Research FACT: Different paradigms of research focus influences the "conclusion"

Background:

Many of you are about to go on to higher level Criminal Justice courses. Many of you will take CJ 323 Criminology and then CJ 440W Research Methods and Statistics. Some of you may not even major in Criminal Justice but will select a different major. Regardless of your major, each student is required to take a research writing based course in his/her major.

As such, you will learn about research methodology and how different paradigms of view on the EXACT SAME DATA can be changed to support one's own bias. The goal of any college educated student needs to be: UNBIASED CONCLUSIONS BASED ON RESEARCH DATA and the realization of your own personal bias foundation. Much like a criminal investigator, an unbiased Criminal Justice Researcher has to look at the data and then make a decision/conclusion.

TASKS:

Click, access, and then read the two articles below. The first article link is from Snopes.com and it introduces you to criticism of a research article conclusion that was completed by the Crime Prevention Research Center. Then, the second article is a rebuttal of the Snopes' article.

YOU ARE TO READ BOTH ARTICLES AND THEN conduct your own independent assessment of the data.

Essentially, you are to post your own research conclusion based off the data presented. In this response, I encourage you to address which article you believe or feel is the MOST UNBIASED. You are to conduct OTHER RESEARCH for each viewpoint.

Essentially, you are to act as if Fox News or CNN has requested you to be appear on a televised show. As such, you MUST BE PREPARED TO RESPOND academically to these articles as a Criminal Justice Professional.

RESEARCH QUESTION THAT MUST BE ANSWERED:

HOW DOES THE U.S. REALLY COMPARE TO EUROPEAN COUNTRIES REGARDING MASS SHOOTINGS RELATED TO DEATH RATES?

ARTICLES YOU MUST READ:

1. Does the United States Have a Lower Death Rate From Mass Shootings Than European Countries? A pro-gun rights economist uses questionable statistical methods to create a misleading impression (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
2. Fact Checker Snopes.com’s big mistakes in comparing mass public shootings in the US and Europe (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.