Sample of a Quantitative Report

SOC 108A Research Traditions

1.  Introduction: Begin your research report by identifying the social phenomenon that you studied. Why is this topic important? This section must include at least 5 references about the topic from previous research published in peer-reviewed journals or in academic outlets in the last three years (3 points)

Guns  culture  in  America  is  pervasive.  Based  in  data  from  the  Small  Arms  Survey, conducted in 2017, the United States is the country with the highest civilian gun ownership in the world (e.g.,  120.50 civilian guns per 100 people, compared to 19.6 in France and in Germany) (Karp 2018). The right to bear arms is granted to American in the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United  States, which was originally written to protect the right of private citizens to bear arms to form a citizen militia that could overthrow a tyrannical power, right that includes self-protection. Gun ownership in the United States has increased steadily. For example, between 2000 and 2013, purchases of pistols and rifles grew from about  1 million to about 4 million  annually  (Karp  2018).  By  2023,  about  four  in  ten  U.S.  adults  have  a  gun  in  their household, with   men more likely than women to own a gun  (40% vs. 25%)   (Pew Research Center 2023), with protection cited as the main major reason for gun ownership (Gallup, 2023; Pew Research Center 2017). It is worth noting that previous research has consistently found a gender difference in terms of opinions about gun control and gun ownership, where women are more likely to favor gun regulation (compared to men) and less likely to own guns (Goss 2017; Goss 2006).

Nationally representative data collected in 2023 show a clear partisan divide regarding gun ownership and policies supporting gun control. These data provide evidence that compared to Republican and Republican leaners, Democrats and Democratic leaners are more likely to report that (1) “it is too easy to legally obtain a gun in America” (86% vs. 34%), (2) gun violence is a big problem (81% vs. 38%), and that (3) they favor stricter gun laws (86% vs. 28%) (Pew Research Center 2023). In terms of gun ownership, they are less likely to own a gun compared to Republican and Republican leaners (20% vs. 45%). Yet, it is worth noting that some scholars have found that this partisan divide deepened during the Obama administration, and was not as important before  (Miller 2019). While in 2016, the Republican Party Platform called for a strong defense  of  gun  rights  and  rejection  of  gun  control  reforms,  in  the  2020  Democratic  Party Platform politicians called for ending gun violence through gun control measures (Hansen & Seppala 2023).

2.  Research question: State clearly your main research question, and your hypothesis about the relation between dependent variable and independent variable (3 points)

The focus of the analysis will be to examine the following research question:

“Does political party affiliation influence opinions/behaviors about guns?”

To answer this question, I use data from the General Social Survey collected in 2022. I used two dependent  variables  to  examine  this  question: (1) gun ownership, (2) opinions about permit requirements to buy a gun. Therefore, I use two questions from the GSS. The first question asks “Do you happen to have in your home any guns or revolvers?” with possible answers 1.Yes, 2.No, 3.Refused.   And  a  second  question  that  asks “Would you favor or oppose a law which would require a person to obtain a police permit before he or she could buy a gun?” with possible answers 1.Favor, 2.Oppose.

The main independent variable in the analysis is political party affiliation. The GSS asks

“Generally speaking, do you usually think of yourself as a Republican, Democrat, Independent, or what?” with possible answers 1.Strong democrat, 2.Not very strong democrat, 3.Independent, close  to  democrat,  4.Independent  (neither,  no  response),  5.Independent,  close  to  republican, 6.Not  very  strong  republican,   7.Strong  republican,  8.Other  party.  For  the  purpose  of this analysis, I will collapse Political Party Affiliation in three categories: 1. Democrats (by adding up categories 1. and 2. from the previous variable), 2. Republicans (by adding up 6. And 7. from the previous variable), and 3. Independent and Other (by adding up 3., 4., 5., and 7.).

As  part  of this  examination,  I  also  investigate  if gender  moderates  the  association between political party affiliation and opinions about guns. Specifically, I ask “Does these associations vary by gender?”

Based on previous evidence, I hypothesize that Democrats will be more likely to favor gun control and less likely to own guns compared to Republicans, and that the association will be stronger for women than for men.

3.  Data: Describe your sample (provide descriptive statistics of the variables you are using in the analysis, this may include univariate distributions, and  graphs)  (4 points)

<See Table 1 and Figures 1 and 2 in the Appendix>

Table 1 and Figures 1 and 2 show that among the U.S. population 18 or older, 61% are not gun owners and that   70%  favor  gun  control.  Our  sample is comprised by 30% Democrats, 24% Republicans, and 47% Independents and from Other parties; furthermore the sex composition of the sample is 50% male and 50% female. 

