The VARK Questionnaire for Athletes

Copyright for this version of VARK is held by Julia L.Dunn, Whitman College, Walla Walla, Washington 99362 and Neil Fleming. Revised in September 2013.

VARK Questionnaire version 8.01

Choose the answer which best explains your preference and click the box next to it. Please click more than one if a single answer does not match your perception. Leave blank any question that does not apply.

You want to make a new fruit drink for a snack. I would:

mix something familiar without the need for instructions.

refer to a cookbook where that has good recipes.

thumb through the blender cookbook looking for ideas from the pictures.

ask a teammate or training partner for suggestions.

You have a knee injury. I would prefer that the doctor or athletic trainer:

told me what was wrong.

used a plastic model to show me what was wrong.

gave me a chapter in the sports medicine textbook for me to read.

showed me what was wrong in a diagram.

Do you prefer a coach who likes to teach a new skill or strategy by:

bringing in an expert coach or trainer to describe it.

drawing it out on a chalk or whiteboard.

using practical skill and technical sessions.

using a playbook and/or handouts.

You are the team captain. The team has asked you to make a collection of songs for a warm-‐up tape. Why would you decide to include a song on the tape?

I played a little bit of each song to see how it sounded.

I read the song lyrics and thought they would be great.

The cover design in iTunes is really cool.

Some teammates or a training partner told me I should include it.

An opponent's performance video has arrived for your coach. Why would you watch or not watch it?

I heard my teammates or training partners commenting on it.

I saw the box score or statistics sheet and wanted to see the performance.

I can remember the last time we competed and I want to re-experience that feeling.

I saw that it had useful charts and graphs of their performance.

I like team or sports websites that have:

video talk using players and coaches.

written descriptions about the team, players, results and coaches.

demonstrations and interactive components that I can try.

interesting design and appealing visual features.

Recall a time in when you learned how to keep an official score (in a scorebook, judge's or statistic sheet) for your sport. I learnt best by:

visual clues - drawings, diagrams, graphs and charts

listening to somebody explaining it and asking questions.

doing it or trying it to see if it worked.

written instructions.

Your coach has assigned a group of international athletes to you to learn about your training facility. I would:

show them slides and photographs of the facility.

give them a brochure about the facility’s history and its smart features.

talk about how the athletes use the facility.

walk them around and demonstrate some of the gear in the facility.

Your coaches have asked you to make a presentation at the end-of-season function. You would:

make sure to include some interesting charts and graphs.

write a few key words and practice saying your speech over and over.

gather examples and stories from teammates to highlight key moments in the season.

write your speech and learn it by reading it over several times.

You finished competing in a sporting event and would like some feedback from your coach. You would like to:

talk through your performance with your coach.

See the graphical analysis of your performance.

read the statistical summary from the event.

watch a video that highlighted examples of what you did well and what you did poorly.

You have a YouTube clip to learn how to use a new piece of training equipment. You would like to have:

a chance to ask questions and talk with someone about the machine and its features.

video examples of correct and incorrect ways to use the machine.

diagrams or schematics showing the machine and how to use it properly.

clear written instructions with lists and bullet points about how to get started using the machine.

You are to purchase new equipment for your sport. Other than price, what would most influence your decision to purchase a product?

The salesperson telling me about the product’s key features.

Reading the details about the product’s features.

Trying or testing the product.

The product is well designed and looks good.

You have received a copy of your itinerary for a sports trip. This is of interest to a friend. I would:

send him/her a copy of the printed itinerary.

phone him/her and tell him/her about it.

share what you plan to do at each place you visit.

show him/her a map of where I am going.

You have an injury and you are not sure whether the word used for it was 'tendonitis' or 'tendinitis'. I would:

sound it out in my mind.

see the word in my mind and choose by the way it looks.

write both versions down and choose one.

look it up in a dictionary.

You are about to learn to use a new statistics or visual tracking program on a computer. I would:

follow the diagrams in the quick start guide.

try out some of the program's features.

read the manual that came with the program.

contact a friend and ask questions about it.

You are to give directions to a new athlete. The athlete needs to get to the team’s training facility. I would:

tell him/her the directions

draw a map on paper

go with him/her to the facility.

write down the directions (without a map)

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