedback from students, employers
and staff. One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through the Student
Evaluation of Teaching and Units (SETU) survey. The University’s student evaluation policy requires that
every unit is evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys. The
feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied
and areas for improvement.
For more information on Monash’s educational strategy, see:
www.monash.edu.au/about/monash-directions/ and on student evaluations, see:
www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/quality/student-evaluation-policy.html
Previous Student Evaluations of this Unit
If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to
https://emuapps.monash.edu.au/unitevaluations/index.jsp
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Academic Overview
Learning Outcomes
The learning goals associated with this unit are to:
1. examine the role of accounting information systems in analysing and providing decision support
to managers
2. explain the design of accounting information systems and financial models
3. develop financial models to assist in decision making
4. apply critical thinking, problem solving and presentation skills to individual and / or group activities
dealing with accounting information systems and demonstrate in an individual summative
assessment task the acquisition of a comprehensive understanding of the topics covered by
ACW2851.
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Unit Schedule
Week
Activities
0
Assessment
No formal assessment or activities are
undertaken in week 0
1
Unit introduction - Objectives; texts; assessment;
weekly activities. Introduction to systems, accounting
information systems and information technology (AIS
and IT).
2
Introduction to decision support systems, spreadsheet
model errors, and spreadsheet model design
principles.
3
Applying basic financial mathematics and conditional
logic in financial models (for example, using Excel IF
and VLOOKUP functions).
4
Exploring data variations within financial models using
various modelling techniques (scenario, sensitivity,
and goal seek analysis), and probabilistic modelling.
5
Optimisation models - Introduction to optimisation
concepts and the development of models using Excels
Solver tool.
6
Documenting AIS - need for; tools used; and
interpretation thereof.
7
Introduction to database systems - importance to AIS
and basic design principles.
8
AIS and business processes - collecting and reporting
information; core and other business processes;
monitoring business processes.
9
Accounting and enterprise software - small, mid-range Essay Writing
and specialised accounting systems; enterprise-wide
software. Accounting on the Internet - intranets;
extranets; HTML; XBRL; electronic commerce; privacy
and security concerns.
10
Computer crime, abuse and fraud - examples and
mitigation strategies. Ethical issues, privacy and
security concerns. Introduction to internal control
systems (ICS) - definitions; types; and control
activities.
11
Computer controls for organisations and AIS general
and application controls. Assessing the design of a
system of internal control - using a control matrix.
12
Developing and implementing AIS - stages in a
systems development life cycle.
Test 1
Test 2
SWOT VAC
No formal assessment is undertaken
SWOT VAC
Examination period
LINK to Assessment Policy:
http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/
academic/education/assessment/
assessment-in-coursework-policy.html
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Unit Schedule
Teaching Approach
This unit will be taught as a two-hour lecture and a one-hour tutorial each week for 12 weeks. Lectures
highlight the key concepts covered in each topic and direct students to further reading from the textbook
and other resources, such as those provided on the ACW2851 Moodle site and library electronic reading
list. The lecture slides will be provided on the ACW2851 Moodle site each week prior to the lecture.
Notes should also be taken at lectures to supplement these lecture slides.
The lectures will provide you with an overview of your learning objectives for each week and an
introduction to some of the more important/difficult issues to be addressed by students in their
self-directed learning during that week. Since there is not enough time to cover every single aspect
during lectures it is expected that you will read and summarise the relevant textbook chapters and other
resources. The textbook is a custom publication from several books, and you will also be required to
read chapters provided in the library electronic reading list for ACW2851. You should allocate several
hours a week to reading and summarising these chapters and preparing for tutorials, and raise with
tutors or the lecturer any difficulty you have in understanding the material. Class test and examination
questions will include material you have been asked to read from the textbook and library electronic
reading list, plus material discussed in lectures and tutorials.
Tutorials will include discussion and presentations of case studies, and completion of assigned work. It is
expected that students prepare answers to the tutorial questions provided in Moodle prior to the tutorials
and to participate in tutorial class discussions. Additional case studies will occasionally be distributed and
briefly discussed during lectures and tutorials, and students will be expected to have developed further
answers in preparation for tutorial discussions. For the tutorials in weeks 3-6, you will developed financial
models using Micosoft Excel in the computer laboratories. You may need to demonstrate, clarify and
explain to your tutor your solutions.
In general you are expected to spend two to three hours of self-directed study for each hour in class. To
ensure a high probability of successfully completing this unit, you need to manage your time and studies
in a systematic way. At a minimum this should involve:
• reading prescribed and selected recommended material prior to attending lectures;
• completing week-by-week tutorial activities tasks prior to attending tutorials;
• attempting questions from past final examination papers provided to you in the unit examination
memo;
• discussions with past and present students; and
• revision of the semester's work during the SWOT-Vac and prior to the final examination.
Assessment Summary
Within semester assessment: 30%
Examination: 70%
Assessment Task
Value
Due Date
Class test 1
10%
The class test is held commencing Week 7 (20 to 24 April). You
must go to your allocated tutorial to do the class test.
