ACC 331 – Individual Project

By: Your name _____________________

REQUIRED:
1. Select two of the topics listed below and write an executive summary (between 200 to 400
words; Times Roman font, 11 to 12 points, single or 1.5 space) on each topic selected.
In your summary, please include both why the topic is important and why anyone should care
about the topic. (Write only two executive summaries.)

2. Upload two executive summaries and share only one of the two topics with the class during a
3-to 4-minute presentation using 2 to 8 prepared slides. If you do not plan to attend class, please
submit a 4 to 5-minute video of what you would like to share with your classmates. Please
submit video / recorded presentations 3 days before the deadline. Without sharing, you forfeit
50% of your project grade.

The deadline to upload two executive summaries and slides for the presentation of 1 topic to
Blackboard is 11:59 PM (EST), May 5, 2024. Presentations are scheduled for May 5, 2024.

Uploads are final.

Please do not email assignment; 50% – 100% grade reduction for uploading wrong document(s).

For on-line course: Be prepared to share your screen during the presentation.

If you cannot attend, prepare and upload a 3 to 4-minute verbal presentation by deadline.
 INDIVIDUAL SELECTION:
Write an executive summary (between 200 to 400 words; Times Roman font, 11 to 12 points,
single or 1.5 space) on two of topics listed below. In your summary, you must include both
why the topic is important and why anyone should care about the topic.

Topics:
Review the following topics:
► American Institute of Certified Public Accountants data standards
► Artificial intelligence (software of robots)
► Augmented reality and virtual reality
► Big data ethics (including data privacy)
► Big data storage (e.g., data lakes)
► Blockchain (internet of value) and cryptocurrencies (bitcoin)
► Cloud computing, including infrastructure as a service (IAAS), software as a service (SAAS)
and platform as a service (PAAS)
► Cognitive computing
► Continuous auditing and monitoring
► Cybersecurity
► Unusual data and analytics
► Drones
► Internet of Things (IOT), Internet of People and sensors
► Machine learning
► Natural language generation
► Natural language processing, natural language generation, text analytics and sentiment
analysis, chat apps (conversational bots and virtual agents)
► Neural networks, deep neural networks and deep learning
► Robotic process automation (RPA), automation, and man and machine
► Speech recognition
If there is another emerging technology that you believe would be appropriate, please
recommend it to Prof. Askew is it can be included as an option for you.
Links for the topics are listed below.

► AICPA data standards: https://www.aicpa.org/interestareas/frc/assuranceadvisoryservices/pages/

auditdatastandards.aspx

► Artificial intelligence:

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 – EY resources:

► “AI: welcome to the machines”

http://www.ey.com/gl/en/services/assurance/ey-reporting-ai-welcome-to-the-machines?
utm_source=Weekly%20Chronicle&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Reporting%3A
%20June%202017
– Other resources:

► Forbes website: “Top 10 Hot Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technologies”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/gilpress/2017/01/23/top-10-hot-artificial-intelligence-ai-
technologies/#3f6199691928

► Entrepreneur website: “4 AI Technologies Impacting Business Operations Right Now”

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/284838

► Journal of Accountancy website: “Rethinking the audit”

http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/issues/2017/apr/rethinking-the-audit.html

► Augmented reality and virtual reality:

– Other resources:

► Forbes website: “How Virtual Reality Will Impact Business In The Next Five Years”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2016/07/22/how-virtual-reality-will-impact-
businesses-in-the-next-five-years/#3919e0de2607Big data ethics (including data privacy):
– Forbes website: “What’s Up with Big Data Ethics?”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/oreillymedia/2014/03/28/whats-up-with-big-data-ethics/
#274699743591
– Journal of Accountancy website: “Why accountants should own Big Data”
http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/issues/2013/nov/20138590.html
– Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and Institute of Management Accountants: “Big
data: Its power and perils”

http://www.accaglobal.com/bigdata

► Big data storage (e.g., data lakes):

– Computer Weekly.com website: “Big data storage: Defining big data and the type of storage it
needs”
– http://www.computerweekly.com/podcast/Big-data-storage-Defining-big-data-and-the-type-of-
storage-it-needs
– Forbes website: “Why Data Lakes Are Evil”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/danwoods/2016/08/26/why-data-lakes-are-evil/#71b07a454f73

► Blockchain (internet of value) and cryptocurrencies (bitcoin):

– EY resources:

► “The next big thing: Blockchain”

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 ► “Blockchain and the future of audit”

► “Blockchain’s potential win for the energy sector”

► Blockchain technology as a platform for digitization: implications for the insurance industry

► “Blockchain reaction: Tech plans for critical mass”

► “Building blocks of the future”

– Implementing blockchains and distributed infrastructure

– Other sources:

► Bitcoin Magazine website: Blockchain Commercialization: Real World Applications Get Real
https://bitcoinmagazine.com/articles/blockchain-commercialization-real-world-applications-
get-real/

► strategy+business website: “A Strategist’s Guide to Blockchain”

http://www.strategy-business.com/article/A-Strategists-Guide-to-Blockchain

► Thompson Reuters website: “Blockchain, Accounting and Audit: What Accountants Need to
Know”

https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/blog/business/technology/blockchain-accounting-and-audit-
what-accountants-need-to-know/

