1. Developing Study Skills and Research Methods
Unit Code: HL20107
Unit Leader: Dr James Betts

2. Objectives: Learn to review and critique scientific literature
Develop your presentation skills
Expand your understanding of research design
Gain a more advanced appreciation of data analysis
Introduce you to different perspectives in Exercise Science.

3. Lecture Schedule
Mondays 1515
All in room 3E 3.8
Weeks 1-11.

4. Week Topic 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Job Applications/CV Writing
Unit Overview/How to Write a literature Review
Presenting Scientific Research
Plagiarism
Scientific Writing
Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods*
Data Collection and Analysis in Qualitative Research
Can We Trust Sports Science?*
Assessed Presentations I
Assessed Presentations II
Assessed Presentations III.
* Prior reading required

5. Semester 1 Computer Laboratory Classes
Friday 12.15
Weeks 4 & 5
Room 2E 1.14
Friday 13.15
Week 4 & 5
Room CB 5.13
Surnames A-J
Surnames K-Z

6. Week
Topic 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 29 30 31
Introduction and Revision Session
One-Way Analysis of Variance
Managing Violated Statistical Assumptions
Locating Variance: Post-Hoc Tests
Statistical Power: Sample and Effect Size
Linear Regression and Coursework Details
Data Collection Practical
Practice for Timed Practical Computing Exercise
Timed Practical Computing Exercise
Coursework Revision Lecture
Coursework Hand-In.

7. Assessment Coursework Project (40%)
2000 word project similar to the one you did last year but using more advanced statistical analyses
The relevant research scenarios and data will be added to the web page in week 24
Hand-in date TBC in week 19.
Timed Practical Computing Exercise (20%)
In week 30 you will be required to use SPSS to analyse a number of data sets

8. Assessment Group Literature Review (20%)
Organise yourselves into groups of 5
Select an area of research that is of interest to you
Find and read relevant articles
Fill in the form on the web page to let us know your group/topic by week 4 (21st October)
Write a 2000 word literature review
To be handed in Thursday 21st November 2012
Groups distribute your grades amongst others.

9. Assessment Group Presentations (20%)
Choose one original research article that is central to your group literature review
Prepare a PowerPoint presentation as if the study was to be presented at a scientific conference
You will be presenting as groups in weeks 9, 10 &11
I will let you know which week via after your lecture on the 21st October

10. Previous Topics… The Effects of Training at Altitude
Nutritional Strategies to Promote Recovery
Psychological Components of Injury and Rehabilitation
The Effects of Smoking on VO2 max
The Effect of Pre-Exercise Stretching on Muscle Power Output.

11. Different types of papers
Primary literature
Secondary literature
Tertiary literature

12. Primary Literature Research Papers Case Studies Conference Proceedings
Dissertations

13. Primary Literature Research papers Original data
First published record of the findings of an experiment of series of experiments
Peer reviewed
Normally a group of authors

14. Primary Literature Case studies
Medical/veterinary/psychology literature
Normally peer reviewed
Report the circumstances of a particular case
i.e. an unusual repair technique for a ruptured achilles tendon

15. Primary Literature Conference proceedings Vary in length and quality!
Sometimes reviewed, sometimes not
Often preliminary data
Will often appear later in research paper form

16. Primary Literature Dissertations
Undergraduate research (BSc, MSc, BEng or MEng)
Graduate research (MSc, MPhil, PhD)
University published
BSc all dissertation that achieve mark of 50% or above in library
MPhil & PhD theses are examined and corrected

17. Secondary Literature Review articles Information about primary sources
Compilation or synthesis of ideas and data
Should be reasonably objective (although often aren’t)
Usually peer reviewed

18. Tertiary Literature
Textbooks – present science theory rather than contributing to it

19. Research Paper Structure
Abstract
Introduction
Materials and Methods
Results
Discussion
References

20. Abstract Advertisement for the paper Summary of paper
Reason for performing the study
Hypothesis
Important results
Implications of the findings

21. Introduction Background to the study
Brief overview of the current state of the field
Citing other people’s work
“The function of tendons can be classified into two categories: tensile force transmission, and storage of elastic strain energy during locomotion (Ker et al., 1988, 2000; Shadwick, 1990; Pollock and Shadwick, 1994).”
(Maganaris and Paul, 2002)

