Criteria for Group Written Assessment
ACT302, Semester 1, 2023
Criteria for Group Written Assessment
Attributes Developing (<40) Functional (40-64) Proficient (65-74) Advanced (>75) Advanced (>85)
1. Main report -Knowledge and understanding 10 marks)
Limited understanding of required concepts and knowledge. Inaccurate reproduction of text and lectures. Cannot discuss concepts in own words
Has adequate breadth, but limited depth of understanding of basic concepts
The report has exhibited breadth and depth of understanding concepts in the knowledge domain. The report demonstrates an appreciation of the limits of their understanding.
Exhibits accurate and elaborated breadth and depth of understanding of concepts. The report demonstrates an appreciation of the limitations of conceptual knowledge in the field. Exhibits accurate and elaborated breadth and depth of understanding of concepts. The report demonstrates an appreciation of the limitations of conceptual knowledge in the field. These produced through synthesising evidence.
2. Main report - Reasoning and analysis 10 marks)
Personal and anecdotal. Little interpretation or translation with limited use of theoretical/conceptual frameworks.
Rule-based, derived mainly from authority (texts, lecturers, authority figures). Mostly black and white thinking. Limited capacity to synthesise ideas into a larger argument
Identify the relative merits and limitations of an argument or position. Synthesise several ideas; evaluate their salience and boundaries of arguments.
Formulate principles and evaluate the efficacy of ideas from many standpoints through theory and personal reflection. Formulate principles and evaluate the efficacy of ideas from many standpoints through theory and personal reflection. These produced through synthesising evidence.
4. Main report - Writing skills and presentation grammar
(2.5 marks)
They are a poor presentation. For example, Spelling mistake/s, sentence/s lack verbs, poorly punctuated, written in note form, and paragraphs have one sentence.
The report adheres to the most basic expectations regarding the formatting and presentation of workfor example, Titles name on the result, introduction, conclusion, and reference list.
The report adheres to all expectations and conventions with all expected attributes present. Some interpretation of the conventions to suit personal style and the specific execution of the task.
All expectations and conventions with all expected attributes present but creatively interpreted to suit the tasks style and specific execution. All expectations and conventions with all expected attributes present but creatively interpreted to suit the tasks style and specific execution. These produced through synthesising evidence.
5. Main report - Cohesiveness (2 .5marks)
It does not have a synopsis. Different parts have no relationship to each other.
It has a synopsis, but different parts have a little relationship.
It has a synopsis; different parts have a moderate relationship to each other.
It has a synopsis, and different parts have a high relationship with each other. It has a synopsis, and different parts have a high relationship with each other. These produced through synthesising evidence.
6. Additional Report
(2.5 marks)
Absence or inaccurate use of referencing and citation conventions. Lack of understanding of academic literature. Sparse use of scholarly literature.
Referencing and citations are accurate. Basic referencing and use of a reference list. Limited understanding of the literature.
Referencing and citation is accurate, In-depth understanding of the academic literature.
Referencing and citations are accurate. Academic literature synthesised to synthesise strands of common findings and arguments. Referencing and citations are accurate. Academic literature synthesised to synthesise strands of common findings and arguments. They are a result of synthesising evidence.
7. Group meeting summary (2.5 marks) Not adhered to two or more conditions: meeting times, attendance, agendas, responsibilities, and outcomes clearly stated Not adhered to at least one condition: meeting times, attendance, agendas, responsibilities, and outcomes clearly stated Adhered to all conditions and a straightforward presentation: meeting times, attendance, agendas, responsibilities, and outcomes clearly stated Adhered to all conditions and a creative presentation: meeting times, attendance, agendas, responsibilities, and outcomes clearly stated Adhered to all conditions and a creative presentation: meeting times, attendance, agendas, responsibilities, and outcomes clearly stated. These produced through synthesising evidence.
ACT302 Strategic Management Accounting
Written Research Assignment Information
Semester 1, 2023
Purpose
Peaceful and harmonious living is something all beings must enjoy across generations. Sustainable practices allow contributing to this noble cause. This assignment will enable students to design a sustainability accounting system for a firm with sustainability as its core enterprise model. Your task is to examine the real-life firm assigned to you. This assignment aims to build your work-integrated knowledge, skills, and application.
You are required to provide evidence-based reasoning for the sustainability accounting system design.
Choose products and services provided by the firm. Design an activity-based costing (ABC) framework to measure their costs.
Use the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework and develop a performance measurement matrix for managers to support its core sustainability model. (You may also need to think about other parameters such as pricing of the products).
Use the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) framework to report financial and non-financial matrices that support the firm's core sustainability model.
Relate the ABC, GRI, and BSC operational frameworks as informing the UN Sustainable Development Goals framework that strategically informs the firm's vision, mission, and goals. A schematic diagram is given below. 7715251568133ABC
771525156813321282021572578BSC
2128202157257836810951579880GRI
36810951579880
143827594615143827594615286702580327286702580327
The assignment aims to contribute to knowledge, skills, and application of knowledge and skills set to meet accounting professional experience requirements. For example, this work-integrated assignment develops competencies relating to management accounting and the business environment.
