| Course | ACCT 301 Intermediate Financial Accounting I (ACCT301) |
|---|---|
| Module/Week | 2 |
| Assignment | Research Paper: Topic |
| Paper type | Research paper topic proposal |
| Length | about 412 words, 1 double-spaced pages plus title page and references. Course guide: a research paper topic submitted for instructor approval before the 8-10 page paper, which must use at least 5 scholarly sources in current APA format |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| Points | 0 |
| School | Liberty University Online |
| Program | BS in Accounting |
| Where it sits | Module/Week 2 in Liberty's published ACCT 301 course guide; current sections can differ |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for ACCT 301 Week 2
Topic Proposal: Did the New Revenue Recognition Standard Make Reported Revenue More Useful?
[Student Name]
School of Business, Liberty University
ACCT 301: Intermediate Financial Accounting I
Research Paper: Topic
[Instructor Name]
[Date]
The topic and plan are written as a student would submit them for approval; the textbook and the scholarly sources listed are real.
Topic Proposal: Did the New Revenue Recognition Standard Make Reported Revenue More Useful?
Working Title and Topic
Working title: Did ASC 606 Make Reported Revenue More Useful? Revenue recognition determines when and how much revenue a company reports, and Spiceland et al. (2018) lay out the joint FASB and IASB standard as five steps, running from the customer contract and the promises inside it, through pricing the deal and splitting that price among the promises, to booking revenue as each promise is kept. The standard replaced many industry-specific rules with a single principles-based model, effective for most U.S. public companies in 2018.
Research Question and Significance
Research question: Did the adoption of ASC 606 improve the usefulness of reported revenue and earnings for investors and analysts? Revenue is the largest line on most income statements and one of the most frequently misstated accounts (Dechow et al., 2011), so a standard that changes how it is measured could matter a great deal. A topic is approvable when it asks what a standard did, not only what the standard says. Early evidence suggests the answer may be yes; Chung and Chuwonganant (2026) report that analysts' revenue and earnings forecasts became more accurate after adoption.
How the Evidence Will Be Gathered
The paper will rely on peer-reviewed studies that compare reporting before and after adoption, supplemented by the textbook's explanation of the standard. Three kinds of evidence will be weighed: market-based studies of how investors and analysts responded to reported revenue, studies of restatements and misstatements as signs of reporting quality and studies of whether companies changed contracts or business practices in response to the new rules. Because each kind of evidence has limits, the paper will compare their conclusions rather than relying on a single study. Earlier research on the SEC's 1999 revenue guidance (Altamuro et al., 2005) will provide a useful comparison, since it also tightened when revenue could be recognized.
Planned Outline
The paper will cover the problems with prior revenue guidance, the five-step model and the judgments it requires, evidence on the standard's effects on information quality and business practice, remaining concerns and implications for preparers and auditors.
Preliminary Sources
Altamuro et al. (2005) on accelerated revenue recognition and SEC guidance; Chung and Chuwonganant (2026) on informativeness after ASC 606; Dechow et al. (2011) on misstatements; Luo and Song (2022) on principles-based standards and restatements; Napier and Stadler (2020) on the real effects of the international version of the standard; and the course textbook.
Scope
The paper will focus on U.S. public companies and on the years immediately before and after 2018, and it will not attempt a full survey of international adoption.
