In this module we are going to dig into research: how to find it, read it, and use it.

We are not reading Ch 10 in the textbook this semester, but here is a quote and topic from that chapter that helps frame this week:

The topic is titled "It's okay to defer (aka elitism)". The author is sharing the opinion that there are experts on specific topics, and that based on their knowledge and experience, their opinion is more valid than that of others. When some people hear this opinion, they proceed quickly and sometimes defensively to a false dichotomy:

Everyone’s opinion is equally valid

vs.

Elitism (Only the best)

This is not what the author or the course instructors are saying; we are saying that the research process and result (journal articles) often have more validity than a non-scientific source. This is true in many cases and untrue in many cases, but as someone with a degree in Kinesiology it is your responsibility to be able to understand research so that you can make informed decisions about whether or not research or other sources of information (personal experience, anecdotes, etc) are the most valid for understanding your given question. Due to the fact that researchers are able to control so many variables and hopefully eliminate their personal bias, research can be a very powerful resource.

Elitism has a negative connotation, but on a basic level it means deferring to people that have more information, knowledge, and experience, than you do. This requires letting go of your ego. Your ego is your conception of your self-worth/esteem/importance and in order to learn from others you have to recognize its fragility and accept that you do not know everything.

“When the stakes are sufficiently high, none of us seem to rebuke the notion of elitism; indeed, we’d expect it” - p. 180

For example, if you were trying to win a gold medal in the Olympics or win a UFC belt, would you want to work with the best sports dietician and strength coaches in the world? This is the idea of elitism. Many of us have an emotional reaction when we hear the term best, superior to, etc. Our ego gets involved and we react personally and often strongly, but this is a false dichotomy. We are always looking for the best opinion/theory/idea available, and research is usually a great place to start and build your knowledge base.

Read the remainder of Chapter 4 (only sections 4.5 and 4.6) and review this chapters materials, expanding on the chapter's concepts and using a real article to guide you through a paper. The three-pass method outlined in the book is mandatory for this module's assignment.

Read This Chapter 4 - Show me the Research (sections 4.5-How to Read a Paper; 4.6-Statistical vs. Clinical Significance)