Accounting Education Resource Guide

Whether we’re talking about balancing your personal checking account or handling the the books for a small, medium or large business, accounting is a crucial function – and it has been for thousands of years. In fact, some historians credit accounting – essentially the practice of processing and recording financial information – with spurring the development of writing, counting and money. Accounting is all about holding individuals, businesses and other organizations accountable, at least in terms of their financial activities. Without accounting practices – which can include reconciling payroll, properly recording revenue and meeting tax requirements – the financial world would be rife with confusion and fraud. So it’s clear that the world needs ethical, well-trained accountants. And that’s why we put together this resource guide. Whether you’re studying to become an accountant, you teach accounting or you’re a layperson who wants a better understanding of accounting practices and principles, the 40+ individual resources in this guide will connect you to useful information. Check out accounting study resources, teaching resources, blogs and journals and more.

General Accounting Resources

No matter what your reason is for studying accounting, these general resources are a helpful starting point. From basic definitions of accounting terms to free, online courses, find what you need below.

Accounting Coach – Learn the basics of accounting with the free material on this site started by Harold Avercamp, CPA and MBA. Free material includes complete explanations of basic topics, Q&A, quizzes and more.

Accounting in 60 Minutes: A Brief Introduction – Looking for a free, online accounting course that will teach you the basics of accounting? This brief, introductory course taught by an experienced professor in an easy-to-understand format lasts approximately an hour and includes simple quizzes for reinforcement.

Accounting Ethics and Integrity Standards – This article provides an overview of ethics in the field of accounting and includes links to other relevant articles, such as Examples of Ethics in Accounting , Ethical Dilemmas in Accounting, Ethical Issues Facing the Accounting Profession and more.

The History of Accounting – Starting with ancient Egypt, this entry from AccountingEdu.org provides a brief overview of the history of accounting through the 21^st century.

Accounting and Bookkeeping Course –This link takes you to a free, online accounting and bookkeeping course by Dave Marshall, self-proclaimed “bean counter.” The course is comprised of segmented lessons, interactive links, helpful videos and short quizzes.

Basic Accounting Terminology 101– Quickly get yourself up to speed with this quick read. Within minutes you’ll have a grasp of basic accounting terms and what they mean.

20 Basic Accounting Terms, Acronyms and Abbreviations – Before you can really understand the basics of accounting, you have understand the lingo. Demystify the sometimes-confusing jargon with this helpful resource.

11 Basic Accounting Formulas – This link takes you to a helpful PDF that will explain how to calculate the 11 formulas that will help create a Profit and Loss sheet.

Accounting Study Resources

Whether you’re prepping for your CPA, a college or high school exam or you simply want to brush up on some accounting skills, this list has the resources you need. Check out the links below to find the resources you need to achieve your study goals.

NASBA Exam Resources – The website for the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) gives you all the information you need about the Uniform CPA exam.

AICPA.org – The website for the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) provides information on the following: CPA exam overview, content and scoring as well as when the next exam will take place.

Accounting Flashcards – Find free sets of ready-made accounting flashcards, or make your own set with the free templates provided by Cram.com. With the templates, you can easily type accounting data on the front and back of each flashcard until you have the customized set you need for studying.

A Guide for Students Studying Accounting – While not visually pleasing, this black-and-white guide makes up for it with its clear-cut, practical information. Find useful rules, suggestions and techniques to help you improve accounting study skills.

Accounting Study Skills Tips – Find a wealth of study tips from students just like you. Follow the link to find dozens of articles with information that will help you study smarter instead of harder.

CPA Zone–This site caters to students who aspire to become CPAs. Find helpful tips for success on the CPA exam, a section for motivation and inspiration and student stories focusing on their experiences with the exam.

Accounting Practice Tests and Quizzes

Curious to know how well you’re retaining all that accounting knowledge you’ve acquired? Use the links below to quiz – or even test – yourself to see what topics you really know and which ones you need to keep studying.

AccountingPlay.com – Test your current accounting knowledge or learn about accounting through the site’s lessons and then take a quiz to test your knowledge. Choose from 14 different topics.

WizIQ – A multitude of free online accounting tests authored by experts in the field. Topics are suited for helping with preparation for various secondary accounting exams.

Free Accounting Practice Test – A free test provided by the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers. Simply provide your name and email to obtain access to the test.

McGraw-Hill Online Learning Center – This link contains downloadable practice exams for intermediate accounting students. Also, find downloadable answer keys for the tests.

The Uniform CPA Examination Practice Test – Get a guided a tour of the CPA examination with a free tutorial before you take the practice test. Then, take the free test to provide you with a preview of what the Uniform CPA Exam is really like.

Accounting Teaching Resources

Teaching accounting doesn’t have to be all about the numbers. Instead, infuse some fun and creativity into your lesson plans with this list of helpful resources.

Money Instructor – This link is for teachers of accounting and bookkeeping. Find detailed lesson plans and informative articles to help out in the classroom.

