Why and how do performers collect information about the factors affecting their performance?
Methods of collecting information on factors impacting on performance, including why data is gathered (the cycle of analysis), general and specific observation schedules, the use of recognised standardised fitness tests, and gathering both initial (baseline) and ongoing data.
An SQA National 5 Physical Education answer on methods of collecting information about the factors impacting on performance, covering why data is gathered as part of the cycle of analysis, general and specific observation schedules, recognised standardised fitness tests, and the value of baseline and ongoing data.
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What this dot point is asking
Before you can improve a performance, you have to know what is strong and what is weak. The SQA wants you to know methods of collecting information about the factors impacting on performance, why you collect it, and how it fits the cycle of analysis. National 5 covers general and specific observation schedules, recognised standardised fitness tests, and the difference between initial (baseline) data and ongoing data collected later.
Why collect information
You collect data so that improvement is based on evidence, not guesswork.
This sits inside the cycle of analysis: you collect data on the factors, analyse it to find strengths and weaknesses, plan and carry out approaches to develop performance, then re-test and review. Without good data at the start, the rest of the cycle has no firm foundation.
Observation schedules
Observation schedules are written tools for recording what happens in a performance.
- General schedule. Used early on to find broad strengths and weaknesses. Video makes it more accurate because you can pause and rewind to count actions such as passes completed, tackles won or shots on target.
- Specific schedule. Used to dig into a weakness the general schedule revealed, for example breaking a tennis serve into its sub-routines and noting which part is letting you down.
Recording data this way produces qualitative information (descriptions of how well something was done) and quantitative information (numbers, such as a success count or percentage).
Standardised fitness tests
For physical fitness factors, recognised tests give a reliable, comparable measure.
Because the protocol is fixed, a standardised test is reliable (you can repeat it and get a comparable score) and lets you judge progress objectively when you re-test later.
Examples in context
Example 1. Video and a tally in basketball. A player films a game and uses a general observation schedule to tally successful and unsuccessful shots, passes and rebounds. The numbers reveal that shooting is the main weakness, pointing to where to focus.
Example 2. The bleep test for CRE. A games player completes the multi-stage fitness test, reaching level 7. Comparing this against norm tables shows their cardio-respiratory endurance is below average, giving a clear baseline to improve from.
Try this
Q1. State the difference between a general and a specific observation schedule. [1 mark]
- Cue. A general schedule records an overview of the whole performance; a specific schedule focuses in detail on one part of it.
Q2. Name one recognised standardised test and the factor it measures. [1 mark]
- Cue. For example, the multi-stage fitness test measures cardio-respiratory endurance (other valid pairs are accepted).
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA N5 style4 marksDescribe two methods you could use to collect information about your performance.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark describe answer needs two clear methods, each described in enough detail to show how it works, with two marks per method.
General observation schedule. You video your whole performance, then use a checklist or tally to record how often you carried out key actions across the game, such as passes completed or tackles won. This gives an overall picture of your strengths and weaknesses.
Standardised fitness test. To collect data on a physical fitness factor, you complete a recognised test such as the multi-stage fitness test for cardio-respiratory endurance, and compare your score against published norm tables.
Markers reward each method named and described (1) plus a clear sense of what it measures and how it is carried out (1), up to four marks.
SQA N5 style2 marksExplain why a performer collects data before starting a programme of work.Show worked answer →
This explain question needs reasons linked to how the data is used.
Collecting data first gives a baseline, an accurate starting point that shows current strengths and weaknesses, so the right development needs can be identified and prioritised.
It also lets the performer compare later results against the baseline to judge whether the programme has actually worked.
Markers reward the idea of a baseline to identify needs (1) and the idea of a fair before-and-after comparison (1), to a total of two marks.
Related dot points
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An SQA National 5 Physical Education answer on the fitness part of the physical factor, covering the components of physical fitness (cardio-respiratory endurance, muscular endurance, strength, speed, flexibility and power) and skill-related fitness (agility, balance, co-ordination and reaction time), and how each helps or hinders a performance.