Every performer from Serena Williams to a Primary 1 PE pupil wants to improve their performance. However, in order to do that, you must know the state of your current performance levels in every factor. We must therefore have information that can guide us towards developing appropriate areas of performance using the correct approaches at the correct intensities. Thus, we collect data at the very start of the Cycle of Analysis to inform this process.

Q) Explain why it is important to collect data before beginning a social development plan. (4),
Answer Key:
Mark for explanation

‘It is important to collect data before beginning a social development plan because it allows performers to identify their strengths and weaknesses within the social factor. This can lead to performers therefore creating an appropriate development plan that uses approaches that are specific to both the performers social weakness and their sport. In addition to this, knowing the level of a weakness can also lead to performers setting their social approaches at the correct intensities which can ensure they are working at a level that is relevant to their current social capabilities and short-term social goals.’

‘It is also important to collect data before beginning a social development plan because it can provide performers with a baseline measurement. This can mean performers will have a reference point to look back upon to see if they have improved when they re-test their social weaknesses at the midway and end points of their development plan. When making these comparisons, performers may then receive a boost to their confidence and motivation levels in they notice improvements which can lead to them continuing to give 100% in subsequent sessions. On the contrary, if performers note that they have not improved when making these comparisons, it can lead to them reviewing their development plan and altering their goals, approaches and/or intensities to make it more applicable to their social weaknesses.’

‘Finally, it is important to collect data before beginning a social development plan because it can provide performers with data to guide their target setting. This can lead to performers using the data to set achievable and realistic goals that can boost their motivation to give everything during each session as they know that social improvements are within their reach.’

LEARNING CHECKLIST
Can you now:
1) Explain why it is important to collect data before beginning a development plan.
SOS on how to answer explain questions.

Now that we have considered why we collect data before beginning a development plan, we must consider the different data types that methods can produce.