So how would you find out about the accounting treatment of "Goodwill"? How about Google? 992,000 hits. Goodwill Industries, Goodwill Games. Finally, on the second page of search results - Trademarks & Business Goodwill http://www.fplc.edu/tfield/Trademk.htm. But it is primarily about trademarks. Then 5-6 pages of various Goodwill Industry branches.
If you want to use Google for searches like this, use more words - financial, accounting, treatment along with goodwill. Now only 28,100 hits but they all talk about accounting treatments, financial information and/or Financial Accounting Standards Board. Probably closer to what was wanted.
Rather than going to a general web search engine like Google, try looking for definitions in a fiancial dictionary. Many financial sites provide Glossaries.
Motley Fool: Glossary of Financial Terms
From accountant to zero-coupon bond, definitions to clear the confusion. http://www.fool.com/school/Glossary/glossary.htm
Vanguard glossary
http://www.vanguard.com/educ/glossary
WFN Glossary
Need a definition? Our glossary has over 6,000 terms and is cross-referenced with more than 16,000 hyperlinks, making it the largest financial glossary on the Internet. http://www.wfn.com/learn/glossary.asp
