This introductory level textbook describes fundamental elements of research methods for leisure, recreation and tourism, with contributions from internationally renowned and active researchers in the field. It covers statistical information such as measurement of variables, sampling, questionnaire design and evaluation methods, and also contains wider discussion of writing proposals, communicating research findings, cross-cultural research, and the use of new technologies in conducting research. Enhanced by illustrations, focus boxes, review questions and case studies, this text introduces undergraduate students to the vital skills they will need to succeed in tourism studies.
Upper-level undergraduates in leisure, tourism and recreation courses worldwide.
Part I. An Overview of Leisure, Recreation and Tourism Research 1. Introduction: Leisure, Recreation and Tourism ResearchPart II. ABC's of Leisure, Recreation and Tourism Research2. Leisure, Recreation and Tourism Research Design3. Finding and Summarizing Research Literature4. Measurement of Variables5. Proposal WritingPart III. Research Methods and Data Collection6. Survey Research Methods: Sampling and Questionnaire Design7. Qualitative Research Techniques8. Using Grounded Theory in Leisure, Recreation and Tourism Research9. Evaluation Research Methods in Leisure, Recreation and Tourism Research10. Experimental Research11. Cross-cultural Research: Issues and ConcernsPart IV. Analyzing the Data and Testing Hypotheses 12. Summarizing Data13. Inferential Analysis of Data14. Relationship Analysis: t-tests, Cross Tabulations, and ANOVA15. Describing Linear Bivariate Relationships: Correlation analysisPart V. Research Write Ups: Reporting the Results 16. Communicating and Reporting Research Results
"To write a good textbook is only possible with pedagogic sensitivity, significant educational experiences, and research practice. This book is evidence that the editors possess all three qualifications. A student-friendly publication introducing plenty of examples and case studies (and) encouraging students to acquire the skills needed… this book (is) a winner."
Annals of Tourism Research 39 (3), 2012
Sirakaya-Turk Ercan Sirakaya-Turk, Ph.D, is a Professor of Tourism and the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management at the University of South Carolina (USC). Before joining USC, Dr. Turk worked at Texas A&M and Pennsylvania State Universities. He received his Ph.D. and MS from Clemson University, South Carolina USA. He was the 2007 recipient of US State Department's prestigious Fulbright scholarship to Russia, Saint Petersburg State University of Finance and Economics. Ercan has published a significant number of articles in the area of tourism destination marketing and tourism development in prestigious tourism journals and completed numerous grants/ contracts exceeding one million US dollars. Dr. Sirakaya-Turk is the founding-editor and current associate Editor for an online tourism research bulletin (e-Review of Tourism Research). He also serves at editorial boards of numerous journals including Journal of Travel Research, Annals of Tourism Research (as a resource editor), and Tourism Analysis. He teaches tourism economics, marketing and research methods classes.
Uysal Dr Muzaffer (Muzzo) Uysal is a Professor of Tourism in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management in Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Blacksburg, Virginia USA. He received his Ph.D from Texas A&M University, and an MBA from the University of New Haven and a BS in business administration and accounting from Ankara Academy of Economics & Commercial Sciences. He has extensive experience in the travel and tourism field, authoring or co-authoring a significant number of articles in tourism, hospitality and recreation journals, proceedings, book chapters, and four monographs and two books relating to different aspects of tourism and research. He also has conducted workshops, seminars and field research in several countries. Dr. Uysal is a member of the International Academy for the Study of Tourism, the Academy of Leisure Sciences, and serves as co-editor of Tourism Analysis: An Interdisciplinary Journal. In addition, he sits on the editorial boards of a significant number of journals, including Journal of Travel Research, and Annals of Tourism Research as resource editor. Dr. Uysal received the Award for Research Excellence, Alumni Award for Excellence in International Education, Teaching Excellence Award from Pamplin College of Business, and Outstanding Research Award from College of Human Resources. In addition, he received the 2009 University of Delaware Michael D. Olsen Research Achievement Award in Hospitality and Tourism and a Lifetime Achievement Award in Tourism Research in 2008 from Chinese Tourism Management Association - Taiwan. Dr. Uysal is also featured in Who's Who in America (2001-2010). He worked as Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Research in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management at the University of South Carolina from July 2007 to August 2008. His research interests center on tourism demand/supply interaction, tourism marketing, and quality of life research in tourism.