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Accounting Essay Examples

An essay about accounting serves as a means to explore the principles, practices, and significance of accounting in the world of business and finance. The purpose of such an essay is to provide insights into how accounting functions as a vital tool for tracking financial transactions, making informed decisions, and ensuring the transparency and integrity of financial reporting. Essays on accounting shed light on the complexities and implications of this discipline, while also highlighting its role in shaping economic systems and business operations. Exploration of Accounting Principles in Accounting Essay Topics One of the primary goals of an essay about accounting is to delve into the fundamental principles that underlie accounting practices. This involves discussing concepts such as the accrual basis of accounting, the matching principle, revenue recognition, and more. Essays on this topic aim to explain how these principles guide financial reporting and decision-making. Essays about accounting often focus on the process of financial reporting, including the preparation of financial statements such as the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement. These essays explore how accurate and transparent financial reporting is essential for stakeholders to assess a company’s financial health. Accounting plays a crucial role in aiding business decision-making. Essays in this field can discuss how financial data and reports help businesses evaluate profitability, assess risks, and make informed strategic decisions. These essays showcase how accounting information impacts various aspects of business operations. Tips for Writing an Essay About Accounting:

Choose a Focus: Select a specific aspect of accounting to explore, such as a particular principle, concept, or its role in a specific industry. Thesis Statement: Begin with a clear thesis that outlines the main topics or questions your essay will address. Explain Concepts: Ensure that you provide clear explanations of accounting concepts for readers who may not be familiar with the subject. Real-World Examples: Use real-world examples and case studies to illustrate the application of accounting principles. Consider Ethical Implications: Discuss the ethical considerations that accountants face, such as the importance of honesty and integrity in financial reporting. Address Current Trends: Explore how technological advancements are impacting the field of accounting, such as the use of AI and automation. Cite Sources: Properly cite sources to support your arguments and provide credibility to your essay.

An accounting essay provides a window into the intricate world of financial management and reporting. By analyzing principles, practices, and real-world applications, these essays contribute to a better understanding of the crucial role that accounting plays in shaping business decisions, financial transparency, and the overall health of economic systems.

Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Accounting

The realm of accounting is not only about numbers; it is also a domain where ethical decisions hold significant weight. Accountants often find themselves facing ethical dilemmas that demand careful consideration and a deep understanding of professional responsibilities. This essay explores the complexities of ethical...

Report on Internship in the Field of Accounting and Finance

AMAC was formed in 2006. Head office is located in Federal-B Area Karachi. It is engaged in the services, supplies, distribution and marketing of petroleum & petrochemical products. It have expertise in fuel and lubricants industry. Being in the business since last ten years and...

Overview of Current Accounting Environment in Peru

Peru is an emerging economy, but still considered a developing country, which began to introduce the widely-used IFRS accounting standards during 1994. Prior to this introduction, the Peruvian system had become a hybrid of many other country’s accounting policies, taking influence over time from areas...

A Research Paper on Tesco 2014 Accounting Scandal

Within this paper I will be discussing the impact and causes of the 2014 Tesco accounting scandal and the challenges in which they faced after such huge event. In addition, this essay will describe the aftermath in which followed with an Analysis of the strategy...

Comparative Analysis of Computerised Accounting Software

Sage 50 is a computerised accounting software that is designed to assists firms when managing finances, overseeing the rate of sales, profits and expenditure that the business must go through. It is also useful for the analysis of business performances by using a variation of...

The Impact of Advancements in Technology on Accountants and Bookkeepers’ Job

Accounting is the process of recording financial transactions to help a company or a small business to keep records of their financial health. These reports support the company, help them manage their money better, and are used by every unit that is related to the...

The Use of Technology in Accounting: Accounting Software

Technology has always been revolving and improving as time pass by. Many things were emerging because of it. Life has been easy and people rely more to it ever since it flourished. The continuous growth of technology is not only evident in the everyday lives...

Being an Accountancy Student: Reflections on the Journey Thus Far

Reflecting on my journey as a fourth-year college student in an Accountancy program, I am reminded of the many risks and sacrifices I have made to reach this point. Throughout my college years, I have frequently evaluated my performance and reflected on how I arrived...

The Way Working Capital Management Works

Working capital is a proportion of corporate momentary money related status just as its proficiency. Working capital is touched base at by subtracting complete current resources with its all out current liabilities. In the event that the distinction in proportion between current resources and current...

Effect of Corporate Governance on Accounting Conservatism in Manufacturing Companies

The increased accounting scandals in the past previous years that caused subside of high reputable companies such as Enron have led several sectors to focus on amending accounting quality and corporate governance (Emmanuel & Salisu, 2018). Corporate governance is the system that is used to...

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Students can check some of the essay outline templates that are accessible on our website before proceeding further. Accounting and writing essay papers are two different activities that resemble to be too distant from one another. Where accounting is used for finances and numbers; on the other hand, essay writing is concentrated on research and sentence structure. However, if students carefully analyze these two methods, they can see that sans, quantities, and linguistics – essay writing and accounting also have common enough. Both systems need organization skills and critical thinking. Without these, accountants might decline to recognize all the factors that should be parametric in generating the financial record.

Meanwhile, drafting advantages from two features while the essay editor must recognize which components should be added and which ones could be ignored. The amalgamation of the two components can not be more limited while formulating an essay. Just as others would combine financial information in a record, arrange the researched elements in an accounting essay formation. We give the students a well-organized and well-written custom essay.

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Accounting Writing Help

For students accounting is a very important subject. And also it is a difficult one. Most of the students face problems while completing their accounting assignments or accounting coursework. Every student wants good grades. We know the importance of accounting essay writing and we provide you the best service than others. Our accounting essay writers are experienced one’s and they will provide you the professional accounting essay writing help at reasonable prices. And we guarantee you that you will get good marks in your assignments by taking our accounting help services. We are the one of the websites that provide zero-plagiarism reports to the students, no other site will provide you the plagiarism report.

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Financial Accounting Essay Topics for Research Projects

If you don’t think you can cope with the accounting essay on your own, feel free to use our free college essay samples for undergraduate students that are available for free! You don’t need to create an account at AcademicHelp.net to use online writing samples or the accounting essay topics provided below:

• Can Accounting Software Help Reduce Costs?
• Research on How Accounting Is Transforming
• The Influence of Auditing on the Financial Position of a Business
• What Is Causing Financial Instability Among Giant Businesses?
• How Long Do Term Debts Affect an Organization?
• How Can a Balance Sheet Give a Company’s Financial Standing?
• Why an Organization Should Have a Separate Finance Department
• Is Financial Reporting Important to Ensure Customer’s Confidence?
• Are Modern Accounting Standards the Ideal Standards?
• Why Should Companies Keep Their Financial Instruments Safe?
• Legal Ethics and Technological Concerns of Accounting
• Strategic Financial Accounting for Decision Making.
• External Auditing in The Us
• An Explanation of the Difference Between Cash and Profit Using Tweedie Plc to Illustrate Your Points
• Economic Uncertainty Requires More Flexible Budgeting Systems, Critically Discuss.
• Is It Possible to Account for Sustainability?
• The History of the Accounting Schools in Europe
• Prepare a Marginal Costing Cost Statement for Your Energy Drink
• What Are the Key Roles Which a Strategic Management Accountant Would Undertake in an Organization Such as Jessup?
• Would the Use of Full Fair Value Accounting in Financial Statements Benefit Investors?

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Writing a research proposal in accounting is an interesting and somehow challenging task. You definitely know that it involves a few steps. First, you should select a topic. If your professor has not assigned you the one, and you cannot think it up on your own, read the news and do some research on accounting for various interesting facts. At our company, we supply hot accounting essay topics to impress the targeted readers of yours.

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Accounting essay

If you are mastering the international language of money, you have probably googled accounting essay topics at least once. The reason is simple. While the task of an accountant seems narrow and money-centered, the scope of this discipline is vast and extends to government, business, financial institutions, commerce, families, and individuals. Thus, accounting is about keeping track of the profits and expenses of an organization, analyzing, processing, and reporting this information to tax collectors and oversight agencies. Still, the data collected is also used to inform the management of the firm about key processes. It also helps senior executives to make the right decisions. That’s why the themes of student papers vary.

So, below you will find the list of topics for your essay. Our writers have outlined the steps you need to take to prepare for writing the work, and insights on its main sections. An accounting essay example is also provided for your convenience.

Guide on How to Write Accounting Essay

Research process.

