1. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH CASES THAT YOU WILL COMPLETE IN THIS COURSE?
The purpose of these cases is to provide you with experience solving an unstructured problem that requires searching accounting standards and financial statements. In your future careers in public accounting or in financial reporting, you will encounter financial accounting problems for which there may not be a clear-cut accounting treatment. Instead, you will need to conduct research to arrive at an appropriate answer. In Case 1, I am providing you with exposure to some of the resources available for you to conduct research, download financial statements, and increase your general knowledge about current accounting issues. In Cases 2 and 3, you will solve unstructured problems like you will do in the real-world.
2. HOW DO I USE THE DATABASES?
Download the Accounting Research Handbook that is now available on WebCampus.
Included in this booklet are detailed instructions on how to use these databases. This handbook will give you enough information to get you started.
(The following pages may be turned into me – you do not need to type up your responses in a separate document. If you are working with a partner, make sure BOTH of your names appear on the assignment).
ACCOUNTING RESEARCH CASE 1 – PART A: SEC EDGAR DATABASE
This first exercise involves EDGAR, the SEC’s database. You will use EDGAR to find out information about one company. Your company is based on the first letter of your last name. Using the table below, determine which company you are assigned. At the EDGAR home page (www.sec.gov), go to “Company Filings Search” under the heading “Filings.” On the new screen, search by company name (EDGAR is picky about the exact form of the company name, so you may want to click the “contains” button.)
