Sample Topic:  Turkmenistan Gas Reserves Estimated at 20 Trillion Cubic Feet.  Do potential rewards outweigh the risks?

Your company is considering an investment in Turkmenistan, either in pipeline construction, gas processing, or in exploration and production licenses. You have been asked to prepare a report.

(c) susan smith nash, 2004

Articles
Those With Pipelines Call the Tune

Rising Oil Production Costs

A New OPEC in the Pipeline?

Turkmenbashi -- The Man Who Would Be King 

Turkmenistani Mullahs Barred from International Travel

Turkmenistan's Recoverable Gas Reserves

Afghan Coal Miners -- Pits of Death

CIA Factbook:  Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan Project

One-sentence summary of your topic and purpose:  This report provides a basic background of the current political, economic, cultural situation in Turkmenistan and provides an overview of the investment climate.

Current concerns: 

Political background:  who is the leader?  what kind of regime is in place? what is the security situation?  are there internal issues?  issues with neighboring states?

Economic background:  what is the current economic situation?

Primary investment opportunities:  what are they?  why do they matter?

Cultural risk factors:  are there any cultural issues?

Potential Controversies:  Some of the possible controversies that could arise that could have an impact on the investment are: ______________________

Summary and/or overview of all the articles:
This is a one-paragraph overview of all of them.

Article Overview & Analysis -- Follow this structure for each article: 
a) One-paragraph overview

b) What facts and/or statistics did it provide that could help you make a decision or give an idea about the risk involved in investing in Turkmenistan?

c) What is the author's overall view of Turkmenistan?

Personal Opinions and Conclusions:  This is a place for you to discuss your views, and to expound upon outside pressures, competition for scarce resources, battle for influence and ideology, crossroads of conflict, unstable neighbors.

Recommendations, Insights, Ideas for Future Study:
Did I learn much from these articles & my subsequent research?  What was it?  What will I do next?  What recommendations would I make to the management team? My conclusions...

NOTE:  Citing Sources -- APA Style for Electronic Sources