¶ … Goals Athletes Set in Training and Competition
Perhaps the biggest mistake a researcher can make it to assume that if research has been done, that means the research is good research. In actuality, there is a significant amount of bad research available and those who rely upon it can easily draw bad conclusions. While there are an infinite number of ways that research can be bad, probably the most significant risk in bad research is research that detects a relationship (correlation) between two or more different variables and, from that relationship, seeks to suggest that there is causation between two or more of those variables. This can be due to an improper conclusion, but it can also be due to faulty research design that has failed to account for all of the other variables that could impact the results.
Defining Good Research
It can be difficult to define good research because research is very situationally-dependent. A research project that is perfect for one scenario may be wholly inappropriate in another scenario. Therefore, the first element of a good research project is that the research has been chosen appropriately and tailored to the task at hand. This is because, "in practice, the social researcher is faced with a variety of options and alternatives and has to make strategic decisions about which to choose. Each choice brings with it a set of assumptions about the social world it investigates. Each choice brings with it a set of advantages and disadvantages. Gains in one direction will bring with them losses in another, and the social researcher has to live with this" (Denscombe, 2007).
While there may not be a single definition of a good research project, there are certain characteristics that help describe good research. First, the purpose of the research should be clearly defined. Next, the procedure used in the research should be described in such a way that a researcher could replicate the research. The research should be as objective as possible, although that qualification is more important in qualitative research than quantitative research. The research should be honest; if results fail to support the hypothesis, those reports should still be reported. The data should be sufficiently analyzed to support the results. The research should be both valid and reliable. The conclusions of the research should come directly from the research, and should be limited to what the research has established or failed to establish.
Analysis of the Research
One of the ways that this project was an example of good research is that it was specifically tailored to the type of information that the researchers were seeking to discover. They were already aware that athletes used goal setting in training and competition, but prior research had failed to uncover how different goals could function in different ways. Prior research emphasized the role of process and performance goals because they believed that these goals were the ones that impacted performance. However, the researchers were concerned about limitations in prior goal setting research, particularly the fact that the researchers had defined the goals. Prior researchers have noted the need for a qualitative research study, and this study was designed to help fill in gaps from prior research. As a result, and keeping in mind that it was meant to build upon prior research, it was absolutely the appropriate type of research to investigate the issue.
Another aspect of good research is that it is well-described. The researchers discussed their research process in way that permitted an observer to replicate the research. There are lingering questions about coding methods and the questions used, but it seems clear that one could obtain that information from the researchers. It might be difficult to replicate the research outside of that geographical area because of the sports organizations established in that area, but that is not a flaw in the way the procedure is described.
One aspect of good research is that it should be as objective as possible. This research asked participants for their subjective responses...
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