Structure and Content of the Methods Section

                                                                                                                                           Last revised: 24 January 2026

The Methods section should be organized into clear subsections describing the study design, participants and setting, sample size, procedures or interventions, measurements, data collection, statistical analysis, and ethical approval, in line with best practice in indexed journals and COPE principles. These elements may be combined or presented under different headings depending on the complexity of the study. The journal does not require identical subsection titles; instead, all methodological information must be reported clearly, with emphasis on transparency, reproducibility, and methodological rigour rather than rigid labelling.

While the journal does not require subsection titles, authors may determine the internal structure of each manuscript section according to the needs of their study and may use subheadings selectively where they consider them helpful for clarity. RPESH encourages the use of subheadings where appropriate, as they may facilitate readability and support a more efficient peer-review process.

Recommended writing workflow when preparing the manuscript
Figures / Tables → Methods (current section) → Results → Discussion → Conclusion → Introduction →Title / Abstract / Keywords

Method section structure

Study design

Authors should clearly describe the overall study design, specifying whether the study is experimental, observational, or longitudinal. In PE, sport and exercise science, this may include randomized controlled trials, crossover designs, pre–post interventions, or season-long field experiments. The PE or competitive level, training phase (e.g., pre-season, in-season), and duration of the study should be reported, as these factors influence exercise/training adaptation and performance outcomes.

Example: A three-year longitudinal experimental study conducted across PE clases /competitive seasons.

Setting and participants

The setting should be described in detail, including training facilities, competition environments, and testing locations (laboratory or field-based). Participant characteristics such as age, sex, PE level, sport discipline, competitive level, training history should be reported, along with inclusion and exclusion criteria and recruitment procedures.

Example: Male adolescent football players from elite academies participating in regular team training and competition.

Sample size or sample size calculation
Authors should report the final sample size and, where possible, provide an a priori sample size or power calculation. In applied sport settings where sample size is constrained (e.g., team-based studies), authors should justify the sample size and discuss practical limitations.

Example: Sample size determined based on expected improvements in sprint performance and injury incidence.

Intervention / procedures

Training interventions or experimental procedures should be described in sufficient detail to allow replication. This includes the type of exercise/training (e.g., strength, plyometric, neuromuscular), frequency, intensity, volume, progression, and integration into regular PE activity or sport practice.

Example: A structured neuromuscular and resistance-training programme integrated into routine football training twice per week.

Measurements / instruments

Authors should describe all performance, physiological, biomechanical, or injury-related variables and the instruments used to assess them. This may include sprint tests, jump assessments, strength measures, GPS-derived metrics, or injury surveillance systems (or other). Information on test reliability, validity, and familiarization procedures should be provided where applicable.

Example: Sprint speed measured using electronic timing gates; injury incidence recorded using standardized injury surveillance protocols.

Data collection

This subsection should outline when and how data were collected, including testing schedules, monitoring periods, and procedures to ensure consistency across sessions. For longitudinal or season-long studies, authors should describe how adherence, exposure, and load were tracked.

Example: Performance testing conducted at baseline and at the end of each competitive season.

Statistical analysis

Authors should specify the statistical methods used to analyze data, including models appropriate for repeated measures, longitudinal designs, or clustered data. The statistical software, significance thresholds, confidence intervals, and effect sizes should be reported.

Example: Statistical analyses were performed using mixed-effects models to examine longitudinal changes in performance and injury risk. Significance was set at p < 0.05, and effect sizes with 95% confidence intervals were reported.

Ethical approval

Authors must report approval from an institutional ethics committee and confirm that informed consent (and assent for minors) was obtained. In sport settings involving youth or elite athletes, additional ethical considerations such as confidentiality, data protection, and the potential impact on training and competition should be addressed.

Example: Ethical approval obtained from a university ethics committee, with parental consent for youth participants.

Citations in the Methods section

Standard or previously published methods should be cited rather than described in full. Only modifications or deviations from established procedures need to be explained in detail. All instruments, protocols, and analytical approaches that are not original to the study must be appropriately referenced.

References:
Azevedo, L., Canário-Almeid, F., Almeida Fonseca, J., Costa-Pereira, A., Winck, J., & Hespanhol, V. (2011). How to write a scientific paper? Writing the methods section. Pulmonology, 17(5), 232–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rppneu.2011.06.014

Guide: Writing the Methods Section