90766 - Researching and reading scientific articles

Academic Year 2019/2020

  • Docente: Franco Merni
  • Credits: 3
  • SSD: M-EDF/02
  • Language: Italian
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Exercise and Sport Sciences (cod. 8512)

Learning outcomes

The student will be able to identify the main theme and select the problem that characterizes a research. He will be able to understand the purpose of the parts of a scientific article and to distinguish the characteristics of a research article from a review, a monograph, a meta-analysis, or a reasoned bibliography.
He will learn to use the main research strategies of the applied literature by adapting the main generic and specialized search engines using keywords and related thesaurus as syntactic and logical operators.
The course will provide the useful elements and methods of bibliographic research to be used for the preparation of the final thesis of the three-year degree course or the introduction of the master's degree thesis.

Course contents

The modalities of knowledge and the solution of problems
The methods of common practice (intuition, authority, deductive and inductive reasoning) vs the scientific method ie:
Definition and delimitation of the problem
Formulation of hypotheses, definition of variables and methods
Data collection and processing
Analysis and interpretation of data and innovative conclusions
Types of research: Analytical, descriptive, experimental, qualitative and quantitative
The structure of a scientific article is the primary source
Guidelines to define a theme, identification of the problem, the point on the current knowledge of the problem based on the acquisitions from the literature
Methods: tools, procedures, proposed physical activities and training methods
Definition of descriptors and tools to be used, sample of the subjects examined
Results: Statistical processing, presentation also graphic and data reading
Discussion on the evidence found and comparison with previous works, conclusions
Consult the other secondary sources of knowledge
Specialized books, Encyclopedias, Monographs and reasoned bibliographies with historical evolution, the Review, Metanalysis methods of inclusion and exclusion of the analyzed articles and of statistical analysis to elaborate different data of the various articles.
Internet and bibliographic research
General and specialized search engines Thesaurus with the most used keywords and Boolean logical operators. The syntax of the main search engines
Methods of bibliographic research: keywords, theme, author and title etc.
ACNP catalog, database
The main generic search engines like:
Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science.
Search engines dedicated to physical exercise and sports with connected areas
Bio-medical area: PubMed, Medline
Sport and exercise area: Sport Discus, Sponet, Australian national Sport Center
Psycho-pedagogical area: Eric, PsycINFO, Ingenta
The history of scientific research applied to PE and sport
From knowledge of the ancient world to the Middle Ages (Galen, Leonardo, Mercuriale)
The scientific method from Galileo to the applied research of the 1900s
The most recent applied research fields of greatest interest.
The most important international magazines in each sector:
The citations system, Impact Factor (Journal Citation Report) the Ranking by scientific sector, the H index and other bibliographic indicators.
The Biological-Physiological, Medical-Sports, Exercise Health and Wellness, Adapted Activities, Sports Performance and Biomechanical Analysis of Movement
The different areas: Psychological, Pedagogical, Social and Managerial, Historical, Ethics
The most popular Italian magazines and their availability in the Bologna and national libraries with document delivery
The reference library service in Bologna:

ACNP Catalog, The inter-library loan ILL Service SBN, MyNilde, The main Libraries in Bologna:
Central Biomedics, Rimini Campus, S. Orsola Clinic, Library, S. Contento Psychology Department, Department of Pedagogical Sciences M. Gatullo, CONI Study sport Center Library with presentation of their characteristics of those responsible.


Readings/Bibliography

Research methods in physical activities

J.R. Thomas, JK Nelson, S.S. Silverman

Champaign: Human Kinetics, 2011


Teaching methods

Frontal lessons
Interventions of expert librarians
Bibliographic research laboratory

Assessment methods

In progress tests in the computer lab
Oral examination

Teaching tools

Computer lab and internet research
Knowing how to use different search engines on specific topics chosen in class and then select articles

Office hours

See the website of Franco Merni