Research roundups, tip sheets, articles and explainers related to the topic of politics, elections, and local and national governments
New papers in JAMA Health Forum and JAMA Internal Medicine explore the landscape of state laws on reporting people barred from buying guns to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
Expert Commentary
Amid pending court cases and ballot initiatives, journalistic coverage of medication abortion has never been more crucial. This piece aims to help inform the narrative with scientific evidence.
Expert Commentary
Our updated roundup of research looks at the consequences of one of the most common ways journalists cover elections — with a focus on who’s in the lead and who’s behind instead of policy issues.
Expert Commentary
It’s unlikely journalists will stop covering elections as a competitive game, despite researchers’ warnings that it can harm voters and others. Two scholars offer ideas for at least improving so-called ‘horse race’ reporting.
Expert Commentary
Study finds prosecutions for corruption rise after a nonprofit news outlet is established within a judicial district. Prosecutions are also more likely in districts where those outlets enjoy greater philanthropic funding.
Expert Commentary
As marijuana legalization sweeps the U.S., researchers and policymakers are grappling with a growing public safety concern: marijuana-impaired driving. We explain the challenges of setting legal limits for THC in bodily fluids and what the research shows about how marijuana use affects driving.
Expert Commentary
In the final installment of our three-part series, we look at what the research says about rural development programs in the farm bill, which expires in late September.
Expert Commentary
As journalists prepare for elections, it’s important they understand how various factors can influence whether voters support or reject ballot measures — or vote on them at all.
Expert Commentary
In this second of our three-part series, we look at environmental conservation programs that get billions of dollars in funding in the farm bill, which expires in late September.
Expert Commentary
To save money and help recruit teachers, many U.S. schools are taking Mondays or Fridays off. We look at research on how the four-day school week affects student test scores, attendance and behavior.
Expert Commentary