Writing Responsibly Quiz
Review the "Writing Responsibly" guidelines for using sources responsibly:
"Writing Responsibly: Understanding and Representing the Entire Source"
Then consider how a writer could properly make use of the source below:
From How Much Is That Second Baseman in the Window? by Jack Almonte (p. 47)
At a glance, the numbers make the case that baseball’s free agency era has been a disaster for fans. The average player salary in 1976 was approximately $50,000, by 2011 the average salary had risen to $3.1 million. Compared to that stratospheric climb, the increases in ticket prices seem positively reasonable: the average ticket price in 1976 was $3.45, by 2011 that average ticket was $26.91, an almost eight-fold increase. In this light, the relationship between baseball salaries and skyrocketing ticket prices seems ironclad.
However, this simple analysis doesn’t tell the whole story. As author Neil DeMause points out, the sticker shock of the average salary and average ticket price increases is somewhat blunted when you factor in inflation (208). The 1976 average ticket price was $13.64 in 2011 dollars, and the 1976 average salary was close to $200,000, adjusted for inflation.
However, even that adjustment leaves ticket prices effectively doubling during the free agency era, and salaries increasing by more than 1,500 percent. Still, it would be a mistake to attribute ticket increases to player salaries alone. As DeMause noted, in the first twelve years of free agency, while inflation-adjusted salaries rose, inflation-adjusted ticket prices actually fell (209). This indicates other market forces at play.
The fact is that the free agent era has coincided with an explosion of money into the world of sports. The rise of cable television dramatically increased teams’ broadcast revenues. The construction of new stadiums—80% of baseball’s franchises play in facilities built since 1989—has helped spur increases in ticket prices, as the new facilities emphasize “premium” seats and luxury services over increasing seating capacity. Even in sports where player salaries are not an issue—such as top-level college football and basketball—ticket prices have increased dramatically. According to Seatgeek.com, the average price for a ticket to a Big 10 football game in 2010 was $145.
In the questions that follow, assume the statements in the questions are drafted by a writer who wishes to use the source in an essay. Identify any mistakes the writer has made in summarizing, paraphrasing, or quoting this source.
QUESTION:
1. According to Almonte, “[T]he numbers make the case that baseball’s free agency era has been a disaster for fans ... the relationship between baseball salaries and skyrocketing ticket prices seems ironclad.”
a. patchwriting
b. failure to understand or represent the whole source
c. inaccurate quotation
d. This is a responsible use of the source.
2. In this light, the case that there’s a relationship between salaries and soaring ticket prices seems open and shut (Almonte, 47).
a. patchwriting
b. failure to understand or represent the whole source
c. inaccurate quotation
d. This is a responsible use of the source.
3. According to Almonte, ticket prices increased in large part because of new, smaller stadiums that "emphasize 'premium' seats and luxury services over increasing seating capacity" (47).
a. patchwriting
b. failure to understand or represent the whole source
c. inaccurate quotation
d. This is a responsible use of the source.
4. Almonte makes the case that baseball’s free agency era has been bad for the game. Citing inflation-adjusted data, he shows that ticket prices have struggled to keep pace with rising salaries, forcing team owners to seek out new sources of revenue, in the form of new stadiums and increased cable television revenues. In fact, Almonte argues that soaring baseball salaries have affected the sports beyond baseball or even the professional sports leagues, noting that even college football tickets are now exorbitantly priced (47).
a. patchwriting
b. failure to understand or represent the whole source
c. inaccurate quotation
d. This is a responsible use of the source.
5. Almonte makes the case that baseball’s free agency era has been bad for the game. Citing inflation-adjusted data, he shows that ticket prices have struggled to keep pace with rising salaries, forcing team owners to seek out new sources of revenue, in the form of new stadiums and increased cable television revenues. In fact, Almonte argues that soaring baseball salaries have affected the sports beyond baseball or even the professional sports leagues, noting that even college football tickets are now exorbitantly priced (47).
a. patchwriting
b. failure to understand or represent the whole source
c. inaccurate quotation
d. This is a responsible use of the source.