Reading and Evaluating Reading and Evaluating ResearchResearch

KINE 5300KINE 5300Research MethodsResearch Methods

Dr. Joel T. CramerDr. Joel T. CramerCSCS,*D; NSCA-CPT,*D; ACSM H/FICSCS,*D; NSCA-CPT,*D; ACSM H/FI

Assistant ProfessorAssistant ProfessorDepartment of KinesiologyDepartment of Kinesiology

General OutlineGeneral Outline

Component parts of a research Component parts of a research articlearticle– IntroductionIntroduction– MethodsMethods– ResultsResults– DiscussionDiscussion– ReferencesReferences

Evaluating a research articleEvaluating a research article

Table 6.1Table 6.1Preliminary InformationPreliminary Information– TitleTitle– Authors and organization affiliationAuthors and organization affiliation– Acknowledgements (if any)Acknowledgements (if any)– AbstractAbstract

IntroductionIntroduction– Background information and literature reviewBackground information and literature review– Rationale for studyRationale for study– Problem statement (purpose statement)Problem statement (purpose statement)– Hypotheses or research questionsHypotheses or research questions

MethodsMethods– ParticipantsParticipants– InstrumentationInstrumentation– ProceduresProcedures– Statistical AnalysisStatistical Analysis

ResultsResults– Presentation of dataPresentation of data

DiscussionDiscussion– ConclusionsConclusions– RecommendationsRecommendations

ReferencesReferencesAppendix (if appropriate)Appendix (if appropriate)

Preliminary InformationPreliminary Information

TitleTitle– Usually ~15 wordsUsually ~15 words– Important for indexing (NLM)Important for indexing (NLM)

Authors’ names and affiliationsAuthors’ names and affiliations– Contact info for corresponding authorContact info for corresponding author

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements– Can also be at the very end of the paperCan also be at the very end of the paper– People who helped, funding agenciesPeople who helped, funding agencies

AbstractAbstract– Typically 150 – 300 words longTypically 150 – 300 words long– Contains very brief summaries of each Contains very brief summaries of each

section of the “full text” article:section of the “full text” article:Introductory Statement (if any)Introductory Statement (if any)

Purpose StatementPurpose Statement

Abbreviated MethodsAbbreviated Methods

Abbreviated ResultsAbbreviated Results

Conclusion and Application StatementConclusion and Application Statement

Preliminary InformationPreliminary Information

Key WordsKey Words– Important for indexing (NLM)Important for indexing (NLM)

Preliminary InformationPreliminary Information

IntroductionIntroduction

Background InformationBackground Information– Purpose of Intro is to “build a case”Purpose of Intro is to “build a case”– Well-written Intro contains:Well-written Intro contains:

Definitions of concepts and termsDefinitions of concepts and terms

Review of relevant literatureReview of relevant literature

Statement of the Research ProblemStatement of the Research Problem

Purpose StatementPurpose Statement

HypothesesHypotheses

How to Identify Purpose StatementHow to Identify Purpose Statement

Look near the end of the IntroLook near the end of the Intro

Look for phrases like:Look for phrases like:– ““The purpose of this study was…”The purpose of this study was…”– ““This study was designed to…”This study was designed to…”– ““This investigation sought to…”This investigation sought to…”– ““The present study explored…”The present study explored…”– ““The primary aim of this experiment The primary aim of this experiment

was…”was…”

How to Identify HypothesesHow to Identify Hypotheses

Look near the end of the Intro or in a Look near the end of the Intro or in a special section designated as special section designated as “Research Questions” or “Approach “Research Questions” or “Approach to the Problem”to the Problem”

Look for phrases like:Look for phrases like:– ““Based on previous studies, ___ was Based on previous studies, ___ was

expected to…”expected to…”– ““We hypothesized that…”We hypothesized that…”

MethodsMethodsRequired components:Required components:– Subjects or ParticipantsSubjects or Participants– InstrumentationInstrumentation– ProceduresProcedures– Statistical AnalysisStatistical AnalysisOptional components:Optional components:– Research DesignResearch Design– Variables (independent and dependent)Variables (independent and dependent)– Validity and ReliabilityValidity and ReliabilityConcept of Methods:Concept of Methods:– Readers must be able to replicate this study if Readers must be able to replicate this study if

desired.desired.

Subjects or ParticipantsSubjects or ParticipantsHow many subjects? (n=?)How many subjects? (n=?)

