This article presents the findings of a survey of the training directors of the Big Eight public accounting firms and their perceptions of the extent of specific training offered by their firms. A previous article by the authors argued that specific training was a necessary (but not a sufficient) condition for the existence of unrecorded human assets. Our survey results suggest that the bulk of the training provided by the Big Eight firms is perceived to be general rather than specific.

Two groups of introductory financial accounting students were given identical instructions to read and study assigned text materials prior to attending lectures and discussion. An experiment was then conducted throughout the semester in which a "pre-quiz" experimental group was given quizzes before lectures and discussion, while a "post-quiz" control group was given quizzes after. Examination results of these students were compared via an analysis of covariance. The primary hypothesis was that the "pre-quiz" group would perform significantly better on examinations than the "post-quiz" group. The secondary hypothesis of interest was that the "pre-quiz" group would have less favorable attitudes toward the course and/or the instructor than the "post-quiz" group. Results of the data analysis showed that the primary hypothesis was supported whereas the secondary hypothesis was not. Overall, the paper suggests that giving quizzes before lectures or discussion results in (1) more productive use of class time, and (2) more learning.

This article responds to a review of the book, An Introduction to Corporate Accounting Standards, by W. A. Paton and A. C. Littleton. Paton was pleased to have the opportunity to examine a draft of Professor Yuri Ojiri's review of the book. Before the book was published, there was some delay, some criticism, but no substantial changes were made. After those situations, the executive committee of the American Accounting Association decided to publish the book in 1940. Under the conditions prevailed, Paton feels that he and Littleton did a creditable job.

This article continues the discussion which appeared in the October, 1978 issue on the factors which have influenced the AICPA's Subcommittee on Nonprofit Organizations in the fashioning of its Statement of Position 78-10. The author, who was a member of the Subcommittee, presents his view of the reasons why the Subcommittee arrived at several of its more salient conclusions.

In a replacement-cost accounting model, changes in the replacement-cost of assets held during a period are viewed by some as holding gains and losses which are includable in income for the period. The academic literature provides two alternative arguments in support of the holding gains treatment. One argument is that replacement-cost changes represent "cost savings"; the other argument is that replacement-cost changes may be used as "surrogates" for changes in net realizable value or discounted present value. The author of this paper examines the two arguments and concludes that neither is acceptable. He recommends that, if a replacement-cost model is used as a basis for financial reporting, replacement-cost changes be treated as direct adjustments to capital.

In this article the author comments on the impact of economic consequences on intermediate and advanced accounting. The author uses some textbooks to discuss these accounting practices. In all of the textbooks, an accounting model has dealt with the matching of costs with revenues in order to arrive at a proper measure of income. The emergence of the decision usefulness approach to accounting theory has led textbook authors to refer more to the possible uses of accounting information. The article also aims to argue for a course of reform.

This paper describes a field experiment undertaken to assess effects of televised introductory accounting instruction. The semantic differential was employed in the measurement of students' attitudes toward the accounting profession, accounting as a major, and the accounting lecturer. Attitudes and exam performance of students who received televised instruction were compared with those of students who received instruction by conventional methods. In both cases, instruction was provided within a large group context. No statistically significant differences were found in attitudes toward either majoring in accounting or the lecturer, nor was there a statistically significant difference in exam performance. However, significantly more favorable attitudes toward the accounting profession were associated with those who received televised instruction.

Reviews the book "Instrumental Reasoning and Systems Methodology: An Epistemology of the Applied and Social Sciences," by Richard Mattessich.

Reviews the book "The Core of the Curriculum for Accounting Majors," by Richard B. Flaherty.