CRI10002: Fundamentals of Criminology

Assignment 3: Research Essay

Word/time limit: 2000 words (+/- 10%)

Weighting: 40%

Due date: 11:59pm AEDT Monday 2 February 2026 (Week 12)

Individual/team task: Individual

After you have read this information, head over to the Assignment 3 Q&A discussion board to ask any questions and see what your peers are saying about this assignment.

Assignment Overview

Assignment 3: Research essay requires you to select one particular type of criminal offence and choose whichever criminology theory you have studied that can best explain it. You will research the chosen theory and offence using different academic sources, and analyse this research to explain the cause(s) of your chosen criminal offence.  The annotated bibliography and essay plan you completed for Assignment 2 should help ensure you are well-prepared to write your essay.

This assignment supports unit learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.  

View the Rubric to learn about this assignment's marking criteria.

Assignment Details

This assignment builds upon the preparation work you completed as part of Assignment 2: Research essay plan and annotated bibliography. The research essay marks your debut as a junior criminologist. You will select one particular type of criminal offence and choose two criminology theories you have studied that can best explain it. The research essay requires you to research the chosen theories and offences using different academic sources and to analyse this research to explain the cause(s) of your chosen criminal offence.

Step 1: Select the type of offence 

Select one (1) of the following types of offence to focus on for your research essay. You can continue with the same offence that you worked on for Assignment 2.

Offence: Sexual assault, theft, arson, fraud, intimate partner violence, hacking, drug dealing, and money laundering.

Step 2: Research further and look back at your plan

Refer back to your Assignment 2: Research essay plan and annotated bibliography. Undertake further research about the ideas and theories concerning why the crime occurs (causation) concerning a particular criminology theory covered during the teaching period, e.g. strain theory and biological determinism.

Step 3: Select your theories

The essay requires you to analyse your chosen offence concerning two criminology theories studied throughout the teaching period. The research essay requires you to compare two selected theories critically and discuss why one of these theories offers the best explanation for why the offence occurs.

Select the crime causation theories that you think best explains why and how this offence occurs. You should include one (1) theory from column one and one (1) theory from column two.

Make sure you have some good notes and planning on how the theories can best be used to explain why and how the offence occurs.

Step 4: Write the body and introduction of your essay

In your essay, you must explain the links between your chosen offence and the crime causation theories you have selected. Outline the reasons why you  think this is the best explanatory model and provide examples—hypothetical or documented—to support your argument. Back up your argument with research. Use clear topic sentences to introduce each paragraph.

Many people find it easier to write the introduction after the essay's body. Remember, a good essay introduction includes a clear thesis statement.

Step 5: Policy response

In your conclusion, suggest one potential policy response that may help reduce or address the crime you researched. This suggestion should be broadly consistent with your theoretical analysis. For example, if you have chosen serial murder and explained it concerning biological determinism, you may suggest brain imaging and compulsory treatment for young offenders suspected of being predisposed to violent crime.

Additional Notes

Back up your claims with research. This means not only making a claim but also supporting that claim with evidence (i.e. references to scholarly sources). Good essays are well supported by research. Aim to include 1–2 references in each paragraph in the body of your essay.

Start writing early. A 2000-word essay takes time and you may find that your approach/argument changes as you conduct your research. Leave sufficient time to make changes.

Use appropriate sources, particularly peer-reviewed research articles and books. You may use other sources to provide supporting information (e.g. the ABS or the Victorian Crime Statistics Agency for crime statistics). Include a minimum of 10 scholarly references in your research essay. Remember that this is a research essay—we want to see how well you can find your information. This means we want to see references beyond the resources that we have given to you, i.e. your course textbook and required readings.

Do not use non-scholarly sources e.g. random websites and Wikipedia.

Reference properly. The required referencing style is APA 7, the same as Assignment 2: Research essay plan and annotated bibliography. Remember that material that is not referenced properly may breach your responsibilities regarding academic honesty.