1. Literature Reviews and Research Overview

2. Chapter objectives
Explain the different purposes that literature reviews serve in Exercise Science
Describe strategies for reviewing and critiquing the quality of published literature.
Describe the importance of statistics when engaged in a research project
Discuss the steps to the scientific method.
Compare and contrast the different statistical research models (correlational, t-test, ANOVA)
Define independent and dependent variables
Explain the impact of ‘statistical significance’ and probability

3. “Impact of Parental Influence on Athlete Burnout”
Literature Reviews
A body of writing that provides a comprehensive overview of the state of research on a current topic.
Usually an introductory explanation to the reader
In peer reviewed journals, LRs are concentrated and concise
In student projects, LRs are detailed and extensive
Views of the topic can be neutral or directional
Literature USUALLY dictates
Controversial topics require a more complete LR
“Impact of Parental Influence on Athlete Burnout”

4. Literature Reviews
Why, where and how to search. What constitutes ‘good’ research that we should include in our review?
Why? Summarizing the current literature presents the ‘window’ for your research
Where? Professional, Peer-reviewed journals (
How? Slowly delimit a search
Physical limits
Publication date limits
Topic or subtopic limits

5. Literature Reviews Critiquing literature involves:
Source: newspaper article, magazine article, journal article (journal impact factor), editorial, ‘brief communication’.
Abstract
Methodology
Results
Impact of the study

6. Scientific Method
Research should adhere to a few essential steps:

7. Scientific Method Quantitative vs qualitative research
Is the data gained through direct measurement of variables?... or through descriptive methods?
Inductive vs deductive reasoning
Do inferences to a population or a phenomenon arise from logic or from observation?
Basic vs applied research
Does the research desire new knowledge or the application of knowledge?

8. Ex Sci Research
“Good” research
Reliable
Credible
Trusted
Ethical

9. Ex Sci Research Descriptive Measures of central tendency
Measures of variability
Distribution of scores
Correlational
Relationships, not causality
PPM correlation
Coefficient of determination
Experimental and quasi-experimental
Student’s t-test: Independent vs Dependent (paired)
ANOVA

10. Ex Sci Research
Variables – an element, feature or factor that is likely to change or vary
Independent
Variable that stands alone and isn’t affected by other variables
Dependent
Variable whose value depends upon that of another
Control
An experimental element that is constant throughout the investigation
Extraneous (confounding)
Variables that influence the outcome, even though they are not the variables of interest

11. Scientific Method Identification of the problem Feasible Interesting
Time
Equipment
Cost
Subjects
Interesting
Variables
Background Research

12. Scientific Method Construct hypotheses Null hypothesis
Alternative (research) hypothesis
Directional hypotheses
One tailed vs two tailed analysis
Research design and data collection
Cohort Studies, cross sectional, ecological (population-based), randomized controlled trial
Procedures
Equipment

13. Scientific Method Analyze data/hypothesis testing Probability
NOT ‘proof’
Reject or “fail to reject”
Draw conclusions and report results
Significance for population
Inference