ETHICS FOR ACCOUNTANTS

Assignment: Two (2) Papers

Paper topics are going to be an ethical situation of your own devise. If you cannot come up with a "situation" on your own, your professor may provide you with some ideas.

The papers must be two (2) pages of text, single spaced, typed and written in memorandum form. The references should be embedded in the text and fully references on a separate Works Cited page.

The paper should start in the following format:

Subject: To: From: Date:

The Purdue Owl Online Writing Lab discusses a written memorandum as follows:

The format of a memo follows the general guidelines of business writing. A memo is usually a page or two long, should be single spaced and left justified. Instead of using indentations to show new paragraphs, skip a line between sentences.

Business materials should be concise and easy to read. Therefore it is beneficial to use headings and lists to help the reader pinpoint certain information.

You can help your reader understand your memo better by using headings for the summary and the discussion segments that follow it. Write headings that are short but that clarify the content of the segment. For example, instead of using "Summary" for your heading, try "New Advertising Recommendations," which is much more specific. The major headings you choose are the ones that should be incorporated in your purpose-statement in the opening paragraph.

For easy reading, put important points or details into lists rather than paragraphs when possible. This will draw the readers' attention to the section and help the audience remember the information better. Using lists will help you be concise when writing a memo.
The segments of the memo should be allocated in the following manner:

- Header: 1/8 of the memo

- Opening, Context and Task: 1/4 of the memo

- Summary, Discussion Segment: 1/2 of the memo

- Closing Segment, Necessary Attachments: 1/8 of the memo

This is a suggested distribution of the material to make writing memos easier. Not all memos will be the same and the structure can change as you see necessary.

Different organizations may have different formatting procedures, so be flexible in adapting your writing skills.

This discussion of a memorandum.

In Text Citation

You are to analyze your situation; cite appropriate laws, statutes and/or regulations; and come to a conclusion. Use MLA formatting for references and citations. The citation is to be in-text with a Works Cited page. The Works Cited page is not to be counted as a page of text.
The use of "MLA style specifies guidelines for formatting manuscripts and using the English language in writing. MLA style also provides writers with a system for referencing their sources through parenthetical citation in their essays and Works Cited pages.
Writers who properly use MLA also build their credibility by demonstrating accountability to their source material. Most importantly, the use of MLA style can protect writers from accusations of plagiarism, which is the purposeful or accidental uncredited use of source material by other writers."

This discussion and examples of the MLA style

Memorandum Topic Examples

Here are some possible examples for a topic and you can ask you professor for more:

1. You know that there are material misstatements in your employer's financial statements, you are a publicly traded company and the external auditors have not been informed of the material misstatements.

2. You have recognized a conflict of interest at your firm such as you prepare the taxes for a husband and wife; the husband and wife divorce and the husband is trying to hide income from the wife, what do you do? Could be business partners, the situations are endless.

3. You work in a/p and see expenses being paid to executives that are not proper business deductions or are for personal expenses and reimbursement is not a tax deductible expense (where expense will be taken) or against company policy.

You can discuss any ethical situation or dilemma of your own devise and feel free to be as inventive as you desire.

Research & Citations

Use a Works Cited page providing no less than three (3) different references. These references are to be located through research. HCC's library provides an extensive source of research material including over 100 databases you may search at http://library.hccs.edu/articles/atoz.php and RIA (Research Institute of America) specifically provided for accounting research. The ability to demonstrate research skills through your written assignments and proper use of a Works Cited page is an important component to demonstrating your ability to properly research material related to this course.