Unit5 research project

Unit 5 Research Project
Worthing College Sports Science
Catriona Phillips
2015

Assessment Criteria
Pages 3-17 & 27-38
• P2: carry out sport science or exercise science-
based research
• P3: collect and record data from the research
project conducted
• M2: correctly analyse collected data, describing
techniques used
• D1: correctly analyse data, explaining techniques
used
• P4: produce a full research report using a
standard scientific structure

Research into the reasons for
female drop out of sport and
physical activity post 16.
P2: Carry out / P4: Produce

Abstract
The aim of this research was to identify the main reasons for the post
16 female drop out from physical activity. This research will then aid
schools/colleges or other organisations that are providers of female
sport.
The data was collected through primary research- a survey that I
created. The information I used to create this survey was secondary
research by using existing research for the reasons that I used in the
survey. I selected 20 of the most commonly occurring reasons in the
research.
My research found that the top three reasons for a drop out were; not
enough time, body image and “I’m not good at sports”.
My findings show that there is a higher percentage of girls who don’t
take part in as much exercise as they did at GCSE level.

Contents: General
3- tittle page
4- abstract
5- general contents page
6- appendices contents page
7- figures and tables contents page
8- acknowledgements
9- introduction
10-literature review
11- hypotheses
12-method
13- data collection
14-data analysis
15-results
16- discussion
17- conclusion
19-21- review
22-26-further recommendations

Contents: Appendices
27- Sport England research.
28- daughters of Islam article.

Contents: Figures and Tables
31- Age pie chart
32- Ethnicity
33- participation rates
34- reasons
35- still participating amounts of exercise.
36-trends in 16 year olds

Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Paul Cox and my class
mates for the help they have given me during
this project. I would also like to thank all the
people who took the time to complete the
survey for me.

Introduction
Here you need to introduce your project.
What is the aim? By the end of my research project I aIm to have
identified the main reasons for female drop out from sport and
physical education.
Why did you choose the aim? I chose my aim because it is
something that interests me. I am interested in this because I think
its an issue that a lot of girls encounter when taking part in sport
and physical activity at many levels from school PE to high level
sport. There are far higher amount of girls that drop out from sport
and physical activity than boys so I wanted to find out the reasons
for this.
What was the project timescale? Mid-January for preliminary
research- march 27th final report.

Literature Review and References
https://worthingsportscience.wordpress.com/20
15/02/27/unit-5-literary-review-catriona-
phillips/

Project Hypothesis
What is your project hypothesis (or
hypotheses)?
If I research the reasons for drop out from sport
I predict that the reasons that will come up most
are other commitments and body image.

Method
Your method should include detailed instructions. What you are going to do,
how are you going to do it, who is going to do it and when key actions will be
completed.
In order to collect my information I need to produce a online and offline
survey. This needs to be clear and easy to follow for the participants. I will use
survey monkey online and then use a screenshot of this survey as the hard
copy.
The survey will ask the participant to select the three most relevant reasons
for their decline in participation if they had in fact reduced the amount of
exercise they had taken part in at GCSE level.
The data I will collect will be mostly quantitative data so I will be able to
create easily readable charts and tables using numbers. I will be able to draw
conclusions also from the qualitative data that some people will give in
response.
I will need to get a large sample size so will be using social media to spread
the survey. I will be emailing schools also to get as many participants as
possible. I will also be handing out the paper surveys around college. For this I
will attempt to be wearing normal clothes instead of sports kit so that my
attire doesn’t affect the responses I am given.
P3: Collect and record / M2: Correctly analyse & describe techniques / D1: Correctly analyse & explain techniques

Data Collection
To collect my data I will use a survey I have designed on survey
monkey as well as a paper version of the same survey. I will be
collecting primary data from desk based research.
The data is quantitative with some of the questions having the
option of including qualitative data if there answer isn’t there.
The paper surveys will be handed out around college for this I
need to make sure that I am wearing neutral clothing so that
it doesn’t have an impact on the answers given. I also need to
say the same thing before giving the questionnaires out so
that it is the same set up for each participant so that what I
say doesn’t influence the results. The online survey will collect
data from other places and colleges. This means the data is
more reliable as it comes from a wider area.

