Four main criteria when evaluating resources umuc

US GAAP / IFRS Report: ACCT 311 IFRS

GAAP and IFRS address accounting processes from different perspectives. Select a topic, determine differences between US GAAP and IFRS, and discuss key issues (this is a compare / contrast report). At least four pages no more than seven single spaced and include your citations. Cover pages, abstract/ executive summary, table of contents, and annotated bibliography do not count toward page count. You may use one course topics or you may use a totally different topic. Many large Accounting Firms have extensive analyses on GAAP/IFRS issues, so check their websites for the most current information. See international perspectives section of our UMUC LEO Accounting Toolbox for key web links.

Requirements

The IASB has several ongoing projects that involve the review of standards and which may result in updates and/or revisions of financial accounting standards. You should select an ongoing IASB project after visiting the IASB web site.

In a four to seven-page report, you should describe the project, its history (briefly), and the project's status. The final section of your report should describe the implications of the project's adoption. For example, a report might discuss a project that would result in accelerating the recognition of certain expenses and require additional disclosures.

Specifically:

· Familiarize yourself with the IASB project, including information on the history and background of the project and its status.

· Using resources at ww.ifrs.org Also refer to www.fasb.org (includes free access to U.S. GAAP codification if you register at the Web site as explained), identify the relevant GAAP and current standards related to the IFRS issue. Discuss the proposed change (i.e., what will be different?) and the reasons for the change as explained by the IASB.

· Using at least three different databases in the UMUC library, find at least five sources of information on this IFRS / FASB project. As you conduct research, identify an actual case that may have provided the impetus for this proposed change, or that would have been influenced by the proposed change. At least two sources should be from scholarly or professional journals. Document your research progress in the research log. You will find a research log template (sample research tracker) posted in Course Content. You should explore UMUC Library resources as well as the resources of major accounting firms and organizations.

· Frequently the large Accounting Firms have extensive analyses of IFRS and FASB topics. It is strongly recommended to become familiar with these websites. Occasionally they will also offer free webinars on IFRS topics.

· Prepare an annotated bibliography. See sample annotated bibliography at UMUC web site http://sites.umuc.edu/library/libhow/bibliography_tutorial.cfm

· Identify stakeholders and the impact of the proposed change on each of the stakeholders (comment letters may provide good insight).

Deliverables

Write a four - to seven-page report (APA format, single spaced, standard report size, one-inch margins, and 12-pointfont) presenting the results of your work. Submit your report, research log, and annotated bibliography by the due date, or as otherwise instructed. Cover pages, abstract/ executive summary, table of content if you chose to include or bibliography / reference lists do not count toward page count.

Your topic and research plan must be approved in advance by your professor in the discussion for IFRS / FASB project. The topic should not be a repeat of your prior work.

Format

Submit your report and annotated bibliography as a Word document. The research tracker can be in either Word or Excel.

Grading

The written communication aspect of this assignment is weighted at 50 percent of the total assignment. The grading will be allocated equally in the following areas:

· assignment management

· organization and structure

· evidence and arguments

· readability, style, and mechanics

· presentation

· information literacy and research

The annotated bibliography is graded separately from the research tracker.

Sample Research Tracker

The research tracker should be a columnar document. Omit the word "sample" in your actual submission. Examples are provided below.

(1)

No.

Date

Question Pursuing, Information Sought, Rationale for Search

Tool or Source Used

Concepts or Keywords, Terms, Phrases

Search Strategy

Results

Decision, Action, Next Step

1

(2) Another example of a sample research tracker:

Topic/Key Concepts

Sources Consulted

Search Terms Used

Results/Comments/Notes

Example: Distance learning and adults Distance education, distance learning, adult students

Library catalog

Distance AND (education OR learning) AND adults

E-World: virtual learning, collaborative environments, and future technologies; edited by Doris Christopher, National Business Education Association, 2004 Checked out; requested via catalog 7/25

(3) Finally, a "filled-in" sample research tracker:

#

Date

Question Pursuing, Information Sought, Rationale for Search

Tool or Source Used

Concepts or Keywords, Terms, Phrases

Search Strategy

Results

Decision, Action, Next Step

1

10/23

Background information

General encyclopedias (library reference section)

television, violence

Found mostly general information on "television." Found one small article in Encyclopedia Americana on "Violence in Television."

Need more background info? Will check other reference books.

