1. Define project milestones , e.g., in 3 years: planning, execution, dissemination. 2. Theme : select not just one topic, but at least two related themes, to better prepare the next phases of the research. 3. Problem : formulate the starting question, which relates at least two ideas or concepts. For example: the museum and a strange stealing of art information. 4. Research axes: 4.1. Epistemological axis: reflection on the conditions and effects of scientific work itself, such as the relationship between the research subject (the researcher profession, etc.) and the object of study; or the pertinence of the methodologies to be used. 4.2. Theoretical Axis: Select theories and authors. Define theoretical or main questions and hypotheses. 4.3. Analytical axis: Translate main or theoretical questions and hypotheses into secondary or working questions and hypotheses, using understandable terms of common language. Select the most appropriate methods and techniques for the research. Define the sample of respondents in the questionnaire or interview, or the corpus of sources for document content analysis such as legislation, etc. 4.4. Empirical axis: carry out the field work, in order to verify or reject the work hypotheses previously formulated in the analytical axis of the investigation. 5. Results and end products.
Published in Chapter:
Sociological (Re)search Games: What, Why, and How to Decide, by Playing Within a Study
Copyright: © 2023
|Pages: 33
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-9166-9.ch006
Abstract
A Research Game is a new genre of serious game, which allows everyone to do research while playing. It is illustrated here via a case study of sociological research using a Sociological (Re)search Game, conducted in an art museum. As for a summary of the content structure, the chapter includes: firstly, an introduction, that informs about the history of this game main pre-projects and versions, in three interconnected phases; secondly, a section establishes some foundations for development of a Sociological (Re)search Game; and three other sections discuss what regards the decision process when playing the game and, at the same time, researching: ‘what to decide,' including the core contents and its subjacent story within the game; ‘why to decide,' which introduces the player to some basic sociological knowledge, mainly some ideas on art processes within a museum, where the game action occurs; and ‘how to decide,' which guides the player to learn some simple methods, in order to better play, but also to learn how to research within a scientific sociological project.