Data Analysis
I will be using bar graphs to present the data so that it is easy to read and draw conclusions from. I’m predicting
there will be two or three reasons with much higher responses than the others a bar graph will be able to make
this obvious. I will write the qualitative data up and include the most frequently occurring. I will also write
these into my results as things that hadn’t come up as the most frequent things in the previous research(see
appendix 1&2) that I used as the basis of mine.
From this I have looked at the five tables of data and also looked at the individual responses on survey monkey
and have found that as predicted there were a few responses much more frequently occurring. The top three
were Body image(37.7%) Not enough time(32.79%) and “I’m not good at sport”(31.15%).
From this I have now explored the trends in the different age groups. The trends vary slightly as the age group
changes.
Within the 16 year old age group (15 respondents) the majority (60%) said that yes they still participated in the
same amount of exercise as they had at KS 3/4. Of those that said they didn’t however the top two reasons
given were school work and body image both 50%(see figures and tables 6).
In the seventeen year old category there were 33 respondents. Within this age group there as a split of 41% yes
and 59% no when asked whether they participated in the same amount of exercise as they used to. In this
category the reasons given were work/job and “I’m not good at sport” these were both at 33.33%. (see figures
and tables 7)
In the eighteen year old category there were 36 respondents. In this age group there was a 34% yes and a 66%
no when asked whether they completed the same amount of exercise as they used to. In this category the main
reasons given were body image 44.4% and not enough time 37%(see figures and tables 8).
In the nineteen plus category there were 9 responses. There was a 33% yes and 67% no when asked whether
they completed the same amount of exercise as they used to. The main reasons given were opportunities 43%
and body image 29%( see figures and tables 9)

Results
The responses to my research came mostly from 17 and 18 year olds with a small percentages from the
other two groups. (see tables and figures 1). The responses came from a variety of places but mostly
from Worthing College (my current college) and Maiden Erlegh (my previous school). The most common
ethnicity to answer was white (see tables and figures 2). This may have an effect on the result however
the respondents of the other ethnic groups followed the same the pattern. The responses were 41.30%
yes and 58.70% no for a reduction in participation in sport (see tables and figures 3). As well as the data
from the individual groups(see page before). From the no responses the most common response was
“body image” followed by “not enough time” (see tables and figures 4) this was slightly different to
what I predicted in my hypothesis. However not completely unpredicted and not unrelated to my
hypothesis.
The results from the individual age groups showed that there was a decline in participation over this
small age category. I had not included this in my hypothesis but it is an interesting thing to have found.
Of the 16 year olds still participating in sport 100% of them said it met the minimum recommendations
set by the government where as in the 19 year old category only 60% said it did.
The reasons given by the 19+ category were also interesting as the main one was opportunities. I fould
this interesting as this age group would mean that the respondents are no longer part of junior sport
(under 18) it may also mean they have to pay more for things like gym membership and non
competitive sport activities. This may make it harder to take part in.

Discussion
I found that body image, not enough time and “I’m not good at sport” where
the most common reasons given for a reduction in participation rates in
exercise. In my hypothesis I stated that I predicted that body image and other
commitments would be the most common answers given. This means my
hypothesis was half correct. Not enough time coming up as a common
answer isn't unexpected as it links to having other commitments. “I’m not
good at sport” as a reason was more surprising. The research was looking into
physical activity so this includes things like going to the gym. This is why it is
surprising that this has come up as a main reason for people not taking part in
any form of exercise. This is something that campaigns such as This Girl Can
address and aim to change.
In all four age groups that the research looked at body image was given in the
top two reasons for stopping exercise. This is something that needs to be
addressed. It needs to change in order for young girl to feel confident in who
they are.

Conclusion
To identify the main reasons that cause a post 16 drop out from
physical activity among girls.
The trends that appeared most often within the prior research I
conducted were body image and other commitments being the
reasons for the drop out. I based my hypothesis on this. However I also
found that “I’m not good at sport” appeared higher than other
commitments. This was interesting as the research was looking at
physical activity not specifically sport. So it appearing as a reason for
not taking part in physical activity could be an interesting follow up set
of interviews to identify why this has become a preventative issue for
many girls.
There continues to be a drop off in participation across the four years
and also the reasons alter as the age gets higher. The reasons given at
the lower end are school work where as the older end is opportunities.
Body image however is given in all four age groups as a reason.

Assessment Criteria Pages 19-26
• P5: carry out a review of the research project
conducted, describing strengths, areas for
improvement and future recommendations.
• M3: carry out a review of the research project,
explaining strengths, areas for improvement
and future recommendations.
• D2: carry out a review of the research project,
justifying future recommendations for further
research.

