Report Writing Flashcards
Suppose that a fraud examiner is going to testify at trial about an examination report for a complex case, and the report contains summaries of key documents that were created by someone other than the fraud examiner. Which of the following best describes what the fraud examiner should know about the documents underlying the summaries?
A. The fraud examiner does not need to review the documents underlying the summaries.
B. The fraud examiner only needs to review some of the documents underlying the summaries for quality assurance.
C. The fraud examiner must have read and analyzed every document in the case.
D. The fraud examiner should conduct a complete review of the documents underlying the summaries.
D. The fraud examiner should conduct a complete review of the documents underlying the summaries.
Sometimes cases involve thousands or even millions of documents, but someone must present a report on the review of those documents at trial. Such cases might make it impractical or impossible to timely analyze all of the documents. It is common for complex cases to require delegation of tasks to create an examination report, such as subordinates searching for key documents and creating document summaries.
One important problem in the preparation of reports and accounting summaries arises from delegation of tasks to subordinates. If the person giving evidence has not had direct knowledge or has not examined the specific documents or prepared the accounting summaries, it might be possible that the expert will be trapped under the hearsay rule. If tasks are delegated, it is important that the review process entail review of all work to original documentation on a 100-percent basis. It is also important to know the effect of the other assumptions on the conclusion or opinion reached in the report. It is often possible to trap an expert into giving alternative opinions based upon other assumptions that had not been considered. The work should be planned carefully enough in advance so that the work papers and supporting documentation do not show contradictory conclusions that the opposing side could seize upon.
A fraud examiner is planning how he will organize and present information in the report writing stage of a fraud examination. Which of the following statements is most accurate?
A. The fraud examiner should present the information either by transaction or by party.
B. The fraud examiner should present the information either by transaction or chronologically.
C. The fraud examiner should only present the information chronologically.
D. The fraud examiner should present the information alphabetically with respect to parties and document titles.
B. The fraud examiner should present the information either by transaction or chronologically.
Because of the amount of information and the number of documents that might be collected during a fraud examination, it is imperative that the fraud examiner properly organize the information. If circumstances permit, an information database should be established in the early phases of the case. Information can be presented either in chronological order or by transaction when writing the fraud examination report.
In contrast, during the evidence gathering stage of an investigation, chronologically organizing the documents that will later be used in drafting the report is not recommended because it will make searching for relevant information more difficult. It is generally better to organize documents by transaction or by party while evidence gathering is still occurring.
The fraud examiner should document the details of an interview within a month of the interview date. T/F
False
Written reports must be timely. The timeliness of reports is extremely important because it tends to enhance the accuracy of witness testimony, as well as preserve the fraud examiner’s memory of the interview(s). Thus, all interviews should be transcribed and documented in a memorandum of interview as soon as possible after the questioning takes place—preferably on the same day of the interview.
Which of the following is a recommended method for organizing and presenting information in a fraud examination report?
A. Chronologically
B. By party
C. By the order in which the information was discovered
D. All of the above
A. Chronologically
Because of the amount of information and the number of documents that might be collected during a fraud examination, it is imperative that the fraud examiner properly organize the information. If circumstances permit, an information database should be established in the early phases of the case. Information can be presented either in chronological order or by transaction when writing the fraud examination report.
In contrast, during the evidence gathering stage of an investigation, chronologically organizing the documents that will later be used in drafting the report is not recommended because it will make searching for relevant information more difficult. It is generally better to organize documents by transaction or by party while evidence gathering is still occurring
A fraud examiner is preparing his fraud examination report at the conclusion of a fraud investigation. When including information regarding the interviews conducted during the examination, the fraud examiner should:
A. Include all information provided by all the witnesses, regardless of the relevance.
B. Use signed copies of his notes from the interviews as the primary recording document.
C. Include only the facts provided by the witnesses that substantiate the fraud allegation.
D. Report the details of each witness interview in a separate memorandum of interview.
D. Report the details of each witness interview in a separate memorandum of interview.
Written fraud examination reports must be accurate. Inaccuracies will affect the credibility of the report and the report’s author. Each contact a fraud examiner makes during the course of a fraud examination should be recorded on a timely basis in a memorandum of interview (i.e., a written record used to document all interviews conducted during the investigation). Ordinarily, there is no need to recapitulate testimony word for word in the report, but the fraud examiner should include all facts of possible relevance for accuracy’s sake.
Also, relevant facts should be included regardless of which side they favor or what they prove or disprove. The written report conveys all evidence necessary to evaluate the case, and it can be used to corroborate previously known facts. An accurate report will add credibility to the fraud examination and to the fraud examiner’s work. Additionally, requiring a written report will force the fraud examiner to consider his actions during an investigation by ensuring that he documents his process. A well-written report will also omit irrelevant information, thereby allowing pertinent facts to stand out.
