After making several reviews over my research question, my initial plan for my research project has deviated. That being said, I also plan for it to adapt again as I dig further into the NCAA and the recent NIL bill. Before, my research questions addressed recruitment violations, and the difference NIL makes with respect to some specific violations. However, I am initially beginning my proposition on a bias that will undercut some of the information I would have to present. In addition, the NIL is still a developing situation that has room for study and advancement. I want to focus on that advancement, and try to highlight some of the positive and negative outcomes for potential student athletes. That will also make others more knowledgeable on their options as a student athlete.
My new research focus will analyze some potential benefits and disadvantages the NIL provides student athlete. The NCAA reported in 2020 that only about 2% of all collegiate athletes make it professionally. Therefore, 98% of student athletes will not continue their athletic endeavors after college. With respect to those students not going to play sports professionally, I would like to identify possible benefits and disadvantages the NIL rule provides. I also want to explore the question of how much financial liability and control will the NCAA relinquish as a result of the new NIL rule?
The best methodology to use for these series of questions will be the interpretive research method, which uses a more “sense making” approach. I will be focused more qualitative interpretations due to the newness of the NIL. Hopefully, later down the line, after years of research, I will be able to use statically evidence to back up some of the questions with greater certainty. The validity theory is a theory based on interpretive research method that I will use as my guiding theory to the project. Validity theory is just the development of proving or validating interpretations to be knowledge. It is important in interpretive research, because a lot of my assessment will be based on the vantage I have of the possible changes enacted by the NIL rule.
This looks like a straightforward approach to your research. Because NIL is so new, there’s little existing scholarship on its impact. Your goal will be to ask participants to offer their thoughts on the rule and its value and impact, and to analyze those responses for trends and themes. A grounded theory approach might work for you in this study, but I’ll let you explore more specific methods.