Transaction Analysis Template

A major innovation in this text is that, unlike traditional introductory financial accounting textbooks, we do not focus on debits and credits. Because our objective is to help students understand how to read and interpret financial statements, we do not emphasize financial statement preparation, which requires knowledge of the system of debits and credits. While we describe debits and credits in an Appendix, the book does not require students to learn the system of debits and credits. Dropping the emphasis on debits and credits frees up time for instructors to focus on teaching students to understand how to interpret and analyze financial reports.

In place of debits and credits, we use a “Transaction Analysis Template” to illustrate how transactions and events affect the financial statements. The Transaction Analysis Template is a “shorthand” way to communicate how transactions and events affect financial statements.

Real Companies' Financial Statements

A feature that really brings accounting alive for students is seeing the accounting practices and reports of companies with which they are familiar. To this end, each chapter incorporates examples using real companies that students know. For example, we discuss accounting issues related to Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Target, Krispy Kreme, MGM Resorts, and many others.

Real Data and Examples

Each chapter includes an assignment called Extending Your Knowledge that requires students to use year-end financial statements of Columbia Sportswear and Under Armour.

Accounting in Practice

Boxed inserts are included throughout the text to help bridge the gap between the classroom and what students encounter in the real world. Accounting In Practice illustrations document situations a reader is likely to encounter and present the choices that companies make in reporting financial results.

Forensic Accounting

These boxed inserts help students understand how financial accounting knowledge can be used to aid in the prevention and detection of accounting errors and fraud.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Increasingly, companies have found that “doing good” leads to a more successful, profitable enterprise. These boxed inserts help students understand how corporate social responsibility is being embraced by forward-thinking enterprises as part of their long-term business models.

Organized for Student Success

To help students succeed in the course, we include many features that provide direction to students and require them to recall and apply the financial accounting techniques and concepts described in each chapter.

Putting Each Chapter in Context

Often students lose sight of the big picture. The Past/Present/Future feature provides students with an overview of where the chapter fits within the whole course.

Mapping Each Chapter

Each chapter begins with a Road Map highlighting the chapter's learning objectives and corresponding eLecture videos, Guided Example videos, and assignments. The Chapter Organization provides an overview that visually depicts the layout of the chapter.

Review

Review boxes are integrated throughout each chapter as a means of reinforcing the material just presented. Solutions are provided at the end of the chapter so students can check their work. Each Review has a corresponding Guided Example video created by the author, walking through how to solve the problem for students.

Takeaways

These in-chapter summaries ensure that students grasp key concepts before proceeding to the next topic.

Ethics

In today's post-Sarbanes-Oxley world, ethical decision-making has never been more pertinent to business and students studying accounting. We discuss ethics where appropriate in the text, and we have included at least one assignment in each chapter that raises an ethical issue. Assignments involving ethics are identified by the icon in the margin.

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)

IFRS Alerts

Most public companies outside of the U.S. use International Financial Reporting Standards in preparing their financial reports, including many companies that list on U.S. stock exchanges. Thus, it is important to provide students with a basic understanding of the similarities and differences in the current reporting requirements and methods under U.S. GAAP and IFRS. Consequently, we incorporate discussions that examine these similarities and differences where appropriate throughout the book in IFRS Alert! boxes. In addition, the financial statements for Tesco, PLC are included in Appendix C at the end of the book. Each chapter includes an IFRS assignment related to Tesco. The IFRS icon identifies those assignments.

Thinking Globally

In addition to IFRS Alert! boxes, these Thinking Globally inserts emphasize the similarities and differences between the United States and other countries that are not necessarily related to reporting standards. 

Chapter 1 Financial Accounting and Business Decisions

Chapter 2 Processing Accounting Information

Chapter 3 Accrual Basis of Accounting

Chapter 4 Understanding Accounting Information

Chapter 5 Internal Control and Cash

Chapter 6 Receivables

Chapter 7 Inventory

Chapter 8 Property, Plant, and Equipment and Intangible Assets

Chapter 9 Liabilities

Chapter 10 Stockholders' Equity

Chapter 11 Statement of Cash Flows

Chapter 12 Analysis and Interpretation of Financial Statements

Appendix A Columbia Sportswear Company: Annual Report and Social Responsibility Report

Appendix B Under Armour, Incl: Financial Statemetns

Appendix C Tesco PLC: Financial Statements

Appendix D Accounting for Investments and Consolidated Financial Statements 

Appendix E Accounting and the Time Value of Money

Appendix F The Language of Accountants: Debits and Credits