► economia website: “How blockchain will impact accountants and auditors”

http://economia.icaew.com/features/july-2016/how-blockchain-will-impact-accountants-and-
auditors

► SF Strategic Finance website: “Get Ready for Blockchain”

http://sfmagazine.com/post-entry/january-2017-get-ready-for-blockchain/

► NASDAQ.com website: “Blockchain Promises Accountants, Auditors and Their Clients Better
Data Sooner And Cheaper”

http://www.nasdaq.com/article/blockchain-promises-accountants-auditors-and-their-clients-
better-data-sooner-and-cheaper-cm726746

► Innovation Enterprise website: “Will Blockchain Render Accountants Irrelevant?”

https://channels.theinnovationenterprise.com/articles/will-blockchain-render-accountants-
irrelevant

► Cloud computing, including infrastructure as a service (IAAS), software as a service (SAAS) and
platform as a service (PAAS):
– EY resources:

► “Cloud taxation issues and impacts”

► “Worldwide digital tax guide”

http://www.ey.com/gl/en/services/tax/ey-digital-tax-guide

► “Governing the cloud”

6
 ► Cognitive computing:
– Forbes website: “What Everyone Should Know About Cognitive Computing”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2016/03/23/what-everyone-should-know-about-
cognitive-computing/#6be118675088

► Continuous auditing and monitoring:

– AICPA website: “The Current State of Continuous Auditing and Continuous Monitoring”
https://www.aicpa.org/InterestAreas/FRC/AssuranceAdvisoryServices/
DownloadableDocuments/Whitepaper_Current-State-Continuous-Auditing-Monitoring.pdf

► Cybersecurity:
– EY resources:

► “How is ransomware causing threats to organizations?”

► “Cybersecurity and the Internet of Things”

► “The state of cyber resilience”

– Center for Audit Quality website: “The CPA’s Role in Addressing Cybersecurity Risk”
http://thecaq.org/cpas-role-addressing-cybersecurity-risk

► Dark data and dark analytics:

– Gartner website: “Dark Data”

http://www.gartner.com/it-glossary/dark-data
– Bloomberg website: “Dark Data Management: The Next Frontier in Information Governance”
https://www.bloomberg.com/company/announcements/dark-data-management-next-frontier-
information-governance/

► Drones:
– EY website: “EY scaling the use of drones in the audit process”

► Internet of Things (IOT), Internet of People and sensors:

– EY resources:

► “Human-machine interactions that unlock possibilities in media and entertainment”

► “Helping demystify Industrie 4.0 and IoT: an intro to the world of machine-to-machine talk”

► “The power of the IoT: how oil and gas CIOs can introduce intelligence into the supply chain”
– Other resources:

► AICPA website: “How the Internet of Things will impact CPAs”

http://www.aicpastore.com/Content/media/PRODUCER_CONTENT/Newsletters/
Articles_2015/CPA/MAY/impact_CPAs.jsp

► Harvard Business Review website: “How People Are Actually Using the Internet of Things”
https://hbr.org/2015/10/how-people-are-actually-using-the-internet-of-things

7
 ► NPR website: “The Internet Of Things Is Becoming More Difficult To Escape”
http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2017/06/06/531747037/the-internet-of-things-
is-becoming-more-difficult-to-escape

► The Guardian website: “Forget the internet of things – we need an internet of people”
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/may/25/forget-internet-of-things-people

► Machine learning:
– AccountingWEB website: “The State of AI, Machine Learning, and Accounting”
https://www.accountingweb.com/technology/trends/the-state-of-ai-machine-learning-and-
accounting

► Natural language processing and natural language generation, text analytics, and sentiment analysis
and chat apps (conversational bots and virtual agents):
– EY resources:

► “Your customers are trying to text you something. Are you listening?”
– Harvard Business Review website: “Sentiment Analysis Can Do More than Prevent Fraud and
Turnover”
https://hbr.org/2016/01/sentiment-analysis-can-do-more-than-prevent-fraud-and-turnover
– ACCA website: Text analytics mines corporate reports for fraud
http://www.accaglobal.com/us/en/member/member/accounting-business/2016/02/insights/text-
analytics.html

► Neural networks, deep neural networks and deep learning:

– Forbes website: “Why Is Deep Learning Is Suddenly Changing Your Life”

– http://fortune.com/ai-artificial-intelligence-deep-machine-learning/

► Robotic process automation (RPA), automation, and man and machine

– EY resources:

► “What is Robotic Process Automation?”

http://players.brightcove.net/1066292269001/BJmSlObm_default/index.html?
videoId=5206910658001

► Robotic process automation: automation’s next frontier :

https://assets.ey.com/content/dam/ey-sites/ey-com/en_gl/topics/digital/ey-robotic-process-
automation.pdf

► “Will robots change the future of outsourcing? Is Robotic Process Automation (RPA) the new
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)?”
► https://humanengineers.com/will-robots-change-future-outsourcing-robotic-process-
automation-rpa-new-business-process-outsourcing-bpo/

► “Get ready for robots”

http://www.ey.com/gl/en/industries/financial-services/insurance/ey-get-ready-for-robots

6
 ► Robotic process automation in the Finance function of the future
https://blog.dataart.com/how-robotic-process-automation-is-transforming-financial-
services#:~:text=There%20is%20a%20great%20promise%20for%20robotic
%20process,specifically%20in%20labor-intensive%20areas%20of%20a%20business
%E2%80%99s%20process.

