Research Methods for Leisure and Tourism: A Practical Guide THIRD EDITION, 2006 A. J. Veal Financial Times - Prentice Hall /Pearson Education, Harlow, England 421 pages ISBN 0273682008 27.99 (UK) c. A$80 (Aust.) Publisher website: www.pearsoned.co.uk/veal Key Features of the Third Edition Research Methods for Leisure and Tourism is a comprehensive and clearly written guide to practical research in leisure and tourism. Since publication of the first edition, the book has become the standard reference in the field. It is aimed at students who are undertaking academic research as well as practising managers who use research as part of management or policy in the leisure and tourism industries. Thoroughly updated, the third edition of the book covers a wide range of techniques, a balance of qualitative and quantitative methods, and the collection, analysis and use of both primary and secondary data. A full chapter is dedicated to report-writing, whilst international examples and applications from leisure and tourism research and practice are provided throughout the book. Step-by-step guidance is also given on the use of software packages SPSS and NVivo in data analysis.
Key features include: Balance of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Practical guidance on conducting research and writing reports. Extended coverage of research ethics, the development of conceptual frameworks for research, the use of the case study method and analysis of qualitative data. Up-to-date guides to SPSS version 12.0 and NVivo version 2. International case studies and examples from the leisure and tourism literature. Questions, exercises and further reading for each chapter. contents 1. to research: what, why and who? 2. Approaches to leisure and tourism research 3. Starting out: research plans and proposals 4. The range of research methods 5. Reviewing the literature 6. Secondary data: sources and analysis 7. Observation 8. Qualitative methods 9. Questionnaire surveys 10. Sampling 11. Survey analysis 12. Statistical analysis 13. Preparing a research report Detailed Chapter Contents 1 to research: what, why and who? What is research? - Research defined - Scientific research - Social science research - Three types of research - 1. Descriptive research - 2. Explanatory research - 3. Evaluative research Why study research? - In general - Research in policy-making, planning and management processes - Research formats in different contexts Who does research? - Academics - Students - Government and commercial organisations - Consultants - Managers - Academics and the world of practice; the relevance of published research to planning and management
2 Approaches to leisure and tourism research The disciplinary traditions of leisure and tourism research - - An inter-disciplinary framework - Disciplines in leisure and tourism studies Sociology - Sociology of leisure I: social surveys and quantitative models - Sociology of leisure II: explaining why - Sociology of leisure III: critical approaches - Sociology of tourism Geography Economics Psychology/Social psychology History and anthropology Political science Approaches and dimensions - Theoretical and applied research - Induction and deduction - Empirical and non-empirical research - Positivist and interpretive research - Experimental and non-experimental research - Primary and secondary data - Self-reported and observed data - Qualitative and quantitative research -Validity and reliability 3 Starting out: research plans and proposals Planning a research project 1. Select a topic 2. Review the literature 3. Devise conceptual framework 4. Decide research question(s) 5. List information needs 6. Decide research strategy 7. Obtain ethics clearance 8. Conduct research 9. Report findings Research proposals Self-generated research proposals Responsive proposals S briefs and tenders
4 The range of research methods : horses for courses The range of major research methods S Scholarship and research Just thinking S The literature S Existing information: secondary data S Observation S Qualitative methods S Questionnaire-based surveys Subsidiary/cross-cutting techniques S Coupon surveys/conversion studies S En route/intercept surveys S Time-budget surveys S Panel studies S Longitudinal studies S Media-sponsored surveys S Action research S Historical research S Textual analysis S Delphi technique S Projective techniques S The use of scales S Meta-analysis Multiple methods Triangulation Case-Studies Choosing a method The research question or hypothesis S Previous research S Data availability/access S Resources S Time S Validity, reliability and generalisability S Ethics S Uses/users of the findings 5 Reviewing the literature : an essential task The value of bibliographies Searching Library catalogues Published bibliographies Published indexes and electronic databases The Internet General leisure/tourism books Reference lists Beyond leisure and tourism Obtaining copies of material
