The art of audit report writing demands far more than simply listing the four elements of a finding - criteria, condition, cause, and effect. Even adding a fifth element, the recommendation, may be insufficient.

This boilerplate approach to writing can threaten independent, critical thinking and undermine the entire audit process, ultimately tarnishing the credibility of the auditor. Skilled auditors require a method that aligns what they experienced during the reviewing process with what they compose during the writing process.

This highly specialized webinar offers a deep and useful toolbox of techniques that auditors can use when noting audit observations, drafting objective workpapers, and composing well-structured, detailed, and fluent audit reports.

The program begins with a case study to illustrate each element of an audit checklist, with a close focus on objective reporting. It then uncovers problems of ensuring validity and reliability of findings and determining root cause. The webinar then drills down to a deeper level to organize audit content based on time-tested principles of structure.

The rest of the session covers the two pillars of writing style: syntax (word order) and diction (word choice) - each of which poses numerous pitfalls that can compromise the integrity and objectivity of an audit report.

What You Will Learn:

• Determine factors affecting the validity and reliability of a finding
  
• Assess the appropriate level of detail
  
• Create a department-specific template to facilitate the writing process
  
• Draft workpapers based on objective observations
  
• Employ formatting devices to improve the visual appeal of an audit report
  
• Choose fluent sentence structure to illuminate ideas
  
• Develop a precise, clear, concise vocabulary for documenting audit reports

Who Should Attend:

Managerial or auditing staff who write audit reports on programs or business units for internal and external clients or regulatory agencies.

About Your Speaker:

Philip Vassallo has designed, delivered, and supervised communication training programs for a wide range of executive, managerial, administrative and technical professionals in major multinational organizations for more than 30 years.

He also writes the popular blog Words on the Line, which offers practical tips for developing writers. Dr. Vassallo holds a B.A. in English, an M.S. in education, and a doctorate in educational theory.