Review (1/3)
How well did project conclusions meet project aims? The conclusion
met my aims as it identified the main reasons. There is a link between
my results and my hypothesis. I found that there is also a drop off in
participation across the four age groups and found that the reasons
given were different across all four. By using bar graphs and pie charts
to display my data it is easy to analyse and draw conclusions from
which was included in my aim regarding data analysis. I wanted to
present it in such a manor that anyone could read it, draw conclusions
and use the data. It also gave possible further research in the form of
interviews or further questionnaires. It would be interesting to see
whether there is as much of a decline in participation rates from the
19+ group had I included university students. These reasons may
enable schools, colleges and sports clubs to target their advertising
appropriately and create the appropriate opportunities for girls in
these age categories to participate in. My survey was conducted well
and was easy to understand for participants which is what I aimed to
do.
P5: Describe / M3: Explain / D2: Justify

Review (2/3)
What were the strengths of the research project?
The large number of responses (93). This meant the research and the results
were more valid as they showed a wider population.
The use of social media to spread the survey also lead to the survey being
answered from many different parts of the country- I had responses from
Aberdeen and Bath well as from the Worthing Area. This means that the data
I have collected can be used to bass further research or schemes to increase
participation across the country as the results will be relevant in many parts
of the country.
Another strength of my research is they data being able to lead onto further
research across many related but different areas. For example it could lead to
research into different ethnic groups, different age groups and could explore
further the reasons given as responses in interviews or discussion groups.
These being strengths means that my research is valid and reliable. It also
means that it can be used as a base of other peoples research in the future.

Review (3/3)
What were the areas for improvement of the research project?
I would have had a longer time frame in order to collect more data. I
would also have used a different online survey website that gives
access to more responses and more analysis features for free. This
would of have made the research easier and the data analysis would
have been able to go into greater depth and looked at even smaller
groups who answered the survey.
I could also have included a question to find out how much exercise
they participated in during key stage 3/4. this would enable me to look
at how many of the respondents have stopped participating in exercise
because it is no longer mandatory and how many of them have
stopped having come from really active backgrounds.
I would have also increased my sample size. Although I had a
reasonably sized sample if I could have had a larger sample it would
have made the research more valid and reliable.

Future Recommendations (1/5)
If the project was to be completed again what
would you change and why?
I would have used a different website to collect the
data so that I can access all the features, the free
version of survey monkey limits the data analysis
you can do and also limits the number of responses
to 100. I collected fewer responses than 100
however if I had received more than this I wouldn’t
have been able to analyse the data in one group.
P4: Produce / P5: Describe / M3: Explain / D2: Justify

What would be the benefits of the proposed
changes stated on the previous page?
If I was able to collect and analyse a higher
number of responses I would be able to have a
more detailed, wider and more accurate set of
results. The results would have been more
accurate and showed a wider section of the
sample.

State a proposal for further research (in total three proposals are
needed and this is number one of three)
For further research I would ask participants to rate the reasons for
their drop out from one to three so I can see which comes up as most
relevant.
This would mean that I could see what people felt was the main
reason for them stopping as apposed to the most frequently occurring,
for example body image came up as the most common reason given
but it could have been all the respondents third choice as apposed to
their first. This would give me results that are more accurate and
clearer reasons for people using my research. This may also result in
different things coming out top as they might feel that while one thing
is a factor in stopping or reducing exercise it isn't the main one so they
could rank it third.

State a proposal for further research (in total three proposals are
needed and this is number two of three)
I would conduct interviews after they had indicated a reduction in
activity. This would mean I would have more qualitative data to work
with when writing things up. I would be looking specifically at the
group who answered “I’m not good at sports” as this was the
unexpected response that came out very highly. But also as it would be
interesting to see why this has affected their participation in any form
of exercising. From these interviews I could find out what things they
would like available for them to participate in.
I would talk to the respondents that said that they are participating in
the same amount of exercise before to establish if they have the same
issues as those who have stopped and if yes what has driven them to
keep up with exercise.

State a proposal for further research (in total three proposals are needed and this is
number three of three)
I would have done the research over a longer period of time so that I could have
collected more data. This would have meant I could have got a larger number of
respondents and this would have made the data more valid. I would also then have
been able to explore emerging trends and perhaps conduct interviews ect to gain even
more research.
By conducting it over a longer period of time I could also have included a revisit
survey/ interview. For example if I re conducted the survey with the same sample in a
years time I would be able to see if there is a pattern occurring. So as the 16 year olds
turn 17 have they followed the age group aboves pattern of declining in sport.
The extended time also allows the survey to spread further on social media which
would mean the participants would be from a wider range of places and different
social/economic/ethnic groups. This would make the data more valid.
by looking at the different ethnic groups I would be able to link it to some of my prior
research in my literacy review. As it would explore if the trend that they found met the
ones that I found.

Appendix 1
https://www.sportengland.org/media/39365/un
derstanding-participation-among-15-19-year-
old-girls-summary-report.pdf

Appendix 2
http://irs.sagepub.com/content/41/3-
4/357.short

Research Project Figures
and Tables

Unit5 research project

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