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How to Succeed by Trying:
A TABLOID FOR SUCCESS IN YOUR ACCOUNTING COURSES
If you would like to make a good grade in your accounting compare your current student habits
against those listed below.
Accounting majors are currently receiving the best salaries and the most job offers of today’s
business graduates. You too may join these select professionals, but you must start now.
Substitutes for Hard Work and Desire to Learn have not been found. But, if you will follow the
suggestions below, you will Succeed by Trying.
READING THE TEXTBOOK.
Studying accounting is not like reading a novel or even like studying history, sociology, or
English.

Each assignment in accounting builds on previous assignments. If you do half-hearted
work in Chapter 1, you may be confused by Chapter 2 and completely lost in Chapter
3.

Accounting books are condensed. Almost every sentence is important. Scan reading
just does not work! Every page and every illustration should be studied.
Read to understand “why.”

Accounting is a technical subject; but it is logical; and it requires reasoning.

Strive to be able to say, “I understand why they do or say that.” If you understand the
“why” in accounting, there is very little to memorize.

Try to explain every new topic in your own words. Getting the new ideas into your
own words is better than reciting the words of the test a hundred times.
Be critical. Ask your teacher for the reasons behind accounting concepts and methods that
you do not understand.
Work problems to understand “how.”

Even though you understand “why they do that” in accounting, there are certain
things you must be able to do yourself as well.

To be sure that you understand “how” as well as “why,” work the assigned problems
and perhaps some that are not assigned. Don’t copy the book.

Try your own skill and then check your answer.
Remember “why” and “how.”

Review as you go. Go back to previous chapters and bring yourself up to date.
See how the present chapter builds on the previous one. If necessary, rework
problems form previous chapters. Rework Problems that are difficult for you. Work
extra problems that are Similar to the assigned homework problems. Never wait
until examination time to review your accounting. The review-as-you-go plan
produces better results, doesn’t take as long, and saves all that last minute worry and
sacrifice of other courses.
If there is something you do not understand, prepare specific questions to ask your instructor,
either in class or during office hours. PIN-POINT THE ITEMS THAT YOU DO NOT
UNDERSTAND. Some students keep a notebook of points with which they have had
difficulty.
WORKING PROBLEMS
(R. T. P.) Read the Problem. Read the instructions or requirements. Scan the problem to see
what is ahead of you.
Work the problems without “page flipping” back to the chapter.

When in doubt look back at the chapter but not until you have tried to do the problem
on your own. “Page flipping,” indicates that you do not remember the chapter
material. You are not prepared for an examination.

The “page flipping” method is guaranteed to waste a maximum of your time and to
produce a minimum of results.

Be neat and orderly. Form in accounting is as important as the answer. Sloppy
calculation, messy papers, and general carelessness cause most of the errors in
working accounting problems.

Keep up with your class. It is easier to keep up than to catch up.
Check your problem against the solution presented in class.
Be sure you understand the correct solution.

Note the part of the problem with which you have difficulty and ask specific
questions during the classroom session on this part.
MAKE BEST USE OF CLASS TIME
Classes are never interesting unless you are attentive and take an active part.
Be prepared before you go to class. Do your homework.
Do not be afraid to ask intelligent questions.
Almost all students who fail the class also fail to attend classes, fail to pay attention during
class, fail to do their homework, and fail to ask the Instructor for help. Stay out of these ruts!
PREPARING FOR EXAMS
Be specific in your study; concentrate on the things which seem to be most important.

Note items that the instructor emphasizes in class.

Determine topics for which most problems were assigned.

Daily quizzes and lectures and interim exams often closely resemble each other.

Read questions at the end of the chapters for good test questions. These can be used
to test yourself.
Do not stop with just “getting the idea.” Be sure that you can work homework problems
without the aid of the book.
Every exam has an element of speed. Have “how’s” and “why’s “at your “finger tips.” If you
are slow, you probably need more study.
Good students are not parrots. On a good exam you should be expected to give back
something more than was in the textbook. An exam should not be a carbon copy of
homework problems. It will probably approach the material covered from some different
angle to test your ability to reason and understand rather than your ability to memorize.
When taking exams many points are lost because the student does not READ THE
PROBLEM, is not neat and orderly, or does not show key calculations.
Examinations need not be a source of worry. Seldom does conscientious effort go
unrewarded.