A student investigated how a 6-week aerobic training program affected resting heart rate in Year 11 students. Results showed an average decrease of 7 beats per minute, but some participants showed no change at all.
Identify ONE further research question that could be explored based on these findings and explain why this question would be valuable to investigate. (3 marks)
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Sample Answer – Any ONE of the following or similar with same level of detail
Example 1
- A valuable follow-up question would be “What factors influenced whether a participant experienced a reduction in resting heart rate?” as this directly addresses the variation in results identified in the original study.
- This question is valuable because it would help identify which participant characteristics (such as initial fitness level, adherence to the program, or genetic factors) determine training responsiveness.
- Understanding these factors would allow future training programs to be modified or personalised to increase effectiveness for all participants, improving health outcomes for those who didn’t respond to the standard protocol.
Example 2
- “Does the frequency of aerobic training sessions per week affect the magnitude of resting heart rate reduction?” would be a valuable follow-up question as it investigates whether training volume was a factor in the varied responses.
- This question is valuable because it directly addresses program design, potentially identifying whether non-responders simply need more frequent training sessions to achieve similar benefits to those who showed improvements.
- Results could help establish minimum effective training frequencies for resting heart rate adaptations in adolescents, improving the efficiency of school-based physical education programs.
Example 3
- “Is there a correlation between baseline fitness levels and the magnitude of resting heart rate reduction following a 6-week aerobic training program?” would explore whether initial conditioning predicts responsiveness.
- This question is valuable because it would help identify whether the program was more effective for certain fitness profiles, allowing for better participant screening or customised program durations based on starting fitness.
- Understanding this relationship would enable more personalised and efficient interventions by helping educators predict which students might need modified programs to achieve cardiovascular adaptations.
Show Worked Solution
Sample Answer – Any ONE of the following or similar with same level of detail
Example 1
- A valuable follow-up question would be “What factors influenced whether a participant experienced a reduction in resting heart rate?” as this directly addresses the variation in results identified in the original study.
- This question is valuable because it would help identify which participant characteristics (such as initial fitness level, adherence to the program, or genetic factors) determine training responsiveness.
- Understanding these factors would allow future training programs to be modified or personalised to increase effectiveness for all participants, improving health outcomes for those who didn’t respond to the standard protocol.
Example 2
- “Does the frequency of aerobic training sessions per week affect the magnitude of resting heart rate reduction?” would be a valuable follow-up question as it investigates whether training volume was a factor in the varied responses.
- This question is valuable because it directly addresses program design, potentially identifying whether non-responders simply need more frequent training sessions to achieve similar benefits to those who showed improvements.
- Results could help establish minimum effective training frequencies for resting heart rate adaptations in adolescents, improving the efficiency of school-based physical education programs.
Example 3
- “Is there a correlation between baseline fitness levels and the magnitude of resting heart rate reduction following a 6-week aerobic training program?” would explore whether initial conditioning predicts responsiveness.
- This question is valuable because it would help identify whether the program was more effective for certain fitness profiles, allowing for better participant screening or customised program durations based on starting fitness.
- Understanding this relationship would enable more personalised and efficient interventions by helping educators predict which students might need modified programs to achieve cardiovascular adaptations.