PCC/ CCOG / CAS

Course Content and Outcome Guide for CAS 171

Date:
02-APR-2012
Posted by:
Linda Bruss
Course Number:
CAS 171
Course Title:
Intermediate Excel
Credit Hours:
3
Lecture hours:
10
Lecture/Lab hours:
40
Lab hours:
0
Special Fee:
$12

Course Description

Introduces advanced features of Excel to design and create accurate, professional worksheets for use in business and industry. Includes financial, logical, statistical, lookup, and database functions; pivot tables; "what-if" analysis with data tables; importing data; complex graphs; macros; and solver features. Focuses on ways to ensure accuracy including proofreading techniques and critical thinking to determine what data to present and how to present it. Prerequisite: CAS 170 or instructor permission. Audit available.

Addendum to Course Description

A major goal is to develop better computation skills. Improved spreadsheet design through critical thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving is also emphasized.

Intended Outcomes for the course

Upon successful completion of this course, student will be able to:
1. Use critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision making skills to independently design and create complex Excel spreadsheets following current
professional and/or industry standards.

Outcome Assessment Strategies

A letter grade will be issued for this course based upon:
  • performance tests
  • may include objective tests, scored assignments, or projects
  • may include the use of skill assessment software

Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills)

Themes, Concepts, Issues
  • Communicate effectively using appropriate spreadsheet vocabulary.
  • Use critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills in developing the spreadsheet design for various business problems.
  • Proofread for accuracy in the entry of data and creation of formulas.
  • Assess the document for readability.
  • Make effective use of the advanced tools available in spreadsheet programs.
  • Integrate the use of spreadsheets with other applications including the Internet.
 
Competencies, Skills
  • Create formulas using relative, absolute, and mixed references.
  • Plan, create, modify, and enhance the appearance of charts.
  • Produce and execute macros.
  • Create databases and use data forms, conditional formatting, sorting, filtering, and extracting features.
  • Use PivotTables and PivotChart to summarize data in databases.
  • Generate Web pages from spreadsheets and hyperlink to other documents.
  • Use lookup functions in worksheets.
  • Import data into Excel from text files, databases, and the World Wide Web.
  • Design professional spreadsheets based on analyzing needs and data.
 
May also include the following Excel features:
  • Nested If statements
  • Naming cells
  • Validation
  • Logical and financial functions
  • Protection features
  • One-and two-variable data tables
  • Auditing tools
  • Visual Basic
  • Customizing the Excel toolbar
  • Solver and scenario manager