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Course Outline

SPX700 Advanced Research Methods for Sport and Exercise Science Part A

Course Coordinator:Mark Sayers (msayers@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Sport and Exercise Science

2024Semester 1

UniSC Sunshine Coast

 Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

This course is the first of two courses that have been designed to provide you with advanced specialised knowledge and training in your chosen Sport and Exercise Science discipline. You will apply concepts, professional behaviours and applied skills taught in this course to a research project to demonstrate your ability to undertake research in authentic contexts. You will be expected to communicate your research findings to a range of industry partners. You will also undertake a significant amount of supervised research placement during this semester.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Combination of pre-recorded lectures and online resources 2hrs Week 1 13 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Question and answer sessions about Learning Materials with discussion on key topics 4hrs Week 1 10 times

Course Topics

Module 1 Research Processes in Sport & Exercise Science

Topic 1 The nature of research in sport and Exercise Science

  • Types of research
  • The research process at USC

Topic 2 Ethical Issues in Sport and Exercise Science and ESSA requirements

  • Policies and applications NEAF/USC/others.
  • People/duty of care. Procedures/safe practice. Places – lab/field/community
  • Integrity/disclosure
  • Meeting NSSQA standards
  • Industry/ ESSA
  • Employer/USC/Sport
  • Principles of reflective practice

Topic 3 Identifying the research problem

  • Stating the research problem
  • Literature search strategies

Topic 4 Developing a research proposal

  • For USC
  • For an external granting body

Topic 5 Analysing the requirements of a sport, or an activity, through specific evaluation and assessment protocols

Topic 6 Research proposal presentations

Module 2 Measurement Concepts in Sport and Exercise Science

Topic 7 Adherence to NSSQA standards for testing and measuring athletes

  • Calibrating equipment and understanding reliability, accuracy and validity

Topic 8 Research Design for Sport and Exercise Science projects

  • Statistical Concepts used in Sport and Exercise Science research

Topic 9 Common parametric statistics in Sport and Exercise Science research

  • Relationships between variables
  • Differences among groups

Topic 10 Qualitative research in Sport and Exercise Science research

  • Non-parametric techniques
  • Surveys
  • Other descriptive methods

 

What level is this course?

700 Level (Specialised)

Demonstrating a specialised body of knowledge and set of skills for professional practice or further learning. Advanced application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts.

What is the unit value of this course?

24 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Apply and justify the philosophical, ethical, risk management and technical values and principles of Sport and Exercise science to a research project. Knowledgeable
Ethical
2 Critique contemporary research in Sport and Exercise Science in your chosen discipline area. Creative and critical thinker
3 Demonstrate your expertise in selecting and applying research tools, and analysing and interpreting research findings from these instruments. Empowered
4 Justify the relevance of the research design and methodology in relation to the research project Creative and critical thinker

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Must be enrolled in program SC806

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Limited Grading (PNP)

Pass (PU), Fail (UF). All assessment tasks are required to be passed for successful completion of the course.

Details of early feedback on progress

You will be provided with individual feedback in the first three weeks of the course.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Oral and Written Piece Individual 
500-1000 words
 Week 8 Online Submission
All 2 Activity Participation Individual 
60 hours
 Week 13 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Journal Individual 
250-500 words
 Week 13 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check and in class
All - Assessment Task 1:Research Portfolio 1:Research Processes in Sport and Exercise Science
Goal: 
To demonstrate your ability to apply the philosophical and technical values, and principles of Sport and Exercise Science
Product: Oral and Written Piece
Format: 
Write a research proposal for a small project that you can undertake in Year 1 (this will be conducted as part of your placement and will not be a component of your major research project).
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Your ability to develop a sound Research Proposal that is based on clear research question(s) and coherent arguments;
 1 4
2 
Your ability to use clear written and oral communication skills to present your Proposal;
 2
3 
Your ability to appropriately acknowledge previous research.
 2
All - Assessment Task 2:Code of Conduct
Goal: 
This task enables you to become familiar with the code of conduct for your discipline and work within its guidelines during your placement.
Product: Activity Participation
Format: 
During your placement, you are required to complete 60 hours of work experience. To be eligible to pass, you are required to complete the placement satisfactorily according to the criteria below. See our Canvas page for your discipline specific Code of Conduct.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Behaviour that is in accordance with the discipline code of conduct
 1
2 
Adherence to the discipline code of conduct
 1
All - Assessment Task 3:Research Placement Logbook
Goal: 
To demonstrate your ability to work with professional sport and exercise scientists
Product: Journal
Format: 
You will prepare a logbook in which you will log each practicum experience. Each logbook entry provides a record of the date, daily events/activities, practical hours, a reflection on your learning experiences, and supervisor authorisation for each session. This logbook will be submitted twice. The first submission will be prior to your first placements (to ensure it meets the ESSA requirements) and then you will submit it again at the end of this course to ensure that you've logged your hours appropriately and that they meet ESSA requirements.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
To pass this assessment item you must develop a logbook and then log 180 hours of supervised placement. Example log book entries will be included on the course Canvas page.
 3

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Recommended Thomas, Jerry R.,Silverman, Stephen,Nelson, Jack 2015 Research Methods in Physical Activity, 7E n/a Human Kinetics
Recommended Rebecca K. Tanner,Australian Institute of Sport,Christopher John Gore 2012 Physiological Tests for Elite Athletes 2nd ed. Human Kinetics Publishers

Specific requirements

Appropriate clothing to be warn for all laboratory or experimental contexts. That includes shoes, and active clothing, and appropriate sun protection if the teaching or research session is conducted outdoors. Please note that as part of this course you are required to complete 180 hours of supervised research placement and must conduct yourself in a professional manner throughout.

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation.  It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline.  This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person.  You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin.  This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

This course will be graded as Pass in a Limited Grade Course (PU) or Fail in a Limited Grade Course (UF) as per clause 4.1.3 and 4.1.4 of the Grades and Grade Point Average (GPA) - Institutional Operating Policy of the USC.

In a course eligible to use Limited Grades, all assessment items in that course are marked on a Pass/Fail basis and all assessment tasks are required to be passed for a student to successfully complete the course. Supplementary assessment is not available in courses using Limited Grades.

Assessment: Submission penalties

You must contact your Course Coordinator and provide the required documentation if you require an extension or alternate assessment.

SafeUniSC

UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.

The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.

Study help

For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.

If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.

Wellbeing Services

Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.

AccessAbility Services

Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

  • In person:
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
    • UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
    • UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
    • UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au
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