Compiling and maintaining a bibliography Reviewing the literature Types of literature review Reading critically and creatively Summarising Referencing the literature The purpose of referencing Recording references Referencing and referencing systems The author/date or Harvard system Footnote or endnote system Comparing two systems Referencing issues Second hand references Excessive referencing Latin abbreviations Appendix 5.1 On-line leisure and tourism bibliographies 6 Secondary data: sources and analysis National leisure participation surveys Tourism surveys Economic surveys The population census Management data Documentary sources Using secondary data 7 Observation The nature and purpose of observational research Possibilities Children's play Usage of informal leisure/tourism areas Spatial or functional patterns of use of sites User profile Deviant behaviour Consumer/incognito testing Complementary research Everyday life Social behaviour Main elements of observational research Choice of site(s) Choice of observation point(s) Choice of observation time period(s) Continuous observation or sampling
Number and length of sampling periods What to observe Division into zones Recording observational information Conducting the observation Analysing data Photography and video Aerial photography Still photography Video Time-lapse photography Just looking 8 Qualitative methods : qualities and uses Merits of qualitative methods The qualitative research process The range of methods - introduction In-depth interviews - Nature - Purposes and situations - Checklist - The interviewing process - Recording Focus groups - Nature - Purposes - Methods Participant observation - Nature - Purposes - Methods Analysing texts - Nature - Novels and other literature - Mass media coverage - Film - Material culture Biographical methods - Nature - Biography/Autobiography - Oral history - Memory work - Personal domain histories Ethnography Analysis of qualitative data - - Data storage and confidentiality - Case study example
Manual methods - - Reading - Emergent themes - Mechanics - Analysis Qualitative analysis using computer software - introduction NVivo - - Running NVivo software - Starting up - Creating a Project - Creating documents - Document attributes - Setting up a coding system - Coding text - Analysis Appendix 8.1: Example of a checklist for in-depth interviewing 9 Questionnaire surveys Roles and limitations Merits of questionnaire surveys Interviewer-completion or respondent-completion? Types of questionnaire survey The household questionnaire survey Nature Conduct Omnibus surveys Time-budget studies The street survey Nature Conduct Quota sampling The telephone survey Nature Conduct The mail survey Nature The problem of low response rates Conduct E-surveys The user or site survey Nature Conduct The uses of user surveys Captive group surveys Nature Conduct
Questionnaire design : research problems and information requirements Types of information Wording of questions Ordering of questions and layout of questionnaires Coding Validity of questionnaire-based data Conducting questionnaire surveys Planning fieldwork arrangements Conducting a pilot survey 10 Sampling The idea of sampling Samples and populations Representativeness Sampling for household surveys Sampling for site/user/visitor surveys Sampling for street surveys and quota sampling Sampling for mail surveys Sample size Level of precision confidence intervals Detail of proposed analysis Budget Sample size and small populations Weighting Appendix 10.1: Suggested appendix on sample size and confidence intervals 11 Survey analysis Preparation Cases and variables Specifying variables Starting up Entering information on variables Variable View window Saving work Entering data Data View window Survey data analysis and types of research Descriptive research Explanatory research Evaluative research Overlaps Reliability SPSS procedures Starting an SPSS analysis session
