Analyzing A Source: Should Everyone Be Legally Armed?

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Analyzing a Source
Authors express their views differently and to diverse audience. The direction and objectives of their work is influenced by their knowledge in the subject, personal bias, environmental factors and the strategies used to capture the attention of the reader. Thus, the dependability of their works must be analyzed contextually. Authors tap into the knowledge gap of their readers to influence their perspective, thoughts and action on the subject since they are insufficiently informed. Thus, in analyzing any article, all these elements must be considered to establish the authority it has on a particular subject and how it is convenient in using it as a source to your academic work. Thus, it is important to analyze the perspective of the author and the objectives he/she aims to achieve for every article or establish the integrity of the article.
Good article
The article The Science of Guns Proves Arming Untrained Citizens Is a Bad Idea authored by Michael Shermer is a good source to consider on the gun ownership debate. The author analyzes and explores some publicly available statistics by reputable organizations on gun ownership and its contribution to violence especially at home. He ties these statistics to his argument that gun ownership contributes to loss of more innocent civilian lives. Additionally, he argues that any firearm in the hands of any untrained person is more likely to cause harm than guns held by licensed individuals. He asserts that the rhetoric held by many especially pro-gun ownership that it is for self-defense is false. On the contrary, it is more likely to be used in homicide. Using statistics from secondary sources, the author reaffirms that disarming untrained citizens reduces significantly the risk of losing innocent lives to licensed gun owners. He pegs his argument on the statistics he compiles from various sources and asserts that they are key in clarifying the gun ownership debate to pave way for better legislations that can significantly reduce gun violence in America.
The authority of the article content is derived from the sources the author uses to compile the article. He has extensively researched on gun ownership related crimes and contextually analyzed them in relation to pro-gun ownership. The sources included in the article are authoritative and some peer reviewed. They are from independent researchers conducted by independent bodies wishing to shine a light on the gun ownership debate. The information used as sources materials for the article is factual and form a strong basis for an argument. The inclusion of statistics in the article is meant to influence the readers to push for reforms in the existing laws on gun ownership.
The author uses rhetorical strategies to propagate his message. He carefully packages his information to appeal to the readers to adopt his perspective on the issue. The statistics included in the article are primarily to appeal to the emotion of the readers and call for action. The details included on deaths from licensed gun owners draws emotions from the readers to relate to the pain of the victims. The author also uses logic to sway his readers to reconsider their position on the issue. Logic is derived ...