22. Introduction Background to the study
Brief overview of the current state of the field
Citing other people’s work
How the authors arrived at their research question
Why this is the most important question in the world!
HYPOTHESIS
Simple
Easily answered

23. Materials and Methods Clear concise description of what they did
Often includes figure of experimental setup if appropriate
Subjects
Data collection – what they were measuring and how
Analysis
Statistics
Methods should be clear enough to repeat the experiment and give the same results

24. Results What they found Visual representation of the data
Graphs
Tables
Good figure legends
Description of their results - no discussion of the implications

25. Discussion Interpretation of the results
How they relate to previous research
Implication and/or applications of the findings
How supplement A might improve endurance
How knowledge of the forces at the knee during a cutting manoeuvre might be used to reduce injury risk
Future directions for research

26. References Expansion of the citations in the text
Record of the authors, title and journal where the papers were published
Critically important to avoid plagiarism – must include the sources of all information that is other people’s intellectual property
Two citation methods
Harvard System
Numeric System
Individual journals will request specific methods

27. References
Harvard System
Cite references in the text by giving author’s surname(s) and year of publication.
“The function of tendons can be classified into two categories: tensile force transmission, and storage of elastic strain energy during locomotion (Ker et al., 1988, 2000; Shadwick, 1990; Pollock and Shadwick, 1994).”

28. References
Harvard System
Cite references in the text by giving author’s surname(s) and year of publication.
“The function of tendons can be classified into two categories: tensile force transmission, and storage of elastic strain energy during locomotion (Ker et al., 1988, 2000; Shadwick, 1990; Pollock and Shadwick, 1994).”
(Maganaris and Paul, 2002)
Reference list – alphabetical order
Ker, R.F., Alexander, R.McN. and Bennet, M.B Why are mammalian tendons so thick? Journal of Zoology, London 216,
Don’t use capitals for authors’ names as in library guide to referencing

29. References
Numeric System
Each citation is given a number in parentheses. These are numbered according to where they appear in the text. First reference is (1), second reference is (2) etc
“However, excess tendon elongation leads to a partial or complete tendon rupture (4), and the Achilles tendon is one of the most frequently injured tendons in the human body (5)”
(Muraoka et al., 2005)
Reference list – listed in numerical order based on number you have given each citation in the text.
4. Butler, D.L., Grood, E.S., Noyes, F.R.and Zernicke, R.F Biomechanics of ligaments and tendons. Exerc. Sport Sci. Rev. 6,

30. References Library Guide to Referencing

31. What is a literature review?
Critical look at existing research relevant to your question in order to
Identify the problem
Develop a hypothesis
Develop a method
It is NOT just a summary of a series of research papers
You must evaluate the research papers and show the relationships between different work

32. What is a literature review?
Approach it with the following questions
What do we already know in the area concerned?
What are the key concepts?
What are the existing theories?
What are the inconsistencies?
What evidence is lacking, inconclusive, contradictory or too limited?
What views need to be tested further?

33. Selecting a topic Real World vs Theoretical
Research at Bath or another institution
Controversial issues
Relevant to your sport
Review papers
Interesting!!!

34. Six Step Procedure (Thomas and Nelson, 1996)
Problem statement
Consult secondary sources
Reviews – Exercise and Sport Science reviews
Be wary of www sources

35. Evaluating Internet Sources
Is it someone’s ‘personal’ page?
What type of domain does it come from?
academic, charity, industry, government
Who published the page?
What are the author’s credentials?
Are sources documented?
When was it last updated?

36. Six Step Procedure (Thomas and Nelson, 1996)
Problem statement
Consult secondary sources
Reviews – Exercise and Sport Science reviews
Be wary of www sources
Determine descriptors
Search terms
Search for primary sources
Read and record literature
Write literature review

37. Read and Record Literature
Hypothesis / Question
Methods
Subjects
Instruments/tests used
Testing procedures
Independent/dependent variables
Analysis
Findings and Conclusions
Critique of paper – strengths/weaknesses

38. How to Write a Literature Review
Background
Introduce to topic to the reader
Make it interesting and easily understandable by explaining it in plain language and relating to actual or potential applications
Explain scientific principles underlying the topic
Define and justify the scope of the review – i.e. your question

39. How to Write a Literature Review
Critique of the Literature
Do not give a summary paper by paper
Deal with themes and try to draw together the results from several papers into each theme.
Use sub-headings to identify your themes
Try and create a logical progression through the subject/argument
Use what you have learnt about research design to critically evaluate the results of the papers you are discussing

40. How to Write a Literature Review
Tables and Figures
Tables can be a useful, concise way of summarising the findings of a number of similar studies
You must cite the sources of the information
Use tables alongside your evaluation of the data in the text, not instead of it
Figures and diagrams can be very useful to explain important principles
Cite source of information

41. How to Write a Literature Review
Conclusions
Should be short and concise
What is your opinion
Further Research
Finish your review with some ideas for further research that needs to be done in the area and why.