Before you start writing your accounting essay, you need to gather information about the examined subject. There is an enormous number of journals, books, articles on accounting on the Internet. Besides, a lot of them can be used for free. The most important thing is to make sure that the chosen sources are reliable. Only accurate data will help you to prepare an authentic piece of accounting writing. Note that some websites cannot be used for producing academic works. The point is that they do not provide precise economic information needed in this field of study.

The most effective way of collecting true facts about the addressed matter is to go to your city library. If you know what aspects you are going to cover in the paper, you will need just a few days to do your research. That is why you should set aside time in your busy schedule to look for relevant material on the tackled issue. In order to be able to cover accounting essay topics completely, you should know general background information about accounting. Moreover, you should be aware of the way the business is conducted. Thus, you will know how to implement particular financial strategies studied in class.

When all necessary information about the analyzed issue is collected, you should arrange it appropriately. If everything is organized correctly, it will be easier for you to choose a suitable approach to writing exclusive accounting essays. If there is a lot of material on the discussed subject, you may be easily confused. Thus, it is better to set an algorithm for preparing your work. It will help you do everything step by step. As a result, you will not miss the deadline.

This type of essay does not differ greatly from the rest of the academic papers students have to turn in. First, you should use a formal writing style. Then, only proven facts should be used to support your ideas . By the way, you may use great accounting essay examples to explore the way information is presented . Furthermore, you need to pay close attention to the standards of preparing such papers. Meaningful and insightful content, accompanied by properly cited sources will result in a top-quality paper.

Outline and Introduction

It is highly advisable to create an outline before you start composing your masterpiece. This step will help you to organize the collected data. It will also result in smooth connections among your ideas throughout the paper. You will be able to draw a logical line connecting your central claim with the topic sentences of all the paragraphs and the concluding section. Creating a good outline will save your time and speed up the process of essay writing.

The introductory paragraph should start with more general information on your topic. There is no room for jokes or anecdotes in accounting essays. This will not be an appropriate hook. Instead, you should carefully lead your reader to your thesis statement. It will be the last sentence of the section.

The body of the document will consist of several paragraphs. Each one will start with a statement that supports your central claim. Follow your outline to order your paragraphs correctly. Next, you will present evidence and facts to support your ideas. Always indicate the author whose ideas or research data you use. It is important to cite the publications properly. Do not forget to format and structure your work according to the reference style indicated in the instructions. Note that you can always get professional “do my essay” help online. Experienced writers will work on your paper ensuring logicality, providing valuable insights, structuring, and formatting your essay properly. Of course, this will result in an excellent grade.

This paragraph should summarize your work. Note that it should be written properly as it may help you get additional scores. If you analyze the presented data thoroughly, you will manage to produce an effective conclusion. It should underline the most important facts of your accounting essay and repeat your central idea.

By following the above tips you will create an excellent academic paper.

Fifteen Great Accounting Essay Topics

We offer you a list of perfect accounting essay topics that are relevant to this discipline. If the professor allows you to choose the topic on your own, feel free to use the following list to write an impressive academic paper.

• Offshore accounting: key advantages and disadvantages.
• The most effective accounting practices.
• The accounting software, that has proven to be maximally efficient.
• Accounting practices: a historical perspective.
• The development of cash flow in the US.
• The management of earnings.
• Accounting ethics.
• Taxes in ABC company (selecting this topic, you can write how a certain company works on reducing the taxes. Besides, you can mention that the people or organizations that do not know the essentials of the tax code have to pay more.)
• Why is the profession of a financial accountant so prestigious nowadays?
• Accounting information systems. Choosing such a topic, you can mention the rapid flow of information and the role it plays for contemporary accountants.
• Financial markets. If you want to write about the financial markets, feel free to mention their role in the development of the global economy. Also, talk about their possible negative aspects, and indicate how to reduce these risks.
• Managing personal finances. Here you can write about the benefits of hiring a personal accountant.
• Debt management. Exploring the concept of debt management, you can talk about the risks that can lead to debt, and try to find ways to fix this problem in the future.
• Organizational culture and its influence on accounting.
• The use of internet-based accountants: the risks and benefits.

Of course, writing accounting essays of decent quality is not that easy. It requires one to be good at mathematics. The student should be also skilled in conducting research and analyzing the received data. One should know the basics of finance and economics, statistics and reporting, business fundamentals, and much more. Here the help of an expert writer will rescue those who are just studying these disciplines and are struggling to acquire research skills.

At EssaysLeader.com we have a team of super-talented writers with degrees in business management and accounting, economics, and finance. These people have already written numerous essays, and they have no problem crafting a perfect paper in a short time.

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So, be bold and try to write an accounting essay using the list of topics and tips from this article. Or save your time and order an individually written document prepared by one of our professional writers.

Sample Essay on Accounting (The Advantages and Drawbacks of a Budget)

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Accounting Explained With Brief History and Modern Job Requirements

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What Is Accounting?

What is the purpose of accounting, history of accounting, what types of careers are in the accounting field.

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Why accounting is important.

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Amanda Bellucco-Chatham is an editor, writer, and fact-checker with years of experience researching personal finance topics. Specialties include general financial planning, career development, lending, retirement, tax preparation, and credit.

• Accounting Explained With Brief History and Modern Job Requirements CURRENT ARTICLE
• Accounting Equation
• Current and Noncurrent Assets
• Accounting Theory
• Accounting Principles
• Accounting Standard
• Accounting Convention
• Accounting Policies
• Principles-Based vs. Rules-Based Accounting
• Accounting Method
• Accrual Accounting
• Cash Accounting
• Accrual Accounting vs. Cash Basis Accounting
• Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)
• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
• IFRS vs. GAAP
• US Accounting vs. International Accounting
• Understanding the Cash Flow Statement
• Breaking Down The Balance Sheet
• Understanding the Income Statement
• Financial Accounting
• Financial Accounting and Decision-Making
• Financial vs. Managerial Accounting
• Cost Accounting
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
• Chartered Accountant (CA)
• Accountant vs. Financial Planner
• Tax Accounting
• Forensic Accounting
• Chart of Accounts (COA)
• Double Entry
• Closing Entry
• Introduction to Accounting Information Systems
• Inventory Accounting
• Last In, First Out (LIFO)
• First In, First Out (FIFO)
• Average Cost Method

Accounting is the process of recording financial transactions pertaining to a business. The accounting process includes summarizing, analyzing, and reporting these transactions to oversight agencies, regulators, and tax collection entities. The financial statements used in accounting are a concise summary of financial transactions over an accounting period, summarizing a company's operations, financial position, and cash flows . 

Key Takeaways

• Regardless of the size of a business, accounting is a necessary function for decision making, cost planning, and measurement of economic performance.
• A bookkeeper can handle basic accounting needs, but a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) should be utilized for larger or more advanced accounting tasks.
• Two important types of accounting for businesses are managerial accounting and cost accounting. Managerial accounting helps management teams make business decisions, while cost accounting helps business owners decide how much a product should cost.
• Professional accountants follow a set of standards known as the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) when preparing financial statements.
• Accounting is an important function of strategic planning, external compliance, fundraising, and operations management.

Investopedia / Jiaqi Zhou

Accounting is one of the key functions of almost any business. A bookkeeper or an accountant may handle it at a small firm. At larger companies, there might be sizable finance departments guided by a unified accounting manual with dozens of employees. The reports generated by various streams of accounting, such as cost accounting and managerial accounting, are invaluable in helping management make informed business decisions. 

The financial statements that summarize a large company's operations, financial position, and cash flows over a particular period are concise and consolidated reports based on thousands of individual financial transactions. As a result, all professional accounting designations are the culmination of years of study and rigorous examinations combined with a minimum number of years of practical accounting experience.

The history of accounting has been around almost as long as money itself. Accounting history dates back to ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Babylon. For example, during the Roman Empire, the government had detailed records of its finances. However, modern accounting as a profession has only been around since the early 19th century.

Luca Pacioli is considered "The Father of Accounting and Bookkeeping" due to his contributions to the development of accounting as a profession. An Italian mathematician and friend of Leonardo da Vinci, Pacioli published a book on the double-entry system of bookkeeping in 1494.

By 1880, the modern profession of accounting was fully formed and recognized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales . This institute created many of the systems by which accountants practice today. The formation of the institute occurred in large part due to the Industrial Revolution. Merchants not only needed to track their records but sought to avoid bankruptcy as well.

The Alliance for Responsible Professional Licensing (ARPL) was formed in August 2019 in response to a series of state deregulatory proposals making the requirements to become a CPA more lenient. The ARPL is a coalition of various advanced professional groups including engineers, accountants, and architects.

What Are the Different Types of Accounting?

