Will web-based research suffice when collecting U.S. school district policies? The case of physical education and school-based nutrition policies
2008

Collecting School District Policies on Physical Education and Nutrition

Sample size: 60 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Jamie F. Chriqui, Michael Tynan, Tanya Agurs-Collins, Louise C. Mâsse

Primary Institution: University of Illinois at Chicago

Hypothesis

Can web-based research effectively collect U.S. school district policies on physical education and nutrition?

Conclusion

A multi-pronged approach is necessary for collecting U.S. local school district policies, as web research and mail canvasses yield different types of information.

Supporting Evidence

  • 67% of the districts provided policies through various methods.
  • Policies were more likely to be retrieved from larger, urban districts.
  • Different types of policy information were obtained from web and mail sources.

Takeaway

To find out what schools are doing about physical education and nutrition, researchers need to use different methods like searching online and sending letters.

Methodology

The study involved collecting policies from 60 school districts across six states using web research, mail canvasses, and field collection methods.

Potential Biases

Variability in organizational structures within school districts may lead to incomplete responses.

Limitations

The study's findings may not be generalizable to all districts, and the policy information collected may be incomplete due to the nature of the data collection methods.

Participant Demographics

The study included 60 school districts from six states: California, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, and Texas.

Statistical Information

P-Value

<0.001

Statistical Significance

p<0.001

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1479-5868-5-64

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