Mary the Queen College (Pampanga), Inc.

JASA, San Matias, Guagua, Pampanga

College of Accountancy
Subject Code: Module No./Title:2 Writing the
Abstract of the study
Subject Description: ACCOUNTING RESEARCH METHODS Period of Coverage: Week 2

Introduction: Write an abstract and present a sample of an accounting research paper abstract

Objectives:
1. To provide a clear summary of the research article or any in-depth analysis of a particular
subject that is often used to help the reader quickly ascertain the paper’s purpose.

Content:

An abstract summarizes the major aspects of the entire paper in a prescribed sequence that includes
the overall purpose of the study and the research problems you investigated, the basic design of the
study and the major findings or trends found.

Abstracts contain most of the following kinds of information in brief form. The body of your paper
will of course, develop and explain these ideas much more fully the proportion of your abstract that
you devote to each kind of information – will vary depending on the nature of the paper that you are
summarizing in your abstract:

1. The content or background information for your research, the general topic under study,
the specific topic of your research
2. The central questions or statement of the problem your research addresses
3. What’s already known about this question, what previous research has done or shown
4. The main reason, rationale, the goals for your research
5. Your research and/or analytical methods
6. Your main findings, results or arguments
7. The significance or implications of your findings or arguments

Your abstract should be intelligible on its own, without a reader’s having to read your entire paper.
You describe what you have studied in your research and what you have found and what you argue in
your paper.

Although you might be tempted to write your abstract first because it will appear as the very first part
of your paper, it’s a good idea to wait to write your abstract until after you’ve drafted your full paper,
so that you know what you’re summarizing.
SAMPLE ABSTRACT 1:

The Usefulness of the Code of Ethics

The purpose of this study is to find out the level of awareness of Certified Public Accountants(CPAs)
in Negros Occidental of the Code of Ethics, the ethical issues faced by the CPAs in the conduct of
professional work, the usefulness of Code of Ethics in ethical conflict resolution as perceived by the
participants.

Using a sample of 265 CPAs, the study employed both descriptive and relational research design to
gather the views of the accounting professionals. Results showed that CPAs in the province generally
have extreme awareness of the code of ethics. With such, CPAs rarely encounter ethical issues in the
conduct of their professional duty. Among the most common issues encountered however are the
‘discovery of error during review’, ‘having close business relationship that could impair objectivity’,
‘concern for losing a client or employment’, ‘offers or acceptance of gifts and preferential treatments’
and ‘encounters of having dominant personality influencing the decision making’. Generally, CPAs
viewed the specific provisions of the code as ‘somewhat useful’ in resolving the ethical conflicts.

Significant difference was noted in their level of awareness when CPAs were grouped according to
age, their number of years as professional accountant and income.

Further, the study concluded that certain ethical conflicts/issues are associated with sex, sector, age,
number of years as professional and income level of the participants. The level of awareness also
significantly affects the CPAs frequency of encountering issues on ‘accepting gifts and preferential
treatments’ and ‘having dominant personality influencing the decision making’. CPAs felt that the
provision about fees must be amended to contain specific guidelines on setting the rates for services
performed. CPAs also stated that provisions of ethical conflict resolution are to be amended so that
it will not just provide a conceptual approach to resolving ethical conflicts but rather, a clear-cut rule
to resolving it, including imposition of fines and sanctions for violations.

Recommendations coming from the CPAs themselves were as well recommended by the researchers
which includes conducting more seminars about Ethics to refresh professionals, conducting a per
sector consultation to review the provisions of the code of ethics and a stronger emphasis on code of
ethics in the tertiary education level.

SAMPLE ABSTRACT 2:
 Ethics on Tax Avoidance:
Opinions of Tax Practitioners
4th Year Accountancy Students under the supervision of
Associate Professor Angelito C. Descalzo, CPA, DBA (cand), FRIAcc
University of the East-Manila

There have been a vast majority of researches made regarding the ethicality of tax evasion but none
for tax avoidance for the latter is considered legal. However, not all things are considered ethical.
Thus, this research is conducted to assess the opinions of tax practitioners in Metro Manila when it
comes to the ethics on tax avoidance. They are considered the most suitable respondents because of
their exposure and experience when it comes to this issue. Moreover, insights and opinions of internal
revenue officials on the matter were also incorporated in the study.

The aim of this study is to serve as an instrument to promote a clear understanding and awareness
about the limitations or extent of the ethicality of tax avoidance. Also, this study may serve as a tool
to call the attention of the law-governing body if there may be such a need to amend the laws in
relation to tax avoidance. A survey questionnaire was used to gather information needed to be
analyzed according to the categories provided that included the tax practitioners’ opinions on the
ethicality of tax avoidance, reasons for tax practice, and opinions on the tax practice as a whole.

There seems to be an ambiguous interpretation when it comes to the ethicality of the practice of
tax avoidance. The weighted mean of the responses shows that there is still confusion on the part of
most tax practitioners regarding the ethicality of avoiding taxes. Since tax rates are too high in the
Philippines, most tax practitioners see tax avoidance as a legal means of minimizing the payment of
taxes. Furthermore, tax evasion is more of a legal issue and not a moral one although internal revenue
authorities have identified certain tax avoidance practices as tax evasion. It has been opined that
aggressive tax avoidance would be unethical, morally wrong, and unfair if it is solely done to minimize
and lower taxes.

It is suggested that the utilization of tax avoidance schemes among tax practitioners be done with
propriety and in accordance within the permissible level of the tax law as to maintain the trust and
confidence of the taxing authority and the state. There may also be a need to review the tax code in
order to redefine, in absolute terms, the fine line that distinguishes tax avoidance from tax evasion.
The taxing agencies, tax practitioners, and the public stakeholders can work together on this to thresh
out any differences that there might be in determining that which are ethical or not in the exercise
of tax avoidance.
Evaluation: Group discussion and activity

References: National Association of Certified Public Accountants in Education (NACPAE) Journal

Next Lesson: Choose and define the Topic

Prepared by: Maria Corazon S. Checked by: William I. Asenci CPA, Approved by: Lanie M.
Guintu CPA MBA - BSA MBA, Dean, College of Accountancy Galvan, PhD (VPAA)