Accountants may be tasked with recording specific transactions or working with specific sets of information. For this reason, there are several broad groups that most accountants can be grouped into.

Financial accounting refers to the processes used to generate interim and annual financial statements. The results of all financial transactions that occur during an accounting period are summarized in the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement. The financial statements of most companies are audited annually by an external CPA firm.

For some, such as publicly-traded companies, audits are a legal requirement. However, lenders also typically require the results of an external audit annually as part of their debt covenants. Therefore, most companies will have annual audits for one reason or another.

Managerial Accounting 

Managerial accounting uses much of the same data as financial accounting, but it organizes and utilizes information in different ways . Namely, in managerial accounting, an accountant generates monthly or quarterly reports that a business's management team can use to make decisions about how the business operates. Managerial accounting also encompasses many other facets of accounting, including budgeting, forecasting, and various financial analysis tools. Essentially, any information that may be useful to management falls underneath this umbrella.

Just as managerial accounting helps businesses make decisions about management, cost accounting helps businesses make decisions about costing. Essentially, cost accounting considers all of the costs related to producing a product. Analysts, managers, business owners, and accountants use this information to determine what their products should cost . In cost accounting, money is cast as an economic factor in production, whereas in financial accounting, money is considered to be a measure of a company's economic performance.

While financial accountants often use one set of rules to report the financial position of a company, tax accountants often use a different set of rules. These rules are set at the federal, state, or local level based on what return is being filed. Tax accounts balance compliance with reporting rules while also attempting to minimize a company's tax liability through thoughtful strategic decision-making. A tax accountant often oversees the entire tax process of a company: the strategic creation of the organization chart , the operations, the compliance, the reporting, and the remittance of tax liability.

While basic accounting functions can be handled by a bookkeeper, advanced accounting is typically handled by qualified accountants who possess designations such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Management Accountant (CMA) in the United States.

In Canada, the three legacy designations—the Chartered Accountant (CA), Certified General Accountant (CGA), and Certified Management Accountant (CMA)—have been unified under the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation.

A major component of the accounting professional is the "Big Four". These four largest accounting firms conduct audit, consulting, tax advisory, and other services. These firms, along with many other smaller firms, comprise the public accounting realm that generally advises financial and tax accounting.

Careers in accounting may vastly difference by industry, department, and niche. Some relevant job titles may include:

• Auditor (internal or external): ensures compliance with reporting requirements and safeguarding of company assets.
• Forensic Accountant : monitors internal or external activity to investigate the transactions of an individual or business.
• Tax Accountant: strategically plans the optimal business composition to minimize tax liabilities as well as ensures compliance with tax reporting.
• Managerial Accountant: analyzes financial transactions to make thoughtful, strategic recommendations often related to the manufacturing of goods.
• Information and Technology Analyst/Accountant: maintains the system and software in which accounting records are processed and stored.
• Controller : oversees the accounting functions of financial reporting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and procurement.

As of May 2023, the average Certified Public Accountant in the United States made $113,095 per year.

What Are Accounting Standards?

In most cases, accountants use generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) when preparing financial statements in the U.S. GAAP is a set of standards and principles designed to improve the comparability and consistency of financial reporting across industries. Its standards are based on double-entry accounting, a method in which every accounting transaction is entered as both a debit and credit in two separate general ledger accounts that will roll up into the balance sheet and income statement.

In most other countries , a set of standards governed by the International Accounting Standards Board named the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is used.

Tax accountants overseeing returns in the United States rely on guidance from the Internal Revenue Service. Federal tax returns must comply with tax guidance outlined by the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). Tax accounts may also lean in on state or county taxes as outlined by the jurisdiction in which the business conducts business. Foreign companies must comply with tax guidance in the countries in which it must file a return.

Accountants often leverage software to aid in their work. Some accounting software is considered better for small businesses such as QuickBooks, Quicken, FreshBooks, Xero, SlickPie, or Sage 50. Larger companies often have much more complex solutions to integrate with their specific reporting needs. This includes add-on modules or in-home software solutions. Large accounting solutions include Oracle, NetSuite, or Sage products.

What Is the Accounting Cycle?

Financial accountants typically operate in a cyclical environment with the same steps happening in order and repeating every reporting period. These steps are often referred to as the accounting cycle, the process of taking raw transaction information, entering it into an accounting system, and running relevant and accurate financial reports. The steps of the accounting cycle are:

• Collect transaction information such as invoices , bank statements , receipts, payment requests, uncashed checks, credit card statements, or other mediums that may contain business transactions.
• Post journal entries to the general ledger for the items in Step 1, reconciling to external documents whenever possible.
• Prepare an unadjusted trial balance to ensure all debits and credits balance and material general ledger accounts look correct.
• Post adjusting journal entries at the end of the period to reflect any changes to be made to the trial balance run in Step 3.
• Prepare the adjusted trial balance to ensure these financial balances are materially correct and reasonable.
• Prepare the financial statements to summarize all transactions for a given reporting period.

Cash Method vs. Accrual Method of Accounting

Financial accounts have two different sets of rules they can choose to follow. The first, the accrual basis method of accounting, has been discussed above. These rules are outlined by GAAP and IFRS, are required by public companies, and are mainly used by larger companies.

The second set of rules follow the cash basis method of accounting. Instead of recording a transaction when it occurs, the cash method stipulates a transaction should be recorded only when cash has exchanged. Because of the simplified manner of accounting, the cash method is often used by small businesses or entities that are not required to use the accrual method of accounting.

Imagine a company buys $1,000 of inventory on credit. Payment is due for the inventory in 30 days.

• Under the accrual method of accounting, a journal entry is recorded when the order is placed. The entry records a debit to inventory (asset) for $1,000 and a credit to accounts payable (liability) for $1,000. When 30 days has passed and the inventory is actually paid for, the company posts a second journal entry: a debit to accounts payable (liability) for $1,000 and a credit to cash (asset) for $1,000.
• Under the cash method of accounting, a journal entry is only recorded when cash has been exchanged for inventory. There is no entry when the order is placed; instead, the company enters only one journal entry at the time the inventory is paid for. The entry is a debit to inventory (asset) for $1,000 and a credit to cash (asset) for $1,000.

The difference between these two accounting methods is the treatment of accruals. Naturally, under the accrual method of accounting, accruals are required. Under the cash method, accruals are not required and not recorded.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has an entire financial reporting manual outlining reporting requirements of public companies.

Accounting is a back-office function where employees may not directly interface with customers, product developers, or manufacturing. However, accounting plays a key role in the strategic planning, growth, and compliance requirements of a company.

• Accounting is necessary for company growth. Without insight into how a business is performing, it is impossible for a company to make smart financial decisions through forecasting . Without accounting, a company wouldn't be able to tell which products are its best sellers, how much profit is made in each department, and what overhead costs are holding back profits.
• Accounting is necessary for funding. External investors want confidence that they know what they are investing in. Prior to private funding, investors will usually require financial statements (often audited) to gauge the overall health of a company. The same rules pertain to debt financing. Banks and other lending institutions will often require financial statements in compliance with accounting rules as part of the underwriting and review process for issuing a loan.
• Accounting is necessary for owner exit. Small companies that may be looking to be acquired often need to present financial statements as part of acquisition or merger efforts. Instead of simply closing a business, a business owner may attempt to "cash-out" of their position and receive compensation for building a company. The basis for valuing a company is to use its accounting records.
• Accounting is necessary to make payments. A company naturally incurs debt, and part of the responsibility of managing that debt is to make payments on time to the appropriate parties. Without positively fostering these business relationships, a company may find itself with a key supplier or vendor. Through accounting, a company can always know who it has debts to and when those debts are coming due.
• Accounting is necessary to collect payments. A company may agree to extend credit to its customers. Instead of collecting cash at the time of an agreement, it may give a customer trade credit terms such as net 30. Without accounting, a company may have a hard time keeping track of who owes it money and when that money is to be received.
• Accounting may be required. Public companies are required to issue periodic financial statements in compliance with GAAP or IFRS. Without these financial statements, a company may be de-listed from an exchange. Without proper tax accounting compliance, a company may receive fines or penalties.

Example of Accounting

To illustrate double-entry accounting, imagine a business sends an invoice to one of its clients. An accountant using the double-entry method records a debit to accounts receivables, which flows through to the balance sheet, and a credit to sales revenue, which flows through to the income statement.

When the client pays the invoice, the accountant credits accounts receivables and debits cash. Double-entry accounting is also called balancing the books, as all of the accounting entries are balanced against each other. If the entries aren't balanced, the accountant knows there must be a mistake somewhere in the general ledger.

