During the last few years, several textbooks for game students have become available. While these cover many areas well, the objective of this book is to provide a collection of research methods for undergraduate and graduate level students. The aim of the book is to provide a comprehensive overview of that ways games and phenomena surrounding them can be researched. The book is planned to consist of several individual chapters which are organized into sections showing three main approaches for game research:
* studying games as artifacts
* studying playing and gaming as activities
* studying players and gamers
Each section is planned to include chapters that focus on basic research methods as well as methods for on design-oriented research.
Examples of topic for the sections include (but are not limited to):
* methods for formal gameplay analysis
* visual analysis of games
* video analysis of gaming
* methods of interviewing gamers
* using statistical analysis
* experimental or critical game design research
* action research through game design
* close readings of games
* data mining of gameplay statistics
* participatory observations of games
As a textbook, the chapters are intended to provide rationales for using methods, descriptions of best practices, as well as critically discussing the pros and cons of the method in focus.
Submission:
1000-1500 word (+ references) abstract giving clear outline of chapter as well as the short author bio. Email your submission to petri.lankoski@sh.se as a plain text (no attachments).
Deadline for the abstract submission: October 20, 2013.
Editors: Petri Lankoski & Staffan Björk