Unit 6.2: Study Design

• Refers to degree to which test is consistent and stable in measuring what it is intended to measure • Refers to how close determined value is to actual value (depends on procedures/equipment used) • Will depend on strictness of test conducted and individual’s motivation • E.g. Endurance athlete doing Cooper’s 12 minute run to test aerobic power

• Refers to degree to which test actually measures what it claimes to measure and extent to which conclusions/decisions are made on the basis of test scores being appropriate/meaningful • Precision of data gathered • Depends on instruments being used (must be accurate) • E.g. hand timing a race won’t be as accurate as laser-timing

• Refers to how close a determined value is to the actual value • Consistency of test scores over time and across alternative measurements • Depends on procedures/equipment used • reliable test -> produces same result if repeated • E.g. Need to make sure improvement in performance in a fitness test is due to actual fitness improvement and not because there is learning/habituation effect on the test (McMorris -> 160 times repeating test)

• Refers to ability of test to correctly indentify parameters which are most important in regard to the claims of the study: Does the test measure what it is supposed to measure? • E.g. making basketball players run 100m will not tell us how quick they are in in a basketball game, where sprints are much shorter and repeated many times

• Causalty • Control Group • Randomization • Placebos • Blinding and Double-Blinding • Statistical Analysis

• Relation between an event (cause) and a second event (effect), where second event is understood as consequence of the first • Causation must be taken with care because: 1. Other factors could influence results (e.g. habituation, weather…) 2. Relationship between two variables does not necessary mean causation

• Group in experiment/study that does not receive treatment by researchers to be used as benchmark to measure how other tested subjects do

• Must be identical in all relevant ways except for introduction of suspected causal agent into experimental group • If suspected causal agent is actually causal factor of event -> event should manifest itself more significantly in experimental group than control group

• A process used to select experiment participants when performing cause and effect experiment. • Random allocation of individuals into groups

• A participant taking treatment that will not affect performance, used as control in testing new drugs

When participants do not know which group they belong to so they do not know if they are receiving placebo or substance under study

• When neither participants nor experimenters know who is receiving a particular treatment. • Utilized to prevent bias in search results

• Screening tool used to determine if participating in physical activity of test will put health/life of participant at risk • Measures component of fitness required for individual to undertake physical activity • Anyone looking to partake in exercise program should go through questionnaire • Helps determine safety of test for participant • If person answer no to all questions -> can participate • If person answer yes to one or more -> must see doctor before undertaking physical test

• More specific to performance environment • Greater ecological validity, more motivation to perform at optimal level • Less specialized technical equipment -> do not have to be an expert to manipulate tools • Easier to test large sample size • Cheaper than lab

• Environment can alter results • Much planning in testing administration • Less advanced tools/technology

• Greater accuracy and reliability of measured variable as well as tools used • Greater control of environmental factors • Stimulates sports demand

• Not always accessible • Limited value assessing team sports • Not conducted in sport environment

• When we want to know the maximal amount a person can do (e.g. VO2max ( maximal weight they can lift)

• Measurements can be more accurate

• Risk of injury/overexertion • Difficult to ensure athlete is working to max • Effort depends on athlete’s motivation

When athlete works below maximum effort and data is extrapolated to estimate maximum capacity

• Prevents injury/overexertion • Safer and less stressful • Can be completed quickly • Easier to recruit participants -> more willing to participate • Quicker recovery -> retesting occurs faster • Correlation reasonably strong with aligned maximal tests • Better for those such as children/elderly who find it difficult to reach maxinal levels

• Depends on extrapolation and then estimate of maximal performance • Pacing/motivation required • Correlation for some tests is reasonably poor • Small measurement inaccuracies -> large discrepancies