What Are the Responsibilities of an Accountant?

Accountants help businesses maintain accurate and timely records of their finances. Accountants are responsible for maintaining records of a company’s daily transactions and compiling those transactions into financial statements such as the balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows. Accountants also provide other services, such as performing periodic audits or preparing ad-hoc management reports.

What Skills Are Required for Accounting?

Accountants hail from a wide variety of backgrounds. Generally speaking, however, attention to detail is a key component in accountancy, since accountants must be able to diagnose and correct subtle errors or discrepancies in a company’s accounts. The ability to think logically is also essential, to help with problem-solving. Mathematical skills are helpful but are less important than in previous generations due to the wide availability of computers and calculators.

Why Is Accounting Important for Investors?

The work performed by accountants is at the heart of modern financial markets. Without accounting, investors would be unable to rely on timely or accurate financial information, and companies’ executives would lack the transparency needed to manage risks or plan projects. Regulators also rely on accountants for critical functions such as providing auditors’ opinions on companies’ annual 10-K filings . In short, although accounting is sometimes overlooked, it is absolutely critical for the smooth functioning of modern finance.

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. " CPA Licensure ."

Gary J. Previts, Peter Walton, and Peter Wolnizer. "Global History of Accounting, Financial Reporting and Public Policy: Eurasia, Middle East and Africa," Pages 1-29. Emerald Group Publishing, 2012.

Jane Gleeson-White. "Double Entry: How the Merchants of Venice Created Modern Finance," Pages 28, 47 and 91. W. W. Norton & Company, 2012.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. " Timeline: 1853-1880 ."

Alliance for Responsible Professional Licensing. " AICPA, NASBA Help Launch New Coalition to Protect Professional Licensing ."

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. " All About Auditors: What Investors Need to Know ."

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. " Frequently Asked Questions FAQs - Become a CPA ."

Institute of Management Accountants. " CMA Certification ."

Chartered Professional Accountants Canada. " The CPA Profession ."

Glassdoor. " CPA Salaries ."

Financial Accounting Foundation. " About GAAP ."

International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation. " Who Uses IFRS Standards? "

Internal Revenue Service. " Tax Code, Regulations, and Official Guidance ."

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. " Financial Reporting Manual ."

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College Essays

If you grow up to be a professional writer, everything you write will first go through an editor before being published. This is because the process of writing is really a process of re-writing —of rethinking and reexamining your work, usually with the help of someone else. So what does this mean for your student writing? And in particular, what does it mean for very important, but nonprofessional writing like your college essay? Should you ask your parents to look at your essay? Pay for an essay service?

If you are wondering what kind of help you can, and should, get with your personal statement, you've come to the right place! In this article, I'll talk about what kind of writing help is useful, ethical, and even expected for your college admission essay . I'll also point out who would make a good editor, what the differences between editing and proofreading are, what to expect from a good editor, and how to spot and stay away from a bad one.

Table of Contents

What Kind of Help for Your Essay Can You Get?

What's Good Editing?

What should an editor do for you, what kind of editing should you avoid, proofreading, what's good proofreading, what kind of proofreading should you avoid.

What Do Colleges Think Of You Getting Help With Your Essay?

Who Can/Should Help You?

Advice for editors.

Should You Pay Money For Essay Editing?

The Bottom Line

What's next, what kind of help with your essay can you get.

Rather than talking in general terms about "help," let's first clarify the two different ways that someone else can improve your writing . There is editing, which is the more intensive kind of assistance that you can use throughout the whole process. And then there's proofreading, which is the last step of really polishing your final product.

Let me go into some more detail about editing and proofreading, and then explain how good editors and proofreaders can help you."

Editing is helping the author (in this case, you) go from a rough draft to a finished work . Editing is the process of asking questions about what you're saying, how you're saying it, and how you're organizing your ideas. But not all editing is good editing . In fact, it's very easy for an editor to cross the line from supportive to overbearing and over-involved.

Ability to clarify assignments. A good editor is usually a good writer, and certainly has to be a good reader. For example, in this case, a good editor should make sure you understand the actual essay prompt you're supposed to be answering.

Open-endedness. Good editing is all about asking questions about your ideas and work, but without providing answers. It's about letting you stick to your story and message, and doesn't alter your point of view.

Think of an editor as a great travel guide. It can show you the many different places your trip could take you. It should explain any parts of the trip that could derail your trip or confuse the traveler. But it never dictates your path, never forces you to go somewhere you don't want to go, and never ignores your interests so that the trip no longer seems like it's your own. So what should good editors do?

Help Brainstorm Topics

Sometimes it's easier to bounce thoughts off of someone else. This doesn't mean that your editor gets to come up with ideas, but they can certainly respond to the various topic options you've come up with. This way, you're less likely to write about the most boring of your ideas, or to write about something that isn't actually important to you.

If you're wondering how to come up with options for your editor to consider, check out our guide to brainstorming topics for your college essay .

Help Revise Your Drafts

Here, your editor can't upset the delicate balance of not intervening too much or too little. It's tricky, but a great way to think about it is to remember: editing is about asking questions, not giving answers .

Revision questions should point out:

• Places where more detail or more description would help the reader connect with your essay
• Places where structure and logic don't flow, losing the reader's attention
• Places where there aren't transitions between paragraphs, confusing the reader
• Moments where your narrative or the arguments you're making are unclear

But pointing to potential problems is not the same as actually rewriting—editors let authors fix the problems themselves.

Bad editing is usually very heavy-handed editing. Instead of helping you find your best voice and ideas, a bad editor changes your writing into their own vision.

You may be dealing with a bad editor if they:

• Add material (examples, descriptions) that doesn't come from you
• Use a thesaurus to make your college essay sound "more mature"
• Add meaning or insight to the essay that doesn't come from you
• Tell you what to say and how to say it
• Write sentences, phrases, and paragraphs for you
• Change your voice in the essay so it no longer sounds like it was written by a teenager

Colleges can tell the difference between a 17-year-old's writing and a 50-year-old's writing. Not only that, they have access to your SAT or ACT Writing section, so they can compare your essay to something else you wrote. Writing that's a little more polished is great and expected. But a totally different voice and style will raise questions.

Where's the Line Between Helpful Editing and Unethical Over-Editing?

Sometimes it's hard to tell whether your college essay editor is doing the right thing. Here are some guidelines for staying on the ethical side of the line.

• An editor should say that the opening paragraph is kind of boring, and explain what exactly is making it drag. But it's overstepping for an editor to tell you exactly how to change it.
• An editor should point out where your prose is unclear or vague. But it's completely inappropriate for the editor to rewrite that section of your essay.
• An editor should let you know that a section is light on detail or description. But giving you similes and metaphors to beef up that description is a no-go.

Proofreading (also called copy-editing) is checking for errors in the last draft of a written work. It happens at the end of the process and is meant as the final polishing touch. Proofreading is meticulous and detail-oriented, focusing on small corrections. It sands off all the surface rough spots that could alienate the reader.

Because proofreading is usually concerned with making fixes on the word or sentence level, this is the only process where someone else can actually add to or take away things from your essay . This is because what they are adding or taking away tends to be one or two misplaced letters.

Laser focus. Proofreading is all about the tiny details, so the ability to really concentrate on finding small slip-ups is a must.

Excellent grammar and spelling skills. Proofreaders need to dot every "i" and cross every "t." Good proofreaders should correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar. They should put foreign words in italics and surround quotations with quotation marks. They should check that you used the correct college's name, and that you adhered to any formatting requirements (name and date at the top of the page, uniform font and size, uniform spacing).

Limited interference. A proofreader needs to make sure that you followed any word limits. But if cuts need to be made to shorten the essay, that's your job and not the proofreader's.

A bad proofreader either tries to turn into an editor, or just lacks the skills and knowledge necessary to do the job.

Some signs that you're working with a bad proofreader are:

• If they suggest making major changes to the final draft of your essay. Proofreading happens when editing is already finished.
• If they aren't particularly good at spelling, or don't know grammar, or aren't detail-oriented enough to find someone else's small mistakes.
• If they start swapping out your words for fancier-sounding synonyms, or changing the voice and sound of your essay in other ways. A proofreader is there to check for errors, not to take the 17-year-old out of your writing.

What Do Colleges Think of Your Getting Help With Your Essay?

Admissions officers agree: light editing and proofreading are good—even required ! But they also want to make sure you're the one doing the work on your essay. They want essays with stories, voice, and themes that come from you. They want to see work that reflects your actual writing ability, and that focuses on what you find important.

