Chapter 7: Utilizing a Compact Case for Teaching Financial Statement Preparation to Non-business Students

Prior research evaluating the impact of introductory accounting on students’ performance in finance courses has identified a knowledge gap in accounting topics for students to succeed in finance. This may affect all students enrolled in a finance course but is more critical for non-finance, non-accounting, and non-business students. This chapter proposes an approach to help non-business students prepare financial statements without getting bogged down in the technical aspects that may preoccupy traditional accounting majors. This approach uses a compact case study featuring the rapid growth of cage-free egg production in the United States. The chapter provides the case study and the instructor’s teaching notes for potential adopters. The chapter also discusses responses to a student survey regarding their perceptions of this case study. While the case study can be modified for use as an assessment instrument, its intended use is to enhance classroom discussion and serve as an engaging learning opportunity for students. The proliferation and capabilities of generative intelligence tools encourage caution in developing and deploying assessment resources in financial accounting education.Keywords: