Assessment Type 2: Accounting Inquiry

For a 10-credit subject, students undertake one accounting inquiry. For a 20-credit subject, students undertake two accounting inquiries.

In an accounting inquiry, students research an aspect of accounting with relevance to local or global communities, or their personal circumstances. Students have the option to work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders in the accounting inquiry.

Students develop their accounting inquiry within at least one focus area.

In an accounting inquiry, students identify (or are provided with) an accounting-related opportunity or issue in which to inquire and demonstrate their learning by:

• providing evidence of their research
• interpreting their findings
• preparing a conclusion and/or recommendations which communicates their findings effectively.

Scenarios for an accounting inquiry may include, for example:

• interviewing the school’s business manager to find how the financial information of the school is recorded, managed, and reported. Students inquire into the stakeholders of this information and research how the information is presented to stakeholders in order to meet their needs. Students present their findings as an article for an accounting software magazine.
• researching a contemporary accounting-related issue, such as cryptocurrencies. As part of their research, they undertake a survey to gauge community perception of the issue. Students present their findings as a podcast for young investors.
• contacting school graduates who have undertaken accounting-related studies. Students inquire into the different career paths the graduates have followed or created for themselves. Students synthesise their findings and present these as a career advice session for people considering accounting as a career path.
• researching how accounting practices have developed over time and consider possible future developments. As part of their research, they interview someone who prepares accounting information, such as the school’s accounts payable/receivable officer, a business manager, an accountant, or a business owner. Students prepare a poster to communicate their findings.

The accounting inquiry may be presented in multimodal, oral, or written form to the equivalent of 6 minutes or 1000 words. This is inclusive of all financial statements.

For this assessment type, students provide evidence of their learning primarily in relation to the following assessment design criteria:

• understanding and exploration
• application.