On the Importance of Editing

Get feedback. Have a fresh pair of eyes give you some feedback. Don't allow someone else to rewrite your essay, but do take advantage of others' edits and opinions when they seem helpful. ( Bates College )

Read your essay aloud to someone. Reading the essay out loud offers a chance to hear how your essay sounds outside your head. This exercise reveals flaws in the essay's flow, highlights grammatical errors and helps you ensure that you are communicating the exact message you intended. ( Dickinson College )

On the Value of Proofreading

Share your essays with at least one or two people who know you well—such as a parent, teacher, counselor, or friend—and ask for feedback. Remember that you ultimately have control over your essays, and your essays should retain your own voice, but others may be able to catch mistakes that you missed and help suggest areas to cut if you are over the word limit. ( Yale University )

Proofread and then ask someone else to proofread for you. Although we want substance, we also want to be able to see that you can write a paper for our professors and avoid careless mistakes that would drive them crazy. ( Oberlin College )

On Watching Out for Too Much Outside Influence

Limit the number of people who review your essay. Too much input usually means your voice is lost in the writing style. ( Carleton College )

Ask for input (but not too much). Your parents, friends, guidance counselors, coaches, and teachers are great people to bounce ideas off of for your essay. They know how unique and spectacular you are, and they can help you decide how to articulate it. Keep in mind, however, that a 45-year-old lawyer writes quite differently from an 18-year-old student, so if your dad ends up writing the bulk of your essay, we're probably going to notice. ( Vanderbilt University )

Now let's talk about some potential people to approach for your college essay editing and proofreading needs. It's best to start close to home and slowly expand outward. Not only are your family and friends more invested in your success than strangers, but they also have a better handle on your interests and personality. This knowledge is key for judging whether your essay is expressing your true self.

Parents or Close Relatives

Your family may be full of potentially excellent editors! Parents are deeply committed to your well-being, and family members know you and your life well enough to offer details or incidents that can be included in your essay. On the other hand, the rewriting process necessarily involves criticism, which is sometimes hard to hear from someone very close to you.

A parent or close family member is a great choice for an editor if you can answer "yes" to the following questions. Is your parent or close relative a good writer or reader? Do you have a relationship where editing your essay won't create conflict? Are you able to constructively listen to criticism and suggestion from the parent?

One suggestion for defusing face-to-face discussions is to try working on the essay over email. Send your parent a draft, have them write you back some comments, and then you can pick which of their suggestions you want to use and which to discard.

Teachers or Tutors

A humanities teacher that you have a good relationship with is a great choice. I am purposefully saying humanities, and not just English, because teachers of Philosophy, History, Anthropology, and any other classes where you do a lot of writing, are all used to reviewing student work.

Moreover, any teacher or tutor that has been working with you for some time, knows you very well and can vet the essay to make sure it "sounds like you."

If your teacher or tutor has some experience with what college essays are supposed to be like, ask them to be your editor. If not, then ask whether they have time to proofread your final draft.

Guidance or College Counselor at Your School

The best thing about asking your counselor to edit your work is that this is their job. This means that they have a very good sense of what colleges are looking for in an application essay.

At the same time, school counselors tend to have relationships with admissions officers in many colleges, which again gives them insight into what works and which college is focused on what aspect of the application.

Unfortunately, in many schools the guidance counselor tends to be way overextended. If your ratio is 300 students to 1 college counselor, you're unlikely to get that person's undivided attention and focus. It is still useful to ask them for general advice about your potential topics, but don't expect them to be able to stay with your essay from first draft to final version.

Friends, Siblings, or Classmates

Although they most likely don't have much experience with what colleges are hoping to see, your peers are excellent sources for checking that your essay is you .

Friends and siblings are perfect for the read-aloud edit. Read your essay to them so they can listen for words and phrases that are stilted, pompous, or phrases that just don't sound like you.

You can even trade essays and give helpful advice on each other's work.

If your editor hasn't worked with college admissions essays very much, no worries! Any astute and attentive reader can still greatly help with your process. But, as in all things, beginners do better with some preparation.

First, your editor should read our advice about how to write a college essay introduction , how to spot and fix a bad college essay , and get a sense of what other students have written by going through some admissions essays that worked .

Then, as they read your essay, they can work through the following series of questions that will help them to guide you.

Introduction Questions

• Is the first sentence a killer opening line? Why or why not?
• Does the introduction hook the reader? Does it have a colorful, detailed, and interesting narrative? Or does it propose a compelling or surprising idea?
• Can you feel the author's voice in the introduction, or is the tone dry, dull, or overly formal? Show the places where the voice comes through.

Essay Body Questions

• Does the essay have a through-line? Is it built around a central argument, thought, idea, or focus? Can you put this idea into your own words?
• How is the essay organized? By logical progression? Chronologically? Do you feel order when you read it, or are there moments where you are confused or lose the thread of the essay?
• Does the essay have both narratives about the author's life and explanations and insight into what these stories reveal about the author's character, personality, goals, or dreams? If not, which is missing?
• Does the essay flow? Are there smooth transitions/clever links between paragraphs? Between the narrative and moments of insight?

Reader Response Questions

• Does the writer's personality come through? Do we know what the speaker cares about? Do we get a sense of "who he or she is"?
• Where did you feel most connected to the essay? Which parts of the essay gave you a "you are there" sensation by invoking your senses? What moments could you picture in your head well?
• Where are the details and examples vague and not specific enough?
• Did you get an "a-ha!" feeling anywhere in the essay? Is there a moment of insight that connected all the dots for you? Is there a good reveal or "twist" anywhere in the essay?
• What are the strengths of this essay? What needs the most improvement?

Should You Pay Money for Essay Editing?

One alternative to asking someone you know to help you with your college essay is the paid editor route. There are two different ways to pay for essay help: a private essay coach or a less personal editing service , like the many proliferating on the internet.

My advice is to think of these options as a last resort rather than your go-to first choice. I'll first go through the reasons why. Then, if you do decide to go with a paid editor, I'll help you decide between a coach and a service.

When to Consider a Paid Editor

In general, I think hiring someone to work on your essay makes a lot of sense if none of the people I discussed above are a possibility for you.

If you can't ask your parents. For example, if your parents aren't good writers, or if English isn't their first language. Or if you think getting your parents to help is going create unnecessary extra conflict in your relationship with them (applying to college is stressful as it is!)

If you can't ask your teacher or tutor. Maybe you don't have a trusted teacher or tutor that has time to look over your essay with focus. Or, for instance, your favorite humanities teacher has very limited experience with college essays and so won't know what admissions officers want to see.

If you can't ask your guidance counselor. This could be because your guidance counselor is way overwhelmed with other students.

If you can't share your essay with those who know you. It might be that your essay is on a very personal topic that you're unwilling to share with parents, teachers, or peers. Just make sure it doesn't fall into one of the bad-idea topics in our article on bad college essays .

If the cost isn't a consideration. Many of these services are quite expensive, and private coaches even more so. If you have finite resources, I'd say that hiring an SAT or ACT tutor (whether it's PrepScholar or someone else) is better way to spend your money . This is because there's no guarantee that a slightly better essay will sufficiently elevate the rest of your application, but a significantly higher SAT score will definitely raise your applicant profile much more.

Should You Hire an Essay Coach?

On the plus side, essay coaches have read dozens or even hundreds of college essays, so they have experience with the format. Also, because you'll be working closely with a specific person, it's more personal than sending your essay to a service, which will know even less about you.

But, on the minus side, you'll still be bouncing ideas off of someone who doesn't know that much about you . In general, if you can adequately get the help from someone you know, there is no advantage to paying someone to help you.

If you do decide to hire a coach, ask your school counselor, or older students that have used the service for recommendations. If you can't afford the coach's fees, ask whether they can work on a sliding scale —many do. And finally, beware those who guarantee admission to your school of choice—essay coaches don't have any special magic that can back up those promises.

Should You Send Your Essay to a Service?

On the plus side, essay editing services provide a similar product to essay coaches, and they cost significantly less . If you have some assurance that you'll be working with a good editor, the lack of face-to-face interaction won't prevent great results.

On the minus side, however, it can be difficult to gauge the quality of the service before working with them . If they are churning through many application essays without getting to know the students they are helping, you could end up with an over-edited essay that sounds just like everyone else's. In the worst case scenario, an unscrupulous service could send you back a plagiarized essay.

Getting recommendations from friends or a school counselor for reputable services is key to avoiding heavy-handed editing that writes essays for you or does too much to change your essay. Including a badly-edited essay like this in your application could cause problems if there are inconsistencies. For example, in interviews it might be clear you didn't write the essay, or the skill of the essay might not be reflected in your schoolwork and test scores.

