Introduction to Research in Physical Activity

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chapter 1

• Introduction to Research in Physical Activity

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Chapter Outline

• The nature of research
• Unscientific versus scientific methods of problem
  solving
• Alternative models of research
• Types of research
• Overview of the research process

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Five Characteristics of Research

• Systematic plan, identify, design, collect data,
  evaluate.
• Logical examine procedures to evaluate
  conclusions.
• Empirical decisions are based on data.
• Reductive general relationships are established
  from data.
• Replicable actions are recorded.

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Continuum of Basic to Applied Research

• Level IBasic research
• Goal Theory-driven
• Approach Laboratory
• Level IIModerate relevance
• Goal Theory-based using relevant movements
• Approach Similar to real-world task or setting
• Level IIIApplied research
• Goal Immediate solutions
• Approach Real-world settings

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Quality Research Involves

• Identifying and delimiting the problem
• Searching, reviewing, and writing about the
  literature
• Specifying and defining testable hypotheses
• Designing research to test the hypotheses
• Selecting, describing, testing, and treating the
  participants
• Analyzing and reporting the results
• Discussing the meaning and implications of the
  findings

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Reading Research

• Become familiar with relevant publications.
• Read studies of interest.
• Read as a practitioner would.
• Read the abstract first.
• Dont worry too much about the statistics.
• Be critical but objective.

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Unscientific Methodsof Problem Solving

• Tenacity
• Intuition
• Authority
• The rationalistic method
• The empirical method

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Scientific Methodof Problem Solving

• Step 1 developing the problem (defining and
  delimiting it)
• Step 2 formulating the hypotheses
• Step 3 gathering the data
• Step 4 analyzing and interpreting results

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Alternative Models of Research

• Normal science
• Previously useful theories
• Scientific method
• Challenges to normal science
• Inconsistent findings
• Alternative interpretations
• Paradigm shifts
• New theories
• New methods
• How knowledge is advanced

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Types of Research

• Analytical
• Historical
• Philosophic
• Reviews
• Research synthesis (meta-analysis)
• Descriptive research
• Questionnaire
• Interview
• Normative survey

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Types of Research

• Other types of descriptive research
• Case study
• Job analysis
• Observational research
• Developmental studies
• Correlational studies
• Epidemiologic research
• Experimental researchestablishes cause and
  effect
• Qualitative researchuses a different paradigm

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Model for Research
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Parts of a Thesis

• Proposal Research plan
• Introduction
• Problem and hypotheses
• Literature review
• Method
• Participants
• Instruments and measurements
• Procedures
• Design and analysis
• Completing the thesis
• Results
• Discussion and conclusions