References
Altamuro, J., Beatty, A. L., & Weber, J. (2005). The effects of accelerated revenue recognition on earnings management and earnings informativeness: Evidence from SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 101. The Accounting Review, 80(2), 373-401. https://doi.org/10.2308/accr.2005.80.2.373
Chung, K. H., & Chuwonganant, C. (2026). Effects of the new revenue recognition standard (ASC 606) on the informativeness of earnings and revenues. Journal of Business Finance & Accounting. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbfa.70087
Dechow, P. M., Ge, W., Larson, C. R., & Sloan, R. G. (2011). Predicting material accounting misstatements. Contemporary Accounting Research, 28(1), 17-82. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1911-3846.2010.01041.x
Luo, S., & Song, F. (2022). Principles-based versus rules-based: Accounting standards precision and financial restatements in China. Asian Review of Accounting, 30(4), 581-615. https://doi.org/10.1108/ARA-09-2021-0177
Napier, C. J., & Stadler, C. (2020). The real effects of a new accounting standard: The case of IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Accounting and Business Research, 50(5), 474-503. https://doi.org/10.1080/00014788.2020.1770933
Spiceland, J. D., Nelson, M. W., & Thomas, W. B. (2018). Intermediate accounting (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
What the ACCT 301 Week 2 instructions ask
The Research Paper: Topic submission is due in Module/Week 2 of ACCT 301, alongside chapter 3 of Spiceland et al., a presentation, Connect Homework 2 and Connect Quiz 1. Students submit a research paper topic for approval; once approved, they write a paper whose body runs 8 to 10 pages, front and back matter excluded, following current APA style, using at least five different scholarly sources, due in Module/Week 7. A useful proposal states a focused research question tied to the course's intermediate accounting topics, shows that enough scholarly research exists to answer it and sets a scope that fits the page limit. Submitting a clear proposal early gives the instructor a chance to redirect a topic that is too broad.
How this ACCT 301 Week 2 example is built
First comes a provisional title with a short paragraph describing the topic, revenue recognition under the five-step model introduced by the joint standard. It states a single research question about whether the standard improved the usefulness of reported revenue and explains why the question matters, given that revenue is the largest line on most income statements and a common target of manipulation. A brief outline lists the paper's planned sections. A preliminary list of six sources, five of them peer-reviewed studies, shows that the topic is researchable, and a final paragraph sets limits, such as focusing on U.S. public companies and on the years around adoption.
ACCT 301 Week 2 grading rubric: where the points go
Research paper topic submissions in ACCT 301 are generally evaluated on whether the topic connects clearly to the course's intermediate accounting content, whether it is focused enough for an 8 to 10 page paper, whether scholarly sources exist to support it and whether the proposal is clearly written. Instructors may approve, approve with changes or ask for a new topic, so proposals that state a specific research question and preliminary sources are easiest to approve. Topics that merely describe a standard, without a question about its effects or application, are often sent back for revision.
ACCT 301 Week 2 help: mistakes that cost points
Choose a topic from the course chapters that interests you, such as revenue recognition, receivables, inventory methods or the conceptual framework, and turn it into a specific question that research can answer. Search the library databases to confirm that at least five scholarly articles address your question before submitting. Write a short description, the research question, why it matters and a preliminary outline. List your sources in APA format to show the topic is researchable. Set scope limits, such as an industry, time period or country, so the paper fits 8 to 10 pages. Keep the approval feedback, since the final paper should reflect it, and note any sources the instructor suggests adding before you begin drafting the full paper.
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ACCT 301 Week 2 questions, answered
What is the ACCT 301 Research Paper Topic?
The Module/Week 2 submission in which students propose a research paper topic for approval before writing the 8-10 page paper with five scholarly sources due in Module/Week 7.
Where can I find a free ACCT 301 Week 2 sample paper?
This page offers a complete ACCT 301 Week 2 research topic proposal on whether the new revenue recognition standard improved reported revenue, with preliminary sources.
What makes a good intermediate accounting research topic?
A focused question about how a standard or practice affects financial reporting, connected to course chapters and supported by enough scholarly research to fill 8-10 pages.
How many sources does the ACCT 301 research paper need?
At least five different scholarly sources in current APA format, for a paper whose body fills 8 to 10 pages; the title and reference pages sit outside that count.
What else is due in ACCT 301 Module/Week 2?
Connect Homework 2 and Connect Quiz 1, a 30-question open-book quiz that may be taken twice, are due with the topic submission.
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