4.  Methods: Based on this explain which are the relevant cross-tabulations and statistical tests you are going to use to test these associations. Then explain which are the moderator variables that you will examine and the strategy you will follow to check whether the moderator variables alter the main association of the analysis.  (5 points)

To examine my main research question, I conduct my analysis for one of the dependent variables (i.e., gun ownership), and then I repeat the same analysis for the other dependent variable (i.e., opinions about gun control).

My analytical strategy in both cases include the following steps:

Step 1: The examination of a contingency table to check if there are variations in gun ownership/ opinions about gun control based on political party affiliation.

Step  2:  Estimate  a  Chi2  test  to  check  if the  observed  association between   gun  ownership/ opinions about gun control and  political party affiliation is statistically significant. 

Step 3: Examine if gender moderates the association between gun ownership/ opinions about gun control and political party affiliation. To do this, I stratify the sample by gender, and perform steps 1 and 2 only for females, and then perform steps 1 and 2 only for males. 

5.   Findings: Present your findings, by describing the patterns in your tables and in your graphs. Were your hypotheses supported by your findings? The graphs and tables that the onlinedata analysis system produces are not very visually appealing. Re-do the graphs and tables in either Word or Excel by presenting the relationships in your study in a straightforward and visually appealing way. Make sure to paste your tables and your graphs in the write-up of your report. (5 points)

●   Bivariate analysis

<See Table 2 in the Appendix>

Table 2 shows contingency tables that examine the association between the two dependent variables and political affiliation. We observe that Democrats and Independents are less likely to own a gun compared to Republicans, specifically only 26% of Democrats own a gun versus 52% of Republicans. Based on a Chi-square test of joint significance I found that the association is statistically significant (p-value<0.05) (see Table 2a and 2b with the observed and expected values, and the value of the chi2test).

Table 2 also shows Democrats and Independents are more likely to favor gun control compared to Republicans, specifically 87% of Democrats versus 50% of Republicans. Based  on a Chi-square test of joint significance I found that the association is statistically significant (p-value<0.05) (see Table 2a and 2b with the observed and expected values, and the value of  the chi2test)).

●   Multi-variate analysis

To check if these associations vary by gender, I stratify the sample and conduct separately analysis for females and then for males.

<See Table 3for females in the Appendix>

Table 3 shows that Female Democrats are even less likely to own a gun compared to all the adult population in the U.S. (21% in Table 3 versus 26% in Table 2). Female Republicans are the most likely to own a gun (48%) compared to Democrats (21%) and Independents-Others  (26%).  Based on a Chi-square test, this association is statistically significant (p-value<0.05)  (see Table 3a and 3b with the observed and expected values, and the value of the chi2test).

Furthermore, as expected Female Democrats are the most likely to favor gun control (91%) compared to Independents (79%) and to Republicans (57%); and, the association between   these two variables is statistically significant (p-value<0.05) (see Table 3c and 3d with the   observed and expected values, and the value of the chi2test).

<See Table 4for males in the Appendix>

Table 4 shows Male Democrats are more likely to own a gun compared to all the adult population in the U.S. (32% in Table 4 versus 26% in Table 2). Similar to our findings for all the population, Male Republicans are the most likely to own a gun (55%) compared to

Democrats (32%) and Independents-Others (40%).  Based on a Chi-square test, this association is statistically significant (p-value<0.05) (see Table 4a and 4b with the observed and expected values, and the value of the chi2test). Moreover, Male Democrats are the most likely to favor gun control (82%) compared to Independents (60%) and to Republicans (43%); and, the association between these two variables is statistically significant (p-value<0.05) (see Table 4c and 4d with the observed and expected values, and the value of the chi2test).

Overall, the tables show gender differences, specifically, among Democrats, Females are less likely to own a gun compared to males (21% vs. 32%), and are more likely to favor gun control (91% vs. 82%). Among Republicans, the gender differences remain,  Female Republicans are less likely to own a gun compared to males (49% vs. 55%), and are more likely to favor gun control (57% vs. 44%).

5.   Conclusion: State again your hypothesis and your findings. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your study. What general conclusions about social relations did you draw from your study? (3 points)

This analysis shows our hypotheses about the association between political party affiliation and opinions and behaviors about guns were correct. Compared to Democrats and Independents, Republicans are more likely to own guns and less likely to favor gun control. These pattern among female and among males.