Leisure science is a growing field which still relies heavily upon widely scattered sources grounded in the physical, behavioral, and social sciences. Mitra (communication, Wake Forest U.) and Lankford (recreation & leisure science, U. of Hawaii, Manoa) have put together this guide to assist leisure services researchers in establishing the basics of a good project, such as planning, policy studies, market research, and evaluation reports. They analyze the trends of 103 leisure and recreation activities, providing a clear presentation of the current state of the industry, and provide strategies and suggestions for planning and programming applications. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.

Describing the fundamental elements of research methods for leisure, recreation and tourism, this new edition of a popular textbook is updated throughout. It covers the measurement of variables, sampling, questionnaire design and evaluation methods, and also a wider discussion of writing proposals, communicating research findings, cross-cultural research, and the use of new technologies in conducting research. Written by internationally renowned researchers in an accessible style, this book introduces both undergraduate and graduate students to the vital skills they will need to succeed in the leisure, recreation, tourism and hospitality industries.

Organized in a step-by-step format, Research Methods: How to Conduct Research in Recreation, Parks, Sport and Tourism (3rd ed.) thoroughly reviews the fundamentals of research methods, allowing the reader to develop the skills needed to carry out a small-scale research investigation. This third edition introduces a number of new features within each chapter, including self-tests, questions designed to jump-start one’s own research, and practice and web-related exercises. Likewise, the revised instructor’s manual includes new chapter figures plus a study guide review cast in a Jeopardy-style game format.

Gaining an understanding of the recreation and parks profession is crucial to success in the field and to effective leadership within the field. Recreation and Parks: The Profession is a one-of-a-kind resource that delineates the components that make this complex field a profession. Written by well-known recreation authority Betty van der Smissen, this book: defines the marks of the recreation and parks profession and identifies the steps involved in becoming a professional in the field; profiles 62 professional organizations within the profession; outlines a comparative history of 15 categories of the recreation and parks field in the United States and Canada; and presents a classic-to-contemporary bibliography of resources that showcases an inclusive body of knowledge on the profession. Part I describes recreation and parks as a profession and provides students with steps to lay a solid foundation to become a professional. Part II grounds readers with a comparative historical overview of the recreation and parks field from the 1500s to the present day. The author divides the field into 15 categories and offers suggestions on how to use the time line. Part III profiles 62 professional organizations. Each profile includes the organization's mission, goals, structure, history, publications, services, and professional credentialing information. In addition, it lists the organization's Web sites, contact information, and other vital information that students use in completing course work, in applying for internships, and in researching various aspects of the profession. Part IV contains a bibliography of selected resources on recreation and parks, from classic to the present. Recreation and Parks: The Profession is a unique resource for students, professors, and professionals in recreation and parks. The text brings together the important aspects of the field as a profession.

Evaluation is a process that each of us uses every day. Professionals in any field of human services must have the means to access and assess information. Having information is not enough, however, unless that information can be applied and used. To organize and manage recreation services (i.e., all elements related to the various specialties in the field such as parks, tourism, sports, arts, therapeutic recreation, camping, event management), information is needed about people's preferences, needs, and behaviors and the programs, administrative structures, and resources that comprise the organizations. To build a body of knowledge and to document the value of recreation, systematic processes are necessary. Evaluation and research can provide information that will enable "enlightened decisions." Evaluating Recreation Services: Making Enlightened Decisions, Fourth Edition, is about systematic evaluation and research that focuses specifically on identifying explicit evaluation criteria or research questions, collecting evidence or data, and making judgments about the value or the worth of something applied to service improvement or knowledge development. This book aims to provide a basic overview and working knowledge of procedures. Knowing basic steps in evaluation research and having some familiarity with evaluation and research tools can help you to begin a process of lifelong learning about systematic inquiry.

Now in its fifth edition, Research Methods for Leisure and Tourism has become the ultimate reference text for both students enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and practising managers. This book combines comprehensive coverage of a wide variety of qualitative and quantitative research methods with step-by step guidance through research software including Excel, SPSS and NVivo. Key features Coverage of both qualitative and quantitative research methods, ensuring a balanced approach to data collection and analysis Practical guidance on conducting research and writing reports, showing the ‘how’ as well as the ‘what’ Detailed coverage of the development of conceptual frameworks for research, research design, analytical methods and the composition of research reports, providing everything required to conduct a research project International case studies and extensive examples from the leisure and tourism literature Questions, exercises and further reading for each chapter Extensive web-based support materials New to this edition The fifth edition has been fully updated throughout and includes additional material on: Management and policy-related research methods EndNote bibliographic referencing software Notes on additional methods including: big data, discourse analysis, multiple correspondence analysis, netnography/web-based research, people meters For the analysis of quantitative data, SPSS is updated to version 23 For qualitative data analysis, the guide to NVivo software is updated to version 11.

Good entry level text that new students will really appreciate. Clearly written in a style that aids understanding and will develop their knowledge and ability to apply research techniques. - Shane Thurlow, Bishop Burton College "Essential elements associated with research in the fields of leisure, sport and tourism are introduced and explained in a clear manner. This book is informative and easy to read... ideal for those who are not familiar with research in those field." - Miyoung Oh, Sheffield Hallam University "This book would be useful for any leisure, sport, or tourism student who has no previous knowledge of research methods. Its style and language make it particularly useful for first year students in degree or diploma programs." - Annals of Tourism Research "The style of writing is wonderfully clear and the author explains areas such as sampling and significance in a much better way than many very well known texts. It will be an incredibly useful book for students." - Malcolm Williams, University of Plymouth What are the essential research methods for students studying leisure, sport and tourism? What are the main benefits in competing research methods, and how can you avoid gremlins in the research process? This is a comprehensive and informative book written especially for new and inexperienced researchers in the fields of leisure, sport and tourism. Unlike generic research texts that do not ′speak′ to people in this field, this book uses subject-specific examples and explains the central methodological issues in straightforward terms. By showing students what they can do to assess, manage and reduce the time they spend on research Researching in Leisure, Sport and Tourism: The Essential Guide will help them achieve a better balance in their course work.