Designing and Conducting Research in Health and Human Performance

Tables and Figures xi

Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xv

The Authors xvii

Part 1 Understanding Important Research Concepts

1 Introduction to Research in Health and Human Performance 3

What You’ll Learn 3

Defining the Research Process 4

Research Continuum: Applied and Basic Research 10

Summary 14

Review Questions 15

Key Terms 15

2 Concepts in Research Designs 17

What You’ll Learn 17

Overview of Research Designs 18

Understanding Research Variables 20

Measuring Research Variables 24

Interpreting Research Designs 26

Summary 29

Review Questions 30

Key Terms 31

Part 2 Reviewing the Literature

3 Developing Your Research Topic and Interpreting Research Reports 35

What You’ll Learn 35

Identifying the Problem 35

Accessing Sources 44

Reading and Interpreting Research Reports 51

Summary 56

Review Questions 57

Key Terms 57

4 Writing the Review of Literature 59

What You’ll Learn 59

Developing an Outline 60

Writing Scientifically 69

Summary 79

Review Questions 80

Key Terms 80

Part 3 Understanding and Developing Research Designs

5 Quantitative Research Designs 83

What You’ll Learn 83

Descriptive Research Designs 84

Experimental Research Designs 96

Correlation Research Designs 102

Summary 104

Review Questions 105

Key Terms 105

6 Qualitative Research Designs 107

What You’ll Learn 107

Characteristics of Qualitative Research 107

Procedures in Qualitative Research 113

Types of Qualitative Research Designs 120

Summary 126

Review Questions 128

Key Terms 128

7 Mixed-Methods and Action Research Designs 129

What You’ll Learn 129

Overview of Mixed-Methods Research Designs 129

Framework for Mixed-Methods Research Designs 132

Action Research 138

Summary 142

Review Questions 144

Key Terms 144

8 Ethics in Research 145

What You’ll Learn 145

Ethics Within Research 146

Summary 159

Review Questions 160

Key Terms 160

9 Developing Your Research Proposal 161

What You’ll Learn 161

Sampling 162

Writing Your Introduction 168

Developing Your Methods 174

Summary 179

Review Questions 179

Key Terms 180

Part 4 Exploring Measurement and Analysis

10 Validity, Reliability, Objectivity 183

What You’ll Learn 183

Validity Concepts 184

Reliability Concepts 195

Objectivity Concepts 200

Summary 201

Review Questions 202

Key Terms 203

11 Introduction to Statistics and Hypothesis Testing 205

What You’ll Learn 205

Introduction to Statistics 206

Descriptive Statistics 215

Hypothesis Testing 219

Summary 224

Review Questions 225

Key Terms 225

12 Quantitative Data Analysis 227

What You’ll Learn 227

Inferential Statistics 227

Examining Relationships 230

Examining Differences 236

Examining Type I and Type II Errors 247

Summary 248

Review Questions 249

Key Terms 249

13 Qualitative Analysis: Interpreting the Data 251

What You’ll Learn 251

Recording Your Data 251

Managing Your Data 253

Writing the Report 258

Trustworthiness of the Data 265

Summary 267

Review Questions 268

Key Terms 269

14 Results and Discussion: Writing What You Found 271

What You’ll Learn 271

Results Section 272

Discussion Section 275

Writing Your Abstract 279

Summary 280

Review Questions 281

Part 5 Putting It All Together

15 Presenting Your Research 285

What You’ll Learn 285

Poster Presentations 286

Oral Presentation 295

Summary 301

Review Questions 301

Glossary 303

References 311

Index 319