Intro to Kinesiology Research Principles

• KINE 2049 covers research methods in kinesiology.
• This is week 2, September 9th-11th, 2024.

Day1Digital Ebook (D1D)

• The course uses York University's Day1Digital Ebook Program to provide affordable access the textbook, billed directly to students' accounts.
• Temporary access trials of the ebook are available for the first 2 weeks.
• Non-refundable fees ($33) for opting in to buy the ebook are billed to student accounts on the next regular billing date. D1D Ebooks are HST-exempt.
• Opting out before the D1D Withdrawal Deadline means no billing, even with prior opt-in.

Kinesiology Undergraduate Research Experience (KURE)

• Kinesiology and Health Science researchers enable students in KINE 2049 to participate in experiments and receive a maximum 3% bonus on final grade.
• Experiments range from psychological questionnaires to ergonomic or cardiovascular physiology.
• SONA systems will be used beginning the week of September 11th to create accounts, and email notifications for log-in instructions will be sent.
• A list and descriptions of available studies can be viewed once logged on.
• Some will have “timeslots” with dates and times to sign up for.
• A small portion requires contacting the researcher to determine eligibility and schedule the session.
• Each credit is worth 1% bonus mark to a maximum of 3%, depending study type and duration.
• Online studies - 0.5 credits, do not depend on duration.
• In-person studies around 1 hour (60 min) duration - 1 credit
• In-person studies 1.5 hours (90 min) duration - 1.5 credits
• In-person studies 2 hours (120 min) duration - 2 credits.
• In-person studies > 2.5 hours (> 150 min) duration - 3 credits
• The maximum bonus mark that can be earned is 3%.
• Participation must be completed by December 10th.

This Week's Tasks

• Readings: Chapter 1, "Introduction to Research in Kinesiology" by Kowalski et al. (2022) is assigned.
• Read the lab manual to prepare for the next week.

Learning Outcomes

• Discuss how the research process is essential.
• Describe broad research methods used.
• Identify how different philosophical worldviews impact the research process.

Current Knowledge in Kinesiology

• Understanding how knowledge is generated allows skills to critique existing literature.
• Understanding the research process is needed to answer unanswered questions.
• Facts are known based on truths or personal experiences.
• Sometimes knowledge is based on experience.
• Personal experience can vary substantially.
• Outside sources are relied on when there is no direct experience.
• Expert, professor, or certified coach information sources can be used.
• There range of professionals with kinesiology-related backgrounds
• These include fitness trainers, recreation directors, exercise therapists.
• A lot of kinesiology graduates go on to other professional programs. Example PT, dentistry, medicine, etc. Digby Elliot (2007) supplied a historical review of kinesiology programs in Canada
• Kinesiology programs started in Canadian Universities in the 1960's at Simon Fraser University and the University of Waterloo
• Kinesiology refers to the study of "movement"
• periodization / performance; resp. mechanics at altitude; knee mechanics and OA across the lifespan, etc.

The Fat Hits the Fan

• Dietary advice once was: Consume less dietary fat.
• One assumption was if higher (saturated) dietary fat would contribute to obesity.
• However based on new evidence, changing diets, this is being revised.
• Dietary advice is continuing to be tested.

Definition of Research

• The terms science and research are commonly used by researchers in kinesiology.
• Science is discovering knowledge
• Research is a method to discover knowledge
• 'Research' as a verb, is to follow a logical process.
• This uses uses concepts, principles, and techniques to produce knowledge.
  • Example: researching the factors related to juvenile delinquency
• 'Research' as a noun, is a collection of information.
• it represents what is known about a particular topic.
  • Research could suggest a lack of parental supervision is related to juvenile delinquency.
• Research finds solutions or new knowledge in a logical, orderly systematic fashion.
• The process advances profession's knowledge base.

Why Research

• A profession's strength rests on its research output and also must produce new knowledge to remain viable and produce verifiable facts.
• Well-planned and executed research produce verifiable facts.
• Alternatives to research (social media, personal reports, expert knowledge, custom, etc.) may not provide verifiable facts.
  • e.g. media reports on community crime with safe injection sites, displacement of victims of natural disasters, etc.

Where To Source Research

• Academic and scholarly journals
• Research monographs
• Textbooks
• Journals / Newspapers / Magazines
• Corporate research reports
• Legislative actions and policy actions
• Databases -A process whereby knowledgeable researhers review a paper. -Done mostly for publications

How to Use Research

• Researchers conduct research to:
  • Expand the body of knowledge
  • Establish professional credentials
  • Inform legal and policy decisions
  • Address social problems
  • Develop new products, services, or solutions
  • Advance social and political agendas
  • Improve professional practice

When To Use Research

• Useful for: -Expanding foundation -Respond to critical social problems -Allocate limited resources wisely -Base policy decisions on evidence rather than ideology

Characteristics of Research

• Research is generated by specific question, hypothesis, or problem.
• Research follows plan or procedure – or the research process.
• Research is empirical and reach conclusions based on gathered feedback.
• Research needs reasoned argument.
• Research is based on previous knowledge that can develop questions further.