42. How to Write a Literature Review
References
As used in Journal of Sports Sciences
Names of author (s) and date of publication in the text
Full references listed in alphabetical order in the reference list
Instructions on formatting references can be found in all issues of JSS or on the JSS website
Section 5(h)

43. Writing Style Spelling, grammar and punctuation matter!
Use spell check
Ask someone to read your paper for you before handing it in
Fonts and Symbols
Do not use stylised fonts
Many of the symbols needed for scientific information can be found in insert-symbol
Normal text (° ± Δ ½)
Mathematical operators (Ω √ ≤ ∑)

44. Writing Style Abbreviations and Acronyms
Keep to a minimum
Only use if full expression is excessively long or abbreviation is in common use
Define the first time it is used
Use SI (Systeme Internationale) Units

45. Système Internationale (SI) Units
Seven ‘constant’* base units using the metric system
Variable
Unit
Symbol
Accepted Derivations
Distance
metre m
ha for area; º for angle; #l or L for volume
Mass*
kilogram kg t
Time
second s
min, h, d (not year)
Temperature
kelvin K
Mole
mole
mol
#l or L for volume
Current
ampere A
Luminance
candela cd
These are the standard accepted units that you should always strive to use unless you really feel inappropriate or meaningless.
These are intended to be constant but, in reality are constantly being refined with improving measurement techniques:
Meter a prime eg – originally one ten-millionth of the distance from the earth equator to the north pole, now the distance travelled by light in just under one three-hundred millionth of a second in a vacuum. Clearly these are inter-related then, as distance relies on time, so we use a further very stable natural occurring phenomena, such as atomic numbers and radiations etc to label a second.
This works well until we get to mass. Which was originally a cubic decimeter of water (therefore derived from distances, although temperature and pressure will skew this relationship), so 4 PLATINUM-IRIDIUM CYLINDERS have been calibrated to exactly 1 kg and are held in a vault in France at the Bureau International des poids et mesures (BIPM) I.E. BI weights and measures.
For note:
Mole = amount of substance or chemical amount. Specifically defined as the amount of of substance that has a mass in grams equal to that substance’s molecular or atomic mass (e.g. 1 mol water H20 has a mass of 18 units, so therefore would read 18 g on a weighing scale)
0 Kelvin is the absence of all thermal energy and is referred to as absolute zero (means particles absolutely motionless).
Units always lower-case#, neither italicised nor pleuralised (i.e. kg not KGS) and with space between value and unit (inc. % but exc. º).

46. Writing Style Tables Figures Insert-Table in word
Units in column and row headings
Use a realistic number of significant figures
Include a legend which describes the table
Figures
Create figure in powerpoint of graphics software
Insert-picture from file
Create graphs in Excel or other graph drawing package
Paste into word
For this review paste figures into appropriate place in the text. For publication figures should be separate

47. Writing Style Use of Words Be economical – don’t waffle
Be precise – don’t generalise, be specific if you can
Don’t use however more than once in a paragraph
changing the direction of an argument twice in one paragraph can confuse the reader
Don’t use however too often
Thesaurus for synonyms
Keep technical terms to a minimum
Avoid colloquialisms such as steer clear of

48. Writing Style Use of Words Don’t use long complicated sentences
Beware of tenses
When describing experiments and reporting results use past tense
When discussing implications use present tense
Beware of singular and plural terms
Datum – data
Medium – media
Phenomenon – phenomena

49. Writing Style Flow of Ideas
Focus your thoughts by writing a plan/outline first
The first sentence of a paragraph usually sets the topic for the paragraph
Check that you don’t contradict yourself
Aim for simplicity!

50. READ YOUR WORK BEFORE YOU HAND IT IN
READ YOUR WORK BEFORE YOU HAND IT IN!!! Preferably ask someone else to read it too!