Topic 6.2: Study Design Flashcards
Specificity
Fitness tests must assess an individual’s fitness for the activity or sport in question
Accuracy
- 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)
Reliability
- 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
Inter-Researcher Reliability
Whether different researchers in the same situation would get similar results
Test - Retest Reliability
Doing the same test on different occasions with same or similar results
Validity
- 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)
Control groups
- group in study that does not recieve treatment
- used as a benchmark to measure how the other tested subjects do
Experimental group
The subjects in an experiment who are exposed to the treatment
Randomized groups
The participants are assigned by chance, rather than by choice, to either the experimental group or the control group
Blind
When the participants are not aware of whether they’re in the treatment group or the control group
Double blind
- 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
Placebo
fake treatment given to the control group to induce a psychological effect
What is a PAR-Q?
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.
Why is PAR-Q necessary?
- 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
Field
- 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
Laboratory
- Any test carried out in a laboratory
Pros:
- More accurate, less uncontrollable variables
Cons:
- Difficulty of equipment, may lack eternal validity
Maximal
Pros:
- Test max
Cons:
- Dangerous
- People not used to undergoing maximal exercise are likely to stop early, before actually reaching their maximum
Sub - maximal
Pros:
- Can estimate max for children/inexperienced people unused to maxing
- Safer
Cons:
- Inaccurate because it is an estimate only
