Research Methods for Sports Management

Code: MAT11424M

6 ECTS

Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours

Scientific Area: Mathematics

Teaching languages: Portuguese

Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English

Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Sustainable Development Goals

Educação de qualidade - Assegurar a educação inclusiva, e equitativa e de qualidade, e promover oportunidades de aprendizagem ao longo da vida para todos.

Learning Goals

The main objective of this curricular unit is to develop the ability to analyze data collected in the context of sports management, both to aid decision-making as well as to carry out scientific research in the area of Sport Management. In this sense, the learning objectives in this curricular unit are:
         1. Knowledge of the research process
         2. Knowledge of the main quantitative and qualitative methods
         3. Knowledge of various methods of statistical analysis useful in Sports Management

The skills developed in this unit are as follows:
    1. Development of the ability to use statistical software in the treatment of data collected in the context of sports management
    2. Ability to analyze the results obtained and to derive their implications in terms of decision-making
    3. Ability to communicate ideas and scientific knowledge.

1. Research Methods

1.1 The research process

1.2 Qualitative research methods

1.3 Quantitative research methods

1.4 Research questions and research objectives

1.5 Research design

1.6 Data collection

2. Descriptive Analysis

2.1 Presentation of data: tables and graphs

2.2 Central location measures

2.3 Dispersion, concentration and asymmetry measures

3. Hypothesis testing

3.1 Hypothesis testing: basic concepts

3.2 Parametric and non-parametric tests

3.3 Mean comparison tests for related samples

3.4 Mean comparison tests for independent samples

3.5 Correlation and association tests

4. Regression analysis with cross-sectional data

4.1 The linear regression model - basic ideas

4.2 Least squares method

4.3 Hypothesis testing in regression analysis

4.4 Regression analysis with qualitative explanatory variables

4.5 Other functional forms

4.6 Models with binary dependent variables: Logit and Probit

Teaching Methods

The teaching methodology followed in this curricular unit tries to combine the theoretical understanding of the models and methodologies used in a given study with the ability to analyse and interpret the results. The curricular unit emphasizes the use of software for statistical analysis, including the Excel data analysis tool and SPSS. During the classes the students will use the software to analyse data provided by the teacher.

Assessment

The evaluation of the course will be based on the grade in an individual work where the student must apply one or more of the methods learned in to analyse a set of data (the professor provides several databases but students can use another database that are of interest for them). This individual work should be written in the form of a scientific paper and has a weight of 40% in the final grade. In addition, there is a test that covers all the topics of the curricular unit (with a weight of 60%). The test score cannot be less than 7 points.