FINS1613 - Quiz 4 (2 Viewers)

[Riachain]

They do put up the participation marks, but very late.

When I did the subject, they put up the participation mark on the night before the final exam (literally). However, FINS1613 was on the first Friday of exams (1st day of exams).

It's disappointing to see so much hatred directed at what is a fairly basic first year subject. When I did the subject, they still had consultations. However, hardly anyone showed up to them, so in the following semester they thought it was better to just stop them. What they really should be doing is a few PASS classes. Students don't show up to consults very often, but they will show up to PASS classes if you run them. A PASS class costs the same as having a consultation. I don't know why they don't do it.

Ah, that's good to know. (That they do put up the participation marks, I mean.)

I didn't initially have so much hatred for this subject. In fact, I was looking forward to it! I knew that there would be a fair amount of Maths, but I was pretty sure that a couple of hours of practice would fix my stupidity in Maths. I was honestly, truly looking forward to this subject.

...fast forward to the second lecture that the lecturer gave, and I already wanted to drop the damn subject. It's not just the content that turns you off, because it does get fairly interesting. The thing that turns you off is how terribly the lecturers teach the subject + the terrible way the textbook explains everything + the serious lack of student support when this subject clearly requires a good student support system set up for it.

I also think that consultations won't do a thing. Instead, they need to set up PASS classes. And perhaps they need to get textbooks that explain the concepts better and that's structured in a better way, because this textbook (in my opinion, others will think differently, of course) needs a lot of work on how the content is structured and how concepts are explained.

FINS1613 is about learning basic theories of Finance and using formulas that explain those theories to find the values of several things, such as equity, debt, etc. The textbook, instead of focusing on teaching that, goes off on tangents about this and that example, and never really comes back to the point soon enough for you to get a grasp of either the theory or how to apply the formula. They take pages to teach you how to fully apply one basic formula. It's ridiculous. (And half the time, they just leave you to figure out how to change the formula to find other variables yourself. Good for people who like Maths, but bad for idiots at Maths like me. Hence why I'm never planning to take any Finance course again... at least, in university.)

But maybe I'm just all for practicality and not useless words splattered across the page. Ironic, considering that I'm also an Arts student. (Then again, I'm focusing on languages for my Arts degree, since I've realized how much I hate doing research into other people's opinions and using their opinions to support my argument. As if their opinions matter. Ooh, I'm so going to get rocks thrown at me for saying this.)

Edit: Thought I should add that their opinions would matter more to me if they actually made them comprehensible enough to read. Unfortunately, just like the way minds work, most of the time, their writings are incomprehensible, puzzling, abstract, and just plain dull. It's as if they didn't bother to read their own works to see if it would make sense in other people's eyes. (Another ironic thing - I had the highest score for English in my entire school, back in my home country. But I never enjoyed the classes. Never found them practical, and because I never found them practical, I never found them interesting.)

 

[wantingtoknow]

why won't consultations do a thing? I find that they are just as helpful.

but I do agree that they need a better textbook. I don't like how textbook never really goes into depth on any of the concepts but then they do otherwise in the exam.

 

[moll.]

They do put up the participation marks, but very late.

When I did the subject, they put up the participation mark on the night before the final exam (literally). However, FINS1613 was on the first Friday of exams (1st day of exams).


It's disappointing to see so much hatred directed at what is a fairly basic first year subject. When I did the subject, they still had consultations. However, hardly anyone showed up to them, so in the following semester they thought it was better to just stop them. What they really should be doing is a few PASS classes. Students don't show up to consults very often, but they will show up to PASS classes if you run them. A PASS class costs the same as having a consultation. I don't know why they don't do it.

Same for when I did it in the beginning of 2010. Although, to be fair, I've never once been to a consultation or PASS class for any subject in the past four years.

 

[Jashua_Long]

The textbook is a good book. It is the main first year finance book that most universities use.

Week 2 was an interesting week, financial mathematics. I realise the textbook does not cover everything about financial maths (particularly annuities, deferred annuities, deferred perpetuities, etc etc.) The onus is really placed on the lecturer/tutor to cover that. However, there is a very easy way to learn those things (that your lecturer should have showed you). I remember I walked out of lecture 2 very confused when I did the course, but I did a lot of self study and I managed to figure it out.

 

[halapenyo]

I think its a great course. i just dont like the fact that each quiz only has like 4 questions or less. so each question is worth ridiculously more than it should be.

 

[4025808]

The textbook is a good book. It is the main first year finance book that most universities use.

Week 2 was an interesting week, financial mathematics. I realise the textbook does not cover everything about financial maths (particularly annuities, deferred annuities, deferred perpetuities, etc etc.) The onus is really placed on the lecturer/tutor to cover that. However, there is a very easy way to learn those things (that your lecturer should have showed you). I remember I walked out of lecture 2 very confused when I did the course, but I did a lot of self study and I managed to figure it out.

I personally thought the textbook was pretty horrible; it's pretty dry and doesn't explain stuff well enough. Had to rely a lot on wikipedia and investopedia to do my research. :/

I think its a great course. i just dont like the fact that each quiz only has like 4 questions or less. so each question is worth ridiculously more than it should be.

