Auditing Instruction by the Laboratory Method.

Abstract For many years, the accounting professionals in the U.S. have recognized the need for the preparation required by accountancy students in the field of auditing, and conceived the idea of the link between theory and practice as a business clinic where students might work among the records of actual transactions. In 1914, Robert H. Montgomery, a professor at the Columbia University, New York City obtained a number of sets of used account books which formed the basis for the course of study which has been given since 1915, termed as the Auditing Laboratory. From time to time since, additional records have been obtained until at the present time there are approximately 100 workable sets of books of greatly diversified activities. Questions and problems, to be solved only by an actual examination of the books and other records, provide the basis of the student's work. This gives him a practical working test under conditions which very closely correspond to those met in actual practice. All through the work done by the student, the preparation and care of his work papers are carefully watched and criticized; the preparation of audit programs and the proper filing of work papers in the permanent and current files for the different engagements are also stressed. The Auditing Laboratory contains labor saving devices, such as adding and other computing machines, slide rule, etc., etc., in the legitimate use of which the student is urged to become adept.