Frequencies Checking for errors Multiple response Recode Means Attitude and Likert scales Presentation of results: statistical summaries Crosstabulation Weighting Graphics The analysis process Appendix 11.1: SPSS output file 12 Statistical analysis The statistics approach Probabilistic statements The normal distribution Probabilistic statement formats Significance The null hypothesis Dependent and independent variables. Statistical tests Chi-square Comparing two means: the t-test A number of means: one-way analysis of variance A table of means: factorial analysis of variance Correlation Linear regression Multiple regression Factor and cluster analysis In conclusion Appendix 12.1. Details of example data file used Appendix 12.2. Statistical formulae 13 Preparing a research report Getting started Report components Cover Title Page Contents page(s) Preface/ Foreword Acknowledgements
Main body of report Appendices Main body of the report technical aspects Section numbering Paragraph numbering 'Dot point' lists Page numbering Heading hierarchy Typing layout/spacing Tables and graphics Referencing Which person? Main body of the report structure and content Other media A final comment References Appendices Author index Subject index List of Figures 1.1 Types of research 1.2 Why research? 1.3 Examples of policies, plans and management 1.4 The rational/comprehensive planning/management process 1.5 Examples of planning/management tasks and associated research 1.6 Research report formats 1.7 Who does research? 1.8 Managers and research 2.1 A leisure/tourism studies framework 2.2 Approaches, dimensions and issues 2.3 Circular model of the research process 3.1 Elements of the research process 3.2 Examples of research topics from different sources 3.3 Reasons for re-visiting theories/propositions/observations from the literature 3.4 Purposes of research 3.5 Roles of the literature in research 3.6 Development of conceptual framework 3.7 Exploration of relationships between concepts example 3.8 Concept map example 3.9 Examples of concepts definition and operationalisation 3.10 Example: operationalisation of concepts 3.11 Conceptual framework as quantifiable model 3.12 Holiday/leisure facility choice: conceptual framework 3.13 The rational-comprehensive management model as conceptual framework 3.14 Examples of conceptual frameworks for management/planning projects
3.15 The research question vs the hypothesis 3.16 Information needs 3.17 Research strategy 3.18 Example of research programme diagrammatic representation 3.19 Example of research project timetable 3.20 Research proposal checklist: self-generated research 3.21 Research proposal checklist: responsive research 3.22 Museum study: Model 1 - social class etc. and changing visitor demand 3.23 Museum study: Models 1+2; social class, 'perceived time-squeeze' & changing visitor demand 3.24 Museum study: Models 1+2+3: social class, 'perceived time squeeze' and service quality elements and changing visitor demand 3.25 Museum study concepts, definitions and operationalisation 3.26 Museum study information needs and likely sources 3.27 Holiday as leisure: concept map 3.28 Holiday as leisure: concepts, definitions and operationalisation 4.1 The range of major research methods 4.2 Subsidiary/cross-cutting techniques 4.3 Triangulation 4.4 Scenarios for case-study research 4.5 Considerations in selecting a research method 5.1 The roles of the literature in research 5.2 Sources of information 5.3 Internet sites 5.4 Types of literature review 5.5 Questions to ask when reviewing the literature 5.6 Making sense of the literature 5.7 Standard/generic reference formats 5.8 Examples of references 5.9 Reference systems: features, advantages and disadvantages 6.1 Advantages and disadvantages of using secondary data sources 6.2 Types of secondary data 6.3 Census data: levels of availability 6.4 Census data available 6.5 Management data 6.6 Documentary sources 6.7 Estimating likely demand for a leisure facility the Gross Demand/Market Share approach 6.8 Tourism trends 6.9 Facility utilisation 6.10 Catchment/market area 7.1 Types of observational research 7.2 Situations for observational research 7.3 Visitor movement patterns in a museum 7.4 Pattern of conflict at the Bathurst 'Bike Races, Easter Saturday, 1995 7.5 Steps in an observation project 7.6 Counts of site use 1 7.7 Mapping of observed data: use of a park 7.8 Flows within a site
