Research designs in Sports Science

Research design constitutes a core component of the scientific process, as it structures the logical coherence among the theoretical framework, methodological decisions, data collection and analysis, and the interpretation of results. However, in Sport Sciences, conceptual ambiguity persists in the use of terms such as methodology, design, method, and instruments, along with a frequent lack of explicit identification of the adopted design in numerous studies. The aim of this article is to clarify the conceptual role of research design within the research process and to propose an original, comprehensive, and flexible classification specifically tailored to the field through a narrative review. To this end, the relationship among methodology, design, method, and techniques/instruments is hierarchically delineated, and an integrative framework of six broad study types is presented: methodological, theoretical, and instrumental designs, and empirical designs (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods). The proposal conceives design as a multidimensional and non-exclusive structure, in which different criteria can coexist and be integrated within a single study depending on the objectives, context, and analytical strategy. This approach facilitates the identification, communication, and evaluation of research design, and supports the recommendation of systematically reporting it as a specific subsection within the methods section to strengthen transparency, replicability, and research quality in Sport Sciences.