ACCT 3734 - Data Analytics for Accounting
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section A01, CRN 43703,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Yiyang Zhang
Email: yzhang03@ysu.edu
Course Description
This course emphasizes the knowledge and skills required to collect, manage, and analyze extremely large volumes of accounting-related data from various sources and in multiple formats. Topics covered include dataset structures, data queries, database and enterprise system architecture, database security, data mining, data quality, data visualization, data parsing, accounting data sampling and distribution, and fraud examination through data analytics. The course also includes hands-on exercises designed to provide practical experience with data analytics tools, including Tableau and Alteryx.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choose One |
No textbook needed
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Tentative Course Schedule (Subject to Change)
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/24 | • Introduction to Syllabus & Course Design • Introduction to data • Introduction to dataset • Introduction to database • Introduction to Tableau and Alteryx |
Quiz 1 is due by the end of Sunday (8/30) | |
| 8/31 | • Case Study 1 Walk through | • Relational Database design • Database normalization (1NF, 2NF, and 3NF) |
Quiz 2 is due by the end of Sunday (9/6) Case study 1 is due by the end of Sunday (9/6) |
| 9/7 | • Case Study 2 Walk through | • Database merging from different data sources (e.g., cross-sectional, time series, and panel datasets) | Quiz 3 is due by the end of Sunday (9/13 Case study 2 is due by the end of Sunday (9/13) |
| 9/14 | • Case Study 3 Walk through | • Variable creation (Continuous vs. Dichotomous • Introduction to data querying o Data filtering o Data sorting o Data grouping o Data Visualization o Tableau Dashboard view |
Quiz 4 is due by the end of Sunday (9/20) Case study 3 is due by the end of Sunday (9/20) |
| 9/21 | • Case Study 4 Walk through | • Introduction to Tax Reallocation • Data Parsing |
Quiz 5 is due by the end of Sunday (9/27) Case study 4 is due by the end of Sunday (9/27) |
| 9/28 | Case Study 5 Walk through | • Descriptive Statistics • Sampling, Distribution, and Confidence interval • Outlier detection |
Quiz 6 is due by the end of Sunday (10/4) Case study 5 is due by the end of Sunday (10/4) |
| 10/5 | • Case Study 6 Walk through | • Hypothesis testing | Case study 6 is due by the end of Friday (10/9) Final Exam is due by the end of Friday (10/9) |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.