Research Essay
Aim of the assignment: To construct an argument regarding a specific dimension of the cultural relevance of digital games in everyday life. The central thesis of your essay should be based on the analysis and synthesis of relevant examples and literature.
Generating an essay question: Think about a topic or theme that interested you in particular in class, or a topic that you think is important in the domain of digital games, and consider how you might want to go about exploring it in greater depth. Frame this interest as a question and then use your essay to answer it. Feel free to delve in more detail into one of the topics we have reviewed during the semester.
Getting your essay question approved: You should email your proposed research question to Alison by Reading Week in Week 7 (November 7). Do not begin writing your essay until you have had your essay question approved.
Developing a thesis statement: Your essay will need to present an argument relating to the cultural significance of digital games in everyday life and should include a thesis statement. This is an explicit statement of your central argument which should be stated in your introduction. We will review the components of an effective thesis statement in class. You should then develop this argument through your essay via a systematic exploration of evidence that supports your position (such as relevant academic literature and recent examples).
This means that it is not enough to simply describe what different people say on a topic, or demonstrate that you have engaged with different forms of evidence. You need to establish a position and defend it, using relevant evidence to support your stance. If your essay does not have a thesis statement it is likely that it will receive a low mark. Please feel free to discuss your thesis statement with each module leader.
Use of Evidence: Game studies is a growing academic area but there are now dozens of books and hundreds of academic articles on this topic. While examples from the media and from game sites can be used to support your argument, reliance on non-academic sources will result in a poor mark.
Word limit: Your essay should be approximately 2000 words long.