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Monash University

FIT1013 IT for business - Semester 2, 2013

Introduction to business application tools and introduction to basic computing concepts. Principles of spreadsheets and relational databases, covering their use for the generation of business plans, reports, financial statements, etc. Both the spreadsheet and database components incorporate an introduction to programming with visual basic for applications (VBA). The database component covers principles of database design. The business application software packages used in the unit are Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access.

Mode of Delivery

Clayton (Day)

Contact Hours

2 hrs lectures/wk, 2 hrs laboratories/wk

Workload requirements

Students will be expected to spend a total of 12 hours per week during semester on this unit as follows:

Weekly workload commitments are:

  • two-hour lecture
  • two-hour laboratory
  • a minimum of 2-3 hours of personal study per one hour of contact time in order to satisfy the reading and assignment expectations.

Unit Relationships

Prohibitions

BUS1010, CSE1720, GCO1851, MMS1401

Chief Examiner

Dr Yen Cheung

Campus Lecturer

Clayton

Yen Cheung

Tutors

Clayton

Mary Lim

Peter Huynh

Academic Overview

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this unit, students will have:
  • A sound knowledge of spreadsheet applications which will provide an understanding of business spreadsheet modelling for analysis, reporting and presentation of organisational data;
  • learnt to construct applications using VBA as the language for enhancing the appearance and useability of spreadsheet and database systems;
  • a knowledge of the use of relational databases for analysis, reporting and presentation of organisational information;
  • an appreciation that a knowledge of programming can be used to enhance the utility of office productivity software packages.

Unit Schedule

Week Activities Assessment
0 Register for an FIT1013 lab - these start in week 1. No formal assessment or activities are undertaken in week 0
1 Unit information. Excel: Working with formulas and functions. Working with Excel tables. Analysing data: working with Excel tables, Pivot tables, Pivot Charts, filters including advanced filters, etc. Assessment task 4: Tutorial tasks are due and assessed weekly from week 1 - 12; Week 1: Unit intro. and Excel exercises.
2 More Excel functions: AND(), OR() and NOT(); Nested IF; VLookup(), Match(), Index(), IffError(), ISNA(), Choose(), Database functions. Excel: Range names, data validation, worksheet and workbook protection, macros - the macro recorder. Assessment task 4: Week 2 onwards: tasks will be given during tutorial classes
3 Excel: More on Decision support: Goal Seek, Data tables, breakeven analysis, Scenario Manager. ActiveX controls to help develop an Excel application.  
4 Fundamentals of VBA programming - string variables, string concatenation. The InputBox function, MsgBox prompt, Val function. Object variables in Excel VBA. The Set statement. VBA examples. Variable scope.  
5 VBA: Numeric variables. VBA coding examples using a ListBox. Using the WorksheetFunction Object, using worksheet functions in VBA. VBA Control structures, Selection, Selection Case. Nested Selection. Comparison, Relation and logical operators. UCase and LCase functions. Debugging code. Assessment task 1: Assignment 1 due 30 August at 11pm
6 VBA: Date variables. Date functions: DateDiff, DateAdd, DateValue, TimeValue, Offset property of the Range object. Control structures, repetition. Do loop control structures. For..Next statement. For Each..Next statement. MsgBox function - Buttons argument. Customising screen elements. Custom GUIs - Creating User Forms. Form design. AddItem method for ListBox. Array variables and string manipulation functions.  
7 Relational Database concepts: field, record, table, relational database, primary key, and foreign key. Query, Form, Report wizards. Compacting and repairing. Creating a database, table relationships, referential integrity. Database inconsistencies, cascade update, cascade delete.  
8 Class Test Assessment task 3: Class Test in week 8 lecture - 19 September 2013 at 11am
9 Introduction to queries, maintaining a database. Simple queries. The Expression builder. Calculated fields. Aggregate functions. More advanced queries: Pattern match. Like, In, Not operators. Parameter queries. Crosstab query. Find duplicates, find Unmatched, Top value queries. Lookup field Wizard. Input masks. Data validation.  
10 Action queries, Indexes, Joins, SQL â Structured Query Language (brief). Joins. Indexes. Creating Custom Forms. Guest presenter.  
11 Access macros, macro groups. Switchboards, command buttons. VBA for Access. Managing and securing a database.  
12 Summary and revision. Assessment task 2: Assignment 2 due 25 October 2013
  SWOT VAC No formal assessment is undertaken in SWOT VAC
  Examination period LINK to Assessment Policy: http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/
academic/education/assessment/
assessment-in-coursework-policy.html

*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your learning system.

Assessment Summary

Examination (2 hours): 60%; In-semester assessment: 40%

Assessment Task Value Due Date
Assignment 1 5% Week 5, 11pm, 30 August 2013
Assignment 2 15% Week 12, 11pm, 25 October 2013
Class Test 10% Week 8 lecture, 11am, 19 September 2013
Tutorial tasks A maximum of 10% is awarded for the 12 weekly tutorials. During the relevant tutorial
Examination 1 60% To be advised

Teaching Approach

Lecture and tutorials or problem classes
This teaching and learning approach provides facilitated learning, practical exploration and peer learning.

