Writing the Games-Based Dissertation

Moses Wolfenstein · Mark Chen · Cynthia D'Angelo · Todd Harper · Shawna Kelly · Shira Chess

Thu., June 16, 2:00–3:00, Capitol View

As games studies efforts continue to proliferate across the academy in a wide range of disciplines, there has been a substantial increase in the number of doctoral students writing games-based dissertations. This fireside chat brings together a handful of recently minted PhDs from different programs across the country, each of whom have utilized different methods and/or studied a different type of game. This informal session will offer both graduate students and faculty an opportunity to talk with these scholars and each other about the conditions that affect writing a games-based dissertation in various institutional contexts. It will also aim to explore the ways that changes in the various fields in which games research takes place, and even changes that occur in the game development industry, can impact games research generally and games-based dissertations in particular. Topics to be considered will include: performing research around rapidly changing technologies, reconciling your games research agenda within a non-game centric department, assembling a committee that can provide you with meaningful feedback about your games-based study, and finding the right methods to fit your games-based inquiry.