Scientific Method & Research Process
What are the steps to the Scientific method?
1. Identify the problem
2. State the problem
3. Formulate a hypothesis
4. Test hypothesis
5. Interpret data
6. Report findings
What two considerations help us decide on whether a study's design will be quantitative or qualitative?
1. The type of data being collected
2. The nature of the variables being measured
What are the three types of hypotheses?
Substantive, statistical, and null
What are the four levels of measurement? (IN ORDER)
1. Nominal
2. Ordinal
3. Interval
4. Ratio
What refers to the entirety of the group the researchers are interested in?
Population
What is a hypothesis?
An anticipated outcome/expected result based on theory, past research experiences of experts in the field, or results of previous research
What type of experimental design has a control group, but NO randomization because the groups of interest must remain intact?
Quasi experimental
Where is the research purpose typically found in a journal article?
Name and explain the three components of variables:
1. Mutually exclusive - categories do not overlap
2. Exhaustive - categories represent ALL possible answers
3. Operationally defined - explained in clear, specific terminology
This type of sampling refers to participants responding to recruitment materials such as flyers, emails, and word of mouth.
What are the steps of the research process?
1. Introduction
2. Methods
3. Results
4. Discussion
A research ensuring they have include a diverse sample of participant and are utilizing thick/rich descriptions in their analysis is an example of WHAT type of trustworthiness?
Transferability
What type of hypothesis is this?
A researcher predicts that there will be no difference in levels of pre-game anxiety between athletes who listen to motivational music and those who do not
A null hypothesis
What are the constants, dependent and independent variables in this example?
A sport psychologist tests whether a six-week mindfulness training program improves free-throw accuracy in basketball players
Constants : basketball players, free throws
Dependent : Free throw accuracy
Independent : Mindfulness training vs. control
Name and explain the three ethical principles AND indicate where do they come from?
1. Respect for persons - ensure participation is self-determined and autonomous
2. Beneficence - promote good + do no harm
3. Justice - Determine nature and scope of risks and benefits
The Belmont Report
What step of the research process is specifically for practitioners to read to understand how results may be applied to real world scenarios?
Discussion section
What type of research design is this? Hint: refers to the nature of data collection
A researcher wants to examine how attitudes toward social media differ by age. They collect data from three groups—teenagers, middle-aged adults, and older adults—all at the same time, using a questionnaire about social media use and opinions. The researcher then compares the responses across the age groups
Cross-sectional
Explain the difference between a research purpose and a research question?
The research purpose is the declaration of the study's main goals
The research question molds these goals into answerable inquiries
Name and give an example for the 4 types of descriptive statistics.
1. Summaries of Data
2. Measures of central tendency
3. Measures of variation/dispersion
4. Measures of position
What types of sampling and assignment is included in this example?
A sport scientist wants to test a new agility training program. The university has a list of 400 athletes. The researcher selects every 8th athlete on the list to participate in the study. Before the program starts, athletes are measured for baseline sprint speed and matched into pairs based on similar times. Within each pair, one athlete is randomly assigned to the new agility program and the other to a standard training program.
Systematic Random Sampling and Random matched assignment
What step of the scientific method is this?
"A researcher predicts that listening to upbeat music before exercise will lead to higher motivation levels compared to no music"
Step 3 : Formulate a hypothesis
What types of research design seeks to understand the inner workings of individuals within the context of the group they operate within?
Qualitative - Ethnography
How might you strengthen this research purpose?
The purpose of this study is to explore athletes' thoughts and feelings before competition.
Answer includes more detail on population of interest, operational definition of variables, and nature of analysis
ex. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between pre-competition cognitive reappraisal strategies and perceived performance anxiety in collegiate athletes, measured using the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 and self-reported performance satisfaction ratings.
What type of inferential statistic would be used to analyze the results in this example?
A sport psychologist wants to see if a new pre-game visualization program affects sprint performance. They randomly assign 20 athletes into two groups: one uses the visualization program for two weeks, and the other does not. After the two weeks, all athletes complete a 40-meter sprint, and their average times are compared to see if the groups differ significantly.
A t-test - comparing two means
A research is designing a study where they want to measure the effects of caffeine intake on maximal jump height in youth basketball players. After consulting with their advisor the researcher changes their population of interest to collegiate basketball players due to the adverse effects of caffeine on younger populations.
What ethical principle and its application is being applied to this example and what step of the research process is this?
1. Justice and Selection of subjects
2. Planning and Research proposal