Evaluating Use of Literature and Problem Statement

In “Associations Between Gun Violence Exposure, Gang Associations, and Youth Aggression,” Forster, Grigsby, Unger, et al. (2015) use logical regression models on cross-sectional data from three middle schools in California to determine the associations between aggression, self-control, and gang affiliations. The Literature Checklist, the Litmus Test Guide, and the Problem Statement Checklist all provide frameworks for evaluating the reliability and validity of the Forster, Grigby, Unger, et al. (2015) research. The Litmus Test Guide covers four main parameters including whether the research was justified, grounded in the literature, original, and also amenable to scientific study. Ideally, any doctoral or professional research should meet all four of these main criteria. The Problem Statement Checklist focuses more specifically on the problem statement itself, which should be clearly stated, with a guiding rationale for the research. Moreover, the problem statement should be consistent with the research methods used in the field and show how the current research will address the problem in light of gaps in recent literature. The Use of Literature Checklist then offers guidelines for how to assess the ways the authors present and evaluate a review of literature on the topic.
The Forster, Grigsby, Unger, et al. (2015) research passes the litmus test on all four parameters. For example, the authors justify the need for the current research—which is essentially to reduce rates of violence in communities. The researchers also identify gaps in the literature that show why the research is warranted. Those gaps include the lack of sufficient evidence showing which specific variables need to be addressed in intervention programs. Thus, the research is shown to be original while also extending from a wide body of existing evidence. Because they use an established data set, the researchers also designed a study that is amenable to future scientific investigation.
Assessed according to the Problem Statement Checklist, Forster, Grigsby, Unger, et al. (2015) state the problem in the introduction to the research, citing assault deaths among youth using a variety of sources and claiming a need for more evidence-based policies, practices, and programs to identify the “modifiable risk factors” that can be addressed through effective interventions (p. 1). Then, the authors show why they have selected the variables they did, including exposure to violence in the community or family. The authors also clarify that they are working within a social learning theory framework. Therefore, the authors show how their research is consistent with prior approaches, and also thoroughly outline the methods they use to assess and remedy the identified problems. The sources cited are generally current, but the authors do cite several studies that are five years old or more, making this one of the main weak spots.
The Use of Literature Checklist further reveals strengths and weaknesses of the current research. The authors do introduce the theoretical foundations, grounded in the literature, and also provide direction to their approach to the problem, research questions, and hypotheses. For example, the authors address each of the core variables in turn, citing appropriate literature related to areas like peer relationships and other environmental variables that increase risk for violent behaviors. Having clarified and contextualized the purpose of the research, the authors then state the methods they use to address the problem. When reviewing prior literature, the authors do not, however, offer details about the research design, methods, and procedures. The authors also do not critique the body of literature or point out methodological problems that they seek to address with their original research. Many of the studies cited are more than five years old, but the authors still do justify why their research is needed, and how future researchers can also contribute to a body of evidence that can be of use to policymakers.
References
Forster, M., Grigsby, T. J., Unger, J. B., & Sussman, S. (2015). Associations between gun violence exposure, gang associations, and youth aggression: Implications for prevention and intervention programs. Journal of Criminology, 
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/963750
“Litmus Test Guide.”
“Problem Statement Checklist.”
“Use of Literature Checklist.”