ACCT10003: Accounting Processes and Analysis

Two assignments: Individual (5%), Group (15%), Tute participation (10%), Hurdle exam (70%)

APA is as dry as eating a kilo of weetbix without milk. The entire semester revolves around getting comfortable with this 'toolkit' of skills, and being able to evaluate and understand process documentations, with regards to the Reliability umbrella and its three information goal counterparts: Validity, Accuracy and Completeness.

Lectures were... hard to sit through, however, I enjoyed the lectures on information risk and corporate governance which unfortunately only lasted for like a week or two. International fraud scandals (eg. yakuza and Olympus) were quite a read for assignment 1, but not explored through thoroughly after the respective lecture, which was disappointing. After a few weeks, it will become inherent to you that control plans and such are the absolute backbone for the subject, and that if you ace them, (know how to read them, analyse them etc) you'll be set. Everything else is rather secondary, and less important.

Tutorials are better, and the 10% participation mark should be a free 10%, granted that you're keen enough to prepare even a little bit of bs for each tutorial. Tutorials are where the real learning starts.

With regards to readings, I don't know anyone that sat through reading the textbook, but if you're really keen for that H1, it's there for you to rote-learn some of the areas that aren't fleshed out very specifically during tutorials and lectures. I didn't use it for the entire semester, rather read random wikipedia clippings (which actually proved quite useful).

Assignments are well written, in its attempt to trigger a sincere appreciation for the subject, but don't expect a good result if you crammed the night before. Marking is quite harsh, and you're penalised for having a foreign interpretation to what's universally accepted, which is a bit sad.

APA's exam is a well balanced mix of just the right amount of theory and practical, questions are designed to boggle rote-learners, and reward conceptional learners.

There's really not much to APA. Theory questions are rather subjective, so if you have a educated crack at the question, grounded with sensible evidence, you'll score well. Practical is covered to an exceptional level in tutes, but don't expect to be able to cram the entire course in swotvac, even if you rocked up to tutes, because what you 'thought' you learnt in tutes will seem foreign.

How to do well in this subject:

1. Rock up to tutorials and prepare a little for them.
2. Attend lectures at your discretion.
3. Make sure you know what's going on, and don't fall too far behind (learning new stuff gets harder as everything starts to progressively become assumed knowledge)
4. Know your controls (lecturer goes on about not rote learning, but a degree of rote learning is required, as they're looking for 'their perfect answer', so there isn't much leeway to go off on your accord)

That's pretty much all there is to it. APA isn't a bad subject, but it is very, very ordinary. It just doesn't tickle you into feeling like you're learning something that'll have a rewarding impact on your life.

APA vs 1kg of dry weetbix?

I'd probably pick the weetbix.

Sample exam, and also, one question is pre-released!!! (think it's worth about 15% of the exam so study up)

3.5/5

Accounting Information Systems: Understanding Business Processes. Considine

2013 S2