McGonigals What Exactly is a Game
Annotation 1: McGonigal establishes her credibility by defining what a game is. She breaks it down into four defining traits: a goal, rules, a feedback system, and voluntary participation.
Annotation 2: McGonigal begins the chapter by addressing the common misconceptions and/or biases against games. She argues that these misconceptions and biases are based on a misunderstanding of what games truly are.
Annotation 3: To support her argument, McGonigal relies on data and scholarly evidence. She cites with endnotes numerous sources and studies, such as works by Cskszentmihlyi and Sutton-Smith, to back up her claims.
Annotation 4: McGonigal brings other voices into the conversation by referencing the works of other experts in the field, which further supports her argument and establishes her credibility.
Annotation 5: There does not seem to be any clear evidence in the text that undermines McGonigal's credibility. She presents her arguments with logic and supports them with references to relevant research.
Annotation 6: McGonigal begins the chapter by addressing the cultural and linguistic biases against games and gamers. This is a strategic move as it immediately engages readers and invites them to reconsider their preconceived notions.
Annotation 7: The idea of a bias against games is a recurring theme throughout the chapter. McGonigal uses this as a foundation to build her arguments, constantly referring back to these biases as she presents her own understanding of games. This approach allows her to systematically deconstruct common misconceptions and replace them with a more nuanced and positive view of games.
Annotation 8: McGonigal offers a variety of evidence to support her views. She references statistical data and studies by other experts in the field, such as Mihly Cskszentmihlyi's work on the concept of "flow" and Brian Sutton-Smith's research on play.
References
McGonigal, J. (2011).Reality is broken: Why games make us better and how they can change
the world. Penguin.
