Topic 6.2: Study Design

Question 1

Specificity

Answer 1

Fitness tests must assess an individual’s fitness for the activity or sport in question

Question 2

Accuracy

Answer 2

• The degree to which a measurement represents the true value of something (How close a measurement is to the true value)
• Relates to accuracy of the measuring equipment (reliability of the measuring instrument)

Question 3

Reliability

Answer 3

• The consistency of a measure (whether the results can be reproduced under the same conditions).
• A reliable test produces the same results if repeated
  2 types of reliability:
• Inter - researcher
• Test - retest

Question 4

Inter-Researcher Reliability

Answer 4

Whether different researchers in the same situation would get similar results

Question 5

Test - Retest Reliability

Answer 5

Doing the same test on different occasions with same or similar results

Question 6

Validity

Answer 6

• Fitness tests must measure the component of fitness that they are supposed to
• Does the test you are carrying out actually measure what it says it does?
• Validity refers to the accuracy of a measure (whether the results really do represent what they are supposed to measure)

Question 7

Control groups

Answer 7

• group in study that does not recieve treatment
• used as a benchmark to measure how the other tested subjects do

Question 8

Experimental group

Answer 8

The subjects in an experiment who are exposed to the treatment

Question 9

Randomized groups

Answer 9

The participants are assigned by chance, rather than by choice, to either the experimental group or the control group

Question 10

Blind

Answer 10

When the participants are not aware of whether they’re in the treatment group or the control group

Question 11

Double blind

Answer 11

• Where both the participants and the experimenters are unaware of who is in the experiment of control groups
• This is to make sure that neither party influences the results

Question 12

Placebo

Answer 12

fake treatment given to the control group to induce a psychological effect

Question 13

What is a PAR-Q?

Answer 13

The Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) is a 1-page form to see if a person should check with their doctor before becoming much more physically active

When to use it:

• Before asking someone to take part in a physical test
• Before asking someone to undertake physical activity
• If a person answers “Yes” to one or more questions they must see a doctor before undertaking any physical tests, training programmes or playing sports.

Question 14

Why is PAR-Q necessary?

Answer 14

• Designed to prevent muscle/joint/bone injury and sudden death, detects pre-existing medical conditions
• No to all questions –> can be assumed that the subject is safe to become active

Question 15

Field

Answer 15

• Any test outside of a laboratory

Pros:

• Equipment is usually more convenient, can study participants behavior
• Can be cost effective
• Can be perfomed more frequently
• Simulates specific conditions
• Enables the testing of larger number of subjects

Cons:

• Less accurate and reliable, too many unwanted variables

Question 16

Laboratory

Answer 16

• Any test carried out in a laboratory

Pros:

• More accurate, less uncontrollable variables

Cons:

• Difficulty of equipment, may lack eternal validity

Question 17

Maximal

Answer 17

Pros:

• Test max

Cons:

• Dangerous
• People not used to undergoing maximal exercise are likely to stop early, before actually reaching their maximum

Question 18

Sub - maximal

Answer 18

Pros:

• Can estimate max for children/inexperienced people unused to maxing
• Safer

Cons:

• Inaccurate because it is an estimate only