Essay Writing
10%
The essay writing is held commencing Week 9 (4 to 8 May). You
must go to your allocated tutorial to do the essay writing
Class Test 2
10%
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Unit Schedule
The class test is held commencing Week 11 (18 to 22 May). You
must go to your allocated tutorial to do the class test.
Examination 1
70%
To be advised
Hurdle Requirements
There is a hurdle requirement for this unit.
The learning outcomes of this unit require you to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the
topics covered in the unit. Hence the hurdle requirement for this unit requires that you must attain a
mark of at least 50% in the final examination. If you fail the unit solely because of failure to satisfy the
hurdle requirement, a mark of 48 will be determined by the faculty's Board of Examiners on the
recommendation of the unit's Chief Examiner.
The outcome from application of the hurdle requirement is often misunderstood by students who are
awarded 48N. For example, some students mistakenly believe that 48N means they failed the final
examination by two marks and that a second re-mark of their examination paper might find two extra
marks. Whereas 48N does not provide any indication of the mark attained in the final examination other
than a mark less than 50% was awarded.
The following example should make the application of the hurdle requirement clear. In this unit 30% of
the assessment regime is allocated to in-semester assessment and 70% to the final 3-hour examination.
A student enrolled in this unit might achieve 25 out of 30 for their in-semester assessment and 30 out of
70 for the final examination. While the overall total of these marks is 55P the final examination mark is
five marks below the required 50%. Consequently a mark of 48N will be determined by the faculty's
Board of Examiners on the recommendation of the unit's Chief Examiner.
Second marking
Where an assessment task is given a fail grade by an examiner, that piece of work will be marked again
by a second examiner who will independently evaluate the work, and consult with the first marker. No
student will be awarded a fail grade for an assessment task or unit without a second examiner confirming
the result.
Note: Exceptions to this are individual pieces of assessment contributing 10% or less of the final mark,
unless the total of such pieces exceeds 30% of the final mark.
Return of final marks
Faculty policy states that 'the final mark that a student receives for a unit will be determined by the Board
of Examiners on the recommendation of the Chief Examiner taking into account all aspects of
assessment'.
The final mark for this unit will be released by the Board of Examiners on the date nominated in the
Faculty Calendar. Student results will be accessible through the my.monash portal.
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Unit Schedule
Exam viewing
Feedback on student performance in examinations and other end-of-semester assessment is required, in
accordance with the University procedures on Unit Assessment. For more information, please see the
following URL: http://www.buseco.monash.edu.au/acc/student/exam-view/index.html
Assessment criteria
Assessment Criteria Grading Descriptors available at:
http://www.buseco.monash.edu.au/esg/agu/policies/assessment.html.
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Assessment Requirements
Assessment Tasks
•
Assessment task 1
Title:
•
Class test 1
Due date:
The class test is held commencing Week 7 (20 to 24 April). You must go to your allocated
tutorial to do the class test.
Details of task:
The first class test will require students to write out formulas for a small Excel-based
financial model (selected by tutors from a range of models, which may vary between
tutorials). These tests will be closed book and exist to encourage review of the modelling
components of the unit, to remove some of the burden of revision prior to the exam; to
provide feedback on how you are doing; and to get the “facts” in place so you can
concentrate on analysis of concepts and theorising about ideas in modelling.The class
test will be of 50 minutes duration.
Weighting/Value:
10%
Estimated return date:
Marks and feedback for the class tests will be made available by your tutor during your
tutorial in the week following your class test. These marks will also be available in your
grade book on Moodle by the end of the following week. These interim marks are a vital
part of the feedback you receive.
Criteria for marking:
Overall, the work submitted for assessment will be graded in accord with the table
showing examples of grades and corresponding achievement levels published in the Q
Manual (2012, p.6).
Learning objectives assessed:
This assessment task is designed to test your achievement of learning objectives 2, 3,
and 4.
Assessment task 2
Title:
Essay Writing
Due date:
The essay writing is held commencing Week 9 (4 to 8 May). You must go to your
allocated tutorial to do the essay writing
Details of task:
The essay writing assessment will require students to write out reports regarding certain
issues in AIS. The essay writing will be closed book and must be done during the
allocated tutorials. The research topic will be given two weeks before the essay writing
dateline. The purpose of the essay writing is to encourage critical thinking, broader
readings of the materials than the prescribed readings, understanding of key concepts
and ideas, and better academic writing. The essay writing will be of 50 minutes duration.
Weighting/Value:
10%
Estimated return date:
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Assessment Requirements
Marks and feedback for the class tests will be made available by your tutor during your
tutorial in two weeks following your class test. The feedback is important to allow you to
improve on your academic writing and understanding of key concepts and issues.
Criteria for marking:
Overall, the work submitted for assessment will be graded in accord with the table
showing examples of grades and corresponding achievement levels published in the Q
Manual (2012, p.6).
Learning objectives assessed:
This assessment task is designed to test your achievement of learning objectives 1, 2,
and 4.
•
Assessment task 3
Title:
Class Test 2
Due date:
The class test is held commencing Week 11 (18 to 22 May). You must go to your
allocated tutorial to do the class test.