2

10/23

More background information

Looked in Encyclopedia of Television (REF PN 1992.18 .E53 1997)

violence

Found a small article on "Violence in Television" (page 1769 - volume 3). Described correlation between television violence and later behavior.

Have decided to focus on relationship between television violence and human behavior. Will check for books in online catalog.

3

10/23

Description of human behavior

Looked in Delhi Online Catalog

human behavior

Keyword search

Found a lot of good general books on human behavior, including The Winning Edge by Andrew J. DuBrin.

Will focus more. Will try "television" and "violence."

4

10/23

Delhi Online Catalog

Looked under "television" and "violence."

Found a very good book titled "Violence in the Media" by James D. Torr (CIRC P96.V5 V563 2001).

Will take notes from books.

5

10/27

Need to narrow focus even more with magazine or journal articles.

Used InfoTrac

Tried "television and human behavior."

Keyword search

Didn't find much.

Will try other, broader keywords.

6

10/27

Used InfoTrac

Tried "television and behavior."

Keyword search

Found way too many irrelevant articles!

Will try another keyword: "violence."

7

10/27

Used InfoTrac

Tried "television violence and behavior."

Keyword search

Found several very good recent articles, including "Aggressive response to TV violence tracks to adulthood." Sally Koch Kubetin. Pediatric News, May 2003, v37 i5 p23.

Will print out and review articles, and take notes.

8

11/03

Try to find good Web sites to supplement other information.

Used Google

Tried "television violence and behavior."

Basic search

Found several Web sites that looked good. The first one was titled "Violence on television,"www.apa.org/pubinfo/violence.html. This Web site is published by the American Psychological Association.

Will examine other Web sites and list findings.

Grading Rubric: Communication Assessment Tool for ACCT

Project Components Being Assessed

Meets Expectations

Minimally Meets Expectations

Does Not Meet Expectations

Assessment and Comments

Assignment Management

The report addresses the assignment in a creative/ innovative way. There is a clear purpose and sense of audience; the report successfully accommodates the audience.

The report fulfills the assignment. There is an attempt at audience accommodation (in at least three places in the text).

The report does not fulfill the assignment. There is no sense of audience.

Organization and Structure

The report develops a clear, strong thesis and presents clear topic sentences. There is clear organization at both the macro (overall report—thesis, body, conclusion) and micro (within paragraphs—topic sentences, evidence, analysis) levels. The writer shows obvious control of the argument and has planned the order and method of providing information to the reader.

The report does a sufficient job of developing and following the thesis. There are at least two topic sentences. There is a slight problem in organization at either the macro or micro level; however, the reader can still follow the argument, and paragraphs are unified around a central idea. At times, the argument does not appear to have a clear path.

The report lacks organizational structure. There are few topic sentences, and paragraphs do not always center on one controlling idea. The order of evidence appears random, and evidence is not presented to the reader in a logical fashion. It is difficult to follow the argument.

Evidence/ Arguments

The report contains a clear, specific, and arguable thesis. The evidence presented is logically sound, contextualized, and appropriately researched and supported, and is synthesized with the writer's own argument. The analysis is sophisticated and considers other perspectives. All outside information is correctly attributed; documentation styles are applied accurately and consistently for in-text and bibliographic references.

The report contains a controlling idea, although not a clearly articulated thesis. Evidence is presented, but may be predictable. There is indication of research, but that research may not be fully synthesized within the argument, or the report may lack full analysis of evidence and full consideration of alternative perspectives. In-text and bibliographic references are provided, and documentation styles are applied, but not accurately or consistently.

The report does not contain a thesis. The report contains several (at least three) logical fallacies. The report contains irrelevant support, and there is insufficient analysis and/or depth of analysis. The report does not contain research and/or does not adequately cite that research.

Readability, Style, Mechanics

The tone and style are appropriate for the audience. There are no proofreading or grammatical errors. Sentence structure and diction are effective and diverse.

For the most part, tone and style are appropriate for the audience. There are proofreading and/or grammatical errors; however, the errors do not detract from the readability of the report. Sentence structure may be rigid and unvarying.

Tone and/or style are not appropriate for the audience. Proofreading and/or grammatical errors detract from the readability of the report. There are major problems in sentence structure (run-ons, fragments).

Presentation

Your presentation should be neat and professional in appearance, doing justice to your concepts and content.

At least one of the requirements is not addressed in the presentation.

More than one of the requirements is not addressed in the presentation.

