Research Paper

Research Question/Thesis Assignment

Section 1- Research Question

1. What is your research question? If the goal of college is to provide an educational and social experience that allows graduates to succeed in real life, why are many universities spending more money on sports than they are on academic departments?

2. Why is this an important question to answer?

The main aim of universities and colleges is to offer education but yet as we see in the current days, a lot of money is being spent on sports than on academic departments as we would all expect. Answering this question will help in knowing whether it is a worthwhile interest for colleges and universities.

Section 2-Articles

What are your articles? List four articles that each provide a different point of view in relation to your question. Each article should come from a different source. Up to two of them may be in a language other than English.

Some suggestions for finding sources: Using Google Scholar, Using Google News Search Function, Looking beyond the first page of results in a search, Letting the results of a search help you find new keywords for a more effective search, Getting help from the research librarians in Creative Commons.

Finally- Discussing your articles with others, including the Writing Center Tutors, can help you understand them better.

Article 1

1. What is the title and when was it written?

“Colleges Increasing Spending on Sports Faster Than on Academics, Report Finds”

The article was written on April 7, 2014.

2. What is the URL (web address)? (if it is not an online source, list the source type). The article was retrieved from

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/07/education/colleges-increasing-spending-on-sports-faster-than-on-academics-report-finds.html

3. Why is this source authoritative? Consider author, publisher, etc. The New York Times’ by Lewin (2017) article points out how colleges have increased their spending on sports at a faster rate as opposed to academics.

4. Provide a three-sentence summary. At an increasing rate, institutions of higher learning have shifted their focus from academic activities as their core mission. Spending in competitive athletics has now become the top priority. This in one way or the other has contributed to cases of excess and scandal these institutions instead of learning and teaching (Lewin, 2014).

Article 2

1. What is the title and when was it written? “Colleges are spending more on their athletes because they can”

The article was written on July 6, 2017.

2. What is the URL (web address)? (if it is not an online source, list the source type). The article was retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2017/07/06/colleges-spending-more-their-athletes-because-they-can/449433001/

3. Why is this source authoritative? Consider author, publisher, etc. The article explained the reasons why colleges are spending more on their athletes.

4. Provide a three-sentence summary

The article explained how schools are taking advantage on the NCAA rules that allowed them coverage of attendance full cost. As a result, their spending increased financially since the USA TODAY Sports gave them 8.8% financial aid. Despite all this, the “self-sufficient” programs still remains unchanged since 2010 (Berkowitz & Schnaars, 2017).

Article 3

1. What is the title and when was it written? “Playing in the red”

The article was written on November 23, 2015

2. What is the URL (web address)? (if it is not an online source, list the source type). The article was retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/sports/wp/2015/11/23/running-up-the-bills/?noredirect=on

3. Why is this source authoritative? Consider author, publisher, etc. The article showed how college athletic departments from 28 schools spent fast more money which ended them operating at loss in the year 2014.

4. Provide a three-sentence summary.

Big-time college departments are making a lot of money as compared to before because television contracts, donors, licensing deals, and endorsement. Yet more than ever, many departments are losing money through the high outspend income. The article studied the reasons as to why these athletic departments are in a struggle to profit.

Article 4

1. What is the title and when was it written? “Colleges are spending 7 times more on athletics that they are on academics”

The article was written on October 15, 2015.

2. What is the URL (web address)? (if it is not an online source, list the source type). The article was retrieved from https://www.thenation.com/article/colleges-are-spending-7-times-as-much-on-athletics-than-they-are-on-academics/

3. Why is this source authoritative? Consider author, publisher, etc. The article helps in pointing out the need for athletics departments in colleges to consider asking themselves the reasons why and where their money is being used.

4. Provide a three-sentence summary.

Institutions of higher learning are burdening students with fees for academic programs but surprisingly enough, massive fees for funding athletics. Instead, those funds should allocated to the academic departments. This has resulted to colleges averagely spending 7 times more on athletics at the sacrifice of academic, which has no indication of coming to an end.

Section 3- Preliminary Thesis

Suggestions- Discuss your articles and your questions with other people to help you find your thesis. For example, you could discuss your articles and question with your other group members or with a Writing Center tutor.

1. What is your Preliminary Thesis? (Remember that your thesis is simply the answer to your research question.) This does have to be a single sentence, and in fact it probably should not be a single sentence.

The major reason as to why a lot of money is being spent on sports more than athletics is the drive to gain more profit. Athletics has serve to be a source of more money than ever before to institutions of higher learning. This in some point has led many of these institutions to be carried away into athletics showing less interest in academics.

2. Write 2 or 3 paragraphs that show how you developed your answer in relation to the research you have done. Do not rely on only one article, but show how your answer is informed by all of the articles.

In institutions of higher learning, athletics should not be the main focus as it is now. This is not to say that athletics is not of any importance at all. In fact, athletics programs bring a lot of money to institutions, results in long-term relations, helps students develop discipline, competitiveness, good fitness habits, and drive, and so on. There should be a balance between academics and athletics in the sense that all complement each other and none thrives at the expense of the other.

However, a lot of money is being spent on universities, something that has shifted their main focus from academics. Berkowitz & Schnaars (2017) in their article asserts that schools are taking advantage of the NCAA rules that allowed them coverage of attendance full cost. According to Hobson & Rich (2015), another factor that is driving universities and colleges to spend more money on sports is the aim of making profit. This is accomplished with the help of television contracts, donors, licensing deals, and endorsement.

References

Berkowitz, S., & Schnaars, C. (2017). Retrieved from

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2017/07/06/colleges-spending-more-their-athletes-because-they-can/449433001/

Colleges Are Spending 7 Times More on Athletics Than They Are on Academics. (2015). Retrieved from

https://www.thenation.com/article/colleges-are-spending-7-times-as-much-on-athletics-than-they-are-on-academics/

Hobson, W., & Rich, S. (2015). Retrieved from

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/sports/wp/2015/11/23/running-up-the-bills/?noredirect=on

Lewin, T. (2014). Colleges Increasing Spending on Sports Faster Than on Academics, Report Finds. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/07/education/colleges-increasing-spending-on-sports-faster-than-on-academics-report-finds.html