chapter

16

Other Descriptive Research Methods

Chapter Outline

• Developmental research• The case study• Job analysis• Observational research• Unobstrusive research techniques• Correlational research

Developmental Research

• Longitudinal designs– Strengths– Weaknesses

• Cross-sectional designs– Strengths– Weaknesses

• Combinations (overlapping)

(continued)

Developmental Research (continued)

• Methodological problems– Unrepresentative scores– Unclear semantics– Lack of reliability– Statistical problems

• Protecting participants

Case Studies

• Types– Descriptive: develops a detailed picture– Interpretive: uses data to classify or conceptualize– Evaluative: determines merits of practices or events

• Selecting participants• Gathering and analyzing data

Job Analysis

• Used in sport management• Used in fitness leadership• Methods

– Surveys– Interviews– Shadowing

Observational Research

• What behaviors to observe• Who to observe• Where to observe• How many observations• When to observe

(continued)

Observational Research (continued)

• How to score observations– Narrative (continual recording)– Tallying (frequency counting)– Interval method– Duration method

• Using videotape

Unobstrusive Research

• Collecting data when people don’t know– Nature of cities– Who watches television– Records of people and events

• Birth certificates• Magazines• Newspapers• Nature of graffiti

Correlational Research

• Explores relationships• Makes predictions• Characteristics

– Nature of participants– Spread of scores– Shrinkage in prediction

• Does not establish cause and effect