Introduction:
Globalisation has contributed to major
advancements in technology and seamlessly connects people across the globe. However, the Internet is also a double-edge sword. It brings about many conveniences and benefits to the general public. For instance, news and educational
content can be easily and efficiently retrieved from online sources. However, the Internet
has also led to the creation of online games resulting in a new problem evident in society; gaming addiction. With the growing concern of gaming addiction among teens in Singapore, the government and parents should collectively monitor such trends and actively promote campaigns to reduce addition.
Traditional video games are non-interactive
and involve only a single player. Such games would eventually become repetitive
and boring, thereby forcing the user to quit playing in the long run. However, with
globalization, game developers have introduced Massively Multiplayer Online
Role-playing Games or MMORPG, where players interact in real time across
borders for collective game activities (Steve Cornett, 2004). Games such as “World of Warcraft”
incorporate MMORPG and periodically update their content to encourage endless
gaming. As such, players may subconsciously fall victim to gaming
addiction.
Gaming addiction can result in serious health
problems with gamers sacrificing sleep just to earn more hours for game play.
In addition, the addiction can place stress and tension on family relationships
and impede one’s ability to sort priorities. It also results in an
unhealthy emotional connection to the game character or ‘avatar’ and virtual
connections created.
Solution 1: Gaming Rehabilitation
Many gamers are aware of their problem, but
have sunk too deep to stop by themselves. The government to help gamers rid
their unhealthy addiction can adopt a similar concept of rehabilitation for
smokers and drug users.
Solution 2: Promotion of campaigns to encourage families to be proactive
Some gamers themselves do not realize the
addiction problem that is adversely affecting their lives and that of their
families. Campaigns should be introduced via the media to spread awareness of
the rising issue of gaming addiction. The campaign should encourage families
with members facing addiction to be proactive.
Solution 3: Emphasize the health and mental risks of gaming addiction to children from young. (Similar to sex education in schools)
Solution 3: Emphasize the health and mental risks of gaming addiction to children from young. (Similar to sex education in schools)
References:
Steve Cornett. (2004). The Usability of Massively Multiplayer Online
Roleplaying Games: Designing for New Users. Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405-7104. Retrieved October 10, 2013, from http://ocw.metu.edu.tr/pluginfile.php/2512/mod_resource/content/0/ceit706_2/10/Cornett_Usability.pdf
Steve Cornett. (2004). The Usability of Massively Multiplayer Online
Roleplaying Games: Designing for New Users. Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405-7104. Retrieved October 10, 2013, from http://ocw.metu.edu.tr/pluginfile.php/2512/mod_resource/content/0/ceit706_2/10/Cornett_Usability.pdf
Hello Kelly!
ReplyDeleteHere are some of our group's opinion on your essay:
Content wise, your essay is quite focused and you have provided a comprehensive background information about the problem. Your thesis statement and recommendation of solution are also clearly stated. The ideas of your essay are well-organised too!
However, it will be better if you could address the problem of gaming addiction straight. The description of the problem can be shortened (need not talk about traditional gaming, making a comparison to current situation will be sufficient).
Eg. As compared to traditional video games, new games like MMORPG are interactive and provide a platform for players to interact with other players
Perhaps you could provide more statistics and include expert’s opinion on the problem and solution of gaming addiction. It will also be better if you could further elaborate on how constant updating result in gaming addiction.
The sources you found are relevant to the essay, but some slight changes could be made to the in-text and end-text citation.
- Include article name for Cornett
- State author’s last name for in-text citation
- Add author’s initials for end-text citation
- Article name for references should not be capitalised except for the first word, proper name and the word after colon.
Language
- Misspelled words
“Internet is also a double-edged (not double-edge) sword…”
“...promote campaigns to reduce addiction (not addition)...”
- Minor problems with sentence structure
E.g. “Many gamers are aware of their addiction problems, but are unable to quit it.”
“The government can adopt a similar concept of rehabilitation for smokers and drug users to help gamers rid their addiction.”
“Some gamers do not realize their (not the) addiction problem…”
Thank you for your essay! You have done great:)
Su Min, Gio, Foo Eng