Professor Elam

Thursday January 20, 2011

Attention Intermediate Classes

I usually do not post specific messages to the classes on the blog but since this is the start of a new semester, let's do that so all can benefit. I will repeat this message on BB and remind me to discuss a common spot to post, for example in BB announcements or say e mail to the class with your e mail addresses. 

at any rate I already have two helpful e mails from students, they are helpful because they give me insight to what you do not understand or know so that I can properly respond. 

One e mailer was frustrated that he could not find the links on BB, well if you are here you found them, they are on http://www.professorelam.typepad.com. I have the blog in the public domain so that it is accessible to all classes present past and future. Links are on the left. Good question I can understand the bewilderment what with multiple URLs. 

Another e mail related that the concept of the ten column worksheet was a new one for her. This is extremely helpful information to me. Now I know to spend more time on that topic Monday. And that caused me to look at Chapter Two in the Intermed text. By the way both classes of Intermed I and II are doing the pastina spreadsheet. 

And by the way, I an sure one can copy the answer from someone else and hand it in. Believe me this is a terrible idea. The main point of this assignment is not your final grade but to give you an idea of the big picture, more on that later, and for you to do a self assessment of what you know. Again it is imperative that you have a good foundation for later studies. Many church hymns and even Greek mythology stories refer to the importance of a good foundation, it is no accident this metaphor is hundreds and even thousands of years old. 

So please attempt to complete the spreadsheet by yourself. If you have not completed it by Monday that is not the end of the world. Bring your questions to class. .There is no such thing as a bad question, if you don't  know trust me others in the class are equally in the dark.  The point here is to get you to the point that you can complete it by yourself; the point is not to earn X points on homework by hurriedly copying someone else's work Sunday night at 10 PM, that is useless and serves no point whatsoever. I would much rather answer three dozen questions in class than have a stack of copied homework that no one really understood when they copied from someone else. This is a LEARNING  assignment. 

Now, the fine observation that the e mailer made, this spreadsheet thing is a new experience, is born out by looking over chapter 2. Chapter 2 in my humble opinion, is guilty of the same thing that you have no doubt experienced in principles of accounting, it fails to pull together what is happening. For example on page 62 that is  a general journal . But on page 63, it is not at all clear that each account number in the ledger is a separate account or in the 'old days' each would have had a separate account card used in the Burroughs posting machine. Indeed it would be quite helpful if I could re create an accounting office in 1976 and show you the ledger cards and their source documents. Understand that each ledger account is a separate account they are not all jumbled on the same piece of paper. Think of your wardrobe, it may all be in one closet but each piece, jacket blouse skirt is separate, so are the ledger accounts. 

Well more on this Monday.