Improving Written Communication Skills for CPAs (Course Id 1896)

• Who is this course for?
  This course is intended for CPAs—or anyone needing Continuing Professional Education (CPE)—especially those who regularly create written documents and want to improve their professional writing effectiveness.

• What is this course about or what problem does this course solve?
  It addresses the frequent issue of poor written communication in accounting practices, offering guidance to enhance clarity, professionalism, and impact of written materials.

• How can the knowledge from this course be used?
  Learners can apply skills like identifying communication barriers, improving grammar/spelling, selecting appropriate tone, and proofreading—all directly applicable to client communications, reports, emails, and other professional writing.

• Why is this course important to a CPA, Accountant, or IRS Enrolled Agent?
  Clear, accurate, and professional writing enhances credibility, reduces misunderstandings, and supports effective service delivery—all key to maintaining professionalism and client trust.

• When is this course relevant or timely?
  Released in 2021 with a revision on June 10, 2025, this course is current and updated—making it relevant for professionals aiming to sharpen workplace communication now.

• How is a course like this consumed or used?
  It's a NASBA QAS self-study text course comprising 25 pages, six review questions, and a final exam of 10 questions. Learners study at their own pace, with a 70% passing score required on the final exam (to be completed within one year) to earn the 2.0 CPE credits.

The responsibility of a CPAs is to provide professional services for their clients. The majority of these services require the practitioner to produce documents and other written works for a variety of reasons. Improving Writing Skills for CPAs is a course that will provide both an overview and guidance for improving writing skills. This course will illustrate the problems some practice owners and practitioners have with poor writing and provide suggestions for improving their written communication methods.

NASBA QAS - Text - NASBA Registry - 1896

Course Learning Objectives

• Recognize at least four barriers to communication.
• List the problems with poor writing and the four points of good writing.
• Describe the importance of using correct spelling and grammar and proof-reading all written communications.
• Select the correct tone for project written communications.

Chapter 1 - Improving Written Communication Skills for CPAs

Course Learning Objectives

Introduction

Communications Management

Communications Management Processes

Writing

Communication Methods

Types of Project Writing

Accurate and Correct Writing

Problem with Poor Writing

Error Example

Noise

Incorrect Words

Communication Barriers

Good Writing

Additional Writing Skills

Making Documents Shorter

Using Fewer Words Example

Writing Techniques

Writing Technique Exercise

How to Start Writing

Proof Reading

Correcting Spelling and Grammar

Never Use Texting Conventions

Common Writing Errors to Avoid

Additional Grammar Rules

Writing Tone

What Determines Tone?

Selecting the Correct Tone

Writing Tone Exercise

Communication Tools

Word Processor

Spreadsheet Software

Presentation Software

Email

Benefits of Using Email

Issues with Email

Text Messaging

Text Message Issues

Creating a Feedback Loop

Glossary