Research methods for sports studies

321 Pages·2010·2.04 MB·English

by  Chris Gratton

RESEARCH METHODS
FOR SPORTS STUDIES
This comprehensive, accessible and practical textbook provides a com-
plete grounding in both qualitative and quantitative research methods for
the sports studies student. The book offers the reader a step-by-step guide
to the research process, from designing a research project, to collecting
and analysing data, to reporting the research, and is richly illustrated
throughout with sport-related case studies and examples from around the
world. Now in a fully revised and updated new edition, the book covers
key topics such as:
n choosing an appropriate research design
n undertaking a literature review
n key research techniques, including questionnaires, interviews, content
analysis and ethnographic studies
n data analysis, including an introduction to SPSS, as well as guides to
descriptive and inferential statistics
n writing a research report
n ethical issues in sports research.
Research Methods for Sports Studiesis designed to be a complete and self-
contained companion to any research methods course, and contains a
wealth of useful features such as highlighted definitions of key terms,
revision questions, p ractical research exercises and a companion web site
with web links, multiple choice questions, PowerPoint slides and other
learning resources. The book is also an invaluable reference for any student
undertaking a dissertation or research project as part of their studies.
Chris Grattonis Professor of Sports Economics and Director of the Sport
Industry Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, UK.
Ian Jones is Associate Dean for Sport, the Centre for Event and Sport
Research, Bournemouth University, UK.

RESEARCH METHODS
FOR SPORTS STUDIES
SECOND EDITION
CHRIS GRATTON AND IAN JONES
First published 2010
by Routledge
2Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group,
an informa business
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2010.
To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s
collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.
©2010 Chris Gratton and Ian Jones
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic,
mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter
invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any
information storage or retrieval system, without permission
in writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Acatalogue record for this book is available from the
British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gratton, Chris, 1948-
Research methods for sports studies / Chris Gratton and
Ian Jones. – 2nd ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Sports–Research–Methodology. 2. Leisure–

Research–Methodology. 3. Qualitative research.
I. Jones, Ian, 1970– II. Title.
GV706.8.G726 2010
796¢.07–dc22 2009023900
ISBN 0-203-87938-4 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN10: 0–415–49392–7 (hbk)
ISBN10: 0–415–49393–5 (pbk)
ISBN10: 0–203–87938–4 (ebk)
ISBN13: 978–0–415–49392–5 (hbk)
ISBN13: 978–0–415–49393–2 (pbk)
ISBN13: 978–0–203–87938–2 (ebk)
CONTENTS
Preface to the second edition xiii
1 WHAT IS RESEARCH? 1
Introduction 1
What is ‘research’? 4
The characteristics of research 4
Why undertake research? 5
The different types of research 6
Pure and applied research 7
Primary and secondary research 8
Theoretical and empirical research 8
Some misconceptions about research 9
Understanding sports research 9
Summary 13
Activities 13
2 THE RESEARCH PROCESS 15
Introduction 15
The research process 15
Summary 20
Activities 21
v
contents
3 RESEARCH TRADITIONS 22
Introduction 22
The nature of knowledge 23
Quantitative and qualitative research 29
The growth of qualitative research in sports studies 31
Choosing quantitative or qualitative approaches 33
Mixing quantitative and qualitative data 34
Deductive and inductive research 36
Two broad research traditions 37
What approaches are suitable for my research? 37
Summary 38
Activities 39
4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 40
Introduction 40
Coming up with a research topic 41
Focusing your research question 44
Writing a research proposal 51
Weaknesses in research proposals 51
Summary 52
Activities 53
5 REVIEWING THE LITERATURE 54
Introduction 54
Purposes of the literature review 55
Sources of literature 56

Finding the literature 58
Relevant databases for sport research 59
Focusing your literature search 61
Assessing the literature 62
Assessing web sites 63
How do I know when I have collected enough literature? 64
How should I write up the literature review? 64
How do I reference other authors? 67
Maintaining your references 70
Structuring your literature review 70
vi
contents
Relating your literature review to your research question 71
Mistakes often made in the literature review 72
Identifying secondary data 72
How do I know if I have completed my literature review? 74
Summary 74
Activities 75
6 THEORIES, CONCEPTS AND VARIABLES 77
Introduction 77
Theories and theoretical frameworks 78
Considering your approach 79
How do I know which theory to use? 82
Concepts and conceptual frameworks 82
Difficult terms to operationalise 86
Reliability and validity 92
The relationship between reliability and validity 95
Assessing qualitative research 96
Summary 98
Activities 98
7 RESEARCH DESIGNS FOR SPORTS STUDIES 100
Introduction 100
Experimental designs 101
Cross-sectional/survey designs 104
Time series designs 105
Longitudinal designs 106
Case study research 107

Grounded theory designs 109
Ethnographic designs 109
Sampling issues 110
Selecting a sample 110
Mistakes made in selecting a sample 114
Determining the sample size 114
Case study or ethnographic sampling 116
Non-response bias 117
What methods should I use to collect data from my sample? 118
Triangulation of data 119
vii
contents
Combining quantitative and qualitative approaches 120
Ethical considerations in research design 121
Summary 124
Activities 125
8 COLLECTING DATA I: THE QUESTIONNAIRE
SURVEY 126
Introduction 126
When is the use of a questionnaire appropriate? 127
Advantages of the questionnaire survey 128
Disadvantages of the questionnaire 129
Using internet based questionnaires 130
Designing your questionnaire 131
What types of question can I ask? 132
Should I use existing questions or scales or develop my own? 137
Ordering the questionnaire 138
Problems in questionnaire design 138
Piloting the questionnaire 140
Increasing your response rate 146
The covering letter 147
Administering the questionnaire 149
Following up non-respondents 151
Summary 152
Activities 152
9 COLLECTING DATA II: RESEARCH INTERVIEWS 154
Introduction 154
When is interviewing appropriate? 155
The different types of interview 155
Advantages of the interview method 156
Disadvantages of the interview method 157
Designing the interview schedule 158
Carrying out the interview 159
Motivating the informant 162
Asking sensitive questions 162
Recording the interview 163
viii
contents
Maximising the quality of the interview 166
Interviewing children 167
Telephone and online interviews 168
Interviews and sample size 168
The key informant interview 170
Focus groups 171
Summary 173
Activities 173
10 COLLECTING DATA III: UNOBTRUSIVE
METHODS – OBSERVATION AND CONTENT
ANALYSIS 175
Introduction 175
Advantages of unobtrusive methods 176
Disadvantages of unobtrusive methods 176
Observation and participant observation 177
When is observation appropriate? 177
Advantages of observational methods 180
Disadvantages of observational methods 180
Carrying out an observational study 181
Recording data 182
Mistakes made in observational studies 184
Content analysis 185
Mistakes made in content analysis 190
Summary 190
Activities 191
11 COLLECTING DATA IV: ETHNOGRAPHIC
RESEARCH IN SPORT 193
Introduction 193
Characteristics of ethnography 196
Undertaking a sports ethnography 198
Ethnographic methods 203
Methodological and ethical issues in sport ethnography 205
Experiential ethnography 205
Autoethnography 206
ix
contents