Accounting and Auditing Research and Databases: Practitioner's Desk Reference

Research Questions

Individual companies and CPA firms conduct research to resolve specific accounting, auditing, and tax issues relating to a company or client. The results of this research may lead the firm to new policies or procedures in the application of existing authorities. In this research process, the practitioner (researcher) must answer the following basic questions:

1. Do I have complete knowledge to answer the question, or must I conduct research to consult authoritative references?

2. What is the law (tax law) or the authoritative literature?

3. Does the law or the authoritative literature address the issue under review?

4. Where can I find the law or authoritative literature and develop a conclusion effectively and efficiently?

5. Where can I find international accounting and auditing standards?

6. If there is no law or authoritative literature directly addressing the topic at issue, what approach do I follow in reaching a conclusion?

7. What professional databases or other sources on the Internet should I access for the research process?

8. If more than one alternative solution exists, which do I select?

9. How do I document my findings or conclusions?

The purpose of this text is to provide an understanding of the research process and skills needed to answer these questions utilizing various professional databases. The whats, whys, and hows of practical professional accounting, auditing, and tax research are discussed with emphasis on the following topics: ...