► “Tax workers and robots: teammates, not enemies”

https://betterworkingworld.ey.com/digital/tax-workers-and-robots-teammates-not-enemies

► “Analytics and intuition: Why health care big data needs both”
https://betterworkingworld.ey.com/better-questions/analytics-intuition-healthcare-big-data
– Other resources:

► Forbes website: Looking Ahead: How Automation Will Change The Accounting Industry
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesfinancecouncil/2017/05/16/looking-ahead-how-
automation-will-change-the-accounting-industry/#320dcb4e7f30

► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnUSN2JLDOI
– EY resources:

► Audio analytics: new opportunities in litigation and investigation

https://www.ey.com/en_gl/webcasts/2021/04/how-digital-forensics-is-defined-in-litigation-and-
investigation

If there is another emerging technology that you believe would be appropriate, please
recommend it to Prof. Askew so it can be included as an option for you.

REQUIRED:
1. Select two of the topics / articles listed above and write an executive summary (between 200
to 400 words; Times Roman font, 11 to 12 points, single or 1.5 space) on each topic selected.
In your summary, please explain both why the topic is important and why anyone should care
about the topic. (You will write only two executive summaries.)

2. Upload two executive summaries and share only one of the two topics with the class during a
4-to 5-minute presentation using 2 to 8 prepared slides. If you do not plan to attend class, please
submit a 4 to 5-minute video of what you would like to share with your classmates. Please
submit video / recorded presentations 3 days before the deadline. Without sharing, you forfeit
50% of your project grade.

The deadline to upload two executive summaries and slides for the presentation of 1 topic to
Blackboard is 11:59 PM (EST), May 5, 2024.

Please upload assignments to Blackboard. Please do not email assignment.

7

Criteria Level 4
Percentage 90 – 100%
Assignment Student completely
fulfills assignment
requirements
-Process Complete
-Due Dates Met
-Final Copy Submitted
-Format Correct
-Works Cited Incl.
Thesis Student’s thesis is a
clear, arguable, well
developed, and definitive
statement of position. It
answers a why or how
question
Development Student’s paper
demonstrates a logical,
mature, and thorough
development of points
that support the thesis
Evidence: Student presents relevant
Analysis and fully analyzed
Synthesis textual evidence to
support the thesis
following the evidence
formula-16-17pts.
Student synthesizes
textual evidence and
points back to thesis
statement
Opposition/ Student clearly and fully
Refutation explains opposition and
persuasively refutes it
Citation Student follows citation
format with meticulous
care. Includes proper
footnoting technique,
along with a complete
works cited list.
Mechanics Sentence structure is
correct. Punctuation and
capitalization are correct.
Written Assignment Evaluation Rubric
Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 Unacceptable
80 – 89% 70 – 79% 60 – 69% < 60%
Student completely Student partially Student partially Student’s work
fulfills assignment fulfills assignment fulfills assignment in no way
requirements requirements (almost requirements (almost relates to
all) all) assignment
Student’s thesis is a Student’s thesis is a Student’s thesis is an Student’s work
clear and arguable clear, arguable outline of points; it is does not have a
statement of statement of position not an arguable thesis
position that statement of position
answers a why or
how question
Student’s paper Student’s paper Student’s paper Student’s paper
demonstrates demonstrates an presents a superficial does not present
adequate adequate development of any evidence of
development of development of points, many of development of
points that support points that support which do not support points that
the thesis the thesis the thesis support the
thesis
Student presents Student presents Student’s textual Student
relevant and relevant and partially evidence is irrelevant provides no
adequately analyzed textual and is not analyzed- textual evidence
analyzed textual evidence to support 11pts. to support the
evidence to support the thesis-13pts. Student makes no thesis—under
the thesis-14pts. Student makes an attempt at synthesis 11 pts.
Student makes an attempt at synthesis Student makes
attempt at synthesis no attempt at
synthesis
Student explains Student explains Student does not Student does
opposition and opposition and gives include op./ref. in not include
gives refutation refutation paper op./ref. in paper
Student follows Student follows Student does not Incomplete or
citation format citation format with follow citation Missing
with care. Includes meticulous care. format. Does not
proper footnoting Includes proper include proper
technique, along technique, along with footnoting technique,
with a complete a partial/mediocre works cited list is
works cited list. works cited list. missing.
Sentence structure Work contains Work contains Too many
is generally correct. structural weaknesses multiple incorrect errors - more
Some awkward and grammatical sentence structures. than 7 exist.
sentences do errors. There are 3 or 4 or more errors in
appear. 1 or 2 4 errors in punctuation and/or
errors in punctuation and/or capitalization.
punctuation and/or capitalization.
capitalization.