Year 11 – Health and Movement Science

Phase 2: Developing the Research Question and Methodology

The purpose of Phase 2

Phase 2 is where your group builds the knowledge needed to plan the investigation properly. In this phase, you:

  • complete background research
  • clarify key terms and concepts
  • identify relevant processes or theoretical ideas
  • compare existing studies
  • work out what those studies mean for your own investigation
  • develop a hypothesis, if your investigation needs one
  • compile Phases 1 and 2 into a proposal if required.

This phase matters because it helps make sure your investigation is based on evidence, not assumptions.

Step 1: Expand your background research

Now that your group has a research question, you need to learn more about the topic.

What to do

  • find information that relates directly to your research question
  • use a credible range of sources
  • keep notes in your own words
  • record full source details as you go
  • organise your notes so they are easy to use later.

Useful sources

  • journal articles
  • research reports
  • government or organisational websites
  • textbooks
  • review articles.

What to look for

  • key ideas
  • major findings
  • patterns across sources
  • information that directly helps answer your question
  • details that may help shape your investigation.

Example: If your topic is physical activity and concentration, your background research might include:
• the cognitive effects of exercise
• factors that influence attention
• ways concentration has been measured in earlier studies.

Step 2: Be selective and critical with your sources

Do not just collect information. You need to judge whether the research is actually useful.

What to check

  • Is the source current?
  • Is the source credible?
  • Is it relevant to your exact topic?
  • Does the context match your own investigation?
  • Is it stronger than other sources you have found?

Why this matters

A strong source is not just one that sounds academic. It also needs to fit your investigation.

Example: A large study on adults may be useful, but it may not apply in exactly the same way if your investigation is about Year 11 students.

Step 3: Define key terms and concepts

Phase 2 requires your group to clarify the definitions in your investigation. NESA specifically identifies definitions as part of Phase 2.

What to do

  • identify the important words in your research question
  • define those terms using credible sources
  • make sure everyone in the group is using the same meaning
  • decide whether any terms need an operational definition for your study.

What is an operational definition?

An operational definition explains exactly what something means in your investigation and how your group will measure it.

This is important because words like stress can be understood in different ways. Your group must make it clear what counts as stress in your investigation.

If your topic includes stress, your group needs to decide how stress will be measured, such as through a:

  • questionnaire: participants answer written questions about their stress.
  • rating scale: participants rate their stress on a scale, such as 1 to 5.
  • interview response: participants describe their stress in their own words.
  • another method: stress is measured using another tool, such as a diary or log.

Example: If your topic includes regular physical activity, your group may define it as meeting the Australian guideline of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week. Your group should also explain what counts as moderate and vigorous intensity. For example, moderate activity may mean breathing harder but still being able to talk, while vigorous activity may mean talking is difficult. You could measure this by asking participants how many minutes of moderate and vigorous activity they completed in the last 7 days.

Step 4: Identify relevant processes or theoretical ideas

NESA also identifies processes as part of Phase 2. Your group needs to work out what understandings are important for your investigation.

What to do

  • identify the main processes, models, or theoretical ideas linked to your topic
  • choose the ideas that are most relevant
  • make sure your group can explain how they connect to the research question.

What this might look like

Depending on the topic, your investigation may connect to:

  • the stress response
  • social support
  • the biopsychosocial model
  • motor learning theory
  • stages of skill development
  • social determinants of health
  • health promotion frameworks.

You do not need to explain every theory related to the topic. Focus on the ones that actually help explain your investigation.

Step 5: Compare existing studies

One of the most important parts of Phase 2 is looking at whether other studies have already investigated similar questions. NESA asks students to consider:

  • have any other studies been conducted that align with the research question?
  • how are they similar or different?
  • how do these studies inform potential findings of your own research?

What to do

  • find at least a few studies or reports that are relevant
  • compare their:
    • focus
    • method
    • findings
    • limitations
  • look for patterns, differences, and gaps.

What to look for

  • Do several studies report similar results?
  • Are the findings mixed?
  • Do the methods differ?
  • Are there limits in the evidence?
  • Is there a gap your investigation could help fill?

Example: Two studies might both look at physical activity and stress, but one may use a survey while another uses an intervention over several weeks. Even with a similar topic, the method may affect the findings.

Step 6: Work out what the research means for your investigation

This is where your group moves from just understanding the topic to planning the study more carefully.

What to do

Use the background research to decide:

  • why your investigation is worth doing
  • what earlier studies suggest
  • what methods may work best
  • what problems you may need to avoid
  • what your own study should focus on.

Questions to ask

  • Is there a gap in the research?
  • Are earlier results mixed?
  • Were earlier studies done in a different context?
  • What methods seemed useful?
  • What limitations should your group learn from?

Example: If earlier research focuses on older students, your group may decide your study should focus specifically on Year 11 students instead.

Step 7: Propose a hypothesis, if appropriate

NESA identifies propose hypothesis as the second main component of Phase 2. It defines a hypothesis as a precise statement that predicts the outcome of the research question based on background research.

What to do

  • decide whether your investigation needs a hypothesis
  • write a prediction that is linked directly to the research question
  • make sure it is based on background research
  • write it objectively.

When a hypothesis is useful

A hypothesis is most useful when your investigation is:

  • testing a relationship between variables
  • comparing groups
  • measuring an expected outcome.

What a strong hypothesis should do

A strong hypothesis should:

  • be specific
  • connect directly to the research question
  • identify the important variables
  • predict an expected relationship or outcome.

Example: Year 11 students who complete 30 minutes of moderate exercise before first period will perform better on a concentration task than students who do not exercise before school.

What to avoid

  • guesses with no research behind them
  • vague wording
  • loaded wording that tries to prove your group is right
  • forcing a hypothesis into an investigation that is more exploratory or qualitative.

Not every investigation needs a formal hypothesis. If your study is more exploratory or qualitative, it may be better to state the focus or aim of the investigation instead.

Step 8: Compile Phases 1 and 2 into the proposal

At the end of Phase 2, NESA states that Phases 1 and 2 can be compiled to form the proposal component.

What to include

Your proposal will usually include:

  • your research question
  • brief background context
  • important definitions
  • relevant theory or processes
  • comparison of key studies
  • your rationale
  • your hypothesis, if you have one
  • a brief outline of the intended method
  • a reference list.

What the proposal does

The proposal explains:

  • what your group plans to investigate
  • why the investigation matters
  • how your group intends to carry it out.

It acts as a planning document before the next phase begins.

Step 9: Complete the Phase 2 checkpoint

The final step in Phase 2 is the checkpoint. NESA identifies this as the point where Phases 1 and 2 can be compiled to form the proposal component.

What you should have by this point

By the end of Phase 2, your group should have:

  • a refined research question
  • stronger background knowledge
  • clear definitions
  • an understanding of relevant processes or theory
  • a comparison of relevant studies
  • a hypothesis, if needed
  • a draft or completed proposal.

What your group should do at the checkpoint

  • review the proposal together
  • make sure all sections align with the question
  • check that the writing is clear and consistent
  • make adjustments based on teacher feedback.

What you should have by the end of Phase 2

By the end of Phase 2, your group should have:

  • a clear understanding of the topic
  • strong background research
  • clear definitions
  • relevant processes or theoretical ideas
  • comparison of existing studies
  • a clear sense of what this research means for your own investigation
  • a hypothesis, if appropriate
  • a stronger proposal ready for the next stage.
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