Module Identifier SS19010  
Module Title RESEARCH METHODS AND STATISTICS  
Academic Year 2006/2007  
Co-ordinator Dr Joanne Thatcher  
Semester Semester 2  
Course delivery Lecture   1 x 3hr Lecture/Workshop per week  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Assessment1.5 Hours 1.5 hour Open book test of competency in SPSS and interpretation of data under exam conditions50%
Semester Assessment Coursework - Laboratory Report (1,000 words)50%
Supplementary Assessment 2,000 word essay100%

Learning outcomes

On completion of this module, students should be able to...

1. Explain basic approaches to research and differentiate between them
2. Examine an existing investigation and recognize its strengths and weaknesses
3. Methodically report on an investigation using appropriate terminology and principles
4. Demonstrate competence in the use of SPSS to perform basic statistical procedures and to draw appropriate conclusions from the output (specifically: chi-square, Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon, paired and unpaired T, linear regression, Spearman's and Pearson's correlation)

Brief description

This module introduces students to research and statistics. The module will help students interpret existing knowledge and data in their other modules, and it will begin the development of the skills of the independent researcher, which will blossom in the final year dissertation. The module describes the broad framework of approaches to research in the sport and exercise sciences and identifies the steps and iterations of these approaches. Students will be introduced to statistical analysis using SPSS and develop competence in a range of fundamental statistical techniques.

Aims

1. To introduce the framework of key research themes such as: inductive, deductive, empirical, observational, survey-based, qualitative and quantitative.

2. To describe the steps (and iterations) in the research process from/to establishing a question to/from interpreting data.

3. To introduce SPSS and develop skills in data entry, statistical analysis and statistical interpretation.

Reading Lists

Books
** General Text
Burns, R.B. (2000) Introduction to Research Methods 4th. London: Sage
Cresswell, J.W. (2003) Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches 2nd. London: California: Sage
Field, A.P. (2005) Discovering Statistics Using SPSS for Windows: Advanced Techniques for the Beginner 2nd. London: Sage
Kerr, A.W. (2002) Doing Statistics with SPSS London: Sage
Kranzler, G. and Moursand, J. (1998) Statistics for the Terrified 2nd. London: Prentice Hall
Malim, T. (1997) Research Methods and Statistics Basingstoke: Macmillan
Ntoumanis, N. (2001) A Step-by-Step Guide to SPSS for Sport and Exercise Studies London: Routledge
Salkind, N.J. Statistics for People who (think they) Hate Statistics London: Sage
Thomas, J. and Nelson, J. (2005) Research methods in physical activity. 5th ed.. Human Kinetics, Champaign, II
Vincent, W.J. (2005) Statistics in kinesiology 3rd ed.. Human Kinetics, Champaign, II

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 4