^ I agree. They should have just kept the quiz as short response like they did, from what I think about now.

 

[Riachain]

why won't consultations do a thing? I find that they are just as helpful.

but I do agree that they need a better textbook. I don't like how textbook never really goes into depth on any of the concepts but then they do otherwise in the exam.

Consultations won't do a thing because most people don't go to them. They do, however, attend PASS classes.

And yeah, that's one thing that I hate about the textbook. Never really goes into depth, but then we're tested on depth. =/

The textbook is a good book. It is the main first year finance book that most universities use.

Week 2 was an interesting week, financial mathematics. I realise the textbook does not cover everything about financial maths (particularly annuities, deferred annuities, deferred perpetuities, etc etc.) The onus is really placed on the lecturer/tutor to cover that. However, there is a very easy way to learn those things (that your lecturer should have showed you). I remember I walked out of lecture 2 very confused when I did the course, but I did a lot of self study and I managed to figure it out.

When did you take the course? Week 2 was taught to us by a crap lecturer.

I think its a great course. i just dont like the fact that each quiz only has like 4 questions or less. so each question is worth ridiculously more than it should be.

Yes! That's another problem. Why do the quizzes have only a few questions that are worth so much more than they actually should be? >__<;

 

[Omnipotence]

I like the textbook - pretty clear explanations but the questions are too basic compared to final quiz.

 

[tambam]

FINS1613 is about learning basic theories of Finance and using formulas that explain those theories to find the values of several things, such as equity, debt, etc. The textbook, instead of focusing on teaching that, goes off on tangents about this and that example, and never really comes back to the point soon enough for you to get a grasp of either the theory or how to apply the formula. They take pages to teach you how to fully apply one basic formula. It's ridiculous. (And half the time, they just leave you to figure out how to change the formula to find other variables yourself. Good for people who like Maths, but bad for idiots at Maths like me. Hence why I'm never planning to take any Finance course again... at least, in university.)

I think if you'd done stats (ECON1203) first, a lot of the equations would have been a lot more straightforward, cos there's a fair bit of overlap in the later weeks.

And if you thought the fins textbook was bad, you obviously haven't done accounting 1A or 1B yet.

 

[4025808]

I think if you'd done stats (ECON1203) first, a lot of the equations would have been a lot more straightforward, cos there's a fair bit of overlap in the later weeks.

And if you thought the fins textbook was bad, you obviously haven't done accounting 1A or 1B yet.

I thought that the accounting 1A textbook wasn't too bad imo.

 

[halapenyo]

I thought that the accounting 1A textbook wasn't too bad imo.

this. i mean accounting 1A was pretty straightforward in terms of the content. not much the textbook could have done.

 

[4025808]

this. i mean accounting 1A was pretty straightforward in terms of the content. not much the textbook could have done.

Yes, content was straightforward, just the actually doing the stuff was a pain... *sigh*

 

[moll.]

Yeah, accounting textbooks are easy and simple to follow. Wait until you get the advanced econometrics/stats textbooks.

 

[tambam]

I thought that the accounting 1A textbook wasn't too bad imo.

this. i mean accounting 1A was pretty straightforward in terms of the content. not much the textbook could have done.

The actual accounting course is really straightforward, but personally I just thought the textbook was filled with crap & goes on for pages about shit of which only about 2 sentences is relevant.

The fins textbook sometimes overanalyses simple equations, but its relatively easy to follow and not painful to read.

 

[kaz1]

the first year accounting textbook is literally the worst textbook I have ever owned

no pictures and just the same colour

 

[Riachain]

I think if you'd done stats (ECON1203) first, a lot of the equations would have been a lot more straightforward, cos there's a fair bit of overlap in the later weeks.

I think that if I did Business Statistics first, yes, the equations would've been more straight forward and easier to digest. At the same time though, I probably would've murdered myself, just because I'm really, really not a Maths person. Starting off my first semester in university and my first time living alone with something that I despise would turn me suicidal. >__<; (Might be exaggerating here, but I honestly would've been miserable.)

The actual accounting course is really straightforward, but personally I just thought the textbook was filled with crap & goes on for pages about shit of which only about 2 sentences is relevant.

The fins textbook sometimes overanalyses simple equations, but its relatively easy to follow and not painful to read.

Frankly, I don't even see the need for any Accounting textbook. It should just be filled with examples, diagrams, and point form sentences. Ah, if only all textbooks could be in this format. It'd make it much easier for everyone and help save us all from useless drivel.

 

[thepatientfrog]

Anyone know where to get FINS1613 past papers?

 

[Jashua_Long]

the first year accounting textbook is literally the worst textbook I have ever owned

no pictures and just the same colour

It's accounting. It's meant to be boring and dull. If you want pictures, buy a picture book?

 

[thepatientfrog]

Well the sample one will be given sometime soon. As for me, I have several of them, if you want I can send them over to you by PM.

That would be amazing if that's alright?!

 

[kaz1]

It's accounting. It's meant to be boring and dull. If you want pictures, buy a picture book?

no fuck off, I want pictures in my accounting book