(1) According to an article in the CPA Journal, the auditor considers reliability of audit evidence collected and the reliability of that evidence to reduce the risk of financial statements containing undetected material errors. Compare and contrast at least two (2) types of evidence, and make a recommendation as to which you believe is the most reliable in reducing risk. Support your position.

(2) Analyze the primary ways in which auditors would use the information from downgrades to assess business risk or evaluate the likelihood that the downgrades would impact the auditor's assessment of the client's business environment. Ascertain the major ways in which this information would impact the audit risk model equation. Support your position.

(3) Analyze whether or not investors who were misled by relying on financial statements could hold the audit firm liable for audit failure either by common or securities laws. Provide a rationale for your response.

(4) According to an article in the CPA Journal, the accounting profession has long contended that an audit conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards (GAAS) provides reasonable assurance that there are no material misstatements contained within financial statements. Suggest at least two (2) alternative methods that auditors can use to provide a more concrete level of assurance to investors. Provide support for your responses with examples of such methods in use.

(5) Auditors have to make judgments concerning materiality on every audit. Since the auditing standards give no formal guidance for how to determine materiality, auditors must rely on their own experience. Determine at least three (3) qualitative factors that affect the auditor's judgment. Provide a rationale for your response.

(6) Auditors rely on the audit risk formula to determine the types and amount of audit evidence to collect in order to keep the overall audit risk of engagements to a minimum or below defined tolerable limits. Suggest an alternative to the audit risk equation in order to mitigate audit risk. Support your rationale with examples of the successful use of the alternative strategy.