Generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) are a common set of accounting __________, standards and procedures that companies must follow when they compile their __________ statements. __________ is a combination of authoritative standards (set by policy boards) and the commonly accepted ways of recording and reporting accounting information. GAAP improves the clarity of the communication of ____________ information. GAAP is meant to ensure a minimum level of ____________ in a company's financial statements, which makes it easier for investors to ________ and extract useful information. GAAP also facilitates the cross comparison of financial information _______ different companies.​