A general frame of reference is used to evaluate the many areas of financial accounting theory and practice. It includes a number of theories that are not necessarily consistent with each other and that may lead to different conclusions. Evaluations are made at three basic levels: the structural level, the semantic interpretation level, and the pragmatic level. Emphasis is placed on the inductive-deductive and the capital market approaches in the evaluations, although other approaches are discussed where appropriate. Suggested solutions are tentative and subject to change as new evidence becomes available.