Mean ± SD for age, height, and weightMean ± SD for age, height, and weight

What are the delimitations of the subjects?What are the delimitations of the subjects?– Athletes or non-athletesAthletes or non-athletes– Trained or untrained (training status)Trained or untrained (training status)– Active or sedentaryActive or sedentary– Men or womenMen or women

Study was approved by IRB and subjects Study was approved by IRB and subjects signed informed consent formssigned informed consent forms

InstrumentationInstrumentation

Each piece of equipment used to Each piece of equipment used to collect datacollect data– Name brand, manufacturer, city, stateName brand, manufacturer, city, state– User manualsUser manuals– Specific procedures for using each piece Specific procedures for using each piece

of equipmentof equipment

Readers must be able to replicateReaders must be able to replicate

ProceduresProcedures

Precise description of any/all Precise description of any/all interventions (step-by-step)interventions (step-by-step)– Exercise testing and/or trainingExercise testing and/or training– Nutrition consumptionNutrition consumption– Time of dayTime of day– ……everything necessary for replicationeverything necessary for replication

Statistical AnalysisStatistical AnalysisWhat specific statistical models were used What specific statistical models were used to analyze the data?to analyze the data?– DescriptiveDescriptive– T-testsT-tests– ANOVAsANOVAs– Regression (linear, nonlinear, polynomial)Regression (linear, nonlinear, polynomial)

Effect size and power estimation Effect size and power estimation proceduresproceduresA priori type I error rate (alpha)A priori type I error rate (alpha)– αα=0.05=0.05

Research DesignResearch Design

What design was used to conduct What design was used to conduct this study?this study?– Cross-sectional or longitudinalCross-sectional or longitudinal– Within-subjects or between-subjectsWithin-subjects or between-subjects– Cross-over, counterbalancedCross-over, counterbalanced– Repeated measures or randomized Repeated measures or randomized

block design (Keppel, 1991)block design (Keppel, 1991)– Double-blind, single-blindDouble-blind, single-blind

ResultsResultsA very brief sectionA very brief sectionCan often be done in its entirety by a Can often be done in its entirety by a Table or Figure or bothTable or Figure or bothPresentation of the dataPresentation of the dataExplanation of the decomposition of Explanation of the decomposition of the statistical modelsthe statistical modelsReporting the type I error ratesReporting the type I error ratesReporting the mean values, SD, SEM, Reporting the mean values, SD, SEM, % change, and effect sizes% change, and effect sizes

DiscussionDiscussionPurpose is to summarize the results and Purpose is to summarize the results and interpret them relative to the field of studyinterpret them relative to the field of study– Each paragraph or subsection of the discussion Each paragraph or subsection of the discussion

deals with one or two dependent variablesdeals with one or two dependent variablesBrief re-statement of what others have foundBrief re-statement of what others have foundSummary of what the present article foundSummary of what the present article foundAuthors’ interpretation/integration of the findingsAuthors’ interpretation/integration of the findingsHypothesize regarding the findingsHypothesize regarding the findingsRecommend or applyRecommend or applySuggest extensionsSuggest extensions

Discussion usually ends in a Conclusive Discussion usually ends in a Conclusive paragraphparagraph

Reference ListReference List

Some journals limit references to 30 Some journals limit references to 30 or 40or 40– Usually due to page limitsUsually due to page limits

Review articles often have 100-200 Review articles often have 100-200 referencesreferences

Need to be in the format indicated by Need to be in the format indicated by the “Instructions for Authors”the “Instructions for Authors”

Instructions for AuthorsInstructions for Authors

Every journal must have instructions Every journal must have instructions for potential authorsfor potential authors– Some journals are more definitive than Some journals are more definitive than

othersothersECN, JSCR, RQES – 1 page instructionsECN, JSCR, RQES – 1 page instructions

JAP, MSSE, new JSCR - ~12-15 page JAP, MSSE, new JSCR - ~12-15 page instructionsinstructions

Definitions of TermsDefinitions of Terms

Manuscript:Manuscript:– Research paper that is being written or Research paper that is being written or

has been written and submitted for has been written and submitted for publication, but is not yet publishedpublication, but is not yet published

Article:Article:– Published research manuscriptPublished research manuscript

How are manuscripts written?How are manuscripts written?

Methods section – 1Methods section – 1stst

Results section – 2Results section – 2ndnd

Discussion – 3Discussion – 3rdrd

Introduction – 4Introduction – 4thth

Abstract – last Abstract – last

Miscellaneous InfoMiscellaneous Info

TerminologyTerminology– Humans = men & womenHumans = men & women– Animals = male & femaleAnimals = male & female– ““participants” not “subjects”participants” not “subjects”

Many “anomalies”Many “anomalies”– Approach to the ProblemApproach to the Problem– Practical ApplicationsPractical Applications– DesignDesign

Evaluating a Research ArticleEvaluating a Research Article

CritiqueCritique

Criteria for Article CritiquesCriteria for Article Critiques

Some journals provide their criteria Some journals provide their criteria for potential authors to review for potential authors to review BEFORE they submitBEFORE they submit

Table 6.9 (next slide)Table 6.9 (next slide)

Table 6.10Table 6.10– Excellent checklistExcellent checklist

Assignment for Next WeekAssignment for Next WeekDetermine a project areaDetermine a project area– This will be your project that will be due at the This will be your project that will be due at the

end of the semesterend of the semester– Your literature review and research question Your literature review and research question

presentations are in 3 weekspresentations are in 3 weeksYou will be expected to use the guidelines discussed You will be expected to use the guidelines discussed tonight to evaluate the studies you presenttonight to evaluate the studies you present

– Discuss this with me before class next weekDiscuss this with me before class next week

Read Chapter 4 (103-123)Read Chapter 4 (103-123)

Next week is IRB training moduleNext week is IRB training module