Defining a Forensic Audit

Disclosures about new financial frauds and scandals are continually appearing in the press. As a consequence, the accounting profession\u27s traditional methods of monitoring corporate financial activities are under intense scrutiny. At the same time, there is recognition that principles-based GAAP from the International Accounting Standards Board will become the recognized standard in the U.S. The authors argue that these two factors will change the practices used to fight corporate malfeasance as investigators adapt the techniques of accounting into a forensic audit engagement model

TEACHING NOTE Educational novels and student role-playing: a teaching note

Educational novels and student role-playing can be used in some accounting classes to present technical information in a way which facilitates learning and infuses student enthusiasm. The purpose of this Note is to briefly relate the following: (1) the authors' experiences in using educational novels and student role-playing, (2) the means by which they can be implemented as an instructional tool, and (3) the perceptions of students, educators, and others such as professional journal editors. Use of educational novels and student role-playing as teaching devices have the following goals: 1. to reinforce and expand the student's knowledge of the subject matter; 2. to enhance the student's image of the accounting field; 3. to present current accounting issues, such as ethics; 4. to improve the student's interpersonal and teamwork skills; 5. to improve the student's written and oral communication skills; and 6. to make class attendance more enjoyable and educational. To give the reader an idea of what topics may be covered in an educational novel, a partial index from one such novel is provided. The details of the student role-playing assignment are given in a form which can be taken directly from this Teaching Note and distributed to students. Both of these teaching devices are relatively simple to implement and have produced positive feedback from both students and accounting educators who have used them.Educational Novels, Scenario Principle, Role-playing, Innovative Pedagogy,