Feb 28th 2023

Audit & Assurance AA

In section A there will be three mini-case style scenarios, each with five 2-mark questions based on the scenario (30 in total). Each mini- case question will test single topic areas of the syllabus and so will test syllabus areas A, B, C, D or E. Expect questions in section A to focus on areas A and E.

All three questions (one 30-mark and two 20-mark questions) in section B will be broken down into sub requirements and be scenario based. The majority of marks in each question will test syllabus areas B, C and/or D.

Areas expected to be tested in questions 16 to 18 include:
• Audit planning.
• Audit risk (identification and explanation of audit risks from a scenario and explanation of the auditor’s response to each risk).
• Internal audit.
• Internal controls (identification and explanation of deficiencies in internal control and the recommendation of suitable internal controls or description of tests of controls).
• Audit procedures (substantive procedures & tests of controls). 

General advice: Where questions are based on a scenario it is essential that you use
the information in the scenario to score the identification marks and then develop this to score the explanation marks.
The exam provides a table for you to complete your answer. For example, audit risk questions will have a table with two columns, one for ‘audit risk’ and one for ‘auditor’s response’ with each properly explained point being worth one mark. Using this tabular approach encourages you to answer both parts of the question, therefore maximising your marks.

Pay attention to the verbs used in question requirements as these indicate the number of marks available. For example, the verb “explain” requires a sentence and will score one mark if properly explained whereas the verb “list” simply requires you to list out information with no further explanation and this will score 0.5 mark per point.

Finally, it is essential you read the Examiner’s Reports which are issued twice a year after the June and December exam sittings. These are an invaluable source of advice and provide a sample section A OTQ case style question as well as three constructed response questions from the March/June and September/ December sittings. Not only do they provide the
example questions but these are accompanied by a commentary from the examining team which gives guidance on interpreting the question requirements and common mistakes/ areas of weakness noted during the marking process. These reports can be found on the ACCA website: https://www.accaglobal.com/ uk/en/student/exam-support-resources/ fundamentals-exams-study-resources/f8/ examiners-reports1.htm.