Academic report about the Russian Mafia Solntsevskaya Bratva

Academic Report (Solntsevskaya Bratva)

The purpose of this assignment is to determine the constantly changing nature of organised criminal groups and the impact they currently have on political, social and economic development.

You are expected to write a report of 2,000 words on the modus operandi and the present impact, at national and/or international level, of ‘Solntsevskaya Bratva’ the Russian Mafia.

Each student will be expected to use a range of sources which should include academic works and recent media articles that report/analyse specific criminal events related to the modus operandi and the present impact of the selected group in that particular country. It is desirable to use charts and graphics wherever possible.

What is an Academic Report?

Top of Form

Report writing is an essential skill for professionals.

A report aims to inform, as clearly and succinctly as possible.

Below you can find some general guidelines.

A report is similar to an essay in that both need:

• formal style
• introduction, body and conclusion
• analytical thinking
• careful proof-reading and neat presentation

A report differs from an essay in that a report:

• presents information, not an argument
• is meant to be scanned quickly by the reader
• uses headings and sub-headings
• uses short, concise paragraphs
• uses graphics wherever possible (tables, graphs, illustrations)
• may need an abstract (sometimes called an executive summary)
• Might include appendices.

A report should generally include the following sections.

• Title page
• Might include list of abbreviations and/or glossary
• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion
• Bibliography
• Might include appendices

Reports and essays—what’s the difference?

Both essays and reports need:

• formal style
• careful proof-reading and neat presentation
• introduction, body and conclusion
• analytical thinking

Essential differences:

Title page

This normally contains:

• the report title which clearly states the purpose of the report
• full details of the person(s) for whom the report was prepared
• full details of the person(s) who prepared the report
• the date of the presentation of the report

Abbreviations and/or glossary

If necessary, you should provide an alphabetical list of the abbreviations you have used in the report, especially if they may not be familiar to all readers of the report.

If you have used a lot of technical terms, you should also provide a glossary (an alphabetical list of the terms, with brief explanations of their meanings).

Introduction

• Give enough background information to provide a context for the report.
• State the purpose of the report.
• Clarify key terms and indicate the scope of the report (ie what the report will cover and what its limitations are).

Body

• References to appropriate theories
• distinctive facts and explanation of how these relate to the broader context or body of evidence
• You might synthesise material from different sources under topic headings.
• Analysis/discussion of the sources you are reporting.

Conclusion

Sum up the main points of the report. The conclusion should clearly relate to the objectives of your report.

Bibliography

Appendices

An appendix contains material which is too detailed, technical, or complex to include in the body of the report (for example, specifications, a long complex table of figures etc), but which is referred to in the report. Appendices are put at the very end of the report, after everything else. Each appendix should contain different material. Number each appendix clearly and refer to it in the report itself to guide the reader to that material if s/he wishes to consult it.

Presentation of the report

The content and structure of your report is important; so is the presentation and style. First impressions count, so consider these simple tips to ensure your report is reader-friendly.

• Use sub-headings
• Use tables and figures (graphs, illustrations, maps etc) for clarification. Label them clearly and cite the source. These graphics should relate to the text of your report; for example, Figure 1 shows that the population of Bandung has increased dramatically since 1890, or The population of Bandung has increased dramatically since 1890 (see Figure 1).
• Number each page
• Use consistent and appropriate formatting
• Use formal but straightforward language: remember that reports are often written for non-specialists

Common problems

Some common problems with research report writing that you should take care to avoid are:

• the inclusion of careless, inaccurate, or conflicting data
• the inclusion of outdated or irrelevant data
• facts and opinions that are not separated
• unsupported conclusions
• jargon or other inaccessible terminology
• careless presentation and proof-reading
• too much emphasis on appearance and not enough attention to solid content