What is one method to address risk material misstatement (RMM) in an audit?

Maintaining professional skepticism is a fundamental concept in auditing that helps auditors address the risk of material misstatement (RMM). This approach involves an attitude of questioning and a critical assessment of audit evidence, ensuring that auditors remain alert to conditions that may indicate possible misstatement due to error or fraud. By fostering professional skepticism, auditors are more likely to recognize and investigate anomalies, inconsistencies, or potential biases in the information presented to them. This vigilance is crucial in forming accurate judgments and conclusions about the financial statements, effectively increasing the reliability of the audit.

The other options do not align with best practices in addressing RMM. For instance, performing less oversight can lead to overlooking significant issues; reducing the size of the sample can diminish the auditor's ability to draw valid conclusions about the entire population; and avoiding newly experienced staff could eliminate fresh perspectives that can contribute to the audit process. All these approaches may inadvertently increase the risk of misstatement rather than mitigate it.