B3301 - Researching and reading scientific articles

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course the students will be able to identify the main theme and select the problem that characterizes a research paper. They will be able to understand the purpose of the various parts of a scientific article. They will be able to distinguish the characteristics of a research article from a review, a monograph, a meta-analysis, or an annotated bibliography. They will learn about the main strategies for researching scholarly literature and how to apply them, employing general-purpose and specialized search engines using keywords and related thesaurus terms as syntactic and logical operators.

Course contents

1) Beyond platitudes and fake news - forms of knowledge and research. "Ways of knowing" and the scientific method.

2) The history of scientific research applied to physical exercise and sport. The development of knowledge in the field from the ancient world to today.

3) The structure of a scientific article: the primary source. How to read a scientific article.

4) Basic statistics. Concepts of distribution, central tendency, variability, range. The graphical presentation of data.

5) Other secondary sources of knowledge. Monographs, reviews, systematic reviews, and more.

6) The Internet and bibliographic research. How to conduct a bibliographic search, for your thesis or other purposes.

7) How to evaluate the quality of scientific research. Simple indicators to quickly estimate the value of the sources.

8) How to integrate source analysis into the research process. Summarizing sources for a specific purpose.

9) The University's reference library service. The services and branches of the library system.

10) Computer and Internet Research Lab. Towards the end of the course, students will work in small groups to put their new knowledge to the test.

Lab 1. Researching Preliminary Sources

Lab 2. Selecting and Collecting Works

Lab 3. Summarizing Sources

Regarding the teaching methods of this course unit, all students who participate in the computer laboratories must attend Module 1, 2 of the online course on Health and Safety.

Readings/Bibliography

The main materials are provided by the lecturer. Supporting text:

Metodologia della ricerca per le scienze motorie e sportive. JR Thomas, JK Nelson, SJ Silverman. Publishers: Calzetti and Mariucci Editori, Torgiano, PG. Italy

Teaching methods

Lectures (24 hours)

Work in small groups (2-3 students) for the preparation of a written research on a topic chosen by a member of the group, and approved by the teacher. Most of the work is done during the workshops (8 hours).

Assessment methods

Attendance and participation in group activities will constitute the first element of evaluation for the purposes of the final assessment.

The final exam will consist of three elements:

1. The preparation of a written document for each laboratory by each working group, and an individual final report, to be submitted in electronic format at least 48 hours before the final interview.

2. A multiple choice written quiz with 18 questions. The student must correctly answer at least 9 questions to access the final exam.

3. A final interview to verify the student's contribution to the group's work, and his understanding of the topics covered during the course.

For students who are unable to participate in all group activities, the first and third elements of the exam will be replaced by a more in-depth oral exam in which the knowledge and skills acquired during the course will be verified.

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Regarding learning assessments, the use of AI is prohibited. Any use constitutes a violation of academic integrity.

Teaching tools

Slides are made available on the EOL website.

Workshops will be held in the usual assigned classroom, and students are expected to bring their own portable computers with internet access.

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Any students with learning disabilities (LD) or temporary or permanent disabilities: please contact the relevant University office in advance (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it). They will advise the affected students of any adaptations, which must be submitted to the instructor for approval 15 days in advance, who will evaluate their suitability, also taking into account the learning objectives of the course.

Office hours

See the website of David Neil Manners