Should You Buy an Essay Written by Someone Else?

Let me elaborate. There are super sketchy places on the internet where you can simply buy a pre-written essay. Don't do this!

For one thing, you'll be lying on an official, signed document. All college applications make you sign a statement saying something like this:

I certify that all information submitted in the admission process—including the application, the personal essay, any supplements, and any other supporting materials—is my own work, factually true, and honestly presented... I understand that I may be subject to a range of possible disciplinary actions, including admission revocation, expulsion, or revocation of course credit, grades, and degree, should the information I have certified be false. (From the Common Application )

For another thing, if your academic record doesn't match the essay's quality, the admissions officer will start thinking your whole application is riddled with lies.

Admission officers have full access to your writing portion of the SAT or ACT so that they can compare work that was done in proctored conditions with that done at home. They can tell if these were written by different people. Not only that, but there are now a number of search engines that faculty and admission officers can use to see if an essay contains strings of words that have appeared in other essays—you have no guarantee that the essay you bought wasn't also bought by 50 other students.

• You should get college essay help with both editing and proofreading
• A good editor will ask questions about your idea, logic, and structure, and will point out places where clarity is needed
• A good editor will absolutely not answer these questions, give you their own ideas, or write the essay or parts of the essay for you
• A good proofreader will find typos and check your formatting
• All of them agree that getting light editing and proofreading is necessary
• Parents, teachers, guidance or college counselor, and peers or siblings
• If you can't ask any of those, you can pay for college essay help, but watch out for services or coaches who over-edit you work
• Don't buy a pre-written essay! Colleges can tell, and it'll make your whole application sound false.

Ready to start working on your essay? Check out our explanation of the point of the personal essay and the role it plays on your applications and then explore our step-by-step guide to writing a great college essay .

Using the Common Application for your college applications? We have an excellent guide to the Common App essay prompts and useful advice on how to pick the Common App prompt that's right for you . Wondering how other people tackled these prompts? Then work through our roundup of over 130 real college essay examples published by colleges .

Stressed about whether to take the SAT again before submitting your application? Let us help you decide how many times to take this test . If you choose to go for it, we have the ultimate guide to studying for the SAT to give you the ins and outs of the best ways to study.

Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

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148 Accounting Essay Topics for Students

Oct 21, 2022 | 0 comments

Oct 21, 2022 | Topics | 0 comments

Accounting is the process of recording, summarizing, and analyzing financial information. The accounting scope includes profit and loss statements, balance sheets, taxes, and other reports for evaluating a company’s performance. Accounting is critical for managers to determine past results and plan future goals for organizational success.

Choosing a topic or finding relevant ideas for students pursuing their degree in accounting can be difficult. However, many interesting accounting essay topics can help them prepare an accounting essay. Remember the hook and the thesis statement should relate to the chosen topic

Accounting Essay Topics For College/Middle School Students

• How can a poor accounting management team destroy your business growth within a fraction of a second?
• Can we rely on the financial manager of a company to manage the taxation system and other accounting fields?
• How to perform a case study on accounting with the help of talented accountants?
• With the support of the best quality accounting management software, a company’s minimum human resources can be maximized.
• It is important to periodically review the company’s balance sheet to prevent financial problems.
• Importance of cloud computing and data management in accounting information systems.
• Financial conglomerates and crucial accounting standards.
• A good accounting system is the priority of any businessman running a good business on an international and national scale.
• Reading an accounting thesis cannot help professionals to become successful accountants without practical knowledge.
• Accessing accounting software for small and large businesses is crucial these days.
• Does manual accounting really fall behind digitized accounting programs?

Best Contrast Essay Topics Ideas On Accounting

• Which type of infrastructure is best for accounting management in a particular business?
• What major goals must be completed in accounting, not taxation and financial management?
• How financial management differs from that of accounting in a business organization?
• Business growth is only possible when the account manager can make useful financial decisions. Discuss
• How to manage a company’s account to decide where to invest for the coming years based on profit.
• Financial statements and frauds- Identification and solutions
• How can global financial reporting standards influence earning management?
• What is the role of a manager in account auditing?

Accounting Research Paper Questions

• How to become a certified accountant?
• How to avoid the growth of debt?
• When to hire personal accountants?
• How do cultures influence accounting theory?
• How to make correct accounting decisions?
• What accounting systems are the most effective for accountants?
• What factors caused the global financial crisis of 2008?
• How to investigate forensic accounting?
• What are the loopholes in advanced technology for the accounting sphere?
• How to assess tax on organizational earnings?

Interesting Accounting Research Paper Topics

• Effective ways of tax reduction for organizations
• Risks in the design and analysis of accounting systems
• Effect of external factors on organizational cash flow
• Essential skills for forensic accountancy
• Internet-based accountancy
• Best practices in accounting
• Effects of financial markets on managerial accounting
• Influence of organizations on accounting theory
• Meaning of accounting theories for business
• Value of rapid financial information for modern accountants
• Ways to escape financial fraud
• Offshore accounting
• Modern technology in accounting
• Issues with normative theories of accounting
• Dilemmas of accounting ethics
• Collusion in auditing
• Debt management
• Need for accounting software
• Organizational earnings management
• How to develop and improve accounting systems
• Perspectives on earnings management
• Latest developments in accounting software
• Common organizational strategies for tax minimization
• Historical prospects for best accounting practices
• Ethics of Accounting
• Problems in implementing theoretical concepts in practical accounting
• Important details of the Goldman Sachs securities fraud case
• Role of forensic accountants

Perfect Accounting Topics for Research Papers

• Should Accountants Consider Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies When Assessing a Client’s Net Worth?
• Accounting, Gambling, Cryptocurrencies, and Other Forms of Loosely Regulate Income and How Accountants Should Deal With Them
• Is It Ethical to Use a Family Member as Your Accountant?
• Should Large Companies Be Allowed to Reduce Their Tax Overheads?
• Do Accountants Have the Moral Obligation to Follow All of Their Client’s Instructions, Even if They Ask for Something Improper?
• How Can a Global Economic System Moving Toward Decentralized Currencies Ensure Tax Revenue Is Protected?
• Is the Academic World of Accounting Keeping up With the How the Industry Is Changing?
• Should Your Accountant Have Complete Control of the Organization’s Accounts?
• Why Do the World’s Largest Companies Avoid Paying Taxes, and How can new accounting regulations stop that?
• What Are the Most Common Methods Large Companies Employ to Reduce Their Tax Overhead?
• How Can the Accountancy Industry Adapt to the Shift Towards Digital Personal Accountancy Services That Threaten Monopolizing the Entire Industry?
• Are Electronic Personal Accountancy Services an Excellent Alternative to a Trained Accountant?
• Accounting Software and SAAS Solutions in the Modern Accounting World
• What Are the Responsibilities of an Accountant When a Mistake Is Made?
• As the World Is Attempting to Move to a Flat Standard Global Tax Rate, How Will This Affect Industries?
• Should Accounting Be Made Easier and More Accessible At a Governmental Level?
• How Should an Accountant Best Manage Volatile Assets?
• How Much Should Accountants Charge Now That Outsourcing Is Becoming an Increasingly Popular Choice
• What Are the Ethical Ramifications of Trying to Secure the Lowest Possible Tax Payment for Large Companies Employing Thousands of People?
• Government Regulations and How They Influence the World of Accounting
• Can a Company Outgrow Standard Methods of Accountancy? How Should a Firm Manage This?
• When Should a Business Consider Getting an Accountant?
• What Are the Best Practices for Accountants in Ensuring an Accurate Record of Finances Are Kept?
• What Role Does Live Information Play in the Accounting Process, and How Can Live Data Provide More Accurate Results?
• Are Standard Yield and Inflation Calculations Still Viable Today?

Simple Accounting Research Topics

• How Accountants Use Financial Balance Sheets to Streamline Their Operations
• Are the Current Financial Legislations Up to Date Enough For the Modern Financial World?
• Debts, Leases, and Rent – How Small Businesses Bury Themselves Before They Even Start Working
• What Do the 2008, 2012, and 2021 Global Financial Crises Have in Common?
• Accounting Automation and What This Means for Accountants
• How Companies Use Software to Improve Their Accounting
• Do More Money, Taxes, and Transactions Mean More Trouble for Accountants?
• Stunting Economies and Who Makes the Most Money Out of It
• Lying and Accounting – a Match Made in Heaven or a Match That Leads to a Lengthy Prison Sentence
• How Does Capital Budgeting Work for Businesses With Next to No Start-Out Capital
• Finances, Accounting, and Fraud – How Accountants Wash Their Hands of White-Collar Crime
• the Rapidly Emerging Threat of Decentralization and What It Means for the Modern Financial Framework
• Should the Government Have Insight Into Every Megacorporation Financial and Accounting History
• Tax Regulations for Small Businesses Vs. Tax Regulations for Larger Businesses | Why Does the Small Guy Pay More Taxes?
• The Dangers of Outsourcing Accounting Departments to Loosely Regulated Countries.

