Short Analysis Assignment
For this assignment, you have the choice between two options. Both options require that you analyse one of the course
games at a critical level. The main difference between the options is the medium you use to convey your critical analysis.
See Information for the policy on late assignments. Essentially, no assignment will be
accepted after the deadline except for assignments on BioShock and Spore. Here is a list of the deadlines, all
of which are at 3:30 p.m.:
| Robot Unicorn Attack | January 15 |
| Bloons Tower Defense 5 | January 20 |
| Portal and/or Portal 2 | January 22 |
| Plants vs Zombies | February 3 |
| Thomas Was Alone | February 10 |
| World of Warcraft | February 24 |
| Minecraft | March 5 |
| BioShock | March 5 |
| Spore | March 5 |
Option 1: Essay
Write a short essay, of three to four pages, that constitutes a critical analysis of one of the games from our course.
Essays shorter than three full pages or longer than five pages may be returned unread.
You are writing a critical analysis, not a review or a personal response. You approach to the analysis should be based
on one of the approaches discussed and/or demonstrated in class. For example, you are welcome to analyse the semiotics,
the hypertextual aspects, the narrative structure, etc.; and you are welcome to combine various approaches. You are
welcome to use any and all of the course readings to help your analysis, and you are welcome to use external sources.
Document all sources (of ideas and of quotations), including all web sources (whether an author is identifiable or not).
As always, plagiarism will not be tolerated.
As with most English Studies essays, value will be awarded based on the depth of the analysis, the complexity
of the discussion, the solidity of the writing, and the thoroughness of the support to the thesis.
Essays should conform to MLA guidelines or to another academic standard. Essays should have double-spaced lineation.
Printed essays should use a 12-point, serif font and should not have a justified right margin. Please use one-inch margins on
all sides. Please do not submit the essay in a binder or folder. I am not fond of title pages.
Please consult the Essay Submission Checklist
and the Essay Submission Checklist Guide
for further information and tips on preparing your essay. Note that the Essay Submission Checklist is not being used for this
course.
Option 2: Video
Create a short digital video that critically analyses one of the course games. While this option allows for more creativity,
the product should still entail a critical analysis of the game, and not be a review or personal response (or a walkthrough or
general guide to the game or game strategy).
The analytical approach to the game can be along the same lines as explained above for the essay option. One of the challenges
for this option is trying to communicate a sufficient amount of analysis within the medium of the video. You are of course welcome
to use any type of visuals you would like, including in-game play and images of your own talking head. Please do not violate
any copyright laws.
The video should probably be between four and ten minutes long. Some example videos are listed below. Note that these are not
all as analytical as this assignment requires you to be, but as examples meant to inspire you.
Videos should be submitted electronically. If you want to upload your video to YouTube or another web site, then a Web link
is all that is needed for submission. You will probably be asked for permission to post a link to your project on the course web
site, for your fellow students to enjoy (and you may refuse if you wish).
For this option only, you may work in groups of two. Both students in a team will receive the same grade for the assignment.
Example videos
The Machine is Us/ing Us (a video explaining Web 2.0 and related concepts)
We Think (a video response/summary of We Think by Charles Leadbeater)
CIS420-Video Project (a video response/summary of The Shallows)
Are kids different because of digital media? (a promotional video about some of the work of the MacArthur Foundation)
David Gauntlett: Media in the online age (an animated response/parody of another media studies video)
So you Want to Get a PhD in the Humanities (a funny animated video satirizing assumptions surrounding post-graduate academics)