Module Code - Title:
SS4035
-
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF HUMAN RESEARCH AND THEIR APPLICATION
Year Last Offered:
2026/7
Hours Per Week:
Grading Type:
Prerequisite Modules:
Rationale and Purpose of the Module:
This module will provide core research skills in sport and exercise sciences, through lectures, student centred learning and through a substantive group project. The emphasis of this module will be on gaining an understanding of research techniques which will then be immediately applied in a human research project. Research theory will include evaluating the literature, research design, basic data interpretation and analysis, and finally data presentation. The group projects will investigate questions (and/or problems) arising in applied sport, health and/or exercise situations using sample data sets.
Syllabus:
The emphasis in this module is placed on applying scientific principles and research methods to sport and exercise through group projects using sample data sets. The projects will investigate questions (and/or problems) arising in applied sport, health and/or exercise situations. There is a structured component of the course which focuses on the fundamentals of human research; including scientific reading and writing (methods of acquiring appropriate scientific literature; how to search for research information in the sports and exercise sciences; how to read and critically evaluate scientific information), ethical considerations and research planning and design (steps in the human research process; experimental designs for human research).
Learning Outcomes:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
Associate and generalise the role of the sport & exercise scientist in applied sport and exercise specific situations.
Design and plan an appropriate strategy to answer a research question.
Critically evaluate the research literature.
Analyse, interpret and report findings from sample data in an appropriate manner.
Reconstruct and revise knowledge already acquired in the degree programme.
Devise and investigate questions in sport and exercise from a multidisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary perspective.
Summarise and defend findings via an oral presentation.
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
N/A
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
Demonstrate proficiency in teamwork and successful team dynamics while investigating the assigned problem.
How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:
This module will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials and lab-based learning sessions. The UL graduate attributes will be developed through gaining theoretical and practical knowledge of research methods and their application in a Sport and Exercise context. Students will have the opportunity to create an appropriate research design to answer a specific research question in a collaboraive group project and articulate their findings to their peers in a presentation.
Prime Texts:
Shephard, RJ (2012)
Statistics in Kinesiology (4e)
, Human Kinetics, Champaign, USA
Field, A. (2010)
Discovering statistics using SPSS
, Sage Publications
Thomas JR & Nelson JK (2005)
Research Methods in Physical Activity (5e)
, Human Kinetics, Champaign, USA
Other Relevant Texts:
Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN SPORT AND EXERCISE SCIENCES
Semester(s) Module is Offered:
Autumn
Module Leader:
jennifer.higgins@ul.ie