Table of Contents

Section 1 - Planning the research process 1. What is your research question - and why? - Kathleen Armour, University of Birmingham, UK, and Doune Macdonald, University of Queensland, Australia 2. Research principles and practices: paving the research journey - Doune Macdonald and Louise McCuaig, University of Queensland, Australia 3. Positioning yourself as a researcher: four dimensions for self-reflection - Juan-Miguel Fernandez-Balboa, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Spain, and Nathan Brubaker, James Madison University, USA 4. What counts as `good' research? - Stephen Silverman, Teachers College, Columbia University, USA, and Eve Bernstein, Queens College, City University of New York, USA Section 2 - Methodology: the thinking behind the methods 5. Thinking about research frameworks - Richard Tinning, University of Queensland, Australia, and Katie Fitzpatrick, University of Auckland, New Zealand 6. Conducting ethical research - Jan Wright and Gabrielle O'Flynn, University of Wollongong, Australia 7. Qualitative approaches - Peter Hastie, Auburn University, USA, and Peter Hay, University of Queensland, Australia 8. Quantitative approaches - Beverley Hale and Dudley Graham, University of Chichester, UK 9. Are mixed methods the natural approach to research? - Stephen Gorard and Kyriaki Makopoulou, University of Birmingham, UK 10. Listening to young people's voices in physical education and youth sport research - Mary O'Sullivan and Eimear Enright, University of Limerick, Ireland Section 3 - Selecting the most appropriate method(s) 11. Reviewing literature - Thomas J. Templin, Purdue University, USA, and Gemma Pearce, University of Birmingham, UK 12. Experimental research methods in physical education and sports - Leen Haerens and Isabel Tallir, University of Ghent, Belgium 13. Measurement of physical activity - Stewart G. Trost and Kelly Rice, Oregon State University, USA 14. Surveys - Hans Peter Brandl-Bredenbeck and Astrid Kampfe, University of Paderborn, Germany 15. Observational studies - Marie OEhman and Mikael Quennerstedt, OErebro University, Sweden 16. Case study research - Kathleen Armour and Mark Griffiths, University of Birmingham, UK 17. Interviews and focus groups - Catherine D. Ennis, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, USA, and Senlin Chen, Iowa State University, USA 18. Narrative research methods: where the art of storytelling meets the science of research Kathleen Armour, University of Birmingham, UK, and Hsin-heng Chen, Loughborough University, UK 19. Action research in physical education: cycles, not circles! - Anthony Rossi and Wah Kiat Tan, University of Queensland, Australia 20. Visual methods in coaching research: capturing everyday lives - Robyn Jones and Sofia Santos, University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, UK; Isabel Mesquita, Faculdade de Desporto, Porto, Portugal; and David Gilbourne, University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, UK 21. Grounded theory - Nicholas L. Holt and Camilla J. Knight, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, and Katherine A. Tamminen, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada 22. Discourse analysis and the beginner researcher - Kathy Hall and Fiona C. Chambers, University College, Cork, Ireland Section 4 - Data analysis - consider it early! 23. Analysing qualitative data - Peter Hastie and Olga Glotova, Auburn University, USA 24. Analysing quantitative data - Beverley Hale and Alison Wakefield, University of Chichester, UK Section 5 - Communicating your research 25. Effective research writing - David Kirk and Ashley Casey, University of Bedfordshire, UK 26. The dissertation - Lisette Burrows, Fiona McLachlan and Lucy Spowart, University of Otago, New Zealand

About the Author

Kathleen Armour is Professor of Education and Sport, and Head of the Department of Sport Pedagogy at the University of Birmingham, UK. Her research interests are in teacher/coach career-long professional development, physical activity and health pedagogies and the role of sport in the lives of disaffected/disengaged youth. Doune Macdonald is Professor and Head of School of the School of Human Movement Studies, University of Queensland, Australia. Her research interests have addressed the challenges of curriculum reform and its impact, and more recently broader questions of physical activity, health and young people.

Reviews

"For the emerging researcher, this is an invaluable source of possible tools for asking the important questions in a field of study. For the advanced student of physical education and youth sport, this is a refreshing approach to the challenging discipline of academic research. Recommended.", Choice magazine

"Strengths of the text are that is it well written throughout, and the examples used will be relevant and interesting to the reader. The writing style throughout is accessible to the novice researcher, and this is a text that will cover the needs of those beginning their research journey in the field of youth sport and physical education, as well as those slightly more advanced researchers, for example those beginning doctoral research will find this book a good starting point [...] this will be a welcome addition to the research methods literature in sport, and one that I could fully recommend to anyone starting their research journey in the area." Ian Jones - Bournemouth University