Forensic Accounting Research Paper Topics

• Criminal Forensics and Accounting Fraud. What Does the Government Know About Your Books
• So You’re Being Investigated. What to Do?
• Unraveling the Mystery Behind the Goldman Sachs Accounting Fraud Accusations
• Mass Processing and How It Might Invalidate Accounting Reports
• Governments and What They’re Looking for in Bad Books
• Public Accounting and Corporate Accounting. Two Different Beasts With the Same Goals
• The Different Methodologies Behind Exploring and Finding Out Forgeries in Accounting Reports
• How to Conduct Yourself When You’re Representing Your Company in Court
• The Mechanics of Money Laundering and How to Know Your Enemy as an Accountant
• How Corruption Might Blur the Line Between Finances and Fraud
• What Are the Skills Required for Forensic Accounting
• Forged, Fraudulent, or Substandard – How Semantics Can Turn a Court Case Into a Prison Sentence
• The Dangerous World of Forensic Accounting. What They Don’t Teach You in School
• Career Options as a Forensic Accountant and How to Find a Job in the Industry
• Forensic Accounting in Theory vs. Forensic Accounting in Practice, the Fundamental Differences Between the Two

Managerial Accounting Research Topics

• Stolen Accounting Information and What It Means for the Financial Future of Your Company
• Long-Term Debt vs. Short-Term Debt, Which One Works Better for Smbs
• How Managing a Companies Finances Opens a Lot of Doors to Less-Than-Legal Activities
• How Leading an Accounting Department Can Make or Break a Business
• Playing the IRS | How Accounting Managers Steer Their Departments to Minimize Taxes
• Managing an in-House Team vs. Managing an Outsourced Accounting Them | The Challenges and Benefits of Both
• The Software That Accountants Use and Its Implication in Day-to-Day Activities
• The Multiplication of Long-Term Debt and How to Minimize It
• Why Companies Should Invest More Resources Into Their Accounting Departments
• The Digital World and Whether It’s a Safer Platform for Accounting or an Unnecessary Liability Prone to Cybercrime
• Getting Accused of Fraud and Who Gets to Flip the Bill
• Financial Experts, Investors, and Accountants | Exploring the Relationship Between the Money Flowing in and the Ones Handling It
• The Risks That Lead Accountants and Managers Take On When Doing Day-to-Day Accounting
• How to Hire the Best Accountants to Be a Part of Your Accounting Department and What to Look Out for

Accounting Cause And Effect Essay Topics For Master Students

• Accounting management varies from one arena to another, like it is different from healthcare management to business management.
• How the equity and debt finance affect the business when we consider it on the accounting management line?
• How can poor financial management and a lingering taxation accounting system put a business in trouble?
• What are the effects of modern technology on the accounting system of business and other areas?
• What are the reasons for a company’s bankruptcy due to poor financial management?

Interesting Ideas For Process Analysis Essay Topics Based On Accounting

• What scenarios can lead to the mismanagement of the accounting system, especially that of the taxation system?
• What are the different steps to prepare a balance sheet for the business at the end of the financial year?
• How to solve the problem of financial crises in a given business by the account management team?
• How to carry out a case study on business accounting by following the proper steps and process?
• Difference between a balance sheet and a twin balance sheet prepared by the accountants.

Summary Response Essay Ideas On Accounting For College Students

• Business accounting is not limited to controlling the taxation department; business funding is also part of the same extent.
• How poor taxation management can bring serious troubles to a business in the business organization.
• How does a good accounting management team invest the profit of the business in the successful growth of the business?
• Foreign direct investment needs the best accounting management level than local business accounts management.
• What are the major aspects that help business accountants manage their accounts perfectly?
• Knowing business rules in foreign territories is important to manage the accounting system.

Accounting Exploratory Essay Topics

• Why do people get in trouble regarding their accounting management role in foreign business?
• The benefits of running a business are managing its funds from the finance market instead of giving accumulated wealth.
• How does the stock market affect a business’s accounting policies in a split second?
• What is the best way for business people to recover from failure, even if their business gets shut down? Hiring an experienced accounts manager is one option.
• What could be done to save a drowning business from bankruptcy with capable accounting management tricks?
• What are the main loopholes in accounting management in different types of businesses?

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Essay on Accounting: Meaning, Functions, Importance, Principles and Limitations

Essay on Accounting :- 1. Introduction to Accounting 2. Meaning of Accounting 3. Functions 4. Importance 5. Systems 6. Principles 7. Concepts 8. Accounting Conventions 9. Limitations.

• Essay on the Limitations of Accounting

Essay # 1. Introduction to Accounting:

Several thousand years ago when human beings first developed the need to accumulate information about economic resources such as land, livestock and other personal property, accounting got originated. It emerged as an information system formulated for accountability in the exchange of goods and services.

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With the invention of money there was an ease in the manner in which commodities and services were exchanged. Money became a unit of measurement. Throughout history accounting profession has continued to grow in response to the ‘financial information needs’ of individuals and societies.

Accounting is a function of economic and social development. It is the language of business. It records business transactions on a monetary basis in a set of books in a scientific manner. Cash plays a vital role in all types of business activities. One party pays it and the other party receives it. Even in non-cash transactions, cash has to be paid or received in future. Accounting provides information in a classified and a summarized form as financial statements.

It comprises Trading Account, Profit and Loss Account, and Balance Sheet. Account is that aspect of accountability that accounts for the purpose for which cash is paid or received. Trading Account and Profit and Loss Account are prepared to ascertain the profits earned or losses incurred for a particular period. The balance sheet shows the financial position of a business as at a particular point of time.

Accountants are the practitioners of accountancy. They are information specialists who collect, process and report economic information about specific financial events for business and non-business activities. Today, we observe several million individuals engaged in professional accounting activities and several billions dependent on such information. Thus, accounting has a wide scope in the spectrum of economic and social development of any country, be it developed, developing or backward.

ADVERTISEMENTS: (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Accounting 2. Meaning of Accounting:

Accounting is considered as ‘the language of business’. It is the language employed to communicate financial information of the business to various parties interested in such information. When an event is to be reported (say in English, Hindi, Kannada), certain rules are followed diligently so that what is communicated is understood by the readers appropriately.

Similarly, in accounting also the events of the business are to be communicated to the users by following certain set of rules diligently, so that the firm does not run into the risk of being misunderstood. Accounting language has two important components – (1) symbols in the form of ‘Debit and Credit’ and (2) grammatical rules in the form of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

Accounting stems from ‘book-keeping’ the science and art of correctly recording in books of account all those business transactions that result in the transfer of money or money’s worth. Accounting relates to the work of maintaining various books of accounts, say, journal proper, subsidiary books, ledger, etc., which are generally done by junior employees as and when the transactions take place.

For this reason these books are called Books of Original Entry. Though the original records are maintained in a systematic way, they cannot by themselves provide information for judgement (decision) unless they are analysed and interpreted. Therefore, accounting comes into the picture.

Examining the cited definitions, we can infer that book-keeping is concerned with recording aspect. On the other hand, being comprehensive in nature, accounting includes book-keeping and spreads its tentacles to the analysis and interpretation of the data recorded. In fact, accounting designs proper system for recording the transactions.

The modern system of accounting is based on ‘double-entry principle’. Being scientific in character, double-entry principle of accounting has definite objectives to fulfill. It prescribes the process through which the objectives can be achieved. Accounting is a macro system.

In its micro system it includes several branches in the form of Financial Accounting, Cost and Management Accounting and others such as Government Accounting, HR Accounting, Inflation Accounting, Environmental Accounting, Farm Accounting, etc.

ADVERTISEMENTS: (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Accounting 3. Functions of Accounting:

Functions of accounting may be broadly classified into four categories:

1. Historical Function:

The primary function of accounting is historical in nature, i.e., to maintain a correct record. It includes recording, classifying, summarizing, analysing and interpreting the recorded data of an enterprise (an accounting unit). The major objective of this function is to report at regular intervals to owners/shareholders, management and other interested parties in a desired form and format through financial statements.

