Accounting and Auditing Research and Databases

Preface xiii Acknowledgments xv Chapter 1 An Introduction to Applied Professional Research 1 What Is Research? 2 Research Questions 4 The Nature of Professional Research 7 Critical Thinking and Effective Communication 9 The Economic Consequences of Standard Setting 14 The Role of Research in the Accounting Firm 15 Remaining Current in Knowledge and Skills 27 International Complexities in Practice 29 Summary 29 Notes 30 Appendix: Abbreviations Commonly Used in Citations 31 Chapter 2 The Environment of U.S. Research--the SEC and the FASB 37 The Accounting Environment 37 SEC Accounting for Public Companies 38 American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) 47 U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) 49 The Financial Accounting Standards Board, Advisory Boards, and the Emerging Issue Task Force 52 The Levels of U.S. GAAP and FASB Accounting Standards Codification 61 Locating U.S. GAAP 65 The FASB Accounting Standards Codification Research System (the Codification) 65 Codification Access 66 Navigating the Codification 68 The Research Process 73 Email, Print, and Copy/Paste Functions 81 Summary 85 Notes 85 Chapter 3 The Environment of International Research 87 The International Accounting Environment 87 Other Regional and National Standard-Setting Bodies and Organizations In fluencing IFRS 94 IASB Authorities 95 The IASB's Conceptual Framework 101 IFRS Funding, Regulation, and Enforcement 103 International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Research 106 Summary 119 Notes 120 Chapter 4 Other Research Databases and Tools 121 Governmental Accounting Sources (FASAB and GASB) 121 Other Databases for Accounting Authorities 127 Researching Industries and Companies 131 Industry Research 133 Major Databases 135 Researching Corporate News 149 Research Tools 154 Research Strategies 156 Summary 157 Appendix 1: Checklist for Industry Research 158 Appendix 2: Checklist for Company Research 159 Appendix 3: Websites 160 Chapter 5 Tax Research for Compliance and Tax Planning 163 Tax Research Databases 164 The Internal Revenue Code 170 Treasury Regulations 172 Other Administrative Authorities 174 Judicial Sources 180 Original Jurisdiction Courts 183 Steps in Conducting Tax Research 185 The Tax Research Environment 196 Regulation of Tax Professionals 211 Summary 212 Notes 213 Appendix: Selected Tax Websites 213 Chapter 6 Assurance/Auditing Research 215 Introduction 215 Assurance Services 216 Consulting Services and Standards 217 Auditing Standard-Setting Environment 218 Auditing Standard-Setting Process 228 AICPA Code of Professional Conduct 231 Auditing Standards in the Public Sector 236 Compilation and Review Services 238 Role of Judgment in Accounting and Auditing 239 Economic Consequences 240 Summary 241 Notes 241 About the Authors 243 Index 247