Why is writing important for accountants

Indeed, plenty of dismissals happen on account of poor writing skills. A large number of firms report this as a reason for job termination. The pressure for accountants to display notably good writing and speaking skills is palpable.

Being able to discuss complex financial issues in a clear and articulate manner is something that is absolutely necessary in any advisor role. Technical documents detailing results of analyses, research or procedures that have been performed must be well-written. Sloppy penmanship in these areas lowers the quality of work and thereby hurts the business relationships.

Clients who pay for service want to results, not typos. Regularly delivering carefully composed pieces of writing helps keep accountants employed. Accountants have plenty of writing they need to do frequently. First of all, there are technical documents like analysis of business performance or financial reports. While this kind of writing tends to be packed full of data, there should be a clear explanation. Management and clients have to be able to understand these documents, too.

Failure to properly communicate can lead to trouble and misunderstandings. Then, there are less technical documents like memoranda, letters or papers. As these types of writing are less technical, they should be even easier to read and understand.

Seasoned accountants understand the importance of writing these documents properly. Granted, as time goes on, writing these same documents over and over again gets easier. With time, accountants can develop their own writing finesse.

Also, there are lots of helpful templates out there for those who struggle to structure ideas. The point is that accountants have to deliver consistently good writing all the time.

There is no getting around that. The easiest way to work with a seasoned professional is to simply send out your piece to a writing service like WoWGrade.

Just submit your paper for editing and carefully analyze the changes that the writers made. You can also ask them to leave comments in the document, where they would substantiate the changes. Problem Next describe the problem or issue that demonstrates that something needs to change.

Proposal Finally, state which course of action you recommend, as well as what the reader needs to do next. How much do they already know about the subject? What do they absolutely need to know? How important is the subject matter to them?

What are the important numbers? Would some of the information be better presented in a graph or table? Putting it into practice It can seem like an uphill struggle to change your working habits, especially when you have clients waiting for reports, but try applying these techniques every time you write.

Author: Catie Holdridge. Read more Popular topics Advice and tips Grammar Choose your words wisely Plain English Email Language abuse Bids and tenders Report writing Uncategorised Psychology and linguistics Reader-centred writing Online and social media Technology Punctuation Podcast Technical writing Spellings Presentations and speeches News from Emphasis Jargon International issues Customer relations Letters and CVs Numbers and finance 9.

Design and formatting 9. Courses for companies 8. Once you read over the prompt, you should take a few minutes to formulate your thoughts. Start by jotting down notes on the topic, then select the main points to build your essay answer around. Also consider the evidence you will provide for each point. Before you begin writing in earnest, compose a focused thesis. A strong thesis lays the foundation for the rest of your argument.

The thesis can also keep you on track and prevent you from veering off into tangential points. Both essays and research papers expand upon a line of thinking, analyze a perspective, or argue a point of view. However, a research paper differs from an essay in many ways.

By contrast, a research paper explores an idea or describes a particular issue with support from the findings or ideas of others. While essays usually follow a standard five-paragraph format, research papers may be significantly longer.

A college research paper typically begins with a cover page, an abstract, and an introduction. At the start of the paper, students may also outline the limitations of the study, discuss methodology, and note prior research. Professors may or may not require these sections. The main body of the paper describes the main points and supporting arguments using outside sources, research, and arguments.

In the conclusion, students briefly summarize their argument and make final remarks. Research papers also include a works cited page, reference list, or bibliography, depending on citation style. Students may also include an appendix with charts, graphs, photos, interview questions, or a glossary of terms. Professors usually allow students to choose their own research topics, as long as they fit into a particular subject.

For instance, in a business technology course, students may write about social media presence, digital marketing, or the influence of technology on stocks. Accounting programs often ask students to write about professional ethics, the future of the profession, and computer versus manual accounting. A case study describes a test or scenario in a real-life context.

A case study in business, for example, may test the effectiveness of a particular style of management. In this case, the researcher would note how the efficiency, morale, and productivity of a particular workplace changed under different management. Based on the findings, a researcher can draw a conclusion and recommend a course of action.

Case studies document the details of a case, offer possible explanations for certain circumstances, and propose an approach using data as supporting evidence. Case studies require significant time and effort, but the resulting insights can substantively help a business or enterprise.

Accounting case studies force students to consider wider issues in business and use analytical, critical thinking, and strategic skills. Researchers must use clear and accurate writing to describe data, convey interpretations, and present final recommendations. While case studies often focus on a single subject, they also might compare two approaches.

For instance, a case study may evaluate the benefits of cash versus accrual accounting methods. Undergraduate students usually do not conduct original case studies. However, some students may complete a case study as part of their thesis or capstone project.

Undergraduate students often evaluate case studies that other accountants and researchers have already conducted. Essays describe an event, explain a viewpoint, argue for a particular approach, or investigate a phenomenon. However, some essays include support from outside sources. The list below describes common essay types students should know how to write.

In any academic writing, especially research papers, students must take care to properly credit where they got their ideas, data, statistics, and graphics. Proper citation also protects the writer from plagiarism. Students can choose from many different citation styles, including those listed below. Some professors require students to use a particular format. Widely used in the social sciences, APA style originated in to increase the readability of scientific writing. More recent sources hold more weight.

APA in-text citation lists the author name, followed by the publication year. This style compiles all sources into a references page. Business and finance courses often use APA.

In general, APA style works well for professions that use technical writing. Form: author name, publication year, work title, publication city, and publisher. Brodersen, S. Saxonburg, PA: Pylon Publishing. Historians commonly use CMS since source origin is the most important element. The notes-bibliography format uses footnotes. Form: author name, work title, publication city, publisher, and publication year.

Brodersen, Stig and Preston Pysh. MLA style, which dates back to the formation of the Modern Language Association in , documents sources for scholarly writing. The humanities and fine arts commonly use MLA, but many other academic fields also use the style. A works cited page lists all sources at the end of the paper.

Per the most recent edition of the MLA handbook, students no longer need to include the city of publication and publication marker. Authorship is the most important aspect in MLA format. Form: author name, work title, title of container [if applicable], publisher, and publication year. Pylon Publishing,