2. Managerial Function:

The major purpose of this function is to maximize operational efficiency. In this form it helps in planning future activities, controlling day-to-day operations by comparing actual results with predetermined standards. In short, accounting helps in decision making.

3. Legal Function:

From the viewpoint of accountability, accounting should satisfy the legal requirements of Accounting Standards Board (ASB) as well as the government. For example, audit is compulsory for ensuring compliance of standards.

4. Communicating Function:

Accounting, as a language of business, should be in a position to communicate the information to the users of information say, owners/shareholders, management, creditors, employees, consumers, investors, government, etc.

Accounting 4. Importance of Accounting and its Users:

The importance of accounting is unique as it is useful not only to the internal users but also to the external users (direct and indirect users). The importance of accounting can be understood in the popular use of this systematic information by the interested parties (i.e., the data processed in the form and format meaningful to the user). This systematic information is used by interested persons for decision making.

However, there is no unanimity in different countries as to who these interested parties are. For example, Accounting Standards Board (ASB) of USA in its Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts (SFAC) No.1 states that ‘Present and potential investors, creditors and others are the users’. The Corporate Report (1975) London lists all types of users who need accounting information. The Stamp Report (1980) Canada states that because of broader accountability concept in Canada, the range of users is also broader.

However, the International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) lists investors, employees, lenders, suppliers and other trade creditors, customers, government and their agencies, public and management as users in its framework (1989). Taking into consideration the above list of users, categorization is made as users of information having direct interest and users of information having indirect interest.

1. Users having Direct Interest:

The users having direct interest in accounting information are considered to be owners and potential owners/management, shareholders and potential shareholders, creditors and potential creditors, suppliers and potential suppliers, employees and consumers, government and tax authorities.

They are briefly discussed in the following list:

(a) The owners/shareholders provide funds to an enterprise in the form of capital. Hence, they are interested in accounting information to know whether the business is conducted on sound lines, whether the capital is used properly, whether it is in a position to provide best of the returns on their investment and whether the business is run on legal and ethical norms.

The income statement and the statement of affairs prepared from time to time should be in accordance with the accounting standards so that comparability and decision making become easier.

(b) The management is interested in financial accounting to determine whether the business is profitable, whether the position is sound and whether it has competitive advantage. Financial accounting, being the eyes and ears of management, facilitates decision making in relation to expansion, diversification, etc., and framing of suitable policies for future.

(c) The creditors are interested in the financial soundness of a business. They may be suppliers of goods on credit, lenders of money, bankers and others who would support the enterprise by providing credit facilities. Their main interest is security for credit, apart from income. They carefully scrutinize the income statement and position statement from time to time in addition to watching the business operations closely from outside by means of disciplined enquiry.

(d) The investors/prospective investors (apart from shareholders) are interested to know how far their investment is safe or is going to be safe. They examine carefully the statements of income and position to assess the soundness of the business. Altogether they are interested in the safety of their investment along with returns.

(e) The consumers are interested to get the goods at a fair price (comparatively reduced price). They are much interested to know the control mechanism adopted by the enterprise so that cost reduction is made possible.

(f) The employees are interested in accounting of the enterprise so as to assess the profitability which would be the basic factor for determining higher wages, bonus, better working conditions, etc. The sound financial position of the enterprise encourages them to contribute their best to the firm.

(g) The government (central, state and local bodies) is interested in accounting of the enterprise to know the earnings based on which taxes could be collected to formulate revenue. Further, for compiling ‘national income’ accounting prepared on the basis of accountability becomes essential.

(i) The general public is interested in the accounting of a firm from the point of view of the firm’s social responsibility. In addition, it may comprise prospective lenders, investors, consumers who would closely watch the financial progress of the enterprise.

(j) The researchers are equally interested in accounting of an enterprise. They utilize the data for their research purposes to interprete and suggest new ways of maintaining accounts based on standard measurement, usefulness and decision making.

Thus, the importance of accounting is recognized by its users and with the fact that accountability cannot be established without accounting.

2. Users having Indirect Interest:

The users having indirect interest in accounting information are considered to be financial analysts, stock exchanges, lawyers, regulatory authorities, registration authorities, financial press and reporting agencies, trade associations and labour unions. These users are generally agencies which help/protect such persons or potential persons having a direct interest in them.

Table 6.1 provides decision usefulness of accounting information.

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Why Learn Accounting? 6 Benefits

• 02 Oct 2015

Financial accounting has been called the universal language of business, so it makes sense that all business professionals should be fluent.

While you might think non-accountants don't need to study financial accounting, an understanding of key accounting concepts, like the accounting equation and financial statements, can be helpful for all professionals.

Here are six reasons why any professional can benefit from understanding financial accounting.

Access your free e-book today.

What Is Accounting and Why Is It Important?

Accounting refers to the process of reporting and communicating financial information about an individual or organization.

In simpler terms, accounting is how a business records its financial information. Accountants, or anyone else tasked with accounting activities, are concerned with capturing a snapshot of an organization’s financial health at a specific point in time.

Some common accounting activities include:

• Recording transactions
• Collecting financial information
• Compiling financial records, reports, and statements
• Preparing tax returns
• Ensuring an organization’s taxes are paid and its financial records comply with the law

There’s a common misconception that only finance and accounting professionals need to be familiar with accounting concepts, but financial accounting is a critical business skill for all professionals.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur who needs to prepare financial records for your company, a business professional trying to better understand and contribute to your organization’s financial decision-making process, or someone who wants to make sense of your own finances, studying basic accounting can provide many benefits.

6 Benefits of Studying Accounting

1. you’ll be able to manage your own finances more effectively.

Be honest: Can you explain where all your money goes after your paycheck gets deposited? With some accounting knowledge under your belt, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of what goes on with your personal finances and learn important skills , such as how to effectively track expenses and work within a budget.

To learn more about how finance and accounting impact your daily life, watch the video below featuring Harvard Business School Professor V.G. Narayanan, who teaches the online course Financial Accounting :

2. You’ll Gain An Understanding of Current Events

There’s no shortage of scandal in the accounting world. You may have heard stories of illicit manipulation of financial documents for personal gain, or seemingly small accounting mistakes with disastrous consequences.

With a basic understanding of accounting, you can understand what these companies have done wrong and why it matters. You’ll also learn how current events related to finance and accounting might impact your organization and industry.

3. You’ll Be Able to Make More Meaningful Contributions at Work

Picture this: You’re in a staff meeting and the chief financial officer (CFO) wants to discuss the past quarter’s financials. If you’ve had an introduction to accounting, you’ll not only be able to understand what the CFO is talking about, but also chime in with your own financial insight and opinions.

With accounting knowledge under your belt, you’ll also be able to determine the financial health of your organization on your own. With this information, you can glean meaningful insights and bring suggestions for improvement to upper management. Ultimately, understanding your company’s finances will help you be more effective in your role.

4. You’ll Be Primed for Entrepreneurial Success

If you own a business or are considering entrepreneurship, you need to understand basic accounting principles to be successful.

Managing costs, cash flow, invoices, vendors, and payroll are all critical components of running a company. Some important accounting skills for entrepreneurs include preparing financial statements, determining how profitable your business is, forecasting future sales, and communicating financial information to stakeholders and investors.

As a business owner, studying accounting can put you one step closer to reaching your entrepreneurial goals.

5. You’ll Have Career Advancement Opportunities

Even if you're not an accountant by trade, accounting skills can help you advance your career. You’ll become more effective in your current role and a more attractive candidate for advanced roles.

Learning financial accounting also presents a pathway for you to transition into a finance or accounting role. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , employment in financial occupations is expected to grow five percent by 2029, which is faster than the average rate for all occupations. By studying accounting, you’ll develop the skills needed to qualify for such roles.

6. You’ll Improve Your Decision-Making Capabilities

Organizations utilize financial statements like balance sheets and income statements to make data-driven decisions regarding investment opportunities, budgets , and resource allocation.

By learning accounting, you’ll be able to analyze financial statements to help inform business decisions and facilitate communication between your organization and its stakeholders. Not only will accounting skills make you a better decision-maker at work, but you’ll also learn to make more evidence-based decisions in your personal life.

Learning Financial Accounting

No matter your current role, learning about financial accounting can be highly beneficial. You’ll be able to understand your personal and organizational finances, make more data-driven decisions, and advance your career.

Do you want to develop or hone your financial accounting skills? Explore our eight-week online Financial Accounting course and other finance and accounting courses to discover how managers, analysts, and entrepreneurs leverage accounting to drive strategic decision-making.

This post was updated on September 17, 2021. It was originally published on October 2, 2015.