Sport and Exercise Psychology Review - Sport Psychology Goes to ...

Melissa Day
includes the number of assistantships given
each year and the percentage of students on
the course with each type of assistantship.
As well as providing a useful resource for
finding university courses, this directory also
gives valuable advice on how to choose the
correct programme. This includes a section
on self-reflective questions on personal goals
for further study and the type of institution
that would best suit a student’s needs. Following
on from these questions are points to
think about on viewing the university, such as
accommodation, location and financial aid
available. In addition, the directory suggests
questions that may need to be asked about
the programme under consideration, such as
how students are marked, how the course is
structured, which conferences students may
be invited to attend, and the flexibility of the
programme. This section in the directory acts
as a stimulant to choosing the most suitable
university and course. The suggested questions
to think about while selecting a course
may also help to prompt students to make
the most informed decision possible. Many
key points are listed, which may help an individual
gather more information while deciding
which course to choose.
The directory also acts as a list of reference
points that students may wish to consider
when choosing a pathway in sport
psychology. It includes sections on journal
articles, books and videos that may help in
making decisions about further study. Many
of the inclusions in these sections are also
highly relevant to those already in further
study as a guide point for future career
development or student lectures. Reading
lists include a vast number of texts, from general
sport psychology text books to more specialised
areas. Most useful is possibly the list
of available sport psychology videos on issues
such as using psychology in coaching and
teaching mental skills. All videos listed
include suppliers’ contact details to enable
direct contact.
Also included is a chapter on using the
internet for success. This details many useful
web pages for sport psychology resources
and sport specific pages. It also contains
information on searching for sport psychology
resources on the internet. This focuses
mainly on getting the most out of database
searches and looking for psychological material.
As such, it may be a valuable resource
for assessing academic materials on the
internet, and may be especially relevant to
conducting literature searches. The authors
discuss their personal experiences of searching
for psychology literature and recommendations
for the most useful sites. This section
clearly shows the time involved by the
authors in compiling the most useful information
and relevant details for students.
The amount of information contained
within the directory means that it includes
everything necessary for those contemplating
postgraduate study. From those debating the
pathway of sport psychology to individuals
with definite decisions, this directory will contain
something useful for everyone. As well as
providing an impressive means of student
guidance, it also contains pages of useful references
and information to help anyone with
an interest in sport psychology. The current
cost of an individual 6-month subscription to
the electronic version of the directory is
US$29 (and US$39 for 12 months), while the
bound (paperback) version costs US$29. One
advantage of the electronic version is that it is
continually updated as changes are submitted.
The Directory of Graduate Programs in
Applied Sport Psychology is one of an impressive
collection of electronic resources available
from Fitness Information Technology (See
www.fitinfotech.com), including the Directory
of Psychological Tests in the Sport and Exercise Sciences,
Directory of Internship in the Sport and Exercise
Sciences, specific questionnaires (e.g.,
Group Environment Questionnaire, Flow Scales)
and e-editions of books (e.g., Counseling College
Student Athletes) which are sold in their
entirely or on a chapter-by-chapter basis.
Melissa Day is currently a PhD student in the
Department of Sport and Exercise Science at University
of Wales, Aberystwyth.
44 Sport & Exercise Psychology Review Vol 1 No 2