Descriptive research systematically documents current events, lasting

products or other phenomena that can be measured directly by researchers

today. Descriptive research can take the form of questionnaires, polls,
surveys, or case studies. Measurements of various characteristics of ballet
dancers abound in dance science and medicine literature. Physiological
parameters such as body composition, aerobic capacity, strength, and
flexibility have all been measured to create a profile displaying the unique
qualities of the ballet dancer. Descriptive statistics (mean, median, range,
variance, and standard deviation) are used to summarize and give order to
the measurements made in descriptive research. While clarifying what exists
is a useful first step, other research methodologies are needed to discover
information that can promote positive changes for dancer.
Correlational research reflects a natural evolution from descriptive research
methods. Correlational studies reveal systematic relationships between
descriptive parameters (measurable features of a phenomenon under
investigation). A correlation facilitates prediction of one parameter based on
another. For example, a correlational study might show that ankle injuries
are more frequent for dancers who rehearse and perform more often in highheeled shoes. It might be tempting to infer from such a correlation that
working in a heeled shoe causes ankle injuries, but conclusions about
causation are not justified by correlational research. It might be, for example,
that the injuries are actually caused by rehearsing and performing in cold and
drafty studios or theatres with hard flooring and inadequate warm-ups.
Correlations are restricted to prediction; the identification of causal variables
requires an experimental analysis.
Experimental research reveals a cause and effect relationship by
systematically manipulating one parameter (the independent variable) and
observing the influence on another (the dependent variable). Experimenters
might, for example, administer an abdominal strengthening program to
dancers and observe its effect on the dancers' ability to maintain a stable
torso in petit allegro or small jump combinations. To establish an
experimental proof of causation, the manipulation of the independent
variable must be done in a manner that makes any other explanation for the
change in the dependent variable impossible or at least highly unlikely. A
variety of experimental designs have been invented to accomplish this
purpose and statistical tests have been created to assess the probability that
something other than the measured independent variable may have caused
the change in the dependent variable. Two major challenges in mounting an
experimental analysis are the time and expense involved with such analyses.