Research Quarterly For Exercise And Sport Research Articles

Reference Accuracy in Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport: A 30-Year Follow-Up to Stull et al. (1991)

ABSTRACT Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the reference accuracy of articles from a random sample of issues from 1999, 2009, and 2019 of Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport (RQES). Methods: Up to two issues each of RQES published in 1999, 2009, and 2019 were randomly sampled, and references for articles were verified for accuracy. A total of 1,341 references from 50 articles were verified: 1999 (439 references), 2009 (396 references), and 2019 (506 references). Results: The overall error rate was 40% across the three years (i.e., number of references with at least one error divided by the total number of references and multiplied by 100). Chi-square analyses indicated no significant differences between years for the overall error rate (p > .05): 44% (1999), 38% (2009), and 39% (2019). Chi-square analyses indicated significant differences between years for at least one reference with an error related to author(s) names (p > .05). Chi-square analyses indicated significant differences between years for at least one reference with an error related to the article title. Conclusions: In the author’s opinion, an overall error rate of 40% across the three years for RQES is simply too high. Ultimately, it is authors’ responsibility to ensure reference accuracy. However, given the unacceptable error rates across fields of study, journals, and publication years, it may be prudent to explore supplemental options to increase reference accuracy in peer-reviewed articles. Reference accuracy is an important issue for authors, editorial offices of journals, and the scientific community.

Correcting a Historical Error about Female Participation in Training Studies Before 1975

ABSTRACT An influential journal in the history of kinesiology is Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport (RQES). In 2005, RQES published a historical review in which the authors claimed the first training study in RQES to focus on women was by Wallace in 1975. In the current paper, the author corrects this historical inaccuracy. The electronic archives of RQES were downloaded and titles of papers published between 1930 and 1975 were screened to identify training studies. A training study was defined as an examination of the effects of a physical activity intervention of ≥1 week on any physical or mental health outcome. A total of 33 female-only training studies were published in RQES between 1930 and Wallace’s 1975 paper. The 33 studies included 4,960 female participants and consisted of various training modalities, durations, and outcomes. Also, the broader claim made in the historical review that women's health issues were not a focus of RQES until Title IX in the 1970s is challenged. A number of non-training studies in RQES between 1930–1975 focused on women’s health issues (e.g., dysmenorrhea), and sex-specific analyses were performed in early RQES studies. This information corrects the historical record about female participation in RQES studies and informs contemporary discussions about female research participation.

Twenty Years of Authorship, Sampling, and References in Kinesiology Research Reports

ABSTRACTThis study documented the changes in authorship, sampling, and number of references used in studies published in the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport (RQES) from 1996 to 2015. Original research articles were reviewed, excluding reviews, technical notes, and commentary (n = 770). Data were analyzed in 10 biennial groups for the whole journal and by eight sub-disciplinary categories. The median number of authors per paper significantly increased from two to four authors, with a corresponding increase in reports published by six or more authors and a decline in the percentage of reports published by single authors. Sample sizes varied across sub-disciplinary areas, but did not change over time. There was an increase (28%, d = 1.0) in the mean number of references cited by reports. Original research published over the last 20 years in RQES have increasing numbers of coauthors and references, with considerable variation in sampling between the sub-disciplinary areas.

An Introduction to 75 Years of the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport

This paper provides an introduction to the development of the 75th anniversary issue of the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport (RQES) and previews the papers that are included. This issue includes papers that focus (a) on specific areas of research in our various fields and trends in research methods and (b) more generally on RQES as a publication. The collection of papers celebrates the role RQES has played in the evolution of our field while also critically analyzing it. In the second part of the paper, I discuss how the editorial process has changed and the many people who participate in the review process and help to publish the journal. RQES has continued to produce high-quality research for 75 years.

Biomechanics, Exercise Physiology and the 75th Anniversary of RQES

The purpose of this paper is to review the biomechanics and exercise physiology studies published in the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport (RQES) over the past 75 years. Studies in biomechanics, a relatively new subdiscipline that evolved from kinesiology, first appeared in the journal about 40 years ago. Exercise physiology studies have been published in RQES throughout its history. Studies in both subdisciplines reflect areas of research that were of great interest at the time of their publication. Many of the leading scholars, past and present, in both biomechanics and exercise physiology were authors of papers in RQES.

Studies in Motor Behavior

Research focused on human motor development, learning, and control has been a prominent feature in the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport (RQES) since it was first published in 1930. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the papers in the RQES that demonstrate the journal’s contributions to the study of motor development, learning, and control. The landmark study by Henry and Rogers (1960), the C. H. McCloy lectures, and theoretical and review papers in motor behavior are highlighted. The RQES has served as a significant outlet for research in development, learning, and control throughout its 75-year history. The convergence of the theories, research methods and analytical tools lead to the proposition that these three areas have evolved into a field best described as motor behavior.

What Goes Around Comes Around

Sport and exercise psychology research appearing in Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport (RQES) over the past 75 years can be characterized by re-emerging themes—hot topics in the 1930s remain hot topics now. Re-emerging themes include sportsmanship/moral development, social development/significant others, self-perceptions, attitudes/motivation, modeling/observational learning, emotion/arousal/anxiety, competition/achievement orientations, and gender roles. Although research paradigms and methodologies have changed, these topics have endured. We also identified dominant emergent themes appearing in RQES over the last 25 years: measurement development and validation; physical activity adoption and adherence; and multidisciplinary approaches to psychological issues. Given the many specialty journals and trends toward integrating models and methods from multiple disciplines, we suggest that RQES adopt a multidisciplinary focus for research in the field of kinesiology.

Health and Physical Activity Research as Represented in RQES

In the past 75 years, articles in Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport (RQES) have contributed to the understanding of the role physical activity plays in the health of individuals and populations. Articles have described laboratory and community research studies in humans and animals, presented reviews of topics and conference proceedings, and presented forums for discussion about current topics in physical activity and health. The articles reflect the growth of the profession from basic inquiry, about physiological responses to exercise (and the development of physical fitness methods and standards), to studies of the effects of exercise on physical fitness and health in various population subgroups. This evolution in RQES reflects the well recognized paradigm shift toward public health concerns for physical activity and health outcomes.

Research Quarterly for Exercise and SportSurvey

Many changes have taken place in the format and operation of the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport (RQES) in recent years. The purpose of this study was to survey the section editors, reviewers, authors, and subscribers of the RQES to determine their perceptions of its quality. An inventory was developed for each of the four groups. The content validity of the instrument was established in three stages, the last stage occurring during a pilot study. The return rate for the four groups ranged from 61% to 80%. In many respects, the RQES was rated positively. However, several problem areas were identified. One was the difficulty in adequately representing all areas of specialization in physical education. Another was the perception of the quality of research published in the journal. In some areas, the best research was viewed as being published in other journals. The new section editor format has been well-received, as have many other changes made over the past decade. The issue of primary concern i...