My research Questions: To begin with context, I am first seeking to learn about how NCAA Title IX has negatively effected student-athletes in the Atlantic 10 athletic conference. This is the same conference that the University of Richmond competes in for all sports other than Football. Title IX was instilled as an attempt to equalize men’s and women’s sports so that neither gender had more sports team or athletes on either side in order to better provide an opportunity to a more broad and diverse student-athlete body. As for my actual questions – (1) How did Title IX negatively impact student-athletes within the A10; (1a) What sports were effected? (2) How many athletes were removed from their school’s competition as a result of this ruling? (3) What financial implications/benefits did these institutions see because of this?
My audience: Those who will want to know the answers to these questions are often student-athletes. I cannot begin to tell you how many times we have spoken about this at practice here at UR or during my time as a member of the Baseball team at the University of Delaware. At UR, there is no Softball team, for example. Others who will want to know the answers to these questions are those outside of student-athletes who are looking to learn more about the ruling and how this ruling has effected the school they root for, are a fan of or have a family member who attends. Additionally, many are not aware that Title IX exists and I believe it to be enlightening and insightful to provide information on this topic.
So What?: These questions will contribute to a field or discipline in that they further press the envelope of discussion surrounding the murky cloud that is the NCAA. Being a student-athlete is not as simple as many make it out to be – there are a large number of rules and rulings that effect all of us at every institution. This research is important because it brings to light more deeply just one ruling that has effected student-athletes at every single institution in the country. At minimum, every school had to eliminate a sport in order to comply with this ruling and that obviously means that those opportunities were stripped from those student-athletes and they were then left with a choice – to leave and pursue their dream or to remain as a normal student.
Your initial question, “How did Title IX negatively impact student-athletes within the A10?” seems based on a predetermined outcome, that Title IX was negative. I think you have to make that case, because using that as an assumption for starting research is going to immediately open yourself up to scrutiny. Consider whether you can ask the question more moderately: something along the lines of “what specific impacts does Title IX have on opportunities to play specific sports in A-10 schools?” While you may consider Title IX a negative, it’s important that your research question and methods not reflect that position. As an athlete in an A-10 school, you’re already very close to the issue; seek to demonstrate a level of objectivity while explaining your own position. The more specific your question can get, the easier it will be to answer it.