KIN 310: Research Methods (formerly SPEX 410)

How can I know if the article I found is an Empirical Article?

1. Is the article published in an academic, scholarly, or peer-reviewed journal?  Academic journals such as Athletic Therapy Today or Journal of Sports Economics may publish empirical articles. Some professional journals such as JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association publish empirical research. Other professional sources such as Performance Conditioning Soccer publish articles of professional interest, but they do not usually publish research articles. Empirical articles:
   • report on original research based on actual measurement, observation or experience
   • authored by the researchers
   • provide in-depth coverage and tend to be longer than a few pages
   • may be qualitative or quantitative in the methodology they use
   • considered a primary source
2. Does the abstract of the article mention a study, an observation, an analysis, or a number of participants or subjects? Was data collected, a survey or questionnaire administered, an assessment or measurement used, or an interview conducted? All of these terms indicate possible methodologies used in empirical research. 
3. Empirical articles normally contain these headings/sections:
   • Abstract - a short summary of the article
   • Introduction - includes a rationale for the research and a literature review on the topic
   • Methodology - a description of the research design, participants, etc.
   • Results - outcomes of the study
   • Discussion - the interpretations and implications of the study
   • References - citation information on the material cited in the report

Note: Review articles and meta-analysis are not empirical studies.

What are Qualitative Studies?

• a kind of empirical study methodology
• collected data is based on words; descriptions, stories, 
• based on observations of people's experiences
• sometimes called naturalistic approach
• data is collected from interviews, surveys, diaries, direct observation of people's experiences
• sets out aims not hypotheses
• attempts to explain events but not predict what may happen to other people

What are some types of Qualitative Studies?

• grounded Theory--continuous comparison between data analysis and data collection
• phenomenological Studies--also described as "lived experience"
• ethnography (participant participation)
• mixed-methods (both Qualitative and Quantitative combined in a study)

How can I identify Qualitative Studies?

• How was the data collected? interviews, focus groups, surveys
• Who were the study participants? How were they chosen? 
  • Also called sampling methods--single group participants with similar experience
• Other terms to identify and search for qualitative articles:
  • life experiences
  • theoretical sample
  • field study
  • hermeneutics
  • heuristics
  • action research
  • constant comparative method
  • cluster sample
  • thematic analysis
  • semiotics
  • narrative data