Analyzing Sources
Government Data
PSYC FPX 3210 Assessment 1: Analyzing Sources Government data are any statistical data obtained and published by government agencies from local to state or national levels (Ansari et al., 2021). They serve as valuable statistics for the study of policies and decision-making tools for researchers at academic institutions, and also reflect a lot about economic indicators, public health statistics, census data, education outcome, and environment. Government data typically is collected via surveys, records, and official administrative processes so that the results are reliable and consistent. Data from the government is usually accessible and free and is open for use by many people, thus enabling researchers and policymakers to conduct trend analyses for informed decision making and evidence-based strategy formulation. Generally, government data is deemed to be authoritative, but the method and biases that may be involved in the collection process must be scrutinized.
Using the Library
In the Capella University Library, using Summons, search for children and poverty. How many results does this give you?
Accessing library resources at Capella University using Summons is a comprehensive tool for searching for academic materials. Users can find a wide variety of scholarly articles, books, and other materials on the subject of children and poverty by typing in the search term “children and poverty.” The number of results will vary with the library’s current database and the specificity of the search query.
The issue of children living in poverty is one of the world’s most important issues, bringing deep implications on their health, education, and general well-being (Nyagwencha-Nyamweya, 2022). Studies reveal that children in the poorest households receive the lowest returns from public education funding, perpetuating a cycle of poverty. According to a UNICEF report, the poorest 20% of learners receive only 16% of public education funding, whereas the richest reap 28%. This disparity gives ample reason why financing for these must be ensured fairly to ensure combating “learning poverty” by quality education that children must avail.
The problem of childhood poverty has persisted in the United States and has touched millions of families in different parts of the country (Brady, 2023). Statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau show that 1 in 6 children live in poverty, with majority cases occurring in children who belong to color races. Poverty affects children’s access to quality education, healthcare, and general well-being. Low-income children are usually confronted with multiple barriers that hinder success, such as; poor housing, food insecurity, and lack of access to good educational facilities. Such conditions perpetuate the cycle of poverty because those born and brought up in such an environment tend to produce low-quality academic performance and poorer employment opportunities.
Other examples include the U.S. government implementing programs such as SNAP, the Child Tax Credit, and TANF (Maguire-Jack et al., 2021). These are among the several initiatives that help children out of poverty. While the programs mentioned are essential in ensuring low-income families have basic necessities, the amount of funding provided is often less than the necessary amount or subject to political pressure, thereby restricting their scope. For example, the Child Tax Credit has been proved to be one of the main tools for fighting child poverty. However, all the potential will not be actualized until reforms of policies have extended its cover to more families. The debate over welfare and social safety nets is still one of the most contested issues in U.S. politics, with constant discussions about how best to address the root causes of poverty and provide long-term solutions for children in need.
In addition, disparities arising in economies relating to child poverty can be catalyzed by endemic inequalities within the United States, such as racial and ethnic inequality, location, and the level of healthcare and medical treatment. For instance, empirical findings indicate that children living in rural areas have higher chances of being in poverty as well as facing difficulties in accessing basic services compared to urban settings. Similar to this, children of color, especially Black and Latino children, are disproportionately burdened by poverty because of historical and ongoing discrimination. Child poverty in the United States needs to be addressed in a holistic way that not only provides immediate financial assistance but also addresses the structural factors that keep perpetuating inequality. This includes educational improvements, better healthcare, employment opportunities for the poor, and advocating for policies that support economic growth in a way that’s fair.
Using Scholarly Articles
High-quality researches are never done without using scholarly articles; that is when such issues of complex natures as child poverty come into mind (Attanasio et al., 2021). Scholarly articles are research, critical reviews, or even critical analyses. Such publications represent a source written by experts of certain fields for furthering understanding on the grounds of evidence and informing how certain social issues ought to be solved. With regards to child poverty, academic journal articles can include detailed analysis regarding the causes and effects of such a phenomenon as well as various solutions, frequently based on empirical evidence and theory. They may be accessed online through various scholarly databases, including university libraries or other sources: JSTOR, Google Scholar, or more specific to individual universities, Summons for Capella University, for example.
One of the main strengths of using academic journals is their credibility and reliability (Dirnagl et al., 2022). Because such articles are thoroughly peer-reviewed, they are evaluated by other scholars in the discipline on accuracy, methodology, and validity. In this way, one can ensure that the conclusions drawn and results found are indeed well-supported with evidence and are a part of the greater body of academic scholarship. For instance, an academic article on child poverty could investigate the connection between economic inequality and educational attainment by using longitudinal data to illustrate how poverty affects children’s academic performance over time. Such articles can be of immense value to researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in designing effective interventions and policies that reduce child poverty.
Scholarly articles also not only provide crucial data and findings but often, also reveal inadequacies or areas for which research needs to be done again. Such benefits prove highly fruitful to the users, who involve people engaged in the formulation of policy and planning social programs for this enables keeping oneself abreast with the newer studies and emerging debates. By using scholarly articles, researchers will base their work on those that have already been conducted, and most of the work will be on current and relevant academic research (Robinson et al., 2020). This will, therefore guarantee that interventions and policies are not just based on evidence but are also responsive to the emerging trends and challenges in the field of child poverty.
References
Ansari, B., Barati, M., & Martin, E. G. (2021). Enhancing the usability and usefulness of open government data: A comprehensive review of the state of open government data visualization research. Government Information Quarterly, 39(1), 101657. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2021.101657
Attanasio, O., Cattan, S., & Meghir, C. (2021). Nber working paper series early childhood development, human capital and poverty. Annual Review of Economics, 14. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-economics-092821-053234
Brady, D. (2023). Poverty, not the poor. Science Advances, 9(34). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adg1469
Dirnagl, U., Duda, G. N., Grainger, D. W., Reinke, P., & Roubenoff, R. (2022). Reproducibility, relevance, and reliability as barriers to efficient and credible biomedical technology translation. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 182, 114118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2022.114118
Maguire-Jack, K., Johnson-Motoyama, M., & Parmenter, S. (2021). A scoping review of economic supports for working parents: The relationship of TANF, child care subsidy, SNAP, and EITC to child maltreatment. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 65, 101639. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2021.101639
Nyagwencha-Nyamweya, E. P. (2022). The Effects of Poverty on Students’ Mental Well-Being. spark. https://spark.bethel.edu/etd/865/
Robinson, K. A., Brunnhuber, K., Ciliska, D., Juhl, C. B., Christensen, R., & Lund, H. (2020). What evidence-based research is and why is it important? Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 129(1), 151–157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2020.07.020
