Terence G. Favero
Undergraduate research using single-subject research design in exercise physiology
University of Portland
illuminationsundergraduate research using singlesubject research design exercise physiologyterence g faveroterence g faverodepartment biology university portland portland oregonpublished online30 jul 2019httpsdoiorg101152advan000532019moresectionspdf 89 kbdownload pdf toolsexport citationadd favoritesget permissionstrack citations shareshare onfacebooktwitterlinkedinemail introductionundergraduate research ugr particularly sciences documented highimpact educational practice teaches variety disciplinary transferable skills well supports personal professional development undergraduate scientist 24 variety reports across many disciplines show engaging ugr experience enhance disciplinary skills research design data collection analysis information literacy scientific communication 22 23 32 students conducted research undergraduate also noted gains better understanding research process clarification career path ugr also shown improve global transferable skills habits student selfconfidence tolerance obstacles ability work independently 23 addition ugr experiences shown especially beneficial underrepresented minority students women 2 12 15 20 intensive ugr experiences help create strong mentoring relationships senior scientists esprit de corps others students offer needed support challenging times 2 12 15 collectively ugr experiences promote retention stem fields increase likelihood students pursue phd 17historically experiences taken variety names research internships research apprenticeships ugr experiences research experiences undergraduates still challenges traditional ugr experiences serve students quite competitive find require devotion extensive time usually summer time outside class response limitations attempt broaden ugr participation many faculty members begun using course based undergraduate research experiences cure 1 6 11 inquirybased laboratories 31 cure inquirybased laboratories embed research formal laboratory class permitting larger group students gain research experience although share many similar features cure laboratories represent comprehensive model inquirybased laboratory experiences inquirybased laboratories students mostly groups focus smaller projects last weeks centered around single part research process research question technique often culminate larger multiweek project conclude course 31 36 advantages inquirybased cure experiences require one instructor open student enrolls course conducted primarily class time typically carried teaching laboratory opposed specialized research spaced cure inquiry laboratories intended replace traditional laboratory courses also known confirmation verification cookbook laboratories 36 inquirybased laboratories cures potential expand number students exposed ugr meaningful ways also promote student engagement students ask answer questions also contributes student engagement persistence science 19 introductory level courses also great place experiences 7 16 give students early start potential research career path 17 19 cure inquirybased laboratories show gains selfconfidence problem solving ability work independently similar observed singular research experiences 17 34 coursebased inquirybased laboratories ugr physiology exercise physiology reported journal elsewhere 4 5 10 13 17 25 30 31in many cases cure inquirybased laboratories often involve group projects rather individually designed carried projects group work shown positively affect student learning outcomes collaboration remains problem varying commitment given student bring group 10 28 example group projects selection research question may fully motivate team member degree another challenge group projects students often divide tasks based strengths project design writing data collection computer work etc often avoiding personally challenging tasks need experience moreover one persistent challenges group work group member contribute hisher fair share time task 10 25 project scheduling also noted one consistent challenges group work students may work want meet outside lab time 10thus challenge balance need individual students design conduct meaningful research avoiding pitfalls group work may detract student learning without losing value collaboration experience singlesubject research design employ individual participant unit analysis 27 singlesubject research used extensively development evidencebased practice special education 18 rehabilitation research 3 purpose singlesubject research document causal functional relationships independent dependent variables 3 18 clinical setting goal determine whether clinical relevance treatment rather statistical significance basic singlesubject design employs planned comparison ab design represents baseline status b represents intervention treatment 27 effectaccordingly learning objectives assignment consistent variations ugr 31 namely deepen students understanding application scientific method designing experiment collecting analyzing interpreting data reporting results addition similar independent research develop student problemsolving skillsassignmentthis assignment developed upper level biology exercise course twentyeight students threecredit lectureonly course taken least 1 yr biology 1 yr chemistry least one course human physiology accompanying laboratories statistics students enrolled course preheath science students interests medicine physical occupational therapy nursing andor exercise science experimental design inquirydriven laboratories threaded throughout several previous courses including introductory biology human physiology manner similarly described rivers 31 luckie et al 