diff --git a/lib/cancan/controller_resource.rb b/lib/cancan/controller_resource.rb
index 3371f36..064e964 100644
--- a/lib/cancan/controller_resource.rb
+++ b/lib/cancan/controller_resource.rb
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ module CanCan
     end
 
     def authorization_action
-      parent? ? :read : @params[:action].to_sym
+      parent? ? :show : @params[:action].to_sym
     end
 
     def id_param
diff --git a/lib/cancan/model_additions.rb b/lib/cancan/model_additions.rb
index 962c2cd..0f32d36 100644
--- a/lib/cancan/model_additions.rb
+++ b/lib/cancan/model_additions.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ module CanCan
   module ModelAdditions
     module ClassMethods
       # Returns a scope which fetches only the records that the passed ability
-      # can perform a given action on. The action defaults to :read. This
+      # can perform a given action on. The action defaults to :index. This
       # is usually called from a controller and passed the +current_ability+.
       #
       #   @articles = Article.accessible_by(current_ability)
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ module CanCan
       #   @articles = Article.accessible_by(current_ability, :update)
       #
       # Here only the articles which the user can update are returned.
-      def accessible_by(ability, action = :read)
+      def accessible_by(ability, action = :index)
         ability.model_adapter(self, action).database_records
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/cancan/controller_resource_spec.rb b/spec/cancan/controller_resource_spec.rb
index 809dc41..2c40588 100644
--- a/spec/cancan/controller_resource_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/cancan/controller_resource_spec.rb
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ describe CanCan::ControllerResource do
   it "should authorize parent resource in collection action" do
     @params[:action] = "index"
     @controller.instance_variable_set(:@category, :some_category)
-    stub(@controller).authorize!(:read, :some_category) { raise CanCan::AccessDenied }
+    stub(@controller).authorize!(:show, :some_category) { raise CanCan::AccessDenied }
     resource = CanCan::ControllerResource.new(@controller, :category, :parent => true)
     lambda { resource.authorize_resource }.should raise_error(CanCan::AccessDenied)
   end
@@ -293,10 +293,10 @@ describe CanCan::ControllerResource do
     @controller.instance_variable_get(:@project).name.should == "foobar"
   end
 
-  it "should only authorize :read action on parent resource" do
+  it "should only authorize :show action on parent resource" do
     project = Project.create!
     @params.merge!(:action => "new", :project_id => project.id)
-    stub(@controller).authorize!(:read, project) { raise CanCan::AccessDenied }
+    stub(@controller).authorize!(:show, project) { raise CanCan::AccessDenied }
     resource = CanCan::ControllerResource.new(@controller, :project, :parent => true)
     lambda { resource.load_and_authorize_resource }.should raise_error(CanCan::AccessDenied)
   end