Financial Statement

This article shows you how to build a financial statement question.

Overview

Financial statement questions require students to create a financial statement from a blank page, such as the Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement, or Statement of Retained Earnings. This type of question involves selecting the appropriate account and inputting the appropriate numbers, mirroring real-world accounting tasks.

Why Use It

This question type is essential for developing students’ ability to apply accounting principles in practical scenarios. It reinforces the understanding of how different financial components interact and ensures that students can accurately prepare and analyze financial documents.

  • Practical Application: Simulates real-world accounting tasks, enhancing students’ practical skills.

  • Comprehensive Assessment: Evaluates multiple aspects of accounting knowledge, including data entry, calculation accuracy, account classification, and financial analysis.

  • Immediate Feedback: Error carry-forward autograding provides detailed feedback, helping students learn from their mistakes in real-time.

EXAMIND provides full error carry-forward autograding with partial credit on financial statement questions.

Use Cases

  • Preparation of Financial Statements: Assign tasks where students must compile complete financial statements from given data.

  • Comparative Studies: Require students to compare financial statements from different periods or companies to identify trends and discrepancies.

Create and Configure

This question type is only available in closed beta. For more information, email support@examind.io.

Instructor Tips

Ensuring Academic Integrity

  • Unique Transaction Scenarios: Use a diverse set of financial data and scenarios for each student attempt to minimize the chances of cheating.

  • Randomized Data Sets: Generate different trial balances or financial data sets for each student to ensure individual assessment.

  • Dynamic Questions: Use a combination of independent and dependent variables.

  • Time Limits: Set reasonable time limits for completing financial statement questions to discourage the use of unauthorized aids.

Common Issues

  • Encourage Step-by-Step Problem Solving: Teach students to approach financial statement preparation methodically, verifying each entry as they progress.

  • Leverage Autograding Features: Utilize error carry-forward autograding to provide targeted feedback, helping students learn from their mistakes without requiring extensive manual grading.

Best Practices

  • Run a quick pilot with a colleague or teaching assistant to ensure clarity.

  • Analyze student results to identify patterns. If a significant percentage of students select a specific distractor account, it may indicate confusion or a gap in instruction.

Last updated