25 however large majority students project would first project solely responsible aspects research overview assignment given students first lecture followswhile experimental research often focuses outcomes generalizable larger populations often medicine sport rehabilitation need design find works single personathlete end identify health wellness fitnessrelated goal would like achieve develop sound scientific methodology outlined research proposal carry proposed experiment using subject report results orally writing experiments minimum 4 wk longer 6 wkdetailsessentially every student would develop research proposal using single subject carry activities write research format followed journal applied physiology present research class end semester first week students given timeline component due given limitation needed able measure outcomes without complicated expensive laboratory instruments latter would reduce time burden instructor simplify project students within first 10 days assignment presented students meet instructor personally discuss project safety feasibly project assessed within time constraints semester approved student wrote research proposal included introduction grounded research detailed research methodology students organized groups three peer review process group member evaluate provide detailed written feedback proposed experiment methodology outlined members hisher group give helpful directions facilitate directed peer review process students asked frame reviews around questions anything find interesting research proposal proposal scientifically sound questions concerns specific research methodology believe interventionprogram result meaningful changes please state proposal adequately control nontreatment factors diet sleep etc could impact study summatively believe could carry experiment written please state whystudents given 1 wk review peers proposal comments received student 1 wk incorporate comments final proposal final proposals turned needed instructor approval mostly safety reasons starting project instructor approval given typically 3 days final proposal students could begin experiment assess readiness experiment beginning experiment students completed physical activity readiness questionnaire parq httpsstorecsepcapagesgetactivequestionnaire since students conducting project requirement institutional review board approval still parq activity conducted along thorough discussion institutional review board processes ethics informed consent human research subjectsonce per week experiments students organized small groups class discuss progress challenges projects first weeks students briefly outlined projects small group discussions framed around two questions going well project challengeshurdlesquestions project need assistance questions common concerns raised small groups highlighted ensuing allclass discussion problem adequately resolved small group entire class invited assist dealing challenges raised almost every case another student offered concrete suggestion help resolve issue thematically majority student proposals generally centered around four areas strength training endurance training highintensity interval training nutritionaldietary modifications could measured accessible tools stopwatches scales goniometers skinfold calipers instructor ensured students access measurement tools critical junctures projectoutcomesthe quality original student proposals peer review varied greatly student peer review shown effective tool improving students writing thinking skills peerreviewing others research proposals similar effect 25 26 majority proposals sound scientifically students proposed experiments quite unreasonable length 810 wk scope measuring many variables others proposed experiments stimulustreatment minimal would real chance effect peer review process essential shaping projects scientifically sound proposals proved quite effective noted luckie et al 25 students become aware flaws reviewing another peers workin addition presenting research class student write traditional research style manuscript separate guided reflective statement general students met exceeded learning goals outlined demonstrated sound understanding applying scientific method coupled moderate strong scientific writing skills upper division biology students many laboratory classes significant practice generating research reports papers result research papers generally well done student earning lower b grade even without formal statistical component see excellent job analyzing interpreting data able adequately identify large small factors believed influenced results able contextualize results light previously published work considering biology curriculum threads various aspects ugr throughout curriculum positive affirming outcomeyet important piece assignment learning reflective piece research shows students stop reflect metacognitively know know learned able identify gaps knowledge skills selfcorrect errors appropriate 9 29 33 35 assist reflection something science students typically given following prompts reflective writing piece 9 learn subject experiment learn carrying project scientific research would differently whystudents selfdescribed learnings fell categories outlined questions personal challenges carrying project challenges scientist would differentlypersonal challengesninetyfive percent students thoroughly enjoyed project said felt highly motivated part designed project would working independently without inherent frustrations group work one student reported feeling ambivalent project unrelated injury able complete majority students noted hard actually stay program designed keep constant many control variables identified research proposals noted