How Does Cruz Provide a Clear Path to Student Success?

Clear Objectives for Your Students

Learning income tax return preparation requires constant reinforcement and practice. The authors have set up Fundamentals of Taxation to provide an easy-to-follow format starting with a list of learning objectives, which are then repeated within the book where the related material appears.

Concept Checks are mini-quizzes that test understanding of each objective. The authors then include a summary of the learning objectives at the end of each chapter, providing a quick reference chart for students as they prepare for exams.

The same learning objectives are also referenced in the end-of-chapter material next to each discussion question, multiple choice question, and problem.

Shoebox to Software

The “From Shoebox to Software” examples in each chapter help students understand how they start with a mass of paper provided by a client and proceed to a completed tax return using tax software. The student can actually see the jump from the theoretical tax world to its practical application.

The simulation of real-world situations in each “Shoebox” example helps students become professional tax preparers. Their first day of work is far less stressful because it is not the first time they have seen a Form 1040 or a Schedule D. They are far more productive because they know where to start and how to complete the work.

Tax Your Brain

The Tax Your Brain feature is designed to work along with the examples in the text in order to reinforce understanding of key concepts. Students are presented with a given set of information in an example, and then are asked to apply what they’ve learned to a different situation.

By asking the student to think critically about theories and concepts, while also supplying the answer right after the question, the Tax Your Brain examples provide another opportunity for hands-on experience.

Robust & Relevant End-of-Chapter Material

Fundamentals of Taxation offers a robust selection of end-of-chapter material.

Discussion questions test the basic concepts of each chapter. Students supply short answers to a variety of questions covering each of the major concepts in the chapter.

Multiple Choice questions complement the discussion questions as an alternative way to quickly test a variety of learning objectives. The questions range from easy to more complex computational multiple choice.

Tax Return Problems incorporate the TaxACT software and encourage students to apply a range of concepts they have learned throughout the chapter. All Tax Return Problems can also be done by hand. The authors indicate which forms are needed for each problem and include those forms in Appendix B.