Run by School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences

20 Credits or 10 ECTS Credits

Semester 1 & 2

Organiser: Dr Gavin Lawrence

The purpose of this module is to provide students with an understanding of the skills underlying the research process.

Contact time will consist of a combination of lectures, enhancement classes, group work, and individual exercises.

The module is a double module and over the course of 2 semesters and a total of 36 timetabled sessions. During these sessions you will be systemically introduced to the following 13 research skills learning topics:

1. Types of Research Descriptive

2. Types of Research (continued) Experimental

3. Types of Research (continued) Epidemiology or Causal Comparative Measurement Issues Validity& Reliability

4. Review of weeks 1-4 Class discussion & Feedback/Q&A session to assess your understanding of lectures 1-4

5. Measures of central tendency/dispersion

6. Variance, standard deviation and Z scores

7. Standard error of the mean/central limit theorem

8. T tests (paired samples)

9. T tests (independent samples)

10. Scatter Plots and Correlation

11. Correlation and Simple Regression

12. One-way ANOVA

13. Non Parametric tests: Cross Tabulation and Chi-square

Note: Semester 1 content and the average grade of the associated assessments must achieve a pass mark or above in order to be eligible to pass the double module

excellent

• A- to A* deep knowledge and understanding of research design and principles and has an excellent capacity to address, formulate, and answer basic research questions together with an excellent understanding of statistical tests/procedures.

good

• B- to B + very good knowledge and understanding of research principles and design, showing good capacity to address, formulate, and answer basic research questions together with very good understanding of statistical tests/procedures

C- to C+

• C- to C+ reasonable grasp of research principles and design, demonstrating good knowledge and understanding with the capacity to address, formulate, and answer basic research questions together with a good grasp of statistical tests/procedures

threshold

• D- to D+ basic knowledge and limited understanding of research principles and design together with an adequate understanding of statistical tests/procedures

1. 1. Understand and be able to analyse data using descriptive statistics (e.g., mean and standard deviation)
2. 1. Understand and be able to conduct statistical analyses for dealing with parametric and non-parametric data (e.g., t-tests, chi-squares, simple regression, ANOVA)
3. 1. Be able to explain the relevance of the assumptions that underpin the above statistical procedures
4. 1. Be able to use SPSS for windows to conduct the above analyses and explain the statistical outputs produced by SPSS.
5. 1. Be able to address, formulate, and answer basic research questions including relevant hypotheses

Type	Name	Description	Weight
	MCQ 1		2.5
	MCQ 2		2.5
	MCQ 3		2.5
	MCQ 4		2.5
	MCQ 5		2.5
	SEM 1 EXAM		37.5
	MCQ 6		2.5
	MCQ 7		2.5
	MCQ 8		2.5
	MCQ 9		2.5
	Written Assignment		40

		Hours
Lecture	Contact time will consist of a traditional lectures with time for critical thinking, discussion, and practical (individual and group) work. All these activities are deigned to enhance your understanding, help you monitor your learning and progression, and prepare you for the various assessments. In addition, many of the activities will provide you with skills that will be useful for other modules and the work place.	48
Practical classes and workshops	Contact time will consist of a data collection for your final assignment together with practical experience of using the SPSS computer stats package. These sessions will benefit you both during the module and during the rest of your academic progression in years 2 and 3, together with providing skills that are useful for the work place.	8
Seminar	These sessions are titled 'enhancement classes' and run weekly in order to supplement the information delivered during the lectures. They provide additional time for all achievement levels of students to further their understanding of the modules material.	24
Private study	These are private study hours where you will be expected to read any associated materials and research into the topics presented.	120

• Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
• Numeracy - Proficiency in using numbers at appropriate levels of accuracy
• Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
• Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
• Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
• Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
• Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
• Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
• Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
• Teamwork - Able to constructively cooperate with others on a common task, and/or be part of a day-to-day working team
• Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
• Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others

• research and assess paradigms, theories, principles, concepts and factual information, and apply such skills in explaining and solving problems
• critically assess and evaluate data and evidence in the context of research methodologies and data sources
• describe, synthesise, interpret, analyse and evaluate information and data relevant to a professional or vocational context
• plan, design, execute and communicate a sustained piece of independent intellectual work, which provides evidence of critical engagement with, and interpretation of, appropriate data
• apply knowledge to the solution of familiar and unfamiliar problems
• develop a sustained reasoned argument, perhaps challenging previously held assumptions
• demonstrate effective written and/or oral communication and presentation skills
• work effectively independently and with others
• take and demonstrate responsibility for their own learning and continuing personal and professional development
• demonstrate an understanding of the philosophical basis of scientific paradigms
• demonstrate evidence of competence in the scientific methods of enquiry, and interpretation and analysis of relevant data and statistical outputs.
• develop transferable skills of relevance to careers outside of sport, health and exercise sciences.
• communicate succinctly at a level appropriate to different audiences.

Pre-requisite of:

• JXH-2016: Research Methods