Details of task:
The second class test will consist of 40 multiple choice questions based upon AIS
materials covered up to week 10. These tests will be closed book so that you would
review the AIS components of the unit. This objective is to provide feedback on your
understanding of AIS concepts prior to the exam. The class test will be of 20 minutes
duration.
Weighting/Value:
10%
Estimated return date:
Marks and feedback for the class tests will be made available in your grade book on
Moodle by the end of the week. These interim marks are a vital part of the feedback you
receive.
Criteria for marking:
Overall, the work submitted for assessment will be graded in accord with the table
showing examples of grades and corresponding achievement levels published in the Q
Manual (2012, p.6).
Learning objectives assessed:
This assessment task is designed to test your achievement of learning objectives 1, 2,
and 4.
Examination(s)
• Examination 1
Weighting:
70%
Length:
3 hours
Type (open/closed book):
Closed book
Electronic devices allowed in the exam:
Electronic devices (including calculators) are not permitted in tests and examinations in
this unit unless identified with an “approved for use” label.
These labels are available from the Course Management Office (Building 6, Level 4).
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Assessment Requirements
Learning resources
Monash Library Unit Reading List (if applicable to the unit)
http://readinglists.lib.monash.edu/index.html
Feedback to you
Types of feedback you can expect to receive in this unit are:
• Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
• Test results and feedback
• Quiz results
Assignment submission
Online submission
If Electronic Submission has been approved for your unit, please submit your work via the learning
system for this unit, which you can access via links in the my.monash portal.
Prescribed text(s) and readings
The book is available from the Monash Bookshop. The textbook details are:
Beaman, I., Ceglowski, A., & Krueger, P. (Eds.). (2012). Accounting information systems and modelling
(2nd ed.). Milton, Qld: John Wiley & Sons Australia. (ISBN 9781118337783)
Source Text Contents: content is printed within this custom publication in the order below:
Bagranoff, N. A., Simkin, M. G., & Norman, C. S. (2008). Core concepts of accounting information
systems (10th ed.). John Wiley & Sons. Chapters 1–10. (ISBN 9780470045596)
Beaman, I., Ratnatunga, J., Krueger¸P., & Mudalige, N. (2006). Financial modelling (4th ed.). Melbourne,
Quill Press, Chapters 2¸ 3, 11¸ 12. (ISBN 9780958567954)
Black, K., Asafu-Adjaye, J., Khan, N., Perera, N., Edwards, P., & Harris, M. (2007). Australasian
business statistics. John Wiley & Sons. Chapter 16. (ISBN 9780470809440)
Powell, S. G., & Baker, K. R. (2007). Management science: The art of modeling with spreadsheets (2nd
ed.). John Wiley & Sons. Chapters 6, 10, 11. (ISBN 9780470038406)
The texts from Bagranoff et al, Beaman et al, Powell et al, and Black et al were taken verbatim from the
original printed works, and printed in monochrome, in order to keep the cost of the prescribed textbook
as low as possible.
Examination material or equipment
Electronic devices (including calculators) are not permitted in tests and examinations in this unit unless
identified with an “approved for use” label.
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Assessment Requirements
These labels are available from the Course Management Office (Building 6, Level 4).
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Other Information
Policies
Monash has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and
students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and to provide advice on how they might
uphold them. You can find Monash’s Education Policies at:
www.policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/academic/education/index.html
Key educational policies include:
• Student Academic Integrity Policy and Student Academic Integrity: Managing Plagiarism and
Collusion Procedures ;
• Assessment in Coursework Programs;
• Special Consideration;
• Grading Scale;
• Discipline: Student Policy;
• Academic Calendar and Semesters;
• Orientation and Transition; and
• Academic and Administrative Complaints and Grievances Policy.
Graduate Attributes Policy
http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/
education/management/monash-graduate-attributes-policy.html
Student Charter
www.opq.monash.edu.au/ep/student-charter/monash-university-student-charter.html
Student services
The University provides many different kinds of support services for you. Contact your tutor if you need
advice and see the range of services available at http://www.monash.edu.au/students
Monash University Library
The Monash University Library provides a range of services, resources and programs that enable you to
save time and be more effective in your learning and research. Go to www.lib.monash.edu.au or the
library tab in my.monash portal for more information.
Moodle 2
All unit and lecture materials, plus other information of importance to students, are available through the
virtual learning environment Moodle site. You can access Moodle via the my.monash portal.
Where to go for help
If you're stuck, confused or simply not sure how to approach Moodle, there are a number of Moodle
resources that you can tap into.
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Other Information
Disability Liaison Unit
Students who have a disability or medical condition are welcome to contact the Disability Liaison Unit to
discuss academic support services. Disability Liaison Officers (DLOs) visit all Victorian campuses on a
regular basis.
• Website: http://www.monash.edu/equity-diversity/disability/index.html
• Telephone: 03 9905 5704 to book an appointment with a DLO;
• Email: [email protected]
• Drop In: Equity and Diversity Centre, Level 1, Building 55, Clayton Campus.
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