In your professional career as specialists in exercise science, you may encounte
In your professional career as specialists in exercise science, you may encounter issues or problems of a physiological nature. The purpose of this project is to help you develop skills that will allow you to gain a better understanding of these issues through peer-reviewed, evidence-based research. Searching for other sources of knowledge will allow you to become familiar with scientific literature.
Briefly, this assignment is designed to provide you with the opportunity to conduct an in-depth examination of a topic of your choosing in exercise physiology, to critically read and review research, and to synthesize research findings into a well-written research review. You should plan on reading at least 1-2 review articles (or a meta-analyses) and at least 10 research articles to help you become an “expert” in your chosen topic. In an organized and cohesive paper, your task is to summarize theory and research pertaining to your chosen topic.
This project will include an introduction section (describing your topic), a body (discuss in depth the studies pertaining to your topic), a conclusion section (summarizing the review, providing practical application of your findings, and include a future directions section outlining further research and questions that need to be addressed from this topic), and a reference section. Your review should be a maximum of 10 pages long and include:
A title and abstract (<250 words)
1” margins on all sides and 12-point font
Double-spaced, times new roman font (including references)
Effective sentence structure, and paragraph transitions from one idea to another
Proper grammar and spelling
The literature reviewed should be developed around conceptual matters rather than around a chronological presentation of studies.
Choose from the following list of topics:
Effects of creatine supplementation on exercise performance [narrow down type of performance]
The effects of caffeine, HMB, fish oils, vitamin D, or beta alanine, on exercise performance [pick a type of exercise performance
When reading and analyzing research studies, pay close attention to the methods used.
Subjects and Design
the subject population (i.e., number, ages, gender), demographic information (e.g., social class, sport experience, ability, level of fitness), why this population was selected.
experimental: what are the comparison groups, how were subjects assigned to groups, what are the independent variable’s and dependent variables’s?
nonexperimental or correlational: what were the variables examined, how were they analyzed?
Measures
what instrumentation was used (e.g., motor tasks, self-report questionnaires, performance measures, observations, interviews, etc.)? Are they valid and reliable?
Were operational definitions of variables provided (e.g., stress, heart rate variability, self-efficacy)
Procedure
explain manipulations of independent variables, or how variables in a correlational study were observed
the procedure should be replicable!
Data Analyses
What statistical/inferential techniques was used to test hypotheses or answer the research question(s)?
References
Please provide references in APA format (see short guide below). It is important that you only use primary references.
Writing Style
One important aspect of education is becoming competent at writing in a cohesive manner to present your views logically so that the reader can understand. Effective sentence structure and word choice along with continuous transitions from one sentence/paragraph/idea to the next is important. You will be assessed on sentence structure, transitions, clarity of meaning, and overall style. Attention to details, including word choice, grammar, typographical errors, and referencing, is also important.
A Quick Guide to APA Format1
Paper, Typeface, & Margins
The paper should be 8 ½ x 11-inch paper. The paper is to be typed in 12 pt. Times New Roman
with 1-inch margins at the top, bottom, left, and right.
Double space between all lines of the manuscript, after every line in the title, heading, footnotes,
quotations, and references.
Reference Page
Journal Article
Lattier, G., Millet, G. Y., Maffiuletti, N. A., Babault, N., & Lepers, R. (2003). Neuromuscular
differences between endurance-trained, power-trained, and sedentary subjects. Journal of
Strength and Conditioning Research, 17, 514-521.
Edited Book
Baechle, T. R. & Earle, R.W. (Eds.). (2000). Essentials of Strength and Conditioning (2nd ed.).
Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Chapter from a Book
Hatfield, B. D., & Brody, E. B. (2000). The psychology of athletic preparation and performance:
The mental management of physical resources. In T. R. Baechle and R. W. Earle (Eds.),
Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (2nd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human
Kinetics.
Reference Citations in Text
Work used in the research for the paper is cited by author and date. Specifically, the last name of
the author and the year of publication are inserted in the text.
Fleck and Kraemer (2001) examined cardiovascular and physiological responses to three
different training protocols…..or……..In a recent study comparing the effectiveness of different
training protocols in eliciting physiological responses, it was determined…..(Fleck & Kraemer,
2001).
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1 American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American
Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author