ABSTRACT
Qualitative research has been increasingly accepted within the field of sport and exercise. Such acceptance is evidenced by the publication of excellent texts dedicated exclusively to qualitative research in sport and exercise (e.g., Sparkes & Smith, 2014), the incorporation of more chapters on qualitative inquiry in sport and exercise research methods textbooks (e.g., Atkinson, 2011; Jones, 2014), the substantial growth in qualitative studies featured in leading sport and exercise peer-reviewed journals (Culver, Gilbert, & Sparkes, 2012; Sparkes & Smith, 2014), and an increasing amount of qualitative research being presented at conferences. Although qualitative research in sport and exercise is moving in a positive direction, the speed and quality of future growth will be largely influenced by neophyte researchers’ understanding and application of qualitative methodologies. Thus, it is critical that students are taught about the value and contribution of qualitative research to the field, and have sufficient understanding of the philosophical, methodological, and practical components of qualitative research to conduct it appropriately (Terkildsen & Petersen, 2015). Even if students decide not to conduct qualitative research, a thorough understanding and appreciation of different methodologies is required to ensure students can read and evaluate qualitative studies, and apply findings in practice.
