1. Introduction to Research in Physical Activity
chapter 1
Introduction to Research in Physical Activity

2. 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

3. 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.

4. Continuum of Basic to Applied Research
Level I—Basic research
Goal: Theory-driven
Approach: Laboratory
Level II—Moderate relevance
Goal: Theory-based using relevant movements
Approach: Similar to real-world task or setting
Level III—Applied research
Goal: Immediate solutions
Approach: Real-world settings

5. 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

6. Reading Research Become familiar with relevant publications.
Read studies of interest.
Read as a practitioner would.
Read the abstract first.
Don’t worry too much about the statistics.
Be critical but objective.

7. Unscientific Methods of Problem Solving
Tenacity
Intuition
Authority
The rationalistic method
The empirical method

8. Scientific Method of 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

9. 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

10. Types of Research Analytical Descriptive research Historical
Philosophic
Reviews
Research synthesis (meta-analysis)
Descriptive research
Questionnaire
Interview
Normative survey

11. Types of Research Other types of descriptive research
Case study
Job analysis
Observational research
Developmental studies
Correlational studies
Epidemiologic research
Experimental research–establishes cause and effect
Qualitative research–uses a different paradigm

12. Model for Research

13. Parts of a Thesis Proposal : Research plan Completing the thesis
Introduction
Problem and hypotheses
Literature review
Method
Participants
Instruments and measurements
Procedures
Design and analysis
Completing the thesis
Results
Discussion and conclusions