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Gun control research
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Gun control research
Newman, B. J., & Hartman, T. K. (2019). Mass shootings and public support for gun control.
British Journal of Political Science, 49(4), 1527-1553.
[Link]
The authors’ research on mass shootings and public support for gun control raise vital questions
about these tragic events that impact public policy and mass opinion. The article
integrates contextual trajectories, insight focus events, and perceived threats of public
deaths by calling for more support in controlling continuous deaths and making of severe
impacts of gun violence more salient. Drawing shreds of evidence from numerous data
sources on mass shootings and gun violence, the authors of this journal pair massive N-
data surveys among Asians, whites, Latinos, and African American young populations to
demonstrate the increasing proximity of public deaths and the need to support more strict
gun control measures. The authors indicate that the effects of mass killing do not vary
due to partnership but rather as salient related factors such as recency, magnitude, and
repetition of the same gun control policies. Therefore, this peer-reviewed journal will
help provide contextual analysis of existing gun policies, demand for policy change, and
egregious violence among different sets of individuals. The authors of this journal,
Newman and Hartman, are recognized American scholars.
Toch, H., & Lizotte, A. J. (2019). Research and policy: The case of gun control. In Psychology
and social policy (pp. 223-240). Taylor & Francis.9781315793030
Toch and Lizotte’s book research on gun violence and gun control policy argue that it is
challenging to end gun-related crime as most of the United States population has access
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to this dangerous weapon. This research suggests that reducing the number of licensed
gun dealers is an amicable solution to reducing gun availability. Drawing evidence from
real experimental studies and tests across the United States, for instance, interviewing the
high school-age population of African Americans, whites, Asians, and Latinos, the
authors of this book provide special documentation of gun control measures that will
reduce violence and the growth of gang activities. Therefore, with this empirical evidence
and insights, this book will critically assess barriers, availability, and destructive urges in
understanding gun control and violence across the United States. The book is analyzed by
Hans Toch and Lizotte, distinguished criminologists and psychology experts. Besides, the
book provides evident facts using images and data sets to explain the lethality and
brutality of gun possession among the public.
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Reflection
A credible source is vital in evaluating information; therefore, I fully understand the
questions required when preparing my research sources. One essential question I ask myself is
who are the sources of information or the authors, and are they clear to general the audience?
Thus, it is easier to assess biased information with this question, especially when addressing
sensitive audiences. The depth and objectivity of the sources are vital because a reliable source
provides a summary of essential facts discussed in the entire journal, book, article, or any other
form of the data source.
This assessment of the source's credibility is beneficial in my academic progress, let
alone the research process, because it helps match important information with the topic
requirement for good research. Since research begins with wanting to know about something,
preliminary evaluations play a vital role in understanding, analyzing, problem-solving, and
decision-making for potentially credible solutions. Therefore, this evaluation plays a pivotal role
in the entire process of research formulation.
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