Accounting Research

Catalog description

This course employs an experiential case approach to build accounting research skills. Each case presents a complex accounting issue. Students are required to use research sources to reach conclusions regarding the correct accounting treatment for the issue. The primary research sources are (a) the U.S. Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) and the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Additional sources include FASB concept statements, the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct, AICPA GAAP and Audit Guides, academic articles, and professional articles. AI tools, such as Chat GPT, can also be helpful. For many cases, students will work with a partner to write memorandums to present their conclusions, much as they would in practice. For other cases, students will form teams for in-class competitions. Each case enables students to develop a unique research skill. These skills fall into three main categories: (a) identifying relevant code sections and other research sources, (b) appropriately applying the research sources to the issue at hand, and (c) effectively communicating conclusions.