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Doing Research in Sport and Exercise
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Doing Research in Sport and Exercise
A Student's Guide

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January 2022 | 560 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd

Split into five sections that cover your whole research journey, this book captures everything you need to understand to do a sports research project. 

From getting started with a research question and selecting a research approach to choosing a method of data collection and analysing and presenting research findings, it walks you step-by-step through the entire research process. The book also:

  • Showcases a diverse range of approaches, including experiments, surveys, focus groups, interviews, systematic reviews and mixed methods, to help you choose the best option for your project.
  • Focuses on applied research, showing you how to go beyond the classroom, conduct research in the field and manage and analyse data in the real world.
  • Explores how your supervisor can support you to get the most out of your project.

Features include over 40 student activities that encourage you to think more deeply about what you've learned, nearly 50 case studies highlighting research from real-world students and sport researchers, and reflection points, to help you check your understanding.

For students across courses relating to Sport & Exercise Science, Coaching Practice & Development, PE and Sport, this book is a down-to-earth guide to help anyone doing a research project in sport and exercise. 


 
Part I: Mapping your research journey
 
Chapter 1: The context of sport and exercise research
 
Chapter 2: Getting started - the research process
 
Chapter 3: Managing yourself through a research project
 
Chapter 4: Working with your supervisor
 
Part II: Starting your research project
 
Chapter 5: Generating ideas and developing questions
 
Chapter 6: Reviewing the literature (why, when and how?)
 
Chapter 7: Developing a research proposal
 
Chapter 8: Working safely and effectively – a matter of ethics
 
Part III: Selecting your research approach
 
Chapter 9: Selecting an appropriate research strategy
 
Chapter 10: Systematic review research strategy
 
Chapter 11: Experimental research strategy
 
Chapter 12: Correlational research strategy
 
Chapter 13: Case study research strategy
 
Chapter 14: Survey research strategy
 
Chapter 15: Ethnographic research strategy
 
Chapter 16: A mixed-research design approach
 
Part IV: Choosing your data collection methods
 
Chapter 17: Recruiting and involving participants in research
 
Chapter 18: ‘Clinical’ data collection methods
 
Chapter 19: ‘Observational’ data collection methods
 
Chapter 20: ‘Questionnaire’ data collection method
 
Chapter 21: ‘Focus group’ data collection method
 
Chapter 22: ‘Interview’ data collection methods
 
Chapter 23: ‘Content and discourse analysis’ methods
 
Part V: Analysing and presenting your research findings
 
Chapter 24: Collecting, storing and organising your data
 
Chapter 25: Analysing your data
 
Chapter 26: Preparing data for presentation
 
Chapter 27: Writing-up and disseminating your research project

A friendly introduction to key elements of the research process, this book covers many approaches to research and includes topics not covered in similar texts.  Examples give application to the concepts addressed. Easy access to sections most useful for particular projects and references to further reading and published research consolidate particular points.

Beverley Hale
Professor in Learning and Teaching, Statistics and Research, Institute of Sport, University of Chichester

Very well written, clear and concise, with great images throughout.

Miss Sam Shepley
Vocational Education, Ashton Sixth Form College
September 27, 2024

Brilliant examples that bring the different research methods to life. The text is easy to read, the focus boxes are helpful for students and staff alike. The students are just half-way through the research methods unit and have given resoundingly positive feedback. They are all expected to do a research project for their dissertation collecting real data and they find these examples set in the context of why the study was designed in that way very helpful.

Dr Alyx Taylor
Psychology, AECC University College
March 30, 2022

A very useful manual for my students at the sports faculty in Lille, France. Easily understandable approach for an introductory course in research methodology.

Dr Orsolya Czegledi
Physical Education, University of Lille II
February 4, 2022

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