Assessment Requirements

Assessment Policy

Faculty Policy - Unit Assessment Hurdles (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/staff/edgov/policies/assessment-examinations/unit-assessment-hurdles.html)

Academic Integrity - Please see the Demystifying Citing and Referencing tutorial at http://lib.monash.edu/tutorials/citing/

Assessment Tasks

Participation

  • Assessment task 1
    Title:
    Assignment 1
    Description:
    Data analysis using PivotTables.
    Weighting:
    5%
    Criteria for assessment:

    The assessment for this assignment will be based on your ability to:

    • Analyse a structured range of data using a PivotTable to analyse the data.
    • Use the analysis to provide a summary report of recommendations.
    • Use a PivotChart to substantiate the analysis and recommendations.
    Due date:
    Week 5, 11pm, 30 August 2013
  • Assessment task 2
    Title:
    Assignment 2
    Description:
    Creating an application using Excel visual basic for applications.
    Weighting:
    15%
    Criteria for assessment:

    The assessment criteria will be based your ability to perform the following tasks:

    • Write Macros (sub procedures) using VBA in Microsoft Excel
    • Use appropriate data types, to declare and use variables and/or constants
    • Use the Workbook, Worksheet and Range objects
    • Write event procedures for some Excel and VBA objects.
    • Use other objects as necessary
    • Use repetition and selection structures in VBA code
    • Perform data validation on user input
    • Use the Vlookup() worksheet function in VBA code
    • Construct arithmetic expressions in VBA code.
    • Follow appropriate rules relating to the scope of variables
    • Design user forms, using a variety of common graphic-controls (graphic-objects)
    Due date:
    Week 12, 11pm, 25 October 2013
  • Assessment task 3
    Title:
    Class Test
    Description:
    The test will be based on materials from weeks 1-7 inclusive
    Weighting:
    10%
    Criteria for assessment:

    Students will be required to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the materials presented in lectures and tutorials from weeks 1 to 7 inclusive.

    Due date:
    Week 8 lecture, 11am, 19 September 2013
  • Assessment task 4
    Title:
    Tutorial tasks
    Description:
    These should be completed each week during tutorial time.

    Week 1: tasks involving introductory concepts based on the first 2 chapters of the Excel text.

    Week 2 onwards: tasks will be given during tutorial classes based on lectures from the previous week - see unit outline.
    Weighting:
    A maximum of 10% is awarded for the 12 weekly tutorials.
    Criteria for assessment:
    Due date:
    During the relevant tutorial

Examinations

  • Examination 1
    Weighting:
    60%
    Length:
    2 hours
    Type (open/closed book):
    Closed book
    Electronic devices allowed in the exam:
    None

Learning resources

Monash Library Unit Reading List
http://readinglists.lib.monash.edu/index.html

Feedback to you

Types of feedback you can expect to receive in this unit are:
  • Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
  • Graded assignments with comments
  • Test results and feedback
  • Solutions to tutes, labs and assignments

Extensions and penalties

Submission must be made by the due date otherwise penalties will be enforced.

You must negotiate any extensions formally with your campus unit leader via the in-semester special consideration process: http://www.monash.edu.au/exams/special-consideration.html

Returning assignments

Students can expect assignments to be returned within two weeks of the submission date or after receipt, whichever is later.

Assignment submission

It is a University requirement (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/conduct/plagiarism-procedures.html) for students to submit an assignment coversheet for each assessment item. Faculty Assignment coversheets can be found at http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/forms/. Please check with your Lecturer on the submission method for your assignment coversheet (e.g. attach a file to the online assignment submission, hand-in a hard copy, or use an online quiz). Please note that it is your responsibility to retain copies of your assessments.

Online submission

If Electronic Submission has been approved for your unit, please submit your work via the learning system for this unit, which you can access via links in the my.monash portal.

Recommended Resources

References:

  • Microsoft Excel 2010, New Perspectives Series, Parsons, Oja, Ageloff and Carey, Comprehensive Edn., Course Technology.
  • Microsoft Access 2010, New Perspectives Series, Adamski, Hommel and Finnegan, Comprehensive Edn., Course Technology.

Other Information

Policies

Monash has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and to provide advice on how they might uphold them. You can find Monash’s Education Policies at: www.policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/academic/education/index.html

Key educational policies include:

Graduate Attributes Policy

http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/management/monash-graduate-attributes-policy.html

Student services

The University provides many different kinds of support services for you. Contact your tutor if you need advice and see the range of services available at http://www.monash.edu.au/students. For Sunway see http://www.monash.edu.my/Student-services, and for South Africa see http://www.monash.ac.za/current/.

Monash University Library

The Monash University Library provides a range of services, resources and programs that enable you to save time and be more effective in your learning and research. Go to www.lib.monash.edu.au or the library tab in my.monash portal for more information. At Sunway, visit the Library and Learning Commons at http://www.lib.monash.edu.my/. At South Africa visit http://www.lib.monash.ac.za/.

Disability Liaison Unit

Students who have a disability or medical condition are welcome to contact the Disability Liaison Unit to discuss academic support services. Disability Liaison Officers (DLOs) visit all Victorian campuses on a regular basis.

Your feedback to Us

Monash is committed to excellence in education and regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through the Student Evaluation of Teaching and Units (SETU) survey. The University’s student evaluation policy requires that every unit is evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys. The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.

For more information on Monash’s educational strategy, see:

www.monash.edu.au/about/monash-directions and on student evaluations, see: www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/quality/student-evaluation-policy.html

Previous Student Evaluations of this Unit

Previous student feedback has highlighted that this is a very useful unit especially for the IBL students of the Faculty.

If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to
https://emuapps.monash.edu.au/unitevaluations/index.jsp

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