Cribbingo – Make learning fun! Employ game theory and teach your students Cribbingo, an accounting game created by Susan M. Moncada, Ph.D., CPA and Professor of Accounting designed to take the place of lecture. This game is a combination of five-card Cribbage and the classic game of Bingo.

Accounting Lesson Plans – Find plenty of lesson plans for Accounting I and II classes from the Utah Education Network. Lessons include games, journals and some unit plans.

Connecticut Society of CPAs – Browse a healthy collection of links for accounting rubrics, assessments, games, activities, lessons, Excel applications and supplemental resources. All resources were shared with CTCPA by Connecticut high school teachers.

Start Here, Go Places – Fueled by the AICPA, this site offers high-quality, free accounting resources to teachers. Facilitate an online interactive game of Bank on It, which gives students a taste of real-world scenarios, have students read profiles of real-life CPAs and answer questions or introduce students to the world of auditing with the All about Auditing Toolkit.

Accounting Games and Hands-On Activities – From Business Educator, Linda Welsh, this resource contains 16 pages of fun games and activities that can be used in the accounting class to keep learning fresh and fun.

Accounting Journals

Keep yourself informed of all types of accounting news by visiting one of these links to various online accounting journals. Find in-depth feature articles, editorial analysis that’s insightful and even a journal geared toward students who are preparing to take the CPA exam.

Journal of Accountancy – Published by the American Institute of CPAs, this journal has up-to-date news relating to tax, financial reporting, auditing and other topics of interest.

Accounting Today – Enjoy breaking news and insightful features and editorials from one of the go-to information sources for those in the tax and accounting field. In addition, find links to helpful online resources and services.

The CPA Journal–While this journal’s name beckons those who are Certified Public Accountants, anyone interested in accounting and finance can benefit from reading it. In this trusted resource, find topics of interest that range from auditing to technology.

New Accountant – Offered in print and online formats, this journal is authored by college-level accounting professors and industry professionals. Its target audience is students of accountancy who are interested in a future career in the field.

Accounting Blogs

For newbies and veterans alike, everyone can find something that appeals to them within this list of accounting blogs. And, when you’re tired of the heavy subjects, turn to Mark Lee’s blog, “The Lighter Side Blog of Accountancy and Tax” (link below), for clever jokes and anecdotes.

The Bean Counter – Seeking a successful accounting career? Whether you’re just starting your job search or you’re looking to make a change, this blog can help. Find a wealth of accounting recruiting resources and career advice here.

Golden Practices – Michelle Golden, known as one of the 100 most influential people in accounting, authors this blog that offers resources for accounting students and those who have just entered the workforce.

CPA Technology Blog – A CPA and consultant based in Tennessee, Brain Tankersley offers up this nationally recognized blog focused on accounting and technology.

Teaching Financial Accounting – Professor Joe Hoyle, a veteran in the financial accounting field, blogs about teaching and

Learning accounting. Find blogs based on topics such as “Getting the most from your students.”

CPA Success – From the Maryland Association of CPAs, find plenty of tips for creating success in your career as well as other general but helpful advice for CPAs.

Accounting Principals – This blog is like one-stop shopping for accounting and finance professionals. Fill your think tank with information about jobs, advice, views, stories and more.

The Lighter Side of Accountancy and Tax – Looking for something a little – OK, a lot – less serious than taxes and career advice? Look no further. Here you will find accountancy and tax topics done with humor in the form of jokes, stories and videos.

Mauled Again – Straight from the law professor’s mouth, this blog is authored by a 20-year veteran in the field of federal taxation. James Edward Maule of Villanova University School of Law offers his interesting commentary on a wide range of tax-related topics including education.

Accounting Podcasts

Sometimes it’s nice to sit back and listen instead of poring over pages of information. Check out these podcasts to discover everything you want to know what’s going on in the field of accounting.

The Accounting Best Practices Podcast – This popular podcast, downloaded millions of times, focuses on best practices in the field. Find out if your practices measure up by listening in to talk about metrics, technology, accounting standards, investor relations and much more.

The CPA Guide Podcast – When navigating the sometimes turbulent waters of an accounting or finance career, things can become tricky. Check out Bryan Kesler’s podcast as he takes you on a tour of his own experience in the field. Also, listen for interviews with some of the top career accountants in the field.

Thriveal – Join hosts Greg Kyte and Jason Blumer and their industry guests for humor and enlightened insight into the different changes that are shaking things up in the world of public accounting.

Tax Mama’s Tax Quips – With a national tax column at Dow Jones, Eva Rosenberg is qualified to quip, and she does so with humor. Affectionately known as Tax Mama, Rosenberg answers listener’s tax questions in an entertaining podcast format.

The Bean Counter’s Podcast Gallery – Get your fill of everything tax related in this podcast gallery. Choose from more than 100 episodes that also include interviews with successful CPAs and top recruiters in the field.