Gun Policy Law
OVERVIEW
The most important channel for academic research is the peer-reviewed journal article. In a peer-
reviewed journal article, a scholar will:
1) propose a research question;
2) demonstrate the
importance of this research question through analysis of relevant literature;
3) introduce a study
that will explore the research question;
4) detail and analyze the results of that study; 5) draw
conclusions from that study.
Before an article of this kind is published, it will be reviewed by other scholars who have
published their own studies in this field. Typically, the identities of the study’s author(s) are not
shared with reviewers and vice versa; this is to ensure that work is published based on its own
merits, rather than on the popularity or personal relationships of the author.
Reviewers will critique every aspect of the study and provide anonymous feedback. Often this
peer review process will require multiple refinements or revisions of the study. The goal of this
process is to ensure that when the article is published, it addresses a relevant research question, it
uses a sound methodological approach, it interprets data fairly and accurately, and it draws sound
conclusions.
The goal of every scholar is to publish a peer-reviewed article. Before publishing a peer-
reviewed article, though, it is important for the scholar to develop skill in reviewing and
critically assessing such an article. That is the purpose of this Journal Article Review
Assignment.
INSTRUCTIONS
In this Journal Article Review Assignment, you will submit a review and evaluation of a single
article, relevant to your dissertation research interest, that has been published in the past five
years in a peer-reviewed journal. In this Journal Article Review Assignment, you will:
Identify the research question or central thesis of the article;
Explain the method used to support the claims of the article
o State whether the method is quantitative or qualitative and give a brief
explanation of the methodological approach.
o State what data is collected. (For example: Is it a public opinion poll? An analysis
of historical budget data? A forecast of future COVID infections? An explanation
of congressional voting patterns by ideology?)
Explain and evaluate the conclusions drawn from the study
o Assess whether the conclusions drawn by the article’s authors seem sound based
on the data they present.
o Identify any weaknesses or oversights of the article.
