Downloaded by [New York University] at 13:23 27 August 2016 Research Methods in Sports Coaching Research Methods in Sports Coaching is a key resource for any student, researcher, or practitioner wishing to undertake research into sports coaching. It takes the reader through each phase of the research process, from identifying valuable research questions, to data collection and analyses, to the presentation and dissemination of research findings. It is the only book to focus on the particular challenges and techniques of sports coaching research, with each chapter including examples, cases, and scenarios from the real world of sports coaching. The book introduces and explores important philosophical, theoretical, and practical considerations in conducting coaching research, including contextual discussions about why it’s important to do sports coaching research, how to judge the quality of coaching research, and how sports coaching research might meet the needs of coaching practitioners. Written by a team of leading international scholars and researchers from the UK, US, Canada, and Australia, and bridging the gap between theory and practice, this book is an essential course text for any research methods course taken as part of a degree programme in sports coaching or coach education. Lee Nelson is a Lecturer in the Department of Sport, Health, and Exercise Science at the University of Hull, UK. His research and teaching interests include micro-politics, emotions, and pedagogy in coaching and coach education contexts. Ryan Groom is Senior Lecturer in Sports Coaching at Manchester Metro- politan University, UK. His main teaching and research interests focus on Downloaded by [New York University] at 13:23 27 August 2016 qualitative research methodologies and social theory to explore power, identity, and interaction. Paul Potrac is Professor of Sports Coaching at Edge Hill University, UK. His research and teaching interests focus on exploring the social complexity of sports coaching and coach education, with a particular emphasis on the political and emotional nature of practice. This page intentionally left blank Downloaded by [New York University] at 13:23 27 August 2016 Research Methods in Sports Coaching Edited by Lee Nelson, Ryan Groom, and Paul Potrac Downloaded by [New York University] at 13:23 27 August 2016 First published 2014 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2014 for selection and editorial matter, Lee Nelson, Ryan Groom, and Paul Potrac; for individual contributions, the contributors The right of Lee Nelson, Ryan Groom, and Paul Potrac to be identified as the editors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Research methods in sports coaching / edited by Lee Nelson, Paul Potrac, Ryan Groom. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Coaching (Athletics)--Research--Methodology. I. Nelson, Lee. II. Potrac, Paul, 1974- GV711.R47 2014 796.07’7--dc23 2013033788 ISBN: 978-0-415-62680-4 (hbk) ISBN: 978-0-415-62682-8 (pbk) ISBN: 978-0-203-79754-9 (ebk) Typeset in Garamond by Taylor & Francis Books Downloaded by [New York University] at 13:23 27 August 2016 Contents List of figures and tables viii Notes on editors and contributors ix 1 Introduction1 LEE NELSON, RYAN GROOM, AND PAUL POTRAC PART I Philosophical considerations 7 2 Philosophy of knowledge9 CLIFFORD J. MALLETT AND RICHARD TINNING 3 Logical positivism 18 RONALD E. SMITH AND FRANK L. SMOLL 4 Interpretivism 31 PAUL POTRAC, ROBYN L. JONES, AND LEE NELSON 5 Poststructuralism 42 ZOË AVNER, LUKE JONES, AND JIM DENISON PART II Preparing and initiating the research process 53 Downloaded by [New York University] at 13:23 27 August 2016 6 Navigating the research process 55 WADE GILBERT, MARTIN CAMIRÉ, AND DIANE CULVER 7 Reviewing the literature 66 JOHN LYLE 8 The place of theory 76 LEE NELSON, PAUL POTRAC, AND RYAN GROOM vi Contents 9 Writing and representing research 86 RYAN GROOM, LEE NELSON, PAUL POTRAC, AND BRETT SMITH 10 Ethical considerations 98 GRAHAM MCFEE PART III Quantitative approaches to coaching research 109 11 Questionnaires 111 DANIEL RHIND, LOUISE DAVIS, AND SOPHIA JOWETT 12 Systematic observation 123 GARETH MORGAN, BOB MUIR, AND ANDY ABRAHAM 13 Analysis of quantitative data 132 ADRIAN MIDGLEY AND BRYNA CHRISMAS 14 Judging quantitative research 147 JOHN TONER AND AIDAN MORAN PART IV Qualitative approaches to