Research Guides: Gun Control: Gun Control Research

Gun Control Research

Key Search Words

Use the words below to search for useful information in books and articles.

gun control
gun rights
Second Amendment
handguns
assault weapons
firearms
gun violence
school shootings

Pro Con Arguments

Pro Argument

Brady Campaign to Stop Bad Apple Gun Dealers

Con Argument

National Rifle Association's position on universal background checks

Start Learning About Your Topic

Background Reading:

It's important to begin your research learning something about your subject; in fact, you won't be able to create a focused, manageable thesis unless you already know something about your topic.

This step is important so that you will:

Begin building your core knowledge about your topic
Be able to put your topic in context
Create research questions that drive your search for information
Create a list of search terms that will help you find relevant information
Know if the information you’re finding is relevant and useful

If you're working from off campus, you'll need to sign in. Once you click on the name of a database, simply enter your student ID (without the W) and your six-digit birth date.

Top Picks:

All of these resources are free for MJC students, faculty, & staff.

Issues and Controversies: Gun Control
CQ Researcher: Gun Control
Gale eBooks: Gun Control
America's Gun Wars: A Cultural History of Gun Control in the United States
This book examines the controversies surrounding gun control in the U.S., which, it asserts, are about whether to prioritize the traditional values of rugged independence or newer values of communitarian interdependence. It explores the origins and evolution of cultures in American society; the beliefs, experiences, and principles that guide the behavior of members in both camps; and the triumphs and failures that each have experienced from colonial times to the present day.
School and College Safety and Security Issues
Newspaper articles on issues of school security including coverage of recent events at Sandy Hook Elementary School and historical information on school violence.
More guns, less crime: understanding crime and gun-control laws
Relying on the most rigorously comprehensive data analysis ever conducted on crime statistics and right-to-carry laws, the book directly challenges common perceptions about the relationship of guns, crime, and violence.

Create Research Questions to Focus Your Topic

Gun control is a complex issue that involves crime, legislation, and the Constitution. You could concentrate on one issue and do in-depth research on that, or use several of the questions below to focus more generally on the topic of gun control or gun violence.

Is gun violence a serious problem in America?
Does limiting access to guns reduce gun violence?
What laws exist to control gun ownership?
How are guns purchased and transferred in America?
How do other countries regulate gun ownership?
Should gun rights be controlled by states or by the federal government?
What are the arguments for regulating gun ownership?
What are the arguments against regulating gun ownership?

Find books in the MJC library catalog

Why Use Books:

Use books to read broad overviews and detailed discussions of your topic. You can also use books to find primary sources, which are often published together in collections.

Where Do I Find Books?

You'll use the library catalog to search for books, ebooks, articles, and more.

What if MJC Doesn't Have What I Need?

If you need materials (books, articles, recordings, videos, etc.) that you cannot find in the library catalog, use our interlibrary loan service.

Find Articles in Library Databases

All of these resources are free for MJC students, faculty, & staff.

If you're working from off campus, you'll need to sign in. Once you click on the name of a database, simply enter your student ID (without the W) and your six-digit birth date.

Gale Databases
Search over 35 databases simultaneously that cover almost any topic you need to research at MJC. Gale databases include articles previously published in journals, magazines, newspapers, books, and other media outlets.
EBSCOhost Databases
Search 22 databases simultaneously that cover almost any topic you need to research at MJC. EBSCO databases include articles previously published in journals, magazines, newspapers, books, and other media outlets.
Access World News
Search the full text of editions of record for local, regional, and national U.S. newspapers as well as full-text content of key international sources. Your source for The Modesto Bee for local and regional news from January 1989 to the present.

Even though these articles were published well after your time period, you can search for your time period to find subjects mentioned that you can then try to find primary sources to illustrate the point you learned about in one of these articles.

Access World News: School and College Security and Safety Issues
Newspaper articles on issues of school security including coverage of recent events at Sandy Hook Elementary School and historical information on school violence.

Find Web Resources

Search Google Scholar:

Browse Featured Web Sites:

National Rifle Association
"While widely recognized today as a major political force and as America's foremost defender of Second Amendment rights, the NRA has, since its inception, been the premier firearms education organization in the world."
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
"We are devoted to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in our communities."
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
"A unique law enforcement agency in the United States Department of Justice that protects our communities from violent criminals, criminal organizations, the illegal use and trafficking of firearms, the illegal use and storage of explosives, acts of arson and bombings, acts of terrorism, and the illegal diversion of alcohol and tobacco products"

Cite Your Sources

Your instructor should tell you which citation style they want you to use. Click on the appropriate link below to learn how to format your paper and cite your sources according to a particular style.