Assignment task: Make suggestions and corrections on grammar or style as you read through the paper.
1. Has the author provided adequate information in the required sections (the research questions, context, subjects, data collection, analytical framework, and major findings)? What important information is missing?
2. Are the major findings reasonable to you? What would you suggest to improve their categorization?
3. Has the author supported the major statements that he/she made in the findings section with convincing evidence and sensible interpretations? Please make suggestions to help the author improve his/her logical proofs.
4. Has the author used figures or tables effectively to show the data and to prove his/her interpretation of the data? What suggestions do you have to improve their effectiveness?
5. Does the author pay attention to style? Does the author write in a clear and concise way?
READ BELOW:
Findings Report (WIP)
Methodology:
Due to the unknown nature of whether CrossFit can improve the mental health of its participants, a research study was conducted over the course of a two-month period at CrossFit York. A survey was handed out to be completed by eleven (11) individuals along with myself conducting five (5) interviews with current Cross Fitters. On-site observations at were also accomplished to acquire an insider perspective into the CrossFit structure and perspective. Surveys and interviews were selected as a means of acquiring data due to the nuanced territory this subject brings to the table. The survey side of research allows for the acquisition of a wide range of basic information while the interviews allow for an in-depth look into the intricacies of how CrossFit can help with our mental health.
Survey:
The survey I chose for this research study consists of fourteen (14) Likert-style questions that attempt to navigate the murky nature of how humanities mental health can be changed for the better through physical activity. These questions range from asking whether the individual enjoys CrossFit to how they prefer to workout. At the time of this writing, eleven (11) surveys were completed out of the scheduled twenty (20) before the study was halted by outside influences. Further information gathering in the future will be required for a more detailed analysis of the topic of this study.
Interview:
The interview was conducted with five (5) individuals who attend CrossFit at CrossFit York, Pennsylvania. All five (5) of these interviews were done face-to-face and completed right after the workout of the day was completed to get an accurate picture of what the individual was feeling before, during, and after the workout. The interview questions were structured to discover the insider knowledge of the interviewees and to acquire a background of each individual. The interview questions ranged from age, health status, general knowledge of fitness, how that individual felt about CrossFit. and if they thought physical activity affected their mental health.
Subjects:
For the survey, eleven (11) individuals were selected to complete the questionnaire and handed the survey in before the stoppage of surveys was put in place. The age of all participating Cross Fitters ranged from eighteen (18) to forty (40) years old to lessen any outside health concerns before trying to apply an inquiry into how physical activity affected their mental health. The same thought process was applied to the selected interviewees for the same reason. I chose two (2) different roles to include in my interview selection process. Four (4) attendees along with one (1) teacher to get a look at both sides of the CrossFit experience. Gender was a non-factor for this research study, but I will share the spread for any future analysis. There was seven (7) male and four (4) female Cross Fitters for the survey while the interview involved two (2) male and three (3) female Cross Fitters. Race/nationality was ignored due to the personal nature of everyone's different circumstances, which was not likely to be shared with myself, but could affect mental health in various ways and would require a more substantial length of time to sparse through the intricacies.
The image above represents the answers from the Likert-style questions from the survey categorized by the numerical value chosen by the participants that are color-coded to match the answers of one (1) through five (5). One (1) representing a strong disagree, two (2) - agree, three (3) neither agree or disagree, four (4) - agree, and five (5) representing a strong agree to the statements/questions.
Survey Analysis:
Based on the results seen above, one can generally rationalize that there a strong trend towards physical activity being seen as a positive aspect of each individual lives which assists in improving the mental health of each person involved in this research study. However, with a percentage of seventy-four (74) percent agreeing that it is a positive aspect, it is just as important to view the twenty-six (26) percent that either viewed CrossFit as neutral or a negative on their mental health. So, these findings do paint a picture that there is a strong chance that CrossFit will be helpful for improving mental health, but it is up to the individual to discover if it does assist or hinder them on their journey towards a better mental state and react accordingly.
Interview Answers and Analysis:
Based on the answers I received through the interviews, I can confidently state that the overall outlook on improving mental health through CrossFit is viewed favorably. All five (5) interviewees shared their love of physical activity to go along with CrossFit with one individual stating "I couldn't live life without a little sweat". One specific question I would like to share is thus: Why did you start CrossFit? Now, this question seems simple on the surface, but when I asked this question, I was not prepared for the depths of the answers that were given to me. For many of the individuals I posed this question to, they stated that they wanted to better themselves. They wanted to begin a new chapter of their life and try something new. Now, I will not share some of the personal details which was requested of me, but I will say that an outlook towards trying new things and going on adventures could be another way of improving mental health in which CrossFit might be included on that list of experiences. Maybe it takes a specific type of personality to seek new things which might lead to better mental health, but some might need other methods. One individual stated that "CrossFit doesn't itself make me feel better, it's how I view myself by finishing the workout." This could mean that the sense of accomplishment that comes along with completing an especially hard task makes for a better outlook on life via an improvement in self-confidence which leads to better mental health. There are many facets to this discussion and will require a more thorough research study to discover a more definitive answer.