coaching research 159 15 Interviews 161 LAURA PURDY 16 Ethnography 171 CHRISTOPHER CUSHION 17 Analysis of qualitative data 181 WILLIAM TAYLOR 18 Judging qualitative research 192 BRETT SMITH, ANDREW C. SPARKES, AND NICK CADDICK Downloaded by [New York University] at 13:23 27 August 2016 PART V Contemporary approaches to coaching research 203 19 Autoethnography 205 BRIAN T. GEARITY 20 Discourse analysis 217 JOSEPH MILLS AND JIM DENISON Contents vii 21 Conversation analysis 227 RYAN GROOM, LEE NELSON, PAUL POTRAC, AND CHRISTOPHER CUSHION PART VI Disseminating coaching research 239 22 Presenting coaching research 241 PHIL MARSHALL 23 Publishing coaching research 251 PIERRE TRUDEL, DIANE CULVER, AND WADE GILBERT Index 261 Downloaded by [New York University] at 13:23 27 August 2016 List of figures and tables Figures 3.1 A model of adult leadership behaviors in sport and hypothesized relations among situational, cognitive, behavioral, and individual difference variables 23 13.1 A scatterplot of the observed relationship between Banister’s TRIMP and Edward’s TRIMP 134 13.2 Scatterplots showing the relationships in four sets of bivariate data 136 13.3 A histogram showing normally distributed (A) and right-skewed data (B) 139 13.4 The ladder of powers 141 Tables 3.1 Coding categories of the Coaching Behaviors Assessment System 24 13.1 Statistical tests that are common in sports coaching research 137 14.1 Forms of validity 153 19.1 Dominant ways of understanding autoethnography 207 20.1 Foucauldian discourse analysis 221 21.1 Conversation analysis transcription symbols 232 Downloaded by [New York University] at 13:23 27 August 2016 Notes on editors and contributors Editors Lee Nelson is a Lecturer in the Department of Sport, Health, and Exercise Science at the University of Hull, UK. His research and teaching interests include micro-politics, emotions, and pedagogy in coaching and coach education contexts. Ryan Groom is a Senior Lecturer in Sports Coaching at Manchester Metro- politan University, UK. His main teaching and research interests focus on qualitative research methodologies and social theory to explore power, identity, and interaction. Paul Potrac is a Professor of Sports Coaching at Edge Hill University, UK. His research and teaching interests focus on exploring the social complexity of sports coaching and coach education, with a particular emphasis on the political and emotional nature of practice. Contributors Andy Abraham is a Principal Lecturer in the Carnegie School of Sports at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK. His research and teaching interests include professional education, practice, and decision-making. Zoë Avner is a PhD candidate at the University of Alberta, Canada. Her research takes a poststructuralist approach to develop more ethical and Downloaded by [New York University] at 13:23 27 August 2016 effective coaching practices within performance sporting contexts. Nick Caddick is a PhD student in the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport at Loughborough University, UK. His main research and teaching interests are in qualitative inquiry and the health and well-being of combat veterans, physical activity, and the natural environment. Martin Camiré is an Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa’s School of Human Kinetics in Ottawa, Canada. Dr Camiré is a researcher in the area of sport psychology and sport pedagogy and he is interested in x Notes on editors and contributors examining how positive youth development can be facilitated in the context of school sport. Bryna Chrismas is a Lecturer in Exercise Physiology in the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Bedfordshire, UK. Her research and teaching interests include exercise physiology with a particular focus on muscle damage and recovery, and the application of research methods and statistics in sport and exercise science. Diane Culver is an Associate Professor in the School of Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa, Canada. Her research relates to coach develop- ment in different contexts including disability sport and qualitative research. She teaches sport pedagogy and psychology. Christopher Cushion is a Reader in Sports Coaching at Loughborough University School of Sport, Exercise, and Health Sciences, UK. His teaching and research interests focus on a sociocultural