Why Undertake Research

• To investigate some existing situation or problem
• To provide solutions to a problem
• To explore and analyze more general issues
• To construct or create a new procedure or system
• To explain a new phenomenon
• To generate new knowledge

Categories of Broad Research

• Two categories: -Quantitative -Numerical Data -Example: Cholera deaths in London in 1800's -Qualitative -Non-numerical Data -Example: Experience of people living with long-COVID

Cholera Epidemics in London (UK)

Cholera problem from 1831-2 to 1853-4. Miasma and pollution were possible causes with alcohol consumption as some kind of “mitigator”.

• Between 1831-2, 22,000 Londoners died.
• Between 1848-9, 52,000 died.

Broad Street Pump

• The risk of cholera was investigated.
• The link to London' drinking water was examined.
• Where the water came from was examined.
• Whether a person was at higher risk was questioned.
• This would depend on residence.
• Specifically relative to the tap.

Water Supply

• 4.2 deaths per 1,000 if the water source came one of two companies that water from sewer.
• 0.5 deaths per 1,000 when the water source was not the sewer.

Quantitative Research

• Data is numerical.
• It can be used to answer research questions.
• Questions should examine a theory.
• Other question themes: variable states, examine groups, relationship variables
• Validity is fundamental.
• Conclusions must must be accurate.
• The findings would be applied to populations beyond sample

Quantitative Research Considerations

• Objectivity is key.
• Sample sizes are typically large.
• Heavy focus on measurement of variables.
• Use statistics for data analysis.

Qualitative Research

• This refers to the Experience of Long COVID to research questions.
• Johns Hopkins University and Medicine has statistics and resources online regarding COVID.

Living Post-COVID

• "Long tail" COVID-19 has disabling symptoms, which is often 20-30% of infection population that recurs over time.
• Symptoms need to be addressed based on each patient.
• Qualitative study used depth semi-structured virtual focus groups.
• Thematic analysis was used with participants with COVID symptoms.
• The patient challenges are difficult to manage because of the lack of resources.
• The long-term cases highlight healthcare inadequacy.
• Therefore investment, services and support is required to empower society.

Qualitative Research - Overview

• Focus on generation and interpretation of non-numerical data.
• Data comes from open ended interviews, direct observations, written documents and art-based methods.
• The focus is understanding peoples' meanings of experience.
• Design is emergent and flexible. Data typically generated participants' natural settings with much smaller sample sizes quantitative research.

Next Topic - Mixed Methods Research

• Combines quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• It can prioritize either quantitative or qualitative methods
• Designs can enable quantitative/qualitative methods to run simultaneously or in sequence.

Research Design

• Several decisions and steps must be taken.
• The design can be the method to use. Both employed in the study come together.
• Example might be the approach for appropriate methods.
• Creswell (2014) identified four worldviews that are common in the literature. These include Postpositivism”, “Constructivism”,“Pragmatism”, and “Transformative”
• There’s is also the "Two-eyed Seeing. It’s steming from Indigenous health Each helps derive research approach and procedures.

Steps

• There are 11 steps in the process
  • Identify the research topic
  • Ask a Research Question
  • Conduct a Literature Review
  • Refine the Research Question
  • Define the Concepts
  • Create the Measures
  • Determine a Method / Approach
  • Collect the Data
  • Analyze the Data
  • Interpret the Results
  • Communicate the Findings

Example Method

• Physical activity helps mental health and reduces negative mood in individuals with signs of distress.
• Also what activities lead happiness.

Philosophical View

• Philosophical worldview is what researchers believes to be knowledge.
• Researchers needs philosophy.

Philosophy Components

• Belief nature truth and reality .
• And how to achieve knowledge .
• Ontology what there is what there is, epistemology is how understand what exist
• Beliefs effect entire program approach, strategy ,methods

What Is Considered as

• Ontology the general to world and beliefs
• Epistemology is the the nature and truth

Compnents

Philosophical Views

• What counts knowledge leads to certain reasearch. This includes approach
• Some views: -Positivism -Objective truth -Uses scientific method -Reliess on theories - Quantitative research -Constructivism -Multiple realities -varied and complex -socially built -seeks complexity -Qualitative research -Pragmatism -solves problems -no common goal -does what works and all approches can work -Mixed-method is research -Transformation - action driven helps research and politics - focuses on reform - helps lives Mixed methods are often connected wit this

Two-Eyed Seeing

• Belief knowledge understanding between indigenous, European. Equity is factor.
• Reflecting is vital aspect to help grow knowledge.
• This allows for different understanding.

Explore the core differences between science and research. Understand the importance of research for professional growth and how it contrasts with other information sources. Learn about research methodologies in kinesiology.