Need some help with my Master's Thesis

I am currently in the process of doing research for my Master's thesis. The topic is gun violence/gun control/ the influence of the media. The title of this little gem is "Gun Violence and the Media Influence on America. Is the media, by offering predjudicial information actually creating a more dangerous environment." One of the premises that I need to prove is that media misinformation creates a more dangerous environement by creating a predjudice agains firearms. The inverse of that would be that a society which encourages private firearm ownership is much safer for everyone becuase the bad guys don't know who is and who isn't carrying. As part of the research, I have prepared a questionaire to be answered at random without coaching. I currently have received about 500 responses to this survey and would like to conclude the research with at least 1000 responses. It is posted at this address: <A HREF="http://www.jacksonholewyoming.net/elk/survey.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.jacksonholewyoming.net/elk/survey.html</A> Please take a couple of minutes and answer the questions. Please don't foget to complete the demographic questions at the end. Without those, the rest of it is useless to me. You could even pass the address around and get your friends to respond. I don't care if they hunt or not, own guns or not, I don't even care if they voted for Al Gore in the last election. Thanks for your help. If anyone has any questions, you can send them to: [email protected].Thanks [img]images/icons/cool.gif" border="0[/img]

Poll taken. Hopefully you'll get the turnout you yearn for..........

Poll taken and web site passed to friends and family. Bend

Poll completed, Good Luck in your masters program! [img]images/icons/laugh.gif" border="0[/img]

Poll taken.

Done. [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img] badger

Poll Taken, Nice site.

You got it!

Poll taken and passed on to several friends. Thanks for posting, Dan. Best of luck in you research. 7mm

Done, hope it helps.

done and passed on

Done deal.Mike

Done it Good luck

Done, but still wondering .... Is #7 a trick question? If not, it might be a good idea to define "assault weapon" in order to keep everyone on the same page. Good luck with your thesis.

done, good luck and get an A!

Done. Just for the record though.... The terms "Gun violence" and "Assault weapon" are meaningless,anti-gun drivel intend to incite fear amoung the ignorant soccer moms in our society. I'm surprised you included such ignorant terms in such an otherwise intelligent and unbiased poll. I wish ya luck! Cheers! Pat

did itWhen I hear "Assault weapon" I think of the leagel definition, but on TV it is used as a term to scare people into thinking of a MP-5, Mac 10 or other fully atomatic weapons, so people are happy to hear of bans on these gus, even thow they don't exactlay know what it means.

Got it, Did it, Sent it, -- no [img]images/icons/laugh.gif" border="0[/img]

Spike, Badger, -- I really don't know, but something is wrong somewhere. -- no [img]images/icons/crazy.gif" border="0[/img]

Done - and for the record, I did way better than on that IQ test!!!!Wade

That's great folks. I really appreciate the help. As for some of the comments, please remember that this has to be written so that soccer Moms will understand what it says. That's part of the game. Terms like "assault weapons" and "Gun Violence" are the parlance of the day. It's a term that Joe and Joann Citizen can relate to. The validity of the survey would be questionable if it were only submitted to people who owned one of more guns and thought they were OK. Gotta give the other side, no matter how disillusioned they are, an equal shot. Thanks again for your help. [img]images/icons/cool.gif" border="0[/img]

I don't understand how the use of clear and accurate terminology would NEGATIVELY affect the validity of your survey, but then, I didn't graduate, either. [img]images/icons/blush.gif" border="0[/img]

Good Survey. Had no problem with truthful answers. [img]images/icons/crazy.gif" border="0[/img]

Masters...? You Dan? [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img] Good luck, Sir...I gave ya my datapoint! Sparkman

Did your survey. Visited your elk site. What a great site! I would love to see an elk being quartered without gutting it first. Does that work on deer too? I've been kicking arould the idea of a new rifle and could not make up my mind between .270 Win and 7 Rem Mag. I think you just convinced me to go with the seven mag. I visited Jackson hole this summer, loved the Tetons! Have a few years to go until I can retire from my curent vocation then I plan to do something about the lack of an elk in my trophy room.

done [img]images/icons/laugh.gif" border="0[/img]

DoneScott

Done. Only thing I'd add, is I live in a rool... rule...ruale... rooul (damn it!) area. [img]images/icons/laugh.gif" border="0[/img]~~~Suluuq