You can find further details of professional experience requirements in the range of accounting domains by visiting the following URL: https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/cpa-program/cpa-program-candidates/your-experience/skills-list?utm_source=shortlink&utm_medium=print&utm_content=/skillslist&utm_campaign=shortlink-skillslist
The assignment covers the following learning outcomes of the course unit.
Critically appraise the structure of organisations in the context of decentralisation and responsibility centres.
Evaluate the performance of managers and organisational units using both conventional and contemporary measures.
Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the issues related to transfer pricing.
Describe and apply contemporary management accounting techniques such as activity-based management and the balanced scorecard
Getting into Groups
You can self-select the group members. Students will form self-assigned groups by study week five. Students need to determine three members for each group.
However, enrolling in more than one group during the assignment attracts a 20% penalty for the assignment's total mark. This taken stance is to deter multiple student enrolments in groups that adversely affect one or more groups' performance.
The group members must do an equal amount of workload. If a group member withdraws from the unit (at any stage of the semester), the other group members should continue with the overall workload. No additional members will be assigned.
Please choose your group members carefullythe initial group membership remains throughout the assignment.
The groups can arrange their assignment workloads as best fit but equitably. There are, however, essential tasks that must include the workload.
Collect relevant data
The assignment provides a URL that introduces the firm.
Afterwards, the group can decide how to collect relevant and reliable data.
These data build evidence for arguments and commentaries in the assignment.
Analyse data
The group must then analyse the collated data. Designing a sustainability accounting system for the firm has several other sub-designs along the lines of developing an ABC framework, BSC framework, and GRI framework.
The data analysis can result in synthesising unique frameworks supporting the individual and final sustainability accounting system.
Data sources
The group will decide upon data sources.
The most credible are the peer-reviewed academic journal articles. Business magazine articles, newspaper articles, and articles found on electronic platforms.
The group must determine the relevance and reliability of the collected data from each data source.
The group must cover at least two peer-reviewed journal articles supporting their design about the enterprise environment, ABC, GRI, BSC, and UN Sustainability Development Goals.
Nature of data
The group makes that decision. Data about the enterprise about the operational and strategic environment can help.
The environmental data can include but be limited to demographics firm size, leverage, board of directors and executive leadership, and ownership.
You may also need data on costings, financials, not-financials, and performances. The brief discussion has not provided an exhaustive list.
Main report
The written report contains the executive summary, the main text, the reference list, the appendix, and the meeting summary.
The word count limit of 3,000 words applies to the main text only.
This assignment does not impose a specific structure to follow because there must have room for innovative presentations and expressions.
As main sections, the assignment must contain an Introduction, a body of the text, and a conclusion section.
Also, the written work must have an Executive Summary with a maximum of 500 words. The text must cover specific areas required in the assignment in designing the sustainability accounting system.
Citations and references
Please follow the APA (American Psychological Association) or Harvard Referencing style.
https://libguides.cdu.edu.au/cdureferencing/harvard
https://libguides.cdu.edu.au/cdureferencing/apa
You must follow one of the referencing styles only and properly.
You must have read at least four journal articles accessible through Charles Darwin University Library
The citations in the reports must match the references. The Report shows all citations in the reference list.
Appendix
The group can attach appendices to support their main arguments in the text.
There is no imposed word count for this section.
Additional report
This report section explains the reasons for using the referenced materials.
Still, recommend keeping it concise while sufficiently explaining the connection between the referenced materials and the reason for citing them in the main text.
There is no imposed word count for this section.
Group Meetings Summary
Although not included in the word count, you must have a group meetings summary outlining each meeting held, date, time, duration, who was present, matters discussed, and conclusions made.
There is no imposed word count for this section.
Text-matching software
The course unit does not provide access to Turnitin software to detect text matching. However, assessment marking will do it. Teaching staff believe that students must take responsibility and has academic maturity not to engage in it.
Please visit the policy about integrity relating to assignments.
Late assignment submission
Late assignment submission attracts penalty marks as per the late assignment submission policy.
Assignment outputs
Written assignment. Each group (only one member) upload the written report with the provided cover sheet as an MS Word document.
The assignment includes the main text written, excluding the reference list, appendix, and meetings summary.
There are no penalties if the group thinks the word count must exceed or fall short of the word count.
Use an A4 size page, leaving at least a 2.5cm margin on either side, in double-spaced Arial /Times New Roman/Callibri light/ Platino Linotype 12 font.
The file name is the group number, and after that, a single space, followed by the enterprise name if the firm is number 1 and the name is Mighty. The filename is 1 Mighty.docx.
Each group must complete the cover page provided.
A group must make One Submission Only.
The written assignment carries 30 total marks, assessed with its marking rubric.
Assignment marking
The assignment is marked using the marking criteria shared among students.