exercising time eating similar diet sleeping consistently challenging guidelines adhere majority noted really considered fact stress unusual work andor class schedules lack sleep factors would distract prescribed program several students completed physicaloccupational therapy internships recognized practical challenges exercise prescriptions exerciseprogram adherence clinical patients remains one persistent challenges physical therapistsscientific challengesthe majority students indicated initially felt confident well prepared design carry research projects group projects inquirybased laboratories completed previous classes yet biggest challenge faced working independently partner could share responsibilities challenge ameliorated part time devoted weekly class discussions essence discussions functioned group support something happens naturally group project underscoring value collaboration research first week group students conducting experiments body composition realized would virtually impossible carry skin fold tests calipers formed small research group measure skinfold almost every student recognized challenges research common phrases hard challenging difficult every student noted importance keeping control variables constant element biggest challenge several students wrote throughout entire project kept identifying flaws research design noted also forced become better problem solving manageable difficulties yield problemsolving skills essential students growth 8 moreover transferable skills difficult teach traditional classroom setting unscripted unique experiences independent research students chance learn 24second time aroundstudents quite thoughtful practical responses would differently many students indicated design phase would tried conduct micro preexperiment see could carry work also noted writing data collection theoretical exercise research proposals actually collecting data thing noted design phase would also liked familiarize data collection devices similar occurs inquirybased laboratories writing research methodology proposal control variables also common theme became acutely aware realize many different factors influence research humans finally several students noted given second chance would also included intermittent qualitative measures stress level mood fatigue assess feeling experimentin terms student learning students carry project proved large success research proposals final papers clearly demonstrated good excellent working knowledge scientific method could plan carry project capable advanced scientific thinking analysis reflective essays clear conducting research independently helped recognize challenges research would think plan differently next projectsinglesubject research experiences meant replace inquirybased laboratories ugr experiences rather particular variation builds prior experiences noted earlier first research experience students student completed inquirybased laboratories introductory courses group research projects previous upper division courses variation provides opportunity handson engagement problem solving sole researcher subject still project may perfect optimal ugr experience teach important aspects research inexperienced students may need scaffolding inquirybased laboratories provide n 1 statistical analysis previous version course student data aggregated supplemented students perform statistical analysis seem add anything new furthermore indicated depersonalized project bit experience personal student growth observed independent project far outweighs opportunities work groups manage larger project great number subjects also since many students headed careers healthcare clinical significance goal treatment effect genuine palpable noticeable effect daily life assignment fits well professional aspirations addition weekly discussions proved essential help students practice build collaboration skills learned previous inquirybased laboratories group projects moreover reinforced value discussion collaboration even though working independentlyin summary exposing undergraduates research even experiments single subject yield quite positive results goal project necessarily intended drive home key concepts exercise physiology others done 4 25 30 rather case students encouraged think act like independent scientists including working pitfalls research planning carrying project design important essential part experience students reflection experience ability identify flaws challenges original project propose reasonable solutions ugr take variety forms yield meaningful learning gains students conducting singlesubject research may standard practice many science curricula yield profitable learning gains consistent many students healthcare professionals design program treatment clinical significance one future clientspatientsdisclosuresno conflicts interest financial otherwise declared authorsauthor contributionstgf conceived designed research performed experiments analyzed data interpreted results experiments drafted manuscript edited revised manuscript approved final version manuscriptreferences1 auchincloss lc laursen sl branchaw jl eagan k graham hanauer di lawrie g mclinn cm pelaez n rowland towns trautmann nm varmanelson p weston tj dolan el assessment coursebased undergraduate research experiences meeting report cbe life sci educ 13 2940 2014 doi101187cbe14010004 crossref pubmed isi google scholar2 barlow ae villarejo making difference minorities evaluation educational enrichment 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societyhttpsdoiorg101152advan000532019pubmed31361150history received 17 april 2019 accepted 12 july 2019 published online 30 july 2019 published print 1 september 2019 metrics downloaded 1121 times