Some general tips for analyzing the Codification's text:
From the Notice to Constituents
Entity replaces words such as company, organization, enterprise, firm and preparer.
Intra-entity replaces intercompany
Shall replaces "is" "required to," "must" and similar terms
Would and should are used to represent examples and hypothetical situations
Baruch's Stan Ross Department of Accountancy has paid the Financial Accounting Foundation and American Accounting Association so that Baruch accountancy students and faculty may have Academic Access to the Professional View of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. (Access to the GASB-Governmental Accounting Standards Board Online is also available.)
(All students and faculty may access the Codification through CCH Accounting Research Manager.)
Accountancy students must obtain the username and password information from their professors. The Newman Library does not this information.
To logon:
Go to: https://aaahq.org/Research/FASB-GARS
Then, click FASB User Login and enter the username and password provided by your professor
Use quotation marks for searching phrases (two words or more) Example: "preexisting gains and losses"
Additional ways to search in the Professional View and CCH Accounting Research Manager:
Cross Reference enables researchers to cross reference between the superceded standards and the Codification. Either: Enter the information about the earlier standard to learn where in the Codification the language is now located, or enter information about the Codification to identify the standards that contain the language referenced in the Codification. See Cross Reference help.
Join Sections enables researchers to select Codification content that spans multiple topics and subtopics. A topic and section must be selected. See Join Sections help.
The FASB offers tutorials and help on the Codification.
CPA Jeff Sailor has two free tutorials on Youtube.com
Part 1 includes Codification structure and how to use it
Part 2 describes Codification research options
Toerner, M. C. (2009). A guide to using the Accounting Standards Codification. The CPA Journal, 79(2), 20-25. Toerner is a CPA and an accounting professor.
Ford, C.O. and Thomas, C. William. (2008). Test-driving the Codification, Journal of Accountancy. 206(2), 62+. The authors are CPAs and accounting professors.
Definitions may make a difference in research outcomes. Check the Master Glossary after logging on
Other non-authoritative resources may help you understand the Codification. See Library Resources that Help Explain Accounting Issues