7.9 Examples of observation recording sheets 7.10 Park usage 8.1 Sequential and recursive approaches to research 8.2 Qualitative methods: summary 8.3 Interviewing interventions Whyte 8.4 Circular model of the research process in qualitative and quantitative contexts 8.5 Outline conceptual framework for a study of leisure choice 8.6 Interview transcript extracts 8.7 Developed conceptual framework for qualitative study of leisure choice 8.8 'Crosstabulation' of qualitative data 8.9 NVivo: Launch Pad 8.10 NVivo: Create Project 8.11 NVivo: Create Document 8.12 NVivo: Document attributes 8.13 NVivo: Setting up a coding system 8.14 NVivo: Coding text 8.15 NVivo: Search 8.16 NVivo: Dealing with search results 8.17 NVivo: Search and code + Selective search 8.18 NVivo: Model diagram 9.1 The use of questionnaire surveys versus other methods examples 9.2 Interviewer-completion versus respondent-completion 9.3 Types of questionnaire survey characteristics 9.4 Factors affecting mail survey responses 9.5 Mail survey response pattern 9.6 Questionnaire design process 9.7 Range of information in leisure and tourism questionnaires 9.8 Question wording: examples of good and bad practice 9.9 Open-ended versus pre-coded questions example 9.10 Example of range of replies from an open-ended question 9.11 Economic status, occupational and socio-economic groupings 9.12 Household type and visitor group type 9.13 Life-cycle stages 9.14 Housing information 9.15 Measuring leisure and tourism demand 9.16 Opinion or attitude question formats 9.17 Filtering: examples 9.18 Coding open-ended questions: examples 9.19 Completed questionnaire 9.20 Data from 15 questionnaires 9.21 Fieldwork planning tasks 9.22 Pilot survey purposes 10.1 Normal curve and confidence intervals 11.1 SPSS and survey analysis overview 11.2 Variable names, labels and values 11.3 Blank Variable View and Data View windows 11.4 Variable View window with variable names and labels 11.5 Data View window with data from 15 questionnaires/cases 11.6 Research types and SPSS procedures
11.7 Starting an SPSS analysis session 11.8 Frequencies for one variable SPSS procedures 11.9 Multiple Response SPSS procedures 11.10 Recode SPSS procedures 11.11 Means SPSS procedures 11.12 Campus Life Survey 2003: statistical summary 11.13 Crosstabs SPSS procedures 11.14 Data types and graphics 11.15 Graphics from SPSS 12.1 Drawing repeated samples and the normal distribution 12.2 Dependent and independent variables 12.3 Types of statistical test 12.4 Chi-square test SPSS procedures 12.5 Alternative expressions of hypotheses 12.6 Distribution of chi-square assuming null hypothesis is true 12.7 Presentation of chi-square test results 12.8 Chi-square and t distributions 12.9 Comparing means: t-test: paired samples - SPSS procedures 12.10 Comparing means: t-test: independent samples SPSS procedures 12.11 Comparing a range of means SPSS procedures 12.12 Comparing means and variance SPSS procedures 12.13 One-way analysis of variance SPSS procedures 12.14 A table of means SPSS procedure 12.15 Factorial analysis of variance SPSS procedures 12.16 Relationships between variables SPSS procedures 12.17 Correlation SPSS procedures 12.18 Correlation matrix SPSS procedure 12.19 Regression line 12.20 Regression analysis SPSS procedure 12.21 Regression line curve fit SPSS procedure 12.22 Regression curve fit non-linear SPSS procedure 12.23 Multiple regression SPSS procedure 12.24 Simple manual factor analysis 12.25 Plots of clusters 12.26 Dendrogram 13.1 Types of research report 13.2 Report style and components 13.3 Example of contents page 13.4 Main body of report: technical aspects 13.5 Dot-point list example 13.6 Table and commentaries 13.7 Conventional academic article structure 13.8 Report as narrative structure List of Tables 6.1 Leisure participation, Great Britain, 1996/2002 6.2 Leisure participation, Australia, 2002 6.3 Domestic tourism, UK, 2003 6.4 Domestic tourism, Australia, 2001 6.5 International tourism, UK, 2003
6.6 International tourism, Australia, 2003-2004 6.7 Household leisure expenditure 6.8 Cinema attendance by age 6.9 Study town and national age structure compared 6.10 Estimating demand for cinema attendance 6.11 Tourist arrivals, 1986 1990 6.12 Facility utilisation data 7.1 Observed use of a park 7.2 Estimating user numbers from count data 10.1 Confidence intervals related to sample size 10.2 Necessary sample sizes to achieve given confidence intervals 10.3 Sample size and population size: small populations 10.4 Interview/usage data from a site/visitor survey 10.5 Weighting List of Case Studies 2.1 Tennis vs golf - inductive and deductive approaches 3.1 Holiday/leisure facility choice 3.2 Conceptual framework of girls' choice of recreational space and activities 3.3 Facility use 3.4 The holiday as leisure 3.5 Evaluating public recreation services 4.1 Nike, advertising and women 4.2 Euro Disney 5.1 Lifestyle and leisure literature review 6.1 Estimating likely demand for a leisure facility 6.2 Tourism trend analysis 6.3 Facility utilisation 6.4 Facility catchment or market area 7.1. Observation of museum visitor behaviour 7.2. Observing riots 9.1 Household survey questionnaire interviewer completed 9.2 Site survey questionnaire interviewer completed 9.3 Captive group survey questionnaire respondent completed