Introduction to Research Methods

Research Defined  Systematic process of collecting and logically analyzing data for a purpose.  Research methods – the methodology, how we do it.

Levels of Research  Basic  Test theories  Often in a lab setting  May have limited direct applicability  Not designed to solve social problems Theory – predicts & explains generalizable findings

Levels of Research  Applied  Field & application oriented  Less controlled setting  Relies on a theoretical foundation, but not designed to test theory  Evaluation  Focused on a particular setting or practice  Merit & worth of something

Research vs. Evaluation RESEARCHEVALUATION  Systematic  Undertaken to establish facts & principles that contribute to a knowledge base  Systematic  Undertaken to address some criteria to make judgments about the worth of something

Research vs. Evaluation RESEARCHEVALUATION  Prove disprove hypothesis…  Improvement in areas (ie. Personnel, programs, policies)

Hypothesis  Educated guess about the outcomes of a study  SM= A Heisman trophy winner will positively impact ticket sales and donor contributions the following season.  PE= The self-perception of female physical education pre-service teachers will include strong willed behavior, positive presentation and appearance, and aggressive and dominant behavior.  RM= The more serious a triathlete is about the sport, the more likely they are to use negotiation strategies in order to participate as much as desired.

Research vs. Evaluation RESEARCHEVALUATION  New knowledge, may not be immediately applicable  Theory building  Problem solving & decision making  Problem based

Research vs. Evaluation RESEARCHEVALUATION  Generalizability  Published  Not generalizable  Used by the organization

Variables  Variables  Any entity that can take on different values/varies  IV = Manipulated, treatment  DV = Effect of the IV, measured  Cause (IV) & effect (DV)

Variables INDEPENDENT (MANIPULATED)DEPENDENT (MEASURED)  Physical activity levels  Televised games  Management style  Game day experiences  Daily PE  Weight  In game attendance  Use of ee rewards  Attendance  BMI

Types of Studies (3)  Descriptive  Describes what is going on & what exists  Relational  Relationship between 2 variables  Causal  Cause/effect a variable has on another

Qual vs Quan QUANTITATIVEQUALITATIVE  Analysis of numeric data  Researcher uses tools, such as questionnaires or equipment to collect numerical data.  Analysis of words, actions, objects  Researcher is the data gathering instrument thru interviews, observations, documents

Scientific Method  1. Developing the problem  Topic of study, issue  Variables SM: Use of social media=increase ticket sales PE: Increased time in daily PE=decreased obesity rates RM: Increased presence in parks=decreased criminal activity

Scientific Method  2. Formulating the hypothesis  Expected results  Rely on experience & the literature  Study either supports or refutes hypothesis  3. Gathering the data  Process/methodology  Instruments  Data gathering process

Scientific Method  4. Analyzing & interpreting the results  Statistics  Comparisons  Dissemination of results

Content of a Research Article (7)  Abstract  Short summary 150 words

Content of a Research Article (7)  Introduction  Put study into context  Overview of topic  Significance to profession/relevance  Research ?’s at end of intro… find them in your article  Review of literature  Summarizes & analyzes previous research  Theoretical framework

Content of a Research Article (7)  Research hypothesis or question (if applicable to journal)  Results  Stats, tables, analysis

Content of a Research Article (7)  Discussions, implications & conclusions  What was learned  How results relate to previous research  Impact on profession  Any unusual results  Future research… find them in your article  Generalizability  References

What is a Research Problem?  Research Problem  Issue, controversy, or concern that initiates the study  What level of tickets are most impacted by a winning football season?  How does social media impact athletic event attendance?

What is a Research Problem?  Examples…  What percentage of the daily threshold (12,000 steps) PE class and recess contribute to 6 th grade students overall daily PA.  What are the biggest motivations and/or reasons why students attend home athletic contests?  To determine if a certain Myers-Briggs personality type is more successful selling tickets in Major League Baseball

I Need a Problem!  Personal experience & supervisor  Talk with your advisor  Look at the literature

I Need a Problem!  Choose something…  Of interest  Feasible  Not too broad  Not too technical  Impacts the profession  Online list…

I Need a Problem!  3 criteria for a good problem  Problem can be researched  Requires more than a yes/no answer  Information can be gathered for some type of analysis

Purpose of the Study  Purpose statement  One sentence stating what the study is investigating  Allows reader to quickly identify what the study is about  Usually found at the end of the introduction or the first paragraph  Examples…

Purpose of the Study  The purpose of this study was to explore luxury suite ownership in professional sports and to provide suite sales and facility management professionals an increased understanding of luxury suite ownership  The purpose of this study was to determine an overall competency framework that can be used for parks and recreation boards regardless of whether they are independent, semi-independent, or advisory in nature.  The purpose of the study was to examine first year physical education teachers’ perceptions of levels of support provided by their trained mentors.

Research Question(s)  More clearly define the research problem  Focus the study  Relationship to the hypothesis…

The purpose of this study is to determine if personality type of sport sales professionals impacts job success.  RQ #1: What personality type is most successful among sport sales professionals?  RQ #2: What personality type is least successful among sport sales professionals?  RQ #3: What aspects of a personality type enhances the success of a sport sales professional?  Hy. #1: X personality type is most successful among sport sales professionals  Hy. #2: Y personality type is least successful among sport sales professionals?  Hy. #3: XYZ aspects of a personality type enhance the success of a sport sales professional

The purpose of this study is to determine if personality type of sport sales professionals impacts job success.  Null Hypothesis  There is no difference in personality types among successful sports sales professionals.  No one personality type determines success in sport sales professionals.