Three types of attitude measures are found in the social science literature: partition measures, confusion measures, and magnitude measures. In contrast, attitude researchers in accounting have utilized only partition measures. In certain situations, for instance when the item of interest is the issue under investigation and not the participant in the study, one of the other measurement types might be more appropriate. To aid the accounting researcher in making an informed choice among the alternative attitude measurement techniques, this Note presents a brief discussion of measurement types and scales and then focuses on the magnitude estimation procedure in particular. Arguments which have been offered for and against magnitude estimation are cited, studies which have utilized magnitude estimation are noted, and, finally, suggestions for future attitude researchers in accounting are offered.

Disclosures, Municipal bonds, Net interest cost, Auditing

Magnitude-estimation procedures are used to establish a ratio-scale "quality" ranking of journals in which accounting faculty typically publish. The Journal of Accounting Research and The Accounting Review are the highest-ranked journals. Significant differences were found in the journal rankings across the specialty areas of auditing, financial, managerial, and tax. Substantial differences are observable in comparisons of rankings of (1) faculty at doctoral-granting institutions versus faculty at institutions granting only master's or bachelor's degrees, and (2) assistant professors versus full professors. In comparison to an earlier ranking, the two top journals are identical but several new and accounting-related journals are included in the current ranking.

This paper examines the relation between earnings and operating cash flow to derive and test an indicator of financial statement fraud. Accrual measurement concepts indicate that financial statement fraud should be associated with high levels of earnings relative to operating cash flow. We demonstrate that the excess of earnings over operating cash flow is extreme in most fraud cases in years immediately prior to the fraud discovery based on a sample of 56 fraud cases from 1978 to 1991. We compare the distribution of the earnings minus operating cash flow variable for fraud firms with that for a sample of 60,453 firm‐years for firms listed on COMPUSTAT. We test a logistic regression model in which the discovery/nondiscovery of fraud is the dependent variable, and earnings minus operating cash flow is the explanatory variable. Other control variables are included in the model based on prior studies. Results are consistent with expectations derived from accrual measurement theory. We then examine the predictive ability of the model using our sample of fraud firms and a sample of nonfraud firms in the same four‐digit SIC code industries. Observations for the fraud firms are for the fiscal year prior to the discovery of fraud. Observations for the nonfraud firms are for the same fiscal years as the fraud firms in the same industries. The predictive ability of the model, including the excess of earnings over operating cash flow, is substantially higher than the predictive ability of the model omitting this variable. We conclude that the earnings‐operating cash flow relation provides important information for those interested in identifying financial statement fraud, especially when considered in conjunction with other factors associated with fraud risk.

The article discusses several books about various topics. Some of the books are: "Deterring Fraud: The Internal Auditor's Perspective," by W. Steve Albrecht, Ketth R. Howe and Marshall B. Romney, "Management Control in Nonprofit Organizations," 3rd ed., by Robert N. Anthony and David W. Young, "Business Expansion Scheme," by Brian Armitage, "Bank Accounts: A World Guide to Confidentiality," by Edouard Chambost, translated by Peter Walton and Margaret Thompson, "The Tangled Web of Price Variation Accounting: The Development of Ideas Underlying Professional Prescriptions in Six Countries," by F.L. Clarke, "Fore-Runners of Realizable Values Accounting in Financial Reporting," edited by G.W. Dean and M.C. Wells, "Careers in Accounting," by Gloria L. Gaylord and Glenda E. Ried, "Bridges to Infinity: The Human Side of Mathematics," by Michael Guillen, "Bond Duration and Immunization: Early Developments and Recent Contributions," edited by Gabriel A. Hawawini, "Foundations: The Greenwood Encyclopedia of American Institutions," edited Harold M. Keele and Joseph C. Kiger, "The Impact of Taxes on U.S. Citizens Working Abroad," by Ernest R. Larkins.