Total Assessment

Program Outcomes – Research —Information Literacy

In addition to assessing your performance in this course, this assignment will be used to assess the accounting program's achievement of program outcomes for Research and Information Literacy, as described in the university's Program Assessment Plan.

Research and Information Literacy is defined as follows: demonstrate an ability to use libraries and other information resources to effectively locate, select, and evaluate needed information. The accounting program outcomes are defined as the ability to research accounting information to solve business problems and improve decision making.

Learning Objective: Demonstrate the ability to use academic and professional databases to research and support recommendations on emerging accounting issues.

Grading Rubric: Research Assessment Tool for ACCT

Project Components Being Assessed

Meets Expectations

Minimally Meets Expectations

Does Not Meet Expectations

Final Student Assessment

Research Log

Assessment and Comments

Your research log must be completed using the Sample Research Tracker. Requirements: Log uses at least three different databases in the UMUC library; consults at least five different sources, at least two from scholarly or trade journals; provides evidence of effective use of research techniques; comments show analysis in evaluation of resources.

The research log substantially meets all of the requirements listed.

At least one of the requirements included on the list is not addressed in the research log.

More than one of the requirements is not addressed in the research log.

Annotated Bibliography

Meets Expectations

Minimally Meets Expectations

Does Not Meet Expectations

Final Student Assessment

Your annotated bibliography must be complete and prepared in good form. Requirements: Sources are cited in appropriate (MLA or APA, as directed by instructor) style; annotation includes useful comments on the credentials of authors and reliability of sources; sources cited are relevant to the research project and are included in your research log.

The annotated bibliography substantially meets all of the requirements listed.

At least one of the requirements included on the list is not addressed in the annotated bibliography.

The annotated bibliography is missing more than one of the criteria listed.

Report

Meets Expectations

Minimally Meets Expectations

Does Not Meet Expectations

Final Student Assessment

Your report should present the results of your research. Requirements: Report is college-level writing, with appropriate format (font, margins, etc.), accurate grammar and punctuation, coherent and well-structured sentences and paragraphs, and appropriate use of accounting terminology; content includes a discussion of the proposed change, an actual case and the impact of the proposed change on that case, and stakeholder analysis.

The report substantially meets all of the requirements listed.

The report contains some grammar and/or punctuation errors, and/or some awkward structure; content addresses each requirement, but analysis is weak.

The report contains several grammar and/or punctuation errors and/or is frequently awkward in sentence and paragraph structure; content does not address each requirement, and/or there is little to no analysis.

Total Assessment and Comments

Grading Rubric: Critical Thinking Assessment Tool for ACCT

Project Components Being Assessed

Meets Expectations

Minimally Meets Expectations

Does Not Meet Expectations

Assessment and Comments

Assignment Management

The report addresses the assignment in a creative/innovative way.

The report fulfills the assignment.

The report does not fulfill the assignment.

Analysis and Synthesis of Ideas

The report demonstrates sophisticated use of analysis/synthesis of ideas and evidence.

The report shows evidence of analytic/synthetic reasoning and/or evaluation of ideas as appropriate.

The report uncritically accepts ideas and evidence.

Proper Identification of Problems to Be Solved

The report shows understanding of the nature of the problem or issue to be proven.

The report identifies the problem or issue to be discussed or proven.

The report does not properly identify the problem or issue to be discussed or proven.

Assessment of Correctness (Truth or Falsity) of a Proposition, Idea, or Concept

The report persuasively demonstrates the truth or falsity of propositions, ideas, or concepts.

The report attempts to ascertain the correctness of propositions, ideas, or concepts by offering justification, evidence, or proof.

The report takes propositions, ideas, or concepts at face value without justification, evidence, or proof.

Marshalling Evidence and/or Argumentation to Support That View

The report conclusively argues/documents a point of view.

The report supports opinions with argument, evidence, or proof.

The report offers unsupported or irrelevant opinions.

Consideration and Evaluation of Alternatives

The report considers alternatives and shows how and why they should/should not be accepted.

The report considers alternatives but does not eliminate them.

The report does not consider alternatives.

Arrival at a Supported Conclusion

The report states a clear conclusion (and alternatives if justified).

The report demonstrates awareness of a conclusion to be drawn regarding the issue at hand.

The report fails to draw or state a conclusion regarding the issue at hand.

Presentation and Responses Meet Expectations for Communication in Form, Style, and Grammar

The report substantially meets all requirements.

The report minimally meets most requirements.

The report does not meet expectations in more than one of the requirements.

Total Assessment and Comments