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by danr55: That's great folks. I really appreciate the help. As for some of the comments, please remember that this has to be written so that soccer Moms will understand what it says. That's part of the game. Terms like "assault weapons" and "Gun Violence" are the parlance of the day. It's a term that Joe and Joann Citizen can relate to. The validity of the survey would be questionable if it were only submitted to people who owned one of more guns and thought they were OK. Gotta give the other side, no matter how disillusioned they are, an equal shot. Thanks again for your help. [img]images/icons/cool.gif" border="0[/img]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Sorry, but I think you're wrong. If loaded terms like "assault weapon" and "gun violence" are the "parlance of the day" as you say, then it's because the general public has an inaccurate idea of what those terms mean. Using such terms in a survey you hope to be unbiased only perpetuates the error. An assault weapon, for instance is illegal for most of us. To use the term when you REALLY mean a legal semi-auto that LOOKS like an assault weapon simply prompts the uninitiated to answer as though you were referring to the illegal weapon. Likewise "gun violence" is a buzzword that in the eyes of Jane Soccermom referrs to an act that WOULD NOT HAPPEN if there were just some "common sense" laws on the books. That it's unlawful anyway is not part of the thought process. In fact, loaded terms bypass the thought process. They evoke an EMOTIONAL response and answer. If your survey seeks reasoned responses you have to ditch the loaded, misleading and inaccurate terms you employ. I believe the term is "semanticlly neutral." [img]images/icons/crazy.gif" border="0[/img]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Talker: I believe the term is "semanticlly neutral." [img]images/icons/crazy.gif" border="0[/img]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I like it !! Btw .... about "weapon" ... that's semantically neutral, right? [img]images/icons/cool.gif" border="0[/img]

Done and good luck!

Talker, What do you think I would do with the "Assault Weapon" question if the majority of the responses come back positive? If any of the resonses come back positive for that matter. How many crimes involving guns are actually committed by felons using what is termed, in the most drastic stretch of anyone's definition, as an assault weapon? What percentage of actual "armed" crimes does that represent? If you get to one, you've gone too far. Now, please stop criticizing the composition of the questions and respond or not. It appears as though two of the boards where this request has been posted have psuedo lawyers representing, or challenging the integrity of my questionaire or my purpose in posting it. In two years, no one except me will remember this paper. I don't understand why it is such an issue. [img]images/icons/tongue.gif" border="0[/img] [img]images/icons/cool.gif" border="0[/img]

two years? Heck, I don't think I'll remember it much more than a day after it is not on the top 20 topics of this board!

I will remember the difficulties you went through to get the replies to a survey that you needed done to help you with your thesis Dan. I for one was glad to help out.

Dan, I did do the survey...and I wish you well with it. But I'm a writer and journalist and I m a bit anal about words and how they're used. As a shooter, I'm also keenly aware of how we're often painted in the worst possible light in the general press. Sorry if that sensitivity came off as hostility to your survey or it's goals. None intended. Talker

Dan, psuedo lawyers are called "Citizens" in this day and age. There are two seperate camps on this issue. Those that know what an "Assault weapon" is,and those that don't know that the term referrs to something that dosn't exist. Science is pure,in that it seeks the truth using only pure data to the best human efforts to make it so. Anything else is suspect,or invalid,as corrupted by political bias. The terms "assault weapon" and "Gun violence" in a scientific survey, is akin to an aerospace engineer using the term "Thingy" to describe a part of a propulsion system. Not to harsh a good intentioned effort man,but "Talker" ain't just a journalist. He has several major journalism awards,and is the news director for the majority of the radio stations in a quartly region of Michigan,and a fellow speaker of the truth. He also ain't afraid to go against the politically correct grain even if his demographic is predominately soccer moms. He speaks the truth and they cannot refute it.If he offers advice to the validity of a study take it!He deals daily with the study's of the anti's,and refutes them to keep his news reports honest and reputable,and has done so for a long time now.The other mindless sheep spew forth facts and figures from flawed and slanted studies and surveys,and are soon memorys. It's all in a constructive light I assure you.Just some advice from a guy who is actually on your side,like